My Dear Parish Family:

Today begins Holy Week. This is indeed a “holy week” with so much to draw all of us into the passion and mercy of Our Lord’s Resurrection.

Tomorrow Monday, April 15th, we will walk through the Stations of the Cross (Living Stations) here at St. Benedict’s Church at 3:00pm. After the 3:00pm Living Stations (please see page 5 of this bulletin for more information) we will have Reconciliation Monday.The priests will be available from 4:00pm until 8:00pm for Confessions in the Church.

Tuesday, April 16th, the priests will join all the other priests, along with Cardinal Dolan and the Auxiliary Bishops, at the Cathedral for the Chrism Mass. It is a great night that all the priests of the Archdiocese enjoy celebrating and getting together for dinner after the Mass. Therefore, on Tuesday, April 16th, Adoration will only be from 9:00am until 12:00 Noon here at St. Benedict’s to provide us priests the opportunity to get to the Cathedral. Although the Mass begins around 3:30pm on Tuesday there is a holy hour for priests and the opportunity

for us to go to Confession. It is a good and full afternoon for us. All the members of the parish are welcome to attend the Chrism Mass on Tuesday, April 16th at 4:00pm at St. Patrick’s Cathedral.

Wednesday will basically be a regular Mass day.Holy Thursday, Good Friday and the Easter Vigil will lead us all to the Resurrection on Easter Sunday. This is a special and powerful week for all Catholics. I pray that you and your family will take time out of the “normal routine of life” and join together as a parish family to pray and celebrate our salvation.

See you in Church this week! St. Benedict, pray for us. Servant of God, Terence Cardinal Cooke, pray for us.

Fr. Stephen P. Norton