Weekly Letter from the Pastor

Dear Fellow Parishioners of St. Benedict:

May is always a busy and exhausting month. There are just so many activities, holidays, and celebrations, that it can seem overwhelming. Today is a day when – at least in theory – we allow our Mother’s to relax and be feted as we celebrate Mother’s Day. If your Mother is like mine – she hates going to a restaurant on a holiday because of the crowds, rushed feeling, and peppered prices on the specials for the day – she prefers to cook her own meal and eat at home. Not exactly relaxing for her, but something she enjoys. Of course, this is all a pointless exercise as I won’t get to see her today anyway. For the first time since he was in grade school Father JM is able to celebrate Mother’s Day with his Mother and his Grandmother. We send our best wishes to them as well.

This weekend we celebrate the May Crowning. This is a significant tradition in the life of the church, as we honor the Blessed Mother this month. It is also always fitting that we observe Mother’s Day during the month when we honor in a particular way the Mother of us all. May her blessings be upon all of the women of our parish in a special way this month.

We have many graduations coming up over the next month. The students of SBS are being graduated on June 7th. The local high schools begin their commencement ceremonies in about two weeks, continuing for a month or so. Many of our parishioners are also being graduated from college, having earned their undergraduate or graduate degrees. We invite all 2019 graduates – and even those who received a degree since last June for you December grads – to come forward after the Masses on the weekend of June 1-2 for a blessing. We wish each of our graduates all the best as they move on to the next phases of their lives, regardless of where that takes them. Of course, we all know that Saint Benedict will always be their home.

As part of our diocesan Year of Youth, we invite all of the youth of our parish to attend NJ State Catholic Youth Rally at Six Flags: Great Adventure on Sunday May 19th, Bishop O'Connell will celebrate Mass in the Northern Star Arena at 5:00 p.m. The rally will conclude with a special concert by Matt Maher at 7:00 p.m., co-sponsored by the park and the diocese.

We are gearing up for a busy summer of faith formation, both for our students and our adult faith formation programs.

SBS is also sponsoring some summer camp opportunities. These programs are open to all children, even those who do not attend SBS. Please check the bulletin for details or go on line. It is our goal to make SBS a year-round functioning facility, offering opportunities for enrichment, learning, and fun for all of our parishioners, students, and even those beyond our borders. We offer a safe and familiar environment, and all of our staff and volunteers are well-vetted and prepared.

We are also much less costly than the other week-long summer camp programs that are out there. Please give us a look!

A Most Blessed Mother’s Day to all of you Mothers, Grandmothers, and Great-Grandmothers! May this day be one of joyful celebration for all of you. For you for whom this day is especially painful, may the Lord in his goodness bring you hope and peace.

Father Garry