Weekly Letter from the Pastor

Dear Fellow Parishioners of St. Benedict:

The last weekend of September has arrived and the Autumn Season has begun. It seems like the year is moving quickly to a close. Since things seem more normal than they have been, we are working on and planning more parish activities now than we have been able to have over the past two years.

Deacon Paul and Nancy Arkin are planning to continue with the showing and discussions of The Chosen series. The first season was shown during Lent. The next season begins here next Tuesday, October 4. Also, Nancy Arkin and Lori McCahill are launching a Woman’s Bible Study Program beginning Wednesday, October 5. Check the bulletin for more details on that.

In honor of the coming feast of St. Francis of Assisi, Deacon Steve will hold the annual blessing of pets in the back parking lot of the church on Saturday, October 1 at 10 am. All pets are welcome. Please make sure they are appropriately leashed or caged as necessary.

October is both the Month of the Holy Rosary and Pro-Life month. Certainly the response to the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Supreme Court ruling this past June has sparked a visceral and angry response from many corners, along with divergent federal, state, and judicial laws, statutes, and rulings. This is a political firestorm that seems to have no peaceful or reasoned solution in sight. While political action is important, our continued work for the care and welfare of expectant mothers and for children of all ages best responds to the social crises we are facing. Deacon Rich Morris heads the parish pro-life ministries.

This Tuesday is the feast of St. Vincent de Paul, patron for charities, food pantries, and soup kitchens. The founder of the religious community of men known as the Congregation of the Missions — of which our bishop is a member — and the Daughters of Charity who stand also as the mother community for the Sisters of Charity founded here by St. Elizabeth Ann Bayley Seton, Vincent oversaw the establishment of soup kitchens in France to care for the poor in the cities. Our St. Vincent de Paul Society and food pantry provide food and financial relief for those who are struggling. Due in large part to inflation and other social crises of the moment, the demands at the food pantry are increasing. While we have expanded the hours of operation, it is not yet at the point where we were prior to the pandemic. We need more hours, but we also need more volunteers. Please consider offering some time to assist their work. The food donations and collections for the pantry have been good.

We will recognize the work of the members of the SVDP Society after the 9 am Mass on Tuesday. There will be a light reception following the Mass. If you are interested in volunteering, please make contact with Patti Dickens at the parish office.

Please consider joining us for the diocesan pilgrimage to the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception (Washington, DC) on Saturday, November 12. This is a good way to connect to the diocese as a whole and to celebrate with our bishop as we share in the unity of the church. Ciro Saverino is coordinating our efforts. We are inviting our eighth graders to attend as part of their overall confirmation formation program.

Overall, things seem to be moving along well.

Let us continue our prayers one for another,
Fr. Garry