Weekly Letter from the Pastor

Dear Fellow Parishioners of St. Benedict:

Alleluia! A blessed Easter to all of you! We have completed our Lenten journey and now the Easter journey begins. This is not a time now to slack off as though we have completed the race for indeed, there is still a long way to go.

We are grateful to all who worked so hard and faithfully to make sure that our celebration of the Triduum was solemn and powerful. We pray that all who attended the services this week were blessed and strengthened in faith. Father JM and I are especially grateful to all who made the effort to attend the Chrism Mass last Monday evening. It was very meaningful for us – and we hope also for you.

Many of you – and others whom I met this past Lent at various events in other parishes – have spoken about a sense of dryness and discouragement in their faith. For some this comes as a result of the scandals that have rocked us and the reaction of family, friends, co-workers, etc., to that. Others reflect on the sense of anti-religion and anti-Christianity or specifically anti-Catholicism that seems such a part of the culture of the present. And, of course, many of us are also just burdened with life – challenges within our families, our work places, our neighborhoods. There are times when we can feel very isolated and the seeming silence of God can be deafening. Put some of these factors together and, yes, faith can seem overshadowed with darkness. Easter is the time when we dramatically celebrate the light that penetrates the darkness. The great sign of the Vigil in the Holy Night is just that – the Light of Christ has overcome the world!

Yet, for many, it doesn’t feel that way. This week – the Octave of Easter – is an opportunity to celebrate Easter every day. Each Mass offered this week repeats the Easter celebration (though, really, every Mass is an Easter-moment). Next Sunday – the final day of the Octave – is also Divine Mercy Sunday. There we are challenged to reflect more deeply on the Merciful Love of the Father in the redeeming act of Jesus Christ in his Paschal sacrifice and triumph.

We will assemble at 3:00 p.m. for a presentation on Divine Mercy. We are blessed to have with is this year MaryBeth DiBlasio as our speaker for the afternoon. MaryBeth has been on the speaking circuit for many diocesan events and programs over the years, and she presently serves as the campus minister and theology department chair at Donovan Catholic High School in Toms River. I had the privilege of working with her on diocesan level, we taught together during her brief stint at CBA, and we were reunited when I was assigned as chaplain at Donovan Catholic. She holds theology degrees from Marywood University and the University of Notre Dame.

After the presentation we will pray the Chaplet of the Divine Mercy and hear Confessions. Mass will be offered at 5:00 p.m. We hope that as we all seek healing and mercy from the Lord, that you will be able to join us. The Mass is a Sunday Mass, and will fulfill the obligation for the day.

May this Easter Season be for each of us a time of renewal and rededication to the power of faith in our lives.

The great Saint Augustine of Hippo proclaimed: “We are an Easter people, and ALLELUIA is our song.” May this resonate in our hearts!

Blessings and peace,
Fr. Garry