Weekly Letter from the Pastor

Dear Fellow Parishioners of St. Benedict:

We enter the last full week of Lent, so there is not much time to prepare for the events of the Sacred Triduum. Nancy Arkin, Director of Faith Formation, will be leading us through a series of reflections on the Triduum over a three night period at 7:00 p.m. in the church. This Tuesday we will reflect on Holy Thursday, on Thursday April 7th, we reflect on Good Friday, and then on Tuesday April 12th we will reflect on Holy Saturday. Please join us. This is a great way to focus and prepare for the Paschal Triduum and also an opportunity to meet and learn from and about Mrs. Arkin.

Next Sunday is Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord. We begin Mass in the school Gym for the blessing and distribution of palms. This is followed by the procession into the church, the first of the three processions of the season. Next, we process to the Altar of Repose on Holy Thursday to rest with Jesus in the Garden as we prepare for Good Friday. On Good Friday morning, following the recitation of Morning Prayer, we will take the third procession as we pray the Stations of the Cross. Of course, stations will be prayed this week on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. and on Friday at 7:00 p.m.

The bishop will bless the Holy Oils and the priests of the diocese will recommit themselves to their sacred orders on Monday evening, April 11th at 7:30 p.m. at the Co-Cathedral of St. Robert Bellarmine in Freehold. This annual event, called the Chrism Mass, as it is where the sacramental oils are blessed, is a beautiful Mass and one with which many parishioners are unfamiliar. I invite you to consider attending this Mass.

This past week we celebrated the reception of the Sacrament of Confirmation for the students of our parish and of our school. Let us continue our prayers for their growth in faith, as well as for their families.

Now that April is upon us we are all certainly hoping that the cold and bitter winds are behind us and that Spring is on the way. “Thank you” to all who have contributed to our annual Easter flower collection. Also, “thank you” to all who have already contributed to the Annual Catholic Appeal (ACA). Our parish totals are listed later in the bulletin. Please consider your gift to the appeal. We have a ways to go yet towards reaching our goal.

Thank you for your continued support and prayer during my recovery. I am definitely feeling stronger and have more stamina than before. I have about a month of cardio rehab left, so I trust I will continue to make progress.

May the Lord continue to bless us during this Lenten Season,
Father Garry