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November 14, 2025Dear Fellow Parishioners of St. Benedict:
This weekend we celebrate the Diaconal Ordination of Anthony Cullen. A native of Brooklyn, Deacon Anthony, along with his wife Annie and children Brendan and Lily, have been members of St. Benedict Parish for the past decade and Deacon Anthony has been employed by St. Benedict School as Campus Minister and full-time teacher of religion there since April 2024. He has been engaged in numerous ministries of the parish, and has taken on the responsibility of recruiting and training the altar servers and the lectors. He now is entitled to exercise the fullness of the diaconal office: preaching the homily; assisting at the altar; baptizing catechumens; and witnessing marriages. Deacon Anthony will continue to perform the appropriate offices of burial for the faithful outside of Mass. We are happy to have him join the ranks of the clergy here for our diocese and in our parish. Please remember Deacon Anthony in your prayers.
Two weeks ago the Holy See issued a Doctrinal Note to clarify some theological issues regarding using the title of Co-Redemptorix for the Blessed Mother. This Note was designed to summarize various Notes that had been issued over the years and bring to final conclusion the decision of the Holy Father on this topic. The Note itself is clear and precise. However, the Note foresaw what could follow: a social media firestorm riling people on the issue. I have received some requests for clarification from numerous sources so allow me to summarize it all here.
While there have been requests over the past century -- well into the 1940’s -- to declare that Mary is Co-Redemptrix in salvation history, the church has never done so, to the dismay of some. At various times over the past eighty years the church has said that there is no argument in Scripture or Tradition that affirms this title for Mary and that its use is problematic. The Note finalized the question.
Some have read this Note and think that the church under Pope Leo has somehow changed the titles proper to Mary or somehow stopped or limited Marian devotion. The answer to all of the above is NO. The title Co-redemptrix has never been approved and, although was popular in some circles, appears in no official teaching of the church. All approved Marian titles and devotions -- of which there are hundreds -- are still approved and are held up for the use by the faithful. One person asked me if he was still allowed to say the Rosary, and of course the answer is yes! This Note from the
Holy See affects nothing that the vast majority pray, believe, or teach. Do not allow some crazy people on the internet to tell you otherwise or to make more of this than there is.
Hopefully that is enough said!
I hope everyone has a blessed and safe week ahead,
Fr. Garry