Weekly Letter from the Pastor

Dear Fellow Parishioners of St. Benedict:

The announcement last week of the introduction of a 5:00 p.m. Mass on Sunday sparked some positive reactions and interest, and for that I am grateful. Please keep this in mind and share it with your neighbors and friends. Hopefully we will be able to utilize this as an opportunity to continue our efforts at evangelization here in the Bay Shore.

You have been hearing some news about the 60th Anniversary Gala for our school, and certainly there is more to follow. Look for a letter from me regarding the annual 50/50 raffle which will be drawn the evening of the Gala. All information regarding the Gala is available on the parish and school website. Either link will take you to the gala page.

We are gearing up for the start of the new school year, and even though we had one of our teachers retire this past week, we have been able to find a replacement for her. We are certainly blessed to have good teachers and good connections to find teachers. In keeping with the challenging times in which we live, and in order to secure the safety of our students, we have made the decision to hire a full-time security guard for the school. We are able to use the security money we receive through state grants in order to pay the salary for this position. We have secured a retired transit officer who has experience in our school as a substitute teacher and as a current parent. It is sad that we need to do this, but certainly a blessing that we have the resources to put this into place.

Another important personnel change is in our IT Department. After five years of college and graduate school, our IT intern Christopher Hurni (SBS and SJV alum) has moved on with his career. We were fortunate to find an experienced IT professional to replace him. This past week we welcomed Cameron Thomas Craig full-time to the department. Given the number of devices in use in the school and parish everyday -- approximately 500 on any given school day -- two IT professionals are necessary and, yet, seemingly inadequate.

Next week we will observe the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Mother into Heaven. As August 15th is on Monday this year, the feast is not a Holy Day of Obligation.

Next Tuesday -- August 16th -- we will celebrate our annual summer Mass for the Anointing of the Sick. This is an opportunity for anyone who is undergoing treatment for a health condition, or enduring the decline of years, or anticipating surgery, etc., to receive the sacrament.

This is probably a good time to remind everyone that whenever someone is gravely ill, anticipating surgery, or declining rapidly, it is a good time to call and schedule an anointing. We can and do celebrate this sacrament at any time and in any place. Some people seek the sacrament when they are here for Mass on the weekend, others stop in during the week. Father AL or I will come to your home to give the sacrament as well.

If someone is in the hospital, the hospitals are generally covered by a chaplain, ask at the Nurses station and a priest will be called. At BayShore Hospital the various parishes cover the hospital on assigned days, with a priest in the hospital every morning during the week. We cover on the weekends, but if you prefer one of us to come, call the emergency line of the parish. We are also responsible for the pastoral care at the Willows, BayShore Health Care Center, and Anchor Care. We will visit a health care facility outside of our area as needed. There we prefer an arranged time to attend. It is always best that we come while
the patient is still lucid and able to receive Holy Communion, but often that is not the case.

Thank you for all the good you do for our parish and our community. These are challenging times and the needs of all continue to grow.

Fr. Garry