165 Bethany Road
Holmdel, New Jersey 07733
732.264.4712
Dear Fellow Parishioners of St. Benedict:
This weekend we are happy to welcome Bishop David O’Connell, C.M to our parish. As a successor to the Apostles and the chief shepherd of the Diocese of Trenton, the presence of the Bishop with us is a reminder of our connection to the church as a whole. As Catholics we are truly universal — we are in communion with one another through our common profession of faith, celebration of the sacraments, and apostolic succession.
This is also brought to a deeper light this week as Monday (March 13) is the tenth anniversary of the election of Jorge Antonio Bergolio as Pope Francis. As the 265th successor to Saint Peter, the Holy Father fulfills the ministry of the apostles for the church today, connecting us together, and keeping us in union with the faith that the Apostles handed on to the earliest believers. We pray for his continued health and wisdom as he leads the church in our times.
Today is our parish confession day for Lent. We have a dozen priests coming to assist with confessions. Please join us between 2 and 4 this afternoon.
The eighth grade students — our Confirmandi — have concluded their period of preparation and, after they come for Confession and their final interviews today, will be deemed ready to receive the sacrament. They will be confirmed on March 23 by Monmouth County Episcopal Vicar, Monsignor Joseph Rosie, pastor of St. James Parish in Red Bank.
Friday is the Memorial of St. Patrick -- patron Saint of Ireland, Puerto Rico, and Nigeria (!). Bishop O’Connell has granted the dispensation from the Lenten day of abstinence, though he reminds us of the obligation to do penance, fasting, and works of charity on another day during the week.
The members of our Youth Group will lead us in praying the Stations of the Cross on March 24 and March 29. This is not the same production that the school used to do, but a much simpler version of the stations. Please join us in praying the Stations each Wednesday and Friday. Likewise, the soup offerings have been particularly good!
On Saturday, March 25 the Office of Vocations is sponsoring a discernment day at the Co-Cathedral of St. Robert Bellarmine in Freehold. Monsignor Michael Walsh and myself are the featured speakers for the day. Considering a vocation to the priesthood or the religious life is a daunting experience for someone these days. When I was discerning my own call to enter the college seminary I already knew six other men from my high school who were in the seminary. Today it is unlikely that an individual discerning priesthood or religious life knows anyone else who is doing the same. A vocation day such as we are holding offers an opportunity for a young adult who has the idea that maybe he has a vocation, to learn how to go through the process of trying to make sense of it.
There are more details further along in the bulletin.
Please consider inviting someone you might know -- or coming yourself -- to the vocation discernment day.
Have a blessed week.
Fr. Garry