Weekly Letter from the Pastor

Dear Fellow Parishioners of St. Benedict:

It is always an awe-inspiring day to see our confirmandi lined up in their red robes being sealed with the sacred chrism and receiving the gifts of the Holy Spirit. While way too many of them -- and to be honest even one is too many -- will fall from the practice of the faith, it is still our firm belief that the Holy Spirit works in and through us to achieve God’s plan for us. It can just take a long time for some. Let us continue our prayers for them.

This weekend the statues in the church are covered in purple, and remain so until the chanting of the Gloria at the Easter Vigil. This custom -- most prominent in the United States -- is a reminder of the church shrouded during the Passion of Jesus Christ. In the old liturgical calendar this was Passion Sunday. Our focus now moves to the Cross in a more intense way as we come to the Sacred Triduum.

One of the ways in which we draw our focus more intently to the Passion of Jesus is by praying the Stations of the Cross devotion. This season we have done so within the context of Eucharistic Adoration as a reminder that through his death on the Cross his body and blood have been poured out for our salvation. Likewise as we are preparing for the Year of the Eucharist, we felt that this was a good catechetical and spiritual way in order to make that connection.

We are grateful to Ciro Saverino and the youth group for praying the living stations this past Friday, and again this coming Wednesday. The various Lenten devotions that we celebrate as a parish and as individuals certainly help to strengthen us on our journey with the Lord.

Next Sunday is Palm Sunday. While over the past several years we have assembled in the Gym and processed together to the Church after the blessing of the palms and the proclamation of the Gospel at all of the Masses, it is not really necessary to do that at each Mass. Therefore, the only Mass where we will assemble in the Gym is Sunday at 9:30 AM. All of the other Masses will assemble in the Church and we will do the more simple procession to the Altar.

I also want to take this time to remind you of the Chrism Mass at the Co-Cathedral of St. Robert Bellarmine (Freehold) on Monday, April 3 at 7:30 pm. This is a wonderful opportunity to assemble with the Bishop and most of the priests of the diocese as the Bishop consecrates the oils used in the Sacraments each year (baptism, confirmation, ordination, anointing of the sick) and the priests renew our commitment to our priestly promises. For the times of the various Masses and prayer services during Holy Week, please see the bulletin. I will speak more about this in my letter next weekend.

On Easter Sunday we celebrate the Sunrise Mass at 6AM in the Church Courtyard. We will NOT celebrate the 5pm Mass on Easter Sunday.

Have a blessed week.

Fr. Garry