Weekly Letter from the Pastor

Happy Feast Day!
As we observe the patronal feast of our parish we are reminded of the saintly and significant impact of St. Benedict on the life of the church throughout history. Born in 480, Benedict was a young aristocratic scholar when he became disillusioned with the vanity of his peers and escaped the world for a life of prayer and reflection. He attracted many followers and while he faced opposition (there are three reported assassination attempts on his life) his Rule for Monks endures to the present day. His twin sister, Saint Scholastica, lived the life of a hermit and is the inspiration for many communities of women religious in the church. Although we are not staffed by priest and monks of the Benedictine Order, there have been monks who assisted here on the weekends at various times in the past. Monks both from St. Benedict’s Abbey in Newark and St. Mary’s Abbey in Morristown (Delbarton) have served here over the years. The motto of the Benedictines, oro et labora (work and prayer) stands as a good model of life for all Catholics and should be thought of our daily lives.

This week is the closing week of the Summer Religious Education Academy. The Summer Camp-Out is also still going on, and spaces will be available for all of the weeks throughout the summer.

I am looking forward to taking some time off throughout July and August to relax and prepare for the coming school year and the many parish activities ahead.

This week on Thursday evening (7:00 pm) I invited everyone to attend a session on Magnifica Humanitas, the recent encyclical from Pope Leo XIV, on the dignity of human life and the role of AI within the development of our future. Deacon Paul and I will present the program for the evening. Please join us as we reflect on this seminal document from our Holy Father.

We are gearing up our summer project, more of which I will address in the next bulletins.

Enjoy the summer - - blessings to all.
Fr. Garry