My Dear Parish Family:

The Church is locked? What is the reason our beloved St. Benedict’s Church is being locked during the weekdays? So many people come to visit the Church everyday in order to pray and light candles in memory of loved ones and now we can no longer even get into the Church - what is going on?

I have heard these cries and I am sorry that the Church is being locked, but it must be and I will continue to keep it locked for safety reasons. Honestly, I do not like the Church being locked any more than any of you, but I cannot and will not allow the Church to be damaged nor items taken from the Church.

We have recently had some items taken from the Church; for example, a stole from the Confessional, cruets (the small glass containers used at Mass to hold the water and wine) were being taken although, fortunately, one of the staff members was in the Church and stopped the person from taking them.

Recently, some people were in a confessional doing acts I would rather not discuss here, but enough to say that these actions belong in a bedroom not a Church Confessional. We also had a set of large rosary beads given to the Church by a parish family that belonged to their parents, they were broken and discarded onto the floor. A statue was also taken from the back area of the Church. I am trying to protect the Church and not trying to be difficult or hurtful to any of you, the parishioners.

People have given items to the Church and I am duty bound to protect them! I promise to be the best protector of your parish Church while I remain here as your Pastor and if that means locking the Church each day after the Masses then I will do that! In addition, you can imagine that I do not want to continue to go to parish members to explain to them that the item they have entrusted to the Church is broken or stolen.

Please pray, along with me, for people who are so desperate that they would steal even from a Church or people who are struggling with mental illness and do things, even in a Church, that are damaging to the Church or themselves. If you wish to come to Church when it is locked, then kindly come to the rectory and we will gladly let you into the Church. I realize this means a slight inconvenience to you who wish to simply “make a visit” to the Church during the day and I am sorry. However, I pledge to the very best of my ability, that I will not allow the Church to be robbed or defaced in any fashion for as long as I am the Pastor.

I would like to remind all members of the parish that each Tuesday and Friday the Adoration Chapel is open with the Blessed Sacrament present on the altar for us to pray, worship and adore even if it is only for a few minutes. There are also candles in the Chapel that can be lit in memory of someone or for a special intention.

Until next week, peace and prayers! St. Benedict and Cardinal Cooke, Servant of God, pray for us!

Fr. Stephen P. Norton