The Parish Office will be closed on Monday, January 18th, in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. day. We will re-open on Tuesday, January 19th

Beginning on the Feast of the Baptism Our Lord, January 10, 2021, the local Catholic Church has entered into the Year of the Eucharist, a time of renewal, healing, and communion. This year is dedicated to helping all of us, clergy, religious, and laity, grow in our relationship with Christ. We begin this important year on the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord because baptism marks the beginning of our initiation into Jesus Christ, a lifelong journey toward union with Christ and one another. The Eucharist is communion with God. Christ nourishes us with his very Body and Blood so that we can be joined more closely to him and to all humanity. Throughout this year, we will join with Catholics around the world to call upon the prayers and patronage of St. Joseph to help us more fully understand the meaning of the parts of the Mass, the theology of the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist, and the obligation we have as Catholics to participate in Mass on Sunday. As the universal church observes a special Year of St. Joseph as proclaimed by the Holy Father, we in the Archdiocese of New Orleans call upon St. Joseph’s powerful intercession to bring us closer to Jesus in the Eucharist.

Envelopes and Calendars are available before and after all Masses in the Catechetical Center. We encourage all parishioners to make use of the offering envelopes in support of the parish. If you have not asked for envelopes in the past and wish to receive them. Please sign the clipboard in the Catechetical Center or contact Channon in the parish office at 985-892-5202.

We are pleased to announce that the Archdiocese of New Orleans will host an annual wedding anniversary celebration for those couples who have been married for 25 years. The 2021 Silver Anniversary celebration will take place on Sunday, March 14, 2021, at 3:00 p.m. at St Joseph Church in New Orleans. This event is only for couples married in the year 1996 in celebration of their 25th Wedding Anniversary. Please Note: This celebration will not be a Mass, but a prayer service. Attendance of Mass for Sunday obligation will have to be met within one’s respective parish. (To register, please contact the parish office before January 15, 2021)

Contribution statements will be mailed this week to anyone who made a financial contribution during 2020. THANK YOU FOR YOUR GENEROUS SUPPORT! If you should see any discrepancies with your statement, please call the parish office at 985- 892-5202.

Thank you to everyone who made our Christmas liturgies beautiful and inspiring. From the music ministry to the ushers, deacons to the lectors, and everyone else who assisted, your commitment to the liturgy and the liturgical environment is very much appreciated. Thanks also to the members of the Altar Society and Men’s Club who helped decorate the Church. In a special way, we would like to thank Betty Lemoine who coordinated the poinsettias and who coordinates the flowers on the altar every week of the year. THANK YOU!

Envelopes and Calendars are available before and after all Masses in the Catechetical Center. We encourage all parishioners to make use of the offering envelopes in support of the parish. If you have not asked for envelopes in the past and wish to receive them. Please sign the clipboard in the Catechetical Center or contact Channon in the parish office at 985-892-5202.

THANK YOU to all the parishioners who gave so generously to the families on our angel tree. This year we brought joy to 150 angels. St. Benedict Church has helped families through St. Tammany Project Christmas, Fairhaven Orphanage, our own St. Benedict’s parish, and Home-bound individuals through our Lunch Ministry. Thank you again for making Christmas so wonderful for those in need.

Bring the infant Jesus (bambinelli as they are called in Rome) from your family's nativity scene for a special blessing on December 12th and 13th. Please place your bambinelli in front of the altar before Mass. Buon Natale!

Mail bins have been placed at the entrance of the Church to begin collecting Christmas Cards for those in our community who are in long term care, nursing, and rehabilitation homes. Please include the "thoughts and prayers from the Parishioners of St. Benedict's Parish" in your Christmas greeting or signature. The outside of the envelope can be left blank, or please write "Merry Christmas." Please place your Christmas cards in the mail bins no later than Wednesday, December 16th. Cards will be distributed on Friday, December 18th, and Saturday, December 19th by Deacon Danny and Deacon Ellis. Thank You!

December 8th is the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception. Mass will be held at 8 a.m.

A collection for the Retirement Fund for Religious Appeal will be held on December 12/13. Elderly religious need your help. More than 32,000 senior Catholic sisters, brothers, and religious order priests live in the United States. Through prayer, love, and sacrifice, they established Catholic schools, hospitals, and more. Yet, years of serving for little or no pay have left a shortage in retirement funding. Your gift helps their religious communities furnish necessities such as medications and nursing care. It also helps ensure younger members can continue the good works of their elders. Please be generous. Thank you!

The Lunch Ministry collected enough items for numerous Holiday Baskets. Baskets were delivered and greatly appreciated by all who received them. THANK YOU for your support

The Altar Society thanks everyone for their support of the Nativity Scene Raffle fundraiser. Your generosity helped to raise $1850. Congratulations to Sharron Naquin, who won the raffle.

The Mass Intention Book will open on November 2nd for all intentions to be accepted throughout 2021. 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 requests will be taken over the telephone. Mass requests 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 Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) is how people deepen their relationship with Jesus Christ and enter the Catholic Church. This program includes people who are not baptized (called catechumens) and people who are baptized in another Christian church and now seeking full Communion with the Catholic Church. Each year on Holy Saturday during the Easter Vigil, catechumens are baptized into the Catholic Church. Those already baptized in another Christian church are brought into full communion with the Catholic Church. Because of COVID-19, the RCIA process this year will be different from years past. It will consist of some in-person meetings, along with online instructions, and periodic ZOOM meetings. For more information, please email Eric Johnsen at rcia@stbencov.org

Congratulations to Janie Ellis, who has been selected to receive the Order of St. Louis IX Award this year. The award was established in 1975 to honor those members of the laity who have contributed their time and talents to the church. Archbishop Aymond will confer this honor on her on October 18.

In their statement on Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship, the U.S. Catholic bishops remind Catholics about the call to participate in political life. “In the Catholic tradition,” they write, “responsible citizenship is a virtue, and participation in political life is a moral obligation” (no. 13). Visit FaithfulCitizenship.org today to read the statement, along with a new letter, watch new videos, and access other great resources.

The Altar Society will be raffling a Nativity Scene on November 1st. Fr. Charles acquired this Nativity Scene last year during his pilgrimage to the Holy Land. It is hand made from Olive Wood by one of the few Christian artisans still living in Bethlehem. Tickets can be purchased for $5.00 per ticket after Masses the weekends of October 24/25 and October 31/November 1.

With the hurricane/no hurricane excitement of this week, businesses have been disrupted, and orders have been canceled or lost. Our supplier will no longer be able to fulfill our order for this Saturday. As a result, we have to move our Smoked Half-Cornish Hen Fundraiser Dinner to Saturday, September 12. The dinner will still be curbside takeout only, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Please hold on to your tickets and join us on September 12th. If you need to buy more tickets, please use the link at the top of the website. We are very sorry for any inconvenience. Please know of our appreciation for your support of the St. Benedict Catholic Church Men's Club. All money we raise is spent to support St. Benedict's and the church's ministries