Weekly Letter from the Pastor

Dear Fellow Parishioners of St. Benedict:

Summer officially begins on Thursday at 4:51pm, though for our students summer began at 2:10pm on Tuesday the 11th , and for denizens of the Jersey Shore it began on Thursday, May 23 with the Memorial Day weekend. Whenever the summer season begins I hope it’s a joyful, relaxing, and refreshing one.

As many of you travel, and even spend the summers in other places, remember that there is never a vacation from our principal vocation as disciples of Jesus Christ. Enjoy!

This weekend we welcome Father Christopher Colavito to our parish. Father Colavito is the diocesan director of vocations and deacon formation. Father will speak to us about vocations as disciples and our need to foster and support vocations within our parish, communities, and families. If anyone is interested in priesthood or permanent diaconate, please speak with Father after Mass this weekend.

Of course, this weekend is also Father’s Day! Today we reflect on those wonderful men in our lives who mentored, guided, cajoled, supported, disciplined, and loved us on the journey of life. Grateful to Almighty God for the gift that is our Fathers, Grandfathers, Uncles, coaches, role models, and mentors, today we both celebrate and pray for them.

The ending of the school year went smoothly, and I am very grateful to our first-year administration team of Nick Cammarano and Megan Gallagher. They built upon the strong foundations of our school and are continuing to see it grow in numbers and reputation. Expansion means new faculty are needed, and with a couple of resignations and retirements, we are hiring teachers. Most of the slots have already been filled, but we are still looking for some teachers for the coming school year. Make contact with the school office if you are interested.

We have several projects planned for the summer, and as the school is increasing in enrollment in significant ways, we are adding a third section for both kindergarten and first grade. We are transforming the makerspace (former library) into two classrooms for the second grade, so that we can expand. We are also doing some work on the ceiling in the school gym/ cafeteria and replacing the lighting there.

You might notice that the food pantry garden is shaping up and will soon be growing produce for the pantry. Special thanks goes to parishioner Joe Contino for his work on the garden.

We are still looking for some volunteers for the summer academy -- especially high school students in need of service hours.

While this looks like a quiet week, the energy picks up soon with the opening of the Summer Religious Education Academy.

Have a blessed week,
Fr. Garry