Weekly Letter from the Pastor

Dear Fellow Parishioners of St. Benedict:

Hopefully everyone is well-recovered from the hectic holidays past and prepared now, for the craziness that January can bring. The weather alone over the past few weeks has certainly kept us on our toes.

Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord. Although traditionally observed on January 6th, in the US we moved the feast to the second Sunday after Christmas. Monday we will observe the Baptism of the Lord, thereby ending the Christmas Season. This means that on Tuesday the white is gone, replaced by the green vestiture. It is then the short, yet very busy stretch, until Lent begins on February 22nd.

Once again Father AL and I wish to express our deepest thanks to you for your cards, gifts, and kindness during the holiday season. We deeply appreciate you thinking of us and keeping us on the proverbial “nice list.”

Thanks again for your generosity to the various drives held during December. The annual coat drive ends this weekend. It is absolutely amazing how many coats have passed through the narthex of the church over the past three weeks. The various agencies that receive the coats are overwhelmed by our generosity.

January brings us a few important events. First is the novena for life which commences next Thursday -- January 12th. The Supreme Court decision in the Dobbs v. Jackson case that was handed down last June has, as expected, created a national firestorm of protest and hastily written laws on both sides of the issue. What remains fundamental for us is the preservation of human life -- all human life -- from conception to natural death, and the care and welfare of everyone in between. This January 22nd marks the 50th anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision that Dobbs v. Jackson effectively ended. Information where you can participate along with members of the Knights of Columbus to pray the Novena for Life can be found in the bulletin. On January 20th at 11am you are invited to a Mass for Life celebrated by Bishop O’Connell at St. Robert Bellarmine Co-Cathedral, Freehold. No registration is needed for this Mass, but registration is required if you plan to attend the luncheon/ seminar that will follow. Please see the bulletin for more information.

Sadly New Year’s Eve saw the passing of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, erstwhile known as Joseph Ratzinger. It is almost ten years since Pope Benedict abdicated the papacy, the first pope in 600 years to voluntarily do so, and with his declining health and reserved status during that time, he was largely out of our thoughts. He had a long and brilliant career as a theologian, and as St. Pope John Paul II’s chief ally, and eventual successor. While the press has, as is its way, to rile controversy around his legacy, Pope Benedict served the church with grace and humility, sacrificing his desire to work principally in the fields of theology and natural sciences, but God and the church had other plans.

He leaves a treasure trove of writing, which will be studied by theologians and seminarians for generations to come. As there is a nine day mourning period for a pope, his picture remains in the church yet this weekend. We pray for the repose of his soul.

I pray that all have a wonderful week, and that your new year resolutions remain attainable this week!

Fr. Garry