Weekly Letter from the Pastor

Dear Fellow Parishioners of St. Benedict’s,

Well, it finally happened -- students showed up for school on Thursday ready and excited to embark on a new school year. We are grateful to Megan Gallagher, Bill Lamb, Rich Romero, Tom McGowan and the entire buildings and grounds staff for their hard work at getting us ready for this point. It always feels like we are not even close to being ready and then BAM! it happens. The new modular units are not yet ready for occupancy, but we are getting close, and we have a good contingency plan in place now anyway.

I want to thank Deacon Anthony, the parish staff, and members of the community who participated in the 9/11 Memorial Activities on Friday. Our prayers continue for those families who experience grief from the loss of their loved ones, or from the side-effects -- emotional and physical -- from the events of that horrible day and the following weeks. Anniversaries have a dual impact – they are important to remember and difficult to remember at the same time.

This week Father Adam and I will be attending the annual Convocation for the priests of the Diocese of Trenton; we will be gone from Tuesday night until Thursday afternoon. We are still able to have Mass offered here at 9am on each of those days. 

In the past two weeks the diocese has experienced the loss of two priests who served parishes in our area with the passing first of Father James Conover from St. Rose of Lima (Freehold) and then of Monsignor Michael Walsh formerly of St. Mary, Mother of God (Middletown). In his retirement Msgr. often assisted us here for our Advent and Lent Penance Services. We pray for their souls, and for the hope and consolation of their families and those who loved them. 

Hopefully, this is a typical first full week of school, and I hope that all of our families are doing well.  Looking forward to the end of the month, sales are doing well for our annual 50/50 raffle. The drawing is in two weeks, so there is still time to get your tickets in. Thank you for your support. 

Have a blessed week,
Father Garry