Weekly Letter from the Pastor

Dear Fellow Parishioners of St. Benedict:

There was quite a chill in the air past Sunday as we gathered for the 6:00 a.m. Sunrise Easter Mass, much as there has been since we inaugurated this Mass five years ago, but it is certainly proving to be one of the most inspiring Masses in our parish life. Just over 100 people attend the Mass yet there is something special about it. Overall, our Easter celebrations were quite beautiful and very well attended. I am grateful to the entire parish staff for their hard work in assisting our celebrations. Unfortunately both Deacon Rich and Tom O’Brien (organist/pianist) were unable to be with us for the weekend celebrations, so we are especially grateful for Team Remick — Deacon Paul and Ellen — who carried the bulk of the workload during the liturgies. Ellen had very little notice in preparation to chant the Exsultet at the Vigil and still her chant was beautiful and up-lifting. Not only is it challenging in its notation, it is also about five minutes in length!

We are now beginning the celebrations of First Holy Communion for the second grade students of our parish and school community. This week the children were invited along with their families to participate in a Novena in preparation for their first sacramental reception of our Blessed Lord. Let us as a parish continue to pray for them and their intentions as well.

May brings with it many beautiful events, including the May Crowning on Sunday, May 8th at 11:00 a.m. Mass. The wedding season here is also beginning to blossom with two wedding Masses this weekend. If you are planning a wedding, or if you are civilly married and wish to receive the grace of the sacrament of Holy Matrimony, please make contact with Lori McCahill.

Next weekend the Filipino community in our diocese will celebrate the 500th Anniversary of the Christianization of the Philippines with a Mass at the Co-Cathedral of St. Robert Bellarmine celebrated by Bishop O’Connell. Please feel free to attend this celebration. We have a while to go before we observe the first celebration of the Mass in what is now the US, at Pensacola (Florida) in 1559, though Mass may well have been celebrated as early as 1526 at the attempted and failed Spanish colonies in what is now Virginia, North Carolina, and Georgia. The first Mass at what becomes the Thirteen Colonies was celebrated March 25, 1634 on St. Clement’s Island in Maryland.

This weekend is Divine Mercy Sunday, may we all know the power of God’s love and mercy in our lives today and everyday.

Father Garry