Please join us for the 2026 Lenten Mission. This year Fr. Peter Hammett, OSB will give talks on "A Lenten Journey Into Inner Peace". Join is in the Church at 7 pm on March 15th, 16th, and 17th!

We will celebrate Father Charles’s Birthday on March 14th. Please bring your favorite dish for a Pot – Luck Celebration following the 5:30 p.m. Mass.

Each Lent we come together to pray, fast and give alms-and by doing so we help lift families and communities out of poverty and put them on a path toward resilience, prosperity and stability. That’s the CRS Rice Bowl effect. Rice Bowls will be available for pick-up in the back of church. Inside the bowls are suggested prayers, readings and facts about Catholic Relief Services

Join us for the Men’s Club annual FISH FRIES February 27th, March 13th & March 27th 4 p.m. - 7 p.m. CURBSIDE TO GO or DINE IN $13 per dinner FISH OR SHRIMP PLATE includes: Tater tots, coleslaw and French bread Inside dining: Brownie and canned drink or water for $1.00 Tickets may be purchased from any member, after Masses on March 7/8 and March 21/22 at the fish fry, on the link online

Cor, Latin for “heart,” is an initiative by the Knights to help strengthen Catholic men in faith and virtue through prayer, formation, and fraternity. It is open to all Catholic men, not just Knights of Columbus. Please consider joining other Catholic men to gather in faith and fellowship to discover how your Catholic Faith can be relevant again to you and your family. Tuesday Nights at 7 p.m. in the Catechetical Center

On Friday, February 13th, we will have our first 2026 Prayer Blanket Ministry Meeting. In case you are unfamiliar with our ministry we would like to tell you a little bit about us. We accept donated material and then ministry members make quilted, knitted, and/or crocheted blankets for parishioners, family members, friends and those who are in need of our prayers. Our Spiritual Works of Mercy call us to comfort the sorrowful and pray for the living. Whether it is from illness, anxiety or other needs, we want them to know that we as a Catholic Christian community are praying for them. We pray that God’s love and peace will fill each of them in their need. It connects us as a community and as a people of God. Fr. Charles blesses the completed blankets at a Sunday Mass for distribution. Our blessed blankets are then available in the church office for distribution. We would love for anyone interested in this Ministry to join us on Friday, February 13th at 10:00am in the Catechetical Center. We also ask that you include all of our blanket recipients in your prayers.

Giving Statements, or Statements of Financial Contributions, for 2025 were mailed to everyone. If you did not receive yours, or if there are any errors, please contact the parish office at (985)-892-5202. THANK YOU for your generosity!

Please return your Baby-Bottles for our annual Baby Bottle Campaign for the Northlake Pregnancy Center and Thank you for your generous support.

The Men’s Club will hold their annual Fish Fry Dinners during Lent on February 27th, March 13th, and March 27th from 4:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m.

Are you curious about religious life? Come along on our Nun Run on Saturday, January 31 (8:30 AM–4:30 PM). Participants will leave from Mary, Queen of Peace (Mandeville) and visit four different religious orders, experience their communities firsthand, hear the sisters’ vocation journeys, and gain deeper insight into what it means to be a religious sister. This is an amazing opportunity for anyone discerning God’s call or seeking to learn more about consecrated life. For More Info: https://www.maryqueenofpeace.org/nun-run

The Archdiocesan Silver Wedding Anniversary Celebration will be held on Sunday, March 15, 2026, 3:00 p.m. at Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Church in New Orleans. To register, please contact the parish office by Monday, February 2, 2026.

On Friday, February 13th, we will have our first 2026 Prayer Blanket Ministry Meeting. In case you are unfamiliar with our ministry we would like to tell you a little bit about us. We accept donated material and then ministry members make quilted, knitted, and/or crocheted blankets for parishioners, family members, friends and those who are in need of our prayers. Our Spiritual Works of Mercy call us to comfort the sorrowful and pray for the living. Whether it is from illness, anxiety or other needs, we want them to know that we as a Catholic Christian community are praying for them. We pray that God’s love and peace will fill each of them in their need. It connects us as a community and as a people of God. Fr. Charles blesses the completed blankets at a Sunday Mass for distribution. Our blessed blankets are then available in the church office for distribution. We would love for anyone interested in this Ministry to join us on Friday, February 13th at 10:00am in the Catechetical Center. We also ask that you include all of our blanket recipients in your prayers.

HELP AND ENCOURAGEMENT AFTER THE DEATH OF A LOVED ONE Grief is a complex and often overwhelming experience. The emotions that surface during this time can be painful and confusing, making it difficult to know how to move forward. Whether your bereavement is recent or occurred some time ago, this can be a unique opportunity to connect with people who truly understand what you are going through. About GriefShare® This 13-week support group program is designed to help you learn what to anticipate in the days ahead and to recognize that there is no single “right” way to grieve. There are no neat or predictable stages of grief; instead, the journey is unique for each person. What to Expect Each week you can expect to view a 30-minute video filled with helpful guidance, discuss grief-related issues, and gain personal recovery tips through your participant workbook. Each session is self-contained so you may join at any week, but registration is required. Facilitators and Registration Sharon Hoffman, a widow and parishioner of St. Benedict Church and Sister Kateri Battaglia, MSC, will serve as facilitators. Feel free to contact Sharon at hoffmansha@charter.net; Sister Kateri at srkaterimsc@yahoo.com or 504-453-0618. To register go online to griefshare.org/findagroup. A Registration/Participant Fee of $25 is payable to St. Benedict Catholic Church. Schedule and Location This GriefShare® support group will meet every Tuesday, beginning on January 20 and continuing through April 21, 2026. Please note that there will be no session on Mardi Gras. Meetings are scheduled from 1:30 PM to 3:30 PM in the Catechetical Center at St. Benedict Catholic Church, Covington, LA. Support and Understanding in GriefShare® Many individuals who attend GriefShare® sessions consistently express that they experience a sense of comfort and encouragement by being surrounded by others who genuinely comprehend the challenges of grief.

The Parish Office closed at noon on Friday, December 19th and will re-open Monday, January 5th, in observance of Christmas and New Year’s. We would like to wish everyone a very Blessed and Merry Christmas, and for those who will be traveling a safe trip to and from their destinations.

There will be a second collection at Mass on Christmas to help cover the salaries and expenses of priests serving as Hospital and Hospice Chaplains, Chaplains at Nursing Homes and High Schools, and those involved in retreat ministries. We have already been assessed $11,895 for this. Please be generous.

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

Thank you to all parishioners who so generously gave gifts to families, seniors and children on our Angel Tree. This year we brought joy to over 200 Angels. St. Benedict’s helped families through the St. Tammany Project Christmas, Fairhaven Orphanage, Trace Senior Living Center, our own church parish and homebound individuals through our own Lunch Ministry. A special thank you to all our devoted volunteers who make this program work so beautifully each year. Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year!

There will be a Deanery Penance Service this Wednesday, Dec. 17th at 6 p.m. at Most Holy Trinity Church in Covington.

December 8th is the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception. Mary, under the title of her Immaculate Conception, is the Patroness of the United States. It is a holyday of obligation As the celebration of the Blessed Mother under her title of the Immaculate Conception is the Patronal Solemnity of our nation, please make a special effort to attend Mass on Monday, December 8th to pray for our country. Masses will be at 8 a.m. and 7 p.m.

Starting next weekend, November 29/30 mail bins will be placed at the entrance of the church to begin collecting your Christmas Cards for those in our community in Long Term Care, Nursing, and Rehabilitation Homes. Place as many Christmas Cards as you like… Please include the “thoughts and prayers from the Parishioners of St. Benedict Parish” in your Christmas greeting/signature. The outside of the envelope can be left blank or you may write, “Merry Christmas”. Please place your Christmas cards in the mail bins no later than Wednesday, December 10th. The Card will be distributed on Friday, December 12th and Saturday, December 13th by the Deacons.