Pastor’s Message – Church of Saint Benedict

September 25, 2026

Friday of the Twenty-Fifth Week in Ordinary Time

O God, who manifests your almighty power above all by pardoning and showing mercy, bestow, we pray, your grace abundantly upon us and make those hastening to attain your promises heirs to the treasures of heaven. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God forever and ever.

Collect for the Mass on the Twenty-Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Brothers and Sisters,

Thank you for the positive response to the Adoratio (Adoration) Campaign promoting Eucharistic Adoration in the St. Scholastica Chapel. The campaign’s goal is to recruit additional adorers so that the chapel can be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The chapel is currently open for Adoration Monday-Friday from 6:00am to Midnight and Saturday from 8:00am to 1:00pm.

In a world that is crowded with noise and distractions, what a blessing it will be to have a place of quite refuge and prayer before Jesus Christ present in the Blessed Sacrament that is available at all hours. There are information cards in the pews with a QR code for you to see open times for adoration. A special table in the church commons has additional information.

Brief witness talks by parishioners will be given during Mass this weekend. They will share of their experience of Eucharistic Adoration and positive effects it has had on their faith.

Catholic Charities Appeal

The Annual Catholic Charities Appeal will take place at all Masses the weekend of October 3-4. The appeal supports the work of Catholic Charities and Eastern Oklahoma. If you have not yet renewed or made a pledge, next weekend will be a great time to do so.

Priesthood Sunday

In our nation we celebrate Priesthood Sunday this weekend. Please continue to pray for me, Fr. Williams, and all priests. May we be the priests that Jesus Christ has called us to be, the priests that you need and deserve.

Our Parish

This Sunday I will be substituting at St. Francis Xavier Parish in Sallisaw and St. Joseph Parish in Webb Falls. Fr. Williams will be the celebrant at Saturday Vigil and the 9:00am and Noon Masses on Sunday.

Congratulations to Bryan Jimenez and Victoria Zambrano, who will be married tomorrow in the parish church.

Our youth preparing for Confirmation are on retreat this weekend. Please keep them in your prayers. Pray also for those participating in the Men’s Cursillo Retreat this weekend.

Members of our parish’s Peace, Justice & Charity Committee will be in the church commons offering information on the Box of Joy initiative to support children in other countries.

At all Masses this weekend there will be a brief pulpit announcement for the Men’s ACTS Retreat in October.

Pre-Mass Announcements

After consultation with the deacons, the Parish Council, and the parish staff, beginning the first weekend in October we will discontinue pre-Mass announcements. There will still be a greeting to welcome everyone, as well as stating the Mass intention.

The consensus is that the pre-Mass announcements are a distraction as we prepare to take part in the Sacrifice of the Mass. In the minutes immediately prior to Mass many people enter the church, are seated and are preparing for worship. With this going on it is questionable how many parishioners can pay attention to the announcements.

All the information in the announcements is available elsewhere, such as the bulletin, Flocknote emails and text messages, our website, the parish’s social media pages, etc. This would seem to be a more effective means to communicate information.

Becoming Catholic

Our parish is blessed with a growing number of people who are seeking to be received into the Catholic Church, or who are Catholic and desire to return to active living of the faith. We need parishioners to become sponsors for these candidates, to accompany them in their walk of faith. We also need volunteers who will pray for them. Information on how you can help in this effort will be in the church commons this weekend.

Guardian Angels Mass

Friday, October 2, is the Memorial of the Guardian Angels. In addition to the regular Masses that morning there will be a Mass offered at 6:30pm. All families who have lost a child at any point during pregnancy, or at any time afterwards, are invited to this evening Mass. Prayers will be offered for the souls of these children.

Annual Pet Blessing

The Annual Pet Blessing will be on Sunday, October 4 at 2:00pm. Weather permitting it will be outside by the bell tower. All pets must be on a leach or in a carrier.

Banns of Marriage

Robert Murguia and Gladis Olazo are to enter the Sacrament of Marriage at the Church of Saint Benedict on Saturday, October 24, 2026.

God bless and keep you safe.

Fr. Bryan