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As we reflect this week on the sanctity of human life my mind is working in two very distinct directions. First, of course, is the issue of abortion as it continues to divide our country, evoking strong emotions and responses on all sides of this issue. As this weekend (22nd) we note the fiftieth anniversary of the Roe v Wade decision that legalized abortion in all fifty states, we also note the reversal of that decision last summer in the Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization. The controversy remains, and many states, including our own, have taken abortion rights further than ever before. We continue our diligent prayers and support for the protection of all life, from conception until natural death. Monday is the observance of Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children. Read more.

As you can see we have returned to Ordinary Time, the festivity of the Christmas Season is now behind us, and we await the arrival of Lent on February 22. We are already preparing for the Lenten journey. As part of the initial stages of preparation, we are going to return with the Soup and Scripture format we used prior to the pandemic period. This will include Stations of the Cross on Wednesday followed by soup and then followed by the Scripture reflection. There are other programs being formulated, and all will be announced prior to the beginning of Lent. Read more.

Hopefully everyone is well-recovered from the hectic holidays past and prepared now, for the craziness that January can bring. The weather alone over the past few weeks has certainly kept us on our toes. Read more.

Happy New Year! Here’s to a blessed and healthy 2023 for everyone. Read more.

A Very Merry Christmas to all! December always seems to fly by -- unless you are five years old and awaiting the arrival of Santa Claus -- and this year is no exception. We had a very busy December here, and I am most grateful for the effort and enthusiasm that went into every single activity and program. Read more.

We are fortunate this year to have four full weeks of Advent to prepare for Christmas. This might be true for us as we shop, decorate, and get ready for the festivities, but it is definitely true for us as we prepare for the spiritual connection to the Nativity of our Lord and the presence of God with us. Read more.

A most blessed Gaudete Sunday! So called as it is the opening word, the Introit, for the Mass for today. We are called to Rejoice knowing that the time of salvation is at hand; our period of waiting and penance is almost at an end. For this reason it is common to wear rose colored (not pink) vestments for the day. Read more.

One week of Advent is already over and we are speedily approaching the celebration of Christmas. For your planning, and we will emphasize this further, although Christmas is on a Sunday this year, we will still use the Christmas Mass schedule and NOT the ordinary Sunday Mass Schedule. This means that Mass times for the weekend of December 24th - 25th are as follows: 4 pm in the School Gym for those attending the Children’s Christmas pageant, and 4pm in the Church; then 6pm, 8pm, and Midnight; on Christmas Day at 9am and 11am only. Please plan accordingly. Read more.

Happy New (Liturgical) Year -- the First Sunday of Advent marks a shift each year in the liturgical calendar. This year we return to the “A” Cycle of Sunday readings and the Year 1 of the weekday readings. For Sundays this means that during the up-coming year we will hear primarily from the Gospel according to St. Matthew. During the weekday Masses the Gospel remains the same each day of the year, but the First Reading is different from Year 2. Obviously the other feasts move along according to the secular calendar. Read more.

While it seems to have come quickly, this week we celebrate Thanksgiving. As we gather with our families and friends to celebrate the feast, over-indulge perhaps, and even watch some professional football, let us be ever mindful of why we are grateful. Although the past year has been difficult with the downturn in the economy, and more challenging times looming as we change the calendar in another month, we have much to be thankful for. Read more.

This weekend we observe the World Day of the Poor. The World Day of the Poor, an initiative of Pope Francis, was first observed in 2017. Read more.

I cannot express enough my joy and gratitude for the success of the St. Benedict School’s Anniversary Gala this past Friday night. Under the coordinating mastery of Patti Dickens and Lori Ulrich, the members of the various parents committees, other members of the school and parish staff, the event ran smoothly and was enjoyed by everyone. We were hoping for a sell-out, but never imagined that we would need to add tables in order to accommodate all who wanted to attend. A special thanks to our parish musician Tom O’Brien who, as a member of the premier local music group, Brian Kirk and the Jirks, provided entertainment for the evening. The band kept everyone going for the evening. Kevin Donahue, our principal, did an excellent job coordinating with all of the groups and team leaders to make sure that the evening ran smoothly and professionally. Read more.

Our parish celebrates this week with Anthony Cullen, who was formally accepted as a Candidate for Ordination as a Deacon by Bishop O’Connell last Saturday. Anthony is in his second year of preparation for ordination. Let us continue our prayers for him on his journey. Thank you for your generous response to the collection for World Mission Sunday. We raised $1,400 last weekend. This does not include those who contribute via WeShare each week. Read more.

Some beautiful autumnal weather has finally settled upon us. The children in the school, as well as everywhere else, are gearing up for the Halloween festivities. We kick that off with Trunk-or-Treat on Thursday this week. This always seems to attract a good crowd and is a great deal of fun for all involved. Read more.

It’s hard to believe that October is moving along so quickly, but at least we have been enjoying some really nice late summer/early Fall weather. I saw some statistics lately that a plurality of Americans claim fall as their favorite season of the year. I am not, however, enamored by all things pumpkin spice! Read more.

We have already reached what feels like the middle of the fall semester at the school as we celebrate Columbus Day this weekend. A long weekend is a welcome break from the hurriedness of the opening weeks of a school year. Things are off to a good start there, and all seems to be going quite well. Those of you who have children in the eighth grade, realize that this is the time to have that school conversation and talk about where your child hopes to attend high school. There are so many excellent choices in our area, so a decision is not to be made lightly. Most of the schools are having their open houses in the next week or so, and the entrance/placement exams are just around the corner. Read more.

October, the Month of the Holy Rosary, is also Pro-Life Awareness Month. We are grateful to Deacon Rich for his efforts in coordinating the parish activities and events that focus our attention on the multifaceted nature of pro-life activities. Read more.

The last weekend of September has arrived and the Autumn Season has begun. It seems like the year is moving quickly to a close. Since things seem more normal than they have been, we are working on and planning more parish activities now than we have been able to have over the past two years. Read more.

This weekend we observe Catechetical Sunday. This is a way for us as a parish to recognize the hard work and dedication of the teachers in our school and the many volunteers who step forward to assist both in the Summer Religious Education Academy and the traditional programs throughout the year. The prayer of blessing, recognition by those assembled at the 9:30 am Mass, and Knights of Columbus breakfast, do not even touch the amount of debt and gratitude that we as a parish owe to them for their commitment. I want to thank Mrs. Lori McCahill who oversees the catechetical programs for the school and Mrs. Nancy Arkin who serves as parish Director of Faith Formation. Nancy not only oversees all of the teachers and the programs, including most of those listed below, but she is also responsible for the adult faith formation programs of our parish. Much planning and logistical work goes in to making this a success. Read more.

Today we observe the twenty-first anniversary of the attack on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, and those who died in Shanksville, PA. It is hard for those of us who remember that infamous day so well to believe that a generation has passed since the events of that day and its consequences. While at the time we as a country rallied around the president and our shared national identity and goals, we are painfully far from that sense of unity today. We pray today for the souls that were lost on September 11, 2001 and for all those who died as a result of that day. So many lives were lost from medical conditions, as a result of mental health issues, and in the wars that were fought in the aftermath of the attacks. The toll on our country is immeasurable but never insurmountable. We pray that we might find a unity of purpose and direction as a nation, so that we can hand on to the future generations the freedoms and rights that we have. Read more.