Weekly Letter from the Pastor

Dear Fellow Parishioners of St. Benedict:

I wish to thank everyone who participated in and supported SBS during Catholic Schools Week. The students had a great week of celebration, including a surprise and welcome visit from SBS alumnus and St. Benedict parishioner Jim Yacabonis. Jim is a pitcher with the Baltimore Orioles and a proud SBS (and CBA) graduate. He offered the students some inspiring words of wisdom and insight into the life of a professional athlete. We will hang his jersey in the school gym at a later date. Thank you to Jim and his parents, Jim and Maria, for their support of our parish and our school.

We had many families at Open House on Wednesday and held another one on Saturday. This is, of course, not a closed opportunity. Tours and school visits are available at any time.

On a sad note, you heard of the passing of both our Emeritus Bishop John Mortimer Smith, and a one-time Administrator (interim pastor) at St. Benedict Father Leon Buni, over the past two weeks. Bishop Smith was an able administrator and a gentleman. He was always very kind to me in my encounters with him. I did not serve under him as a priest, but knew him through my work with the diocese prior to entering the seminary. He retired as diocesan bishop in December, 2010. He had been in failing health for several years.

Father Leon was assigned here as Administrator after the retirement of Father Anderson, and served for about a year-and-a -half until Father Dan Swift was named pastor. Father Leon was a wonderful priest. I had the honor of serving with him at
St. Joseph in Toms River when I was first ordained. Compassionate, self-effacing, and gentle, Father Leon was a good role model and mentor. His work in hospital ministry is legendary. No matter the time of day the emergency phone never rang twice, he was on it and on his way, immediately. When there was bad weather coming, he would sleep in a waiting room at the hospital so that he would be able to be there without delay when someone needed him. He was presently serving as chaplain at Jersey Shore Medical Center in Neptune, residing at Holy Innocents parish there. On a personal note, I was struck by his thoughtfulness as every year he would call me on my birthday to say hello and extend greetings to me. Father JM also has warm memories of him as one of the elder statesmen of the Filipino priest’s community in the diocese. Father, too, was struck by Father Leon’s kindness and thoughtfulness to the younger priests. Many parishioners have recounted to each of us their warm memories and affection for Father Leon, noting that he served here under difficult and challenging circumstances. I was honored that he attended my installation Mass as pastor in 2016, and Bishop O’Connell made specific note of his attendance and many of you greeted him warmly. We will miss him. Although he had been undergoing treatment for cancer over the past two months, Father Leon’s death was unexpected.

On a brighter note, Deacon Ray is doing well in rehab and is sounding great. Please continue to keep him in your prayers.

This weekend Paul Remick receives the Ministry of Lector from Bishop O’Connell. This is one of the ministries that replaced the Minor Orders in the hierarchical order of the church. Paul is in his third year of the five-year journey to ordination as a deacon. We pray for him and we celebrate his response to this vocation.

Enjoy the Super Bowl!

May the Lord Bless us with his goodness,
Fr. Garry