Pastor’s Message – Church of Saint Benedict

July 11, 2025

Memorial of St. Benedict, Abbot

O God, who made the Abbot Saint Benedict an outstanding master in the school of divine service, grant, we pray, that, putting nothing before love of you, we may hasten with a loving heart in the way of your commands. Through our Lord, Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, forever and ever. Amen.

Collect for the Feast of St. Benedict of Nursia

Brothers and Sisters,

Happy Feast Day of Saint Benedict, the patron of our parish!

St. Benedict (d. 547) lived at a time of great societal changes and moral crises following the collapse of the Roman Empire in western Europe. The period of history is at times referred to as the Dark Ages.

Instead of cursing the darkness, he lit a candle. Specifically, he established a series of monasteries; each one became an oasis of prayer, faith, stability and learning. He did so in the Name of Jesus.

In doing so, St. Benedict was vital in making the monasteries of Europe places of evangelization and spiritual renewal in the life of the Church. He sought to provide a way of Christian living so, in his words, that “In all things God may be glorified.”

We too live in a time of societal changes and moral crises. Do we choose to curse the darkness or do we light candles that allow the Light of Christ to shine through us?

Just as Jesus sent out the seventy-two disciples to proclaim by word and deed that the Kingdom of Heaven was at hand (Luke 10:1-12, 17-20), so too our Lord sent St. Benedict. So too does Jesus send us.

Through the intercession of our patron saint may we as a parish community be a place of prayer, faith, stability and learning. In the Name of Jesus Christ let us light the candles of faith, hope and charity in our words and deeds.

Eucharistic Congress, November 5 – 8, 2025

As part of the on-going Eucharistic Revival at St. Benedict, we will be hosting a Eucharistic Congress November 5 -8. Over these dates there will be Mass, Confessions, Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and a series of guest speakers, including Fr. John O’Neil, Fr. Jon Fincher, and Fr. Joshua Votruba. There will also be a musical presentation by John Michael Talbot. There will also be children’s activities. Childcare for younger ages will also be provided.

Please mark your calendars to participate in at least one of these days of the Eucharistic Congress. It is open to everyone, and guests are welcome.

Eucharistic Revival Updates

This weekend we have extended Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament from 9am Friday continually to 1pm on Saturday in the St. Scholastica Chapel. All are welcome to take part. We will also conclude all our Masses this weekend with Exposition and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament.

There is also a traveling exhibit displaying the more than 130 documented Eucharistic Miracles. This exhibit is located in McGuire Hall and can be visited prior to or after Mass this weekend.

A Devotional Journey into the Mass

We have additional copies of the book, A Devotional Journey into the Mass: How the Mass Can Become a Time of Grace, Nourishment and Devotion, by Christopher Carstens. The book is a gift to parish families for the Feast Day of St. Benedict. It explains specific parts of the Mass to help us participate in the liturgy with greater reverence. Christopher Carstens will be speaking at St. Benedict on Wednesday, September 17 at 6pm. Pick up your copy of the book in McGuire Hall.

Also in McGuire Hall, you are welcome to join study groups that will meet weekly to discuss the contents of the book and its application in our worship. These groups will meet over a nine-week period starting next week. You can also sign up for a book study group online at https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C054FABAD28A4FFCE9-57367194-parish.

Our Parish

Following all Masses this weekend, there will be welcome receptions for Fr. Archie Fernandez, our new associate pastor.

This weekend there will be a Second-Class relic of Blessed Carlo Acutis in the church sanctuary. Dying in 2006 at the age of 15, he had a great devotion to Christ in the Eucharist. He is to be canonized on September 7,2025.

On Sundays in July all young adults in the parish are invited to participate in the Noon Mass and then gather at McAlister’s Deli at 720 North Aspen for lunch. Guests are welcome.

Our next Becoming Catholic Inquiry Meetings will be on July 15 and August 5 at 7:00pm in Room 101. All are welcome.

Registration for Life Camp, the week of July 21-25, is still open for children and youth. Inquire with Deb Malcom in the parish office for more information.

Starting in August, there will be a Daily Mass on Mondays at 8:30am. The first of these Masses will be on August 4.

The Gospel of Luke: A Lens into the Sacred Heart

Joey Griggs, one of the seminarians assigned to our parish this summer, will be giving a two-part presentation on the Gospel of Luke on July 24 and July 31. Each will begin at 6pm with a social with the presentation starting at 6:30pm. All are welcome.

Blessed Stanley Rother Shrine Pilgrimage

On Saturday, July 26 our parish is sponsoring a pilgrimage to the Blessed Stanley Rother Shrine in Oklahoma City. We will leave by bus from the church at 7:45am and return by 5pm. The cost is $25 per person. You are welcome to sign up for the pilgrimage in the church commons.

Parish Survey

The Parish Council has prepared a survey concerning the use of the four-acre lot located south of the main parking lot. There are several suggestions as to its possible future use. This survey is available online at https://saintbenba.flocknote.com/signup/214731. Please complete the survey by Friday, July 18.

God bless and keep you safe.

 Fr. Bryan