Weekly Letter from the Pastor

Dear Fellow Parishioners of St. Benedict:

Happy Mother’s Day to all of the Mothers, Grandmothers, Surrogate Mothers, Godmothers, Aunts and women role models this weekend. Each and every one of you is an inspiration to your family, extended family, and those whom you serve and mentor throughout your life. Today, as we crown the Blessed Mother (at the conclusion of the 11:00 a.m. Mass) we not only honor Mary as our Mother, but we give thanks to God for all of the many blessings that our Mother’s have given to us throughout our lives. Regardless of how old we are, our Mothers remain a steady rock in our lives. While I was recuperating from surgery this past winter, my Mother spent a month here with me preparing meals, cleaning, and most importantly keeping me company.

This weekend we also observe Vocation awareness weekend. The Lord calls each of us to a station in life, a vocation. Whether or not we cooperate with that vocation is a matter of our own free will. While often we ask children and young adults what they want to ”be” someday, we infrequently focus on what it is that they sense God is calling them to be. These can indeed be entirely different things. As we reflect on the continual need for men to respond to the call to priesthood, religious life, and the permanent diaconate, may we be mindful of our need to pray for and to support those who are discerning such a call in their lives. For any men out there considering a vocation to priesthood, the diocese is holding a “Come & See” Discernment BBQ at St. John’s Church (Allentown, NJ) on June 16th at 5:30 p.m. Any questions, please call me at the parish office.

This is also Good Shepherd Sunday. We are mindful this weekend of Pope Francis, and we pray especially for his health and full recovery; he has some difficulty walking or standing for long periods of time. We also pray for David M. O’Connell, CM, our bishop. Grateful for his guidance and support here, he likewise struggles with his own health issues, so we offer him our gratitude and prayers. Later this month our bishop celebrates the fortieth anniversary of his priestly ordination.

As we are gearing up for the end of the school year in another month, I am happy to report that our principal, Kevin Donahue, has announced the opening of a third section of pre-K 4 year old students. This is a wonderful problem to have. There are still a couple of spots left, and many of the classes are at or near anticipated capacity for the coming year. If you are interested in Catholic education for your children or grandchildren, now is the time to take action. Our school, which will observe sixty years since it opened this coming school year, is thriving and setting a pace for Catholic education going forward.

We continue with First Communions this weekend. Let us continue our prayers for these children and their families.

Typically in the life of a parish there are three advisory committees that serve the pastor. One of these, the Finance Council, is mandated by canon law. The others -- a pastoral council and a school board -- are part of the diocesan structure for a parish. During the time of the pandemic shutdown both of the latter two lapsed and have expired.

Now that we are back to normal, and with many important issues coming up, it is time to reinvigorate the pastoral council and the school board. Each committee is small -- no more than seven persons -- and serve to advise but have no immediate governance or decision making role. Still, it is important to hear various voices in order to discern and make wise decisions. To that end, and until May 17th, I will take letters of interest from anyone interested in serving on either committee. Please submit either via email or in hard copy. Thank you.

Wishing blessings on all this week,

Father Garry