Weekly Letter from the Pastor

Dear Fellow Parishioners of St. Benedict:

Today we celebrate the Feast of Corpus Christi the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. The procession at the 11:00 am Mass reminds us of the great processions of the past and highlights the power of Jesus Christ in the world. This begins the parish phase of the three-year period of Eucharistic revival inaugurated by the bishops last year. We have a number of special events planned for the year ahead.

The impetus for the feast is to reinvigorate an understanding of the essential dogma of Transubstantiation -- our belief that Jesus Christ becomes and is truly present in the Eucharist, which though appearing yet as bread and wine is his physical body and blood. When and as we truly understand this mystery and awesome reality, we then more earnestly desire to receive the Eucharist and to adore Christ’s presence with us.

I invite you to consider taking time to visit our adoration chapel and to spend time in prayer with Him there. The chapel is open twenty-four hours a day seven days a week. Christ is there, waiting for you to visit with him.

We are coming to the last week of the school year. Our eighth grade students were graduated on Friday night. We are proud of their accomplishments and we sent them off with every good will and blessing. Forty-seven students are moving on to fourteen different high schools: St. John Vianney (26); Christian Brothers Academy (4); Matawan Regional (4); Manalapan HS (2); Old Bridge HS (2); and 1 each to: St. Thomas Aquinas HS (Old Bridge); Trinity Hall; Red Bank Catholic; Raritan HS; MAST; Freehold Township; Freehold Boro; High Tech HS and; Archbishop McCarthy HS (Southwest Ranches, FL). Congratulations and many blessings to our graduating class and their families.

This weekend we also acknowledge those of our parish who have been graduated from high school, colleges, and professional school programs. Later in the summer we will send our collegians off with a blessing as they embark on their college or professional journey.

School ends on Tuesday this week. It has been a very good school year, we have accomplished much and are well-poised for the future. The search committee for a new principal should be wrapping up their work this week, so I hope that we will be able to make the announcement shortly. The diocese will also need to approve our selection before we can make the appointment.

We have a very busy summer planned here. The Summer Religious Education Academy begins their first session the week of June 26. Two weeks in July follow. “The Campout Summer Camp 2023” kicks off the week of July 10. There are still some spaces available.

Also, please join us next weekend as we bid adieu to Father AL; next Sunday is also his birthday. He will be with us until June 30.

I hope everyone has a blessed week,
Father Garry