Weekly Letter from the Pastor

Dear Fellow Parishioners of St. Benedict:

This is it -- one more week and we are at Christmas Eve. It seems that December has just flown by.

This afternoon we have our parish penance service. The second-grade students from the religious education program will be receiving their first penance as well. We will have about a dozen priests, so there will be plenty of opportunity to receive the sacrament. Confessions will start at 2:30 p.m.

Monday night is the annual celebration of the Simbang Gabi Novena Mass here. Father JM Patilla is the celebrant this year. Everyone is invited to attend. Mass begins at 7:00 p.m. and there will be an opportunity for confessions beginning at 6:30 p.m. We are grateful to the Saint Benedict Simbang Gabi committee for the hard work that they have put into this evening.

Last week and this upcoming week are busy with various school pageants and celebrations. The excitement in the younger students is very heart-warming and offers a glimpse and reminder of the innocence of childhood. Of course, they have been working hard at their roles and in singing the songs, so it is fun to watch them enjoy the fruit of their work.

On Christmas Eve at 3:30 p.m. in the school gym the children will put on a Christmas Pageant prior to the celebration of the first of the Christmas Eve Masses. Please be attentive to the Christmas Mass schedule, and remember we are obligated to attend two Masses next weekend.

Thank you to everyone who donated flowers to the church in memory of a loved one. We will be gradually decorating throughout the week, but next Sunday will be a quick turnaround from the Fourth Sunday of Advent to Christmas Eve.

I hope everyone has a great week ahead -- try not to stress too much over shopping, wrapping, and decorating.

Blessings,
Fr. Garry