Weekly Letter from the Pastor

Dear Fellow Parishioners of St. Benedict:

We certainly were fortunate to have the best night of last weekend for our annual Christmas Tree lighting festivities. A huge thank you to all who attended and to those who work so hard to make sure that everything runs so smoothly here. The memorial tree project of the Knights of Columbus also helps to beautify our property and celebrate the advent and Christmas seasons. At the tree lighting Santa Claus made a surprise visit and we are happy that Santa has taken the time to come back to our church this weekend for breakfast and to visit the children and their parents. Please feel free to say “hello” to the jolly old elf this weekend after the 8 and 9:30am Masses.

Although our afternoon of Confession is next weekend, if you are unable to attend here and would like to go to such a service, St. Mary’s in Colts Neck will have confessions beginning at 3pm this afternoon. Please note also that we do hear Confession every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday following the 9am Mass.

The Christmas Season offers some challenges and changes to the schedule, so please be mindful of the following:

The Fourth Sunday of Advent is December 24. The obligation to attend Mass remains, of course, so Saturday 5pm and Sunday at 8am, 9:30am, and 11am will be celebrated. There cannot be a Mass at 5pm to fulfill the Sunday obligation.

Christmas Eve is also Sunday. We begin the Christmas celebrations with 2 Masses at 4pm -- one in the School and one in the Church. The children’s pageant is in the Gym at 3:30pm followed by a Children's Mass with the Children’s choir. There will also be a Mass at 6pm and at 8pm.

Mass at Midnight is preceded by a choir concert at 11:30pm. Tom and the choir have been rehearsing for months and they always put on a joyful and professional concert. Please join them. Mass on Christmas Day (Monday) is at 9am and 11am.

The following weekend -- December 30 and 31 -- also sees a slight change to the Mass schedule. Saturday evening Mass at 5pm and Sunday morning Masses at 8am, 9:30am, and 11am remain in place, though there will be no 5pm Mass on New Year’s Eve.

January 1, 2024 is a Monday and the Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God. However, as it is a Monday the obligation to attend Mass is not in place. We will only celebrate the usual 9am Mass on that day.

As I said last weekend the finance council of the parish has asked to implement the passing of the baskets at Masses every weekend, something we have not done since March of 2020. We will begin on Saturday, December 23 and continue every weekend going forward.

Thank you, as always, for your generous support of our parish.

Have a blessed week,
Fr. Garry