Weekly Letter from the Pastor

Dear Fellow Parishioners of St. Benedict:

As I write this letter I am on a bus making the short journey from Rome to Assisi. Of course, by the time you read this letter, I will be back in Holmdel. First, let me apologize for the absence of a letter in last week’s bulletin. I was remiss and did not get it submitted on time.

We have had a very blessed time in Rome, and are very much looking forward to a few days in Assisi. Not only is Assisi home to St. Francis and St. Clare, but now also to Blessed Carlo Acutis, whose canonization date is soon to be announced. 

Perhaps the highlight for many was the papal audience on Wednesday. Pope Francis looked pretty good and was of strong voice, even though he had canceled his appointments on the previous Monday and Tuesday. He then left the next day for Luxembourg and Belgium.

We were not overwhelmed with tourists while here, and we had plenty of time to do things and explore on our own. Father JM got to meet up with his cousin who works in the Dicastery for the Evangelization of Peoples and I got to visit a friend of mine who is finishing his doctorate in Canon Law at the Gregorian University.

Rome is expecting 33 million pilgrims next year for the Jubilee year. It’s hard to imagine how the city and the Vatican will be able to accommodate that large of a load. There is much construction and restoration going on throughout the city.

It is not fair of me to presume that all has been well there, though no one has emailed to claim the contrary. We have been praying here for all of your intentions, and also have been especially mindful of those devastated by Hurricane Helene.

This Sunday our choir has been invited to sing for the Red Mass (a Mass to open the judicial year) with Bishop O’Connell at St. Michael Church in West End. On Thursday, our school choir will lead the singing for the Diocesan Catholic School’s Mass at the Co-Cathedral of St. Robert Bellarmine. We are proud of our music ministry here and of the dedication and hard work provided byTom O’Brien and Ellen Remick in preparing our choirs for the many liturgical celebrations throughout the year.

This Sunday we will also be with the Bishop and several members of our parish family, celebrating the Bishop’s Wedding Anniversary Mass and blessing. This is a good time to pray for all of the married couples in the parish, especially those celebrating milestone anniversaries. We also continue our prayers for the couples who are getting married this year. Wedding season begins here in earnest this month. I hope everyone is doing well,

Blessings and peace,
Fr. Garry