Following the Prayers of the Faithful each week, the collection begins and then all that is collected along with the bread and wine are brought forward to the altar. This is a prayer – it is an incredibly significant part of the Mass and one that calls for the full, conscious, and active participation of the assembly. This is the time when we prayerfully gather up all our gifts – our sacrifices from the week, our monetary contributions, our pains, our joys, and our thanksgivings – and we present these along with the central gifts of bread and wine. The bread and wine are central for they are what Jesus offered at the Last Supper and asked us to continue to do in memory of Him. In connecting our gifts (our very lives!) to the gifts of bread and wine which will be transformed into the Body and Blood of Christ, we, too, seek to have our lives (with our joys and pains) transformed and offered wholly to God. So each week when we come to Mass, we cannot come unprepared or empty-handed. We must bring our whole selves which we truly place on the altar of our Lord! We bring all that we are – even when that might not seem to be enough – and we trust that as the Lord joins our offering to His own, that we will be acceptable to God and transformed by his life-giving Body and Blood.

The 2022 Mass Intention book will open on Monday, August 2nd 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 1 , 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.

A second collection will be taken up next weekend for the Black and Indian Mission Office. The Black and Indian Mission Collection exists to help local African American and Native American Diocesan Communities throughout the United States spread the Good News of Jesus Christ and respond to real and pressing needs on the ground.

Join us on Saturday, July 10th for a catered reception in celebration of the Solemnity of St. Benedict! The festivities will begin after 5:30 pm Mass in the Catechetical Center. See you there!

The Parish Office will be closed Monday, July 5th in observance of Independence Day. We wish everyone a safe and Happy 4th of July Holiday.

As we continue to progress toward “normalcy,” we will resume passing the collection baskets to collect your offering for the first and any second collections. The ushers will also resume distributing the Bulletin at the end of Mass at each of the doors. This will prevent us from having to pick up after every Mass from Bulletins left in the pews. Please do not go into the usher’s room looking for a Bulletin – they will be available after Mass. Thank you for your cooperation.

The Lunch Ministry will be preparing a pasta salad with fresh vegetables and fruit on Wednesday, June 30th. Please bring any extra vegetables or fruit that you can spare to the Catechetical Center by Tuesday, June 29th. Thank you for your generosity.

All parishioners received a letter explaining some exciting changes to our Religious Education Program here at St. Benedict’s. Next year we will be having Family Faith Formation (Family Catechesis) in place of our PSR. So instead of class once a week, it is class ONCE A MONTH FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY. (It will be a one-hour long class.) The program is designed to go back to the basics in a way that is accessible for everyone in a family, giving the parents the tools they need to grow their family faith. If any family was unable to attend one of the two meetings we had to explain the program and register for next year, please use the enclosed Registration Form and return it to the parish office as soon as possible. Also in this Bulletin is next year’s calendar. If you have any questions, please contact Corina Montreuil, our Parish Catechetical Leader. She can be reached in the office (985-892-5202) or via email (psr@stbencov.org).

Some people have inquired about offertory envelopes for this year. If you would like to start using offertory envelopes or did not pick up your envelopes in January or February, please call (985- 892-5202) or email (office@stbencov.org) the office to arrange for your envelopes to be placed in the back of the church. Offertory envelopes are a safe and private way for you to tithe and support St. Benedict Catholic Church and our apostolic mission. It also enables us to give you proper credit for your contributions for IRS tax statements and other purposes. The safest and most secure way to make contributions to St. Benedict’s, however, is to use our online giving, which can be accessed at: https://giving.parishsoft.com/app/giving/stbencov

Spring has sprung and the fun-raising has begun! The ladies of the St. Benedict Altar Society will be selling tickets for their Annual Spring Raffle after all Masses the weekends of June 12/13 and June 19/20. Each ticket is $5 and the drawing will be held on Sunday, June 12th after the 10:30 a.m. Mass.

Please join us in welcoming Fr. Jean-Marie Mvumbi, a Missionhurst-CICM (the Congregation of the Immaculate Heart of Mary) missionary who will be visiting our parish next weekend to present the annual mission appeal. Fr. Jean-Marie is from the foreign mission Province of Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and will be sharing his life and dedication to the people he serves with us. Missionhurst-CICM was originally founded in 1862 for the conversion of China. Today, Missionhurst-CICM serves in some of the most remote places of Mongolia, Indonesia, Africa, Asia and Latin America. Missionhurst-CICM missionaries go into mission prepared to stay, living among the people, sharing in their privations, and participating in the day-to-day effort needed to achieve life-long spiritual and material changes. In response to the people's most urgent need, Missionhurst-CICM missionaries may start a new farming project, build a new chapel or school or lay clean water supply lines. Fr. Jean-Marie is currently the Provincial Treasurer for the US Province of the Congregation of the Immaculate Heart of Mary and resides at the Motherhouse in Arlington, Virginia. He is a missionary priest full of life who continues to shine his light wherever he goes. He speaks Kikongo, Kiyombe, French, English and Spanish. Fr. Jean- Marie will be preaching at all the masses and a second collection will be taken with proceeds going to Missionhurst-CICM. WELCOME, Fr. Jean-Marie!

The obligation to attend Mass on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation has been restored for the Archdiocese of New Orleans beginning next weekend. Though many because of the pandemic opted to participate in the Eucharist virtually, we must remember that God did not come to us virtually. He came to us — and continues to come to us — in the flesh. As Catholics, the personal contact with the Real Presence of the flesh and blood of Our Lord in the Eucharist is irreplaceable and essential. Next weekend when we gather as the Body of Christ, we will celebrate the Solemnity of Corpus Christi. Not only will we formally welcome everyone home (including having coffee and donuts after the Sunday morning Masses), we will also have a special time of adoration of the Most Blessed Sacrament at the end of Mass with a small procession inside of the church. Our Lord Jesus wants to meet us in the same way He met the disciples on the road to Emmaus. He is inviting us to come back to the table. And like the disciples, we will recognize Jesus Christ and encounter Him most profoundly in the Breaking of the Bread.

Saturday, June 5th the Altar Society invites all ladies of St. Benedict parish to join them in a day of reflection. The day will begin at 9 a.m. and conclude with lunch. The speaker this year will be Sr. Barbara. Come and join in on a day of Spiritual renewal. There will be a sign-up sheet in the back of the church or call Lorell Russell at (985) 892-7494.

During the months of June and July the Parish Office will close at 2:00 p.m. Monday thru Friday.

The Parish Office will be closed on Monday, May 31st in observance of Memorial Day and will re-open at 8:45 a.m. on Tuesday, June 1st.

Some people have inquired about offertory envelopes for this year. If you would like to start using offertory envelopes or did not pick up your envelopes in January or February, please call (985-892-5202) or email (office@stbencov.org) the office to arrange for your envelopes to be placed in the back of the church. Offertory envelopes are a safe and private way for you to tithe and support St. Benedict Catholic Church and our apostolic mission. It also enables us to give you proper credit for your contributions for IRS tax statements and other purposes. The safest and most secure way to make contributions to St. Benedict’s, however, is to use our online giving, which can be accessed at: https://giving.parishsoft.com/app/giving/stbencov

All parishioners received a letter explaining some exciting changes to our Religious Education Program here at St. Benedict’s. Next year we will be having Family Faith Formation (Family Catechesis) in place of our PSR. So instead of class once a week, it is class ONCE A MONTH FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY. (It will be a one-hour long class.) The program is designed to go back to the basics in a way that is accessible for everyone in a family, giving the parents the tools they need to grow their family faith. If any family was unable to attend one of the two meetings we had to explain the program and register for next year, please contact Corina Montreuil for more information and to register your family. She can be reached in the office (985-892-5202) or via email (psr@stbencov.org). All families are asked to turn in their registration forms if you have not already done so.

Our monthly Rosary on the third Thursday of each month will resume on Thursday, May 20th at 7 p.m. in the church.

Thank you to everyone who assisted with the reception for Fr. Charles’s 20th Anniversary of Ordination to the Priesthood, as well as those who came out and assisted with grounds clean- up day. Your generosity is deeply appreciated!

Attention Teenagers of the Parish: Mark your calendar for a Youth Ministry Barbeque on Sunday, April 25th after the 10:30 Mass.