Weekly Letter from the Pastor

Dear Fellow Parishioners of St. Benedict:

This weekend we will inaugurate the Annual Catholic Appeal in our parish. Those of you who are past contributors have already received the promotional materials in the mail. I am sure that some of you have already made your contribution, while others have put it aside to remit later this month.

The work of the diocese on the local level makes a significant impact on the lives of the poor, the disenfranchised, and those who are struggling with various life issues. Having myself once upon a time been employed at Catholic Charities (Diocese of Allentown) when I was a college seminarian, I am well aware of the many ways that the work of the church touches the lives of so many, including many who are not themselves Catholic. To a real extent, then, the work of the church in the lives of those on the margins is itself a means of evangelization in the world.

We have traditionally been one of the first parishes to reach our annual goal and, while we were later reaching our goal in the 2020 campaign, we were able to reach our goal eventually anyway. I hope that this year we will be able to maximize the goal again. In the world of fundraising two things are always important. Besides actually raising the amount of money needed, the number of donors to a project is always a key statistic. Even if you can contribute or pledge only a small amount, please do so. This is the work of the church as we do all we can to lead others to Christ and to love our neighbor as Christ loves us.

Also this weekend at the 9:30 a.m. Mass we join with our catechumen Steve Bazaz as he takes the first ritual step towards the reception of the sacraments of initiation at the Easter Vigil. While normally we celebrate the Rite of Sending so that the catechumen can go to the Cathedral for the Rite of Election with the bishop, this year the bishop has delegated the Rite to the parishes. Hence, Steve will receive the Rite of Election here. He is making his commitment public now to walk with Jesus Christ and to form his life around the Gospel. For our part, we are called to walk with him in our prayerful support. Our candidate, Ramon Trinidad, similarly makes the walk as he prepares for the Sacrament of Confirmation at the Easter Vigil.

We are all walking together on this Lenten journey. Whatever it is you have decided to “give up for Lent” is certainly a good practice, but allow me to also challenge all of us to also “take something up” for Lent. This is a good time to nourish our prayer lives, to enrich our knowledge of the faith through study, and to walk more closely with Jesus Christ.

We are offering numerous programs for Lent, and I invite you to stay tuned into our parish website for various opportunities along the way. One thing – even just one thing – can make a difference in our lives. We are called to do little things together, and in doing so we can do great things together. This is a paraphrase of the Mother Teresa quote that serves as the inspiration for the ACA this year, but it is also a great reminder of our Lenten journey.

Otherwise and overall, things are going well here. We are grateful for your prayerfulness, thoughtfulness, and generosity. These days have not been easy, and indeed they have been very difficult for some, but together and in faith we will come out stronger, holier, and more faithful.

Let us pray for each other on this Lenten journey,
Fr. Garry