Weekly Letter from the Pastor

Dear Fellow Parishioners of St. Benedict:

We are certainly enjoying some beautiful autumnal weather here, much in contrast to our neighbors to the South who have been overwhelmed by two devastating hurricanes over the past two weeks. We not only continue our prayers for the suffering but are also compelled by our desire to do something. Because the easiest way to offer assistance is through the local community, it is best to support the local church in the devastated areas. Catholic Charities USA can get money and supplies on the ground quickly, but so do the local dioceses directly affected by the storms. Check the websites of any diocese in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, South Carolina, or elsewhere to contribute to them directly.

Parents of students who are in either the eighth or seventh grade are beginning to think about high school. While there seems to be a natural thought of progression from Catholic middle school to Catholic high school, students from any school are welcome to apply for any of the Catholic high schools in our area. We are blessed to have a number ofCatholic schools in our area, each with its own focus: St. John Vianney HS is right next door to us; Red Bank Catholic HS,St Rose in Belmar, St. Thomas Aquinas HS in Edison offer comprehensive co-ed education; Christian Brothers Academy(CBA) and St. Joseph HS (Metuchen) offer all-male education; Trinity Hall (Tinton Falls) offers all-female education. There are other schools more out of the area that students from here have attended as well. If you have any interest in any of these schools, please make contact with them. Also, please make contact with me in the parish office if you would like some insight or guidance in Catholic secondary education. As a long-time Catholic HS teacher I am deeply committed to our schools, and believe strongly thatCatholic HS provides strong formation assisting our children in becoming the men and women who contribute to the welfare of society. Anything we can do to help, please feel free to ask. Check the bulletin for information on the Open Houses for each of the schools. Although it might feel early in the school year, all of the high schools are focusing now on forming their 2025 freshman classes. Seventh grade, even sixth grade, is not too early at all to give the schools a cursory look and open the conversations with them.

We have some projects underway and others in the planning stages. Thank you all for your support and interest in the work of the parish.

Blessings,
Fr. Garry