If you are grieving a loved one’s death, our parish GriefShare Ministry invites you to a holiday outreach event, Surviving the Holidays on November 26, 2024, 1:30 pm to 3:30 pm, in the Parish Hall. This holiday ministry program is a 2-hour, video-based event to help you face common challenges that come up during the holiday season. Included in the program are small group sharing, practical exercises, and encouraging devotions/rituals. In addition, A Survival Guide will be provided by St. Benedict’s for registered participants to use during the event and to take home. Sister Kateri Battaglia, MSC will facilitate the program. To register, call Sister Kateri at 504-453-0618 or go online to register at griefshare.org

The Lunch Ministry is collecting canned vegetables, instant mashed potatoes, easy mac and cheese, and stuffing for them to put in the Annual Holiday Baskets for both Thanksgiving and Christmas. Please drop your non-perishables off in the Catechetical Center.

Saturday, November 2nd is the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed (All Souls). We will have a special Mass to pray for all the faithful departed, especially all the members of the parish who have died during the past year at 5:30 p.m.

Friday, November 1st is the Solemnity of All Saints and a Holy Day of Obligation. We will have Mass at 8 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. Saturday, November 2nd is the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed (All Souls). We will have a special Mass to pray for all the faithful departed, especially all the members of the parish who have died during the past year at 5:30 p.m.

The Mass Intention Book will open on November 1st for all intentions to be accepted throughout 2025. Mass requests will be honored on a first- come, first-serve basis in the order in which the request is received at the parish office. No Mass request will be taken over the telephone. Mass request must be made in person in the parish office, or in writing and placed in the collection basket or mailed to the office. Forms for requesting a Mass can be obtained from the parish office, in the back of the church, or available online on the parish website.

The 2025 workbooks are now available in the usher’s room for all Lectors.

Please pick up your books in the hallway of the Catechetical Center

The Marianites of Holy Cross have gifted the parish with Grief Share© to help you navigate your loss and grief through a grief recovery support group. It is a 13- week cycle to help you discover what to expect in the days ahead and what is “normal” in grief. Since there are no neat, orderly stages of grief, you’ll also learn helpful ways of coping with grief, in all its unpredictability – and gain solid support each step of the way. There is a fee of $25, which includes your Grief Share workbook. Sister Kateri Battaglia, MSC, will facilitate the Grief Share recovery support group. Each session is selfcontained so you can join us at any week, but registration is required. To register, call 504-453-0618 or email at srkaterimsc@yahoo.com for your registration form.

All money collected in the Poor Box for the next three weekends will be dedicated to assist with those suffering losses from Hurricane Helene. Thank you for your generosity in assisting those in need.

Sunday, October 27th will be our annual Parish Picnic after the 10:30 Mass. Food, Family, and Fun is guaranteed. The parish will supply lunch for everyone – we are asking each family to bring drinks for their own family. Our Youth Ministry will be coordinating games and other activities. As a special addition to the Parish Picnic, we will also have Trunk or Treat - a family friendly Halloween event in which children and their families get to enjoy dressing up and receive candy from each of the family friendly themed vehicles that participate. All youth are invited to dress up as their favorite saint or biblical figure on Sunday, October 27th for the 10:30 a.m. Mass. During the picnic we will have our trunk or treat. Everyone is encouraged to decorate their trunks and to bring candy or other goodies to give to those who participate. All are welcome to join in the fun.

Join us on Sunday, October 6th at 2 PM for the Blessing of Pets and Animals! All are welcome!

Sunday, August 25 Confirmation Prep 11:45 a.m. - 3:15 p.m. Sunday, September 8 Confirmation Prep 11:45 a.m. – 3:15 p.m. Sunday, September 29 Confirmation Retreat 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Tuesday, October 8 Confirmation Mass at 7 p.m.

The St. Benedict Ladies Altar Society is hosting a Spaghetti Dinner on Saturday, September 21st. All dinners will include spaghetti, meatballs, green beans, and garlic bread. Tickets will be on sale after all Masses the weekends of September 7th and 8th as well as September 14th and 15th.

The Marianites of Holy Cross have gifted the parish with GriefShare© to help you navigate your loss and grief through a grief recovery support group. It is a 13-week cycle to help you discover what to expect in the days ahead and what is “normal” in grief. Since there are no neat, orderly stages of grief, you’ll also learn helpful ways of coping with grief, in all its unpredictability – and gain solid support each step of the way. There is a fee of $25, which includes your GriefShare workbook. Sister Kateri Battaglia, MSC, will facilitate the GriefShare recovery support group. Each session is self-contained so you can join us at any week, but registration is required. To register, call 504-453-0618 or email at srkaterimsc@yahoo.com for your registration form.

This Thursday, August 15th is the Solemnity of the Assumption of Mary and it is a Holy Day of Obligation. Holy Days of Obligation are like Sundays in that Catholics must attend Mass, and if possible, refrain from unnecessary servile work. We will have a Vigil Mass on Wednesday, August 14th at 7 p.m. and a morning Mass on Thursday, August 15th at 8:00 a.m. The parish office will be closed on Thursday, August 15th.

Sunday, August 25 Confirmation Prep 11:45 a.m. - 3:15 p.m. Sunday, September 8 Confirmation Prep 11:45 a.m. – 3:15 p.m. Sunday, September 29 Confirmation Retreat 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Tuesday, October 8 Confirmation Mass at 7 p.m.

Fr. Justin Arockiasamy SVD will be here next weekend to celebrate Masses and to speak about the many ministries of his religious community, Divine Word Missionaries. They are an international religious community of missionary priests and Brothers serving in 79 countries helping to build chapels, celebrate the sacraments and spread the Word of God in remote mission communities. Please be generous with your prayers and contribute to the second collection to help support the missionary work of the Divine Word Missionaries. To meet some of the people Divine Word Missionaries help, please read the stories at https://missionimpact.svdmissions.org/mission-update.

The 2025 Mass Intention book will open on Thursday, August 1st for the upcoming calendar year. Until November 1st we will accept no more than 12 weekday (single intention) requests from a household for the upcoming year (unlimited requests for Sunday or Saturday Masses will be accepted). After November 1st, all intentions will be accepted until the schedule is full. Mass requests will be honored on a first-come, first-serve basis in the office. No Mass request will be taken over the telephone. Mass requests must be made in person in the parish office, mailed to the office, or put into an enveloped and placed in the collection. Forms for requesting a Mass can be obtained from the parish office, in the back of the church, or online on the parish website.

NEXT WEEKEND we will celebrate the Solemnity of Saint Benedict at all Masses. Please join us in the Catechetical Center next Saturday, July 13th, for our annual Potluck Party after the 5:30 p.m. Vigil Mass.

Even when everything goes well, bringing home a new baby is difficult. Between the physical exhaustion, emotional stress, and sleep deprivation, parents can often feel overwhelmed. That’s where our church family can come in. Wouldn’t it be great if you would allow us to deliver meals to your family as you bring your newborn home? Any parishioner parents are eligible, including birth parents, foster parents, and adopting parents of an infant (under 1-year-old) and this applies to all children (the first, second, third…etc.). If you are expecting a new baby or infant, please contact Debra Dwight before your baby is born at 985-966- 0437 or DebraDwight07@gmail.com so that we can prepare to be of assistance once your new baby arrives and you bring him/her home.