Weekly Letter from the Pastor

Dear Fellow Parishioners of St. Benedict:

This weekend we welcome Monsignor Jose Roel Casas who will be making the annual missionary appeal sponsored by the Diocesan Office of the Propagation of the Faith. A priest of the Prelature of Isabela de Basilan in the Philippines, Msgr. Casas was ordained a priest there in 1999. While he has spent most of his priesthood in Basilan, he did serve briefly (2013 – 2015) as parochial vicar at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist in Cleveland. From 2016 until May 23 of this year, Monsignor served as the Diocesan Administrator of the prelature, as they awaited the appointment and ordination of their new bishop.

The second collection will go to support the work of his prelature, located here:

Monsignor comes from a completely different area of the Philippines than does Father JM. One would have to fly over three major islands and three different seas to get from one place to the other.

I am sure that Monsignor will make a compelling case for the work in the prelature. It is a diverse area in the Philippines, and certainly in much need of support. Thank you for your generous response to his appeal.

Happy July 4 week to every one! It is always good to be aware of the foundational principles and documents of our republic. Because basic courses in civics are lacking in the curriculum of the public schools in our country, most students do not get exposed to, nor are they required to be familiar with them. As we approach the next presidential election cycle – which is already far more contentious than it needs to be – we need to focus on those principles and documents as we make informed and conscious decisions as an electorate.

This is also a good time to pray for our country, our president, the members of the House and Senate, the members of the Supreme Court and the federal judiciary, along with the multitude of government employees who allow our government to function and to serve the common good.

Our Vacation Bible School (VBS) runs this week. While the Summer Academy for Religious Education may have usurped the popularity of VBS, it is nonetheless a good opportunity to reinforce the experience and lessons of faith and religious formation. We have many great volunteers helping with VBS and for the Summer Academy – and for that we are all grateful.

Have a wonderful week – hopefully the weather will cooperate with all of the July 4 fireworks and festivities!

Blessings,
Fr. Garry