St. Benilde Church is seeking to hire a part-time (approximately 32 hours per week) Administrative Assistant/Financial Secretary. This individual is responsible for administering the tasks and functions of the Church office in concert with the pastor. The candidate must be computer proficient. Salary is negotiable based on experience and education and the position is benefits eligible. Primary Duties: Acts as the Church office receptionist; Conducts normal secretarial functions on behalf of the Parish and the Pastor; Maintains all sacramental records and records Mass intentions; Prepares and edits the weekly Church bulletin; Coordinates the Parish Events Calendar and maintains the Parish’s online calendar; Conducts basic bookkeeping and financial duties including: posting weekly contributions, coordinating electronic giving, processing payables and payroll, maintain financial records, collaborating with the external accounting firm, and other financial duties; Coordinates the administrative paperwork for baptisms and marriages; Assists the Pastor in preparing for Weekly Masses and other Liturgies; Maintains Church files; Human Resources Site Administrator; Facilitates St. Vincent de Paul clients with copying documents and distributing food from food bank. Interested applicants should send cover letter and resume to stbenildechurch@cox.net. For questions or additional information, please contact the Church Office (504) 834-4980.

Holy Thursday – April 18th: Morning Prayer at 7:00 AM in Church; Mass of the Lord’s Supper at 7:00 PM followed by Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament till 10:00 PM; The Adoration Chapel will close at 11:59 PM on Wednesday, April 17th and will re-open at 7:30 AM on Monday, April 22nd. Good Friday – April 19th: Morning Prayer at 7:00 AM in Church; Good Friday Service of the Passion of the Lord at 3:00 PM; Stations of the Cross at 6:00 PM. Holy Saturday – April 20th: Morning Prayer at 7:00 AM in Church; Solemn Easter Vigil at 8:00 PM.

The Solemn Easter Vigil will be celebrated on Saturday, April 20th at 8:00 PM. On Easter Sunday, April 21st, Masses will be celebrated at 9:00 AM and 11:00 AM. Please note that there will be NO 6:00 PM Mass on Easter Sunday.

There will be a special Second Collection taken at all the Easter Masses to help support Priestly Formation at Notre Dame Seminary and to assist with the various Charitable Organizations of the Archdiocese of New Orleans. Thank you for your generosity as we help our young men studying for the priesthood.

The beautiful Easter lilies and spring flowers that adorn our altar and sanctuary are a special part of the celebration of Easter at St. Benilde Catholic Church. We invite all parishioners to share in the experience through a memorial or thanksgiving gift by using the Easter Flowers Memorial Envelopes. Donations toward the cost of Easter flowers in the Church may be made in memory or honor of your family members and friends. This is a wonderful way to remember loved ones, honor friends, and offer thanksgiving to God for prayers answered and blessings received. The suggested donation is $10.00 per remembrance. Please place your envelopes in the collection basket, the Poor Box or bring them to the Parish Office. Your generosity is greatly appreciated. Memorial Envelopes will be placed on the altar throughout the Easter Season. Printed copies of the names of all those for whom our Easter flowers are in memory of will be available in the vestibule of Church in the weeks following Easter Sunday.

Our last Fish Fry of the Lenten Season will be Friday, April 12th. Doors open at 5 PM for pre-sale ticket holders and 5:45 PM for the general public. Members of the Men’s Club will be selling pre-sale tickets after all the Masses on the weekend of April 6th and 7th.

During the Holy Season of Lent, Archbishop Aymond is asking all churches in the Archdiocese of New Orleans to have a light on in the confessional on Wednesday, March 27th; Wednesday, April 3rd; and Wednesday, April 10th from 5:00pm - 6:30pm as a sign that Christ is not only the light of the world but one who is eager to forgive and to heal us. If you have been away from the Sacrament of Reconciliation, we invite you to come back to God’s loving mercy and forgiveness.

Congratulations to Nicholas “Nick” David Flynn for being selected as the representative from St. Benilde Catholic Church to receive the 2019 Altar Server Award from Archbishop Aymond. Because of his faithfulness to this important ministry in the Church, our parish community is proud to nominate him for this honor. We extend our personal congratulations to Nick. We also extend our thankfulness to all the boys who are dedicated to serving at the Altar of the Lord.

During the 40 Days of Lent, Mass will be celebrated Monday - Friday at 7:00 AM and 5:30 PM. The Stations of the Cross will be prayed on all Fridays during Lent at 6:00 PM in the Church. Join our school children in praying the Stations of the Cross at 9:00 AM in the Church on the following Fridays: March 15, March 22, March 29, April 5, and April 12. For our complete Lenten Schedule visit: www.stbenilde.org/lent

Reverend Father Robert T. Cooper, Pastor, and Mr. Thomas E. Huck, Principal, extend a cordial invitation to join them for St. Benilde School’s 50th Anniversary Golden Gala - Celebrating 50 years of evangelizing hearts & educating minds on Saturday, April 6th from 7:00PM to Midnight in the St. Benilde School Cafeteria & Campus. Funds raised from this special occasion will be utilized to enhance our science curriculum through the implementation of an engineering program and for the expansion of our exceptional learners program. For information on Sponsorship opportunities or to purchase tickets, please visit the school website: www.stbenilde.com

We are in need of Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion and Lectors. Several workshops have been scheduled this spring: Extraordinary Ministers of Communion—Feb. 16, March 16, March 30, April 6, and May 4—Archdiocesan Administration Bldg., 7887 Walmsley Ave., NOLA; Feb16, St. Joseph Church, 1802 Tulane Ave., NOLA; and Lectors—March 30, St. Clement of Rome Church, 4317 Richland Ave., Metairie. All workshops run from 9 AM until 1 PM. You must get Fr. Cooper’s permission before registering with the Parish Office. Please note: these workshops are for new ministers only.

Due to the celebration of the sacrament of Confirmation, there will be NO 5:30 PM Mass on Tuesday, March 26. Please pray for all of our young people who will be confirmed by Archbishop Hughes.

Don’t miss the stellar production of “Alice in Wonderland, Jr.” presented by the St. Benilde Spotlight Players March 22nd through March 24th. Performances will be at 7 PM on Friday and Saturday, and at 2 PM on Sunday. For more information please contact the school office or visit the school website: www.stbenilde.com

On the weekend of March 23/24, we will hold our annual Radio Rosary Appeal. In direct response to the request of the Blessed Mother and our spiritual leaders, the Holy Name Society has sponsored the daily broadcast of the rosary since 1946. The rosary is recited daily at 6 PM on radio station WVOG (600) on the AM dial. The cost to continue the radio broadcast is in excess of $13,000 annually. The only source of income to pay for expenses is the “Radio Rosary Drive” envelopes given out to each parish annually by the Holy Name Society members. We thank you in advance for your generous contributions.

Please make plans to drop by the St. Benilde schoolyard after the St. Patrick’s Day parade on March 17th for our first-ever “Shamrock ’n’ Roll” hosted by the Men’s Club until 5:30 PM. There is no admission charge. There will be live music, and food and beverages for purchase. All are invited. Secured parking will be available for $10 starting at 8 AM.

Early Childhood Formation Aftercare Openings: St. Benilde School is a Roman Catholic parochial school serving St. Benilde Parish and the metropolitan New Orleans area. We specifically focus on teaching and caring for children from infancy (six weeks) through Seventh Grade. St. Benilde School is known for innovative academic and faith formation programs. The Loreto Early Learning Center is a division of St. Benilde School serving infants and toddlers Monday -Friday from 7 AM -6 PM. We are currently seeking energetic and hard working employees to work as teachers in our programs. We can offer both full time and part time positions. Pay ranges depending upon the individuals experience and degree level. A competitive benefits package including medical, dental, vision, and 401K are available to full time employees. All applicants must be able to pass a criminal background check and complete all required training by the Archdiocese of New Orleans Office of Safe Environment as a condition of employment.

I’d like to invite you to join me and your fellow parishioners for BEST LENT EVER, a free email program from Dynamic Catholic. Lent comes every year. It’s meant to be a time when we invite God to help us become the-best-version-of-ourselves. But for many of us, Lent isn’t a transformative experience. It’s just a time when we give up chocolate or something else we enjoy, then go back to it at Easter. This year, you can change that with BEST LENT EVER. Each day of Lent, you’ll receive a short inspirational video that will help you find areas for growth, build better habits, and spark lasting change in your life. All you have to do is sign up at BestLentEver.com - Fr. Robert Cooper, Pastor

The Archdiocese of New Orleans will offer a writing workshop for persons seeking an annulment in the Catholic Church or for persons responding to an annulment. The workshop will be held in Our Lady of Divine Providence’s Providence Hall in Metairie. The series will be for five (5) Tuesdays, March 12, 19, 26, April 2, and 9, 2019. Hours are 7:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. The materials for the series cost $25. To register go to our website https://nolacatholicfla.regfox.com/annulment-writing-workshop. For more information, please call Cathy, 504-861-6243.

The Father/Son Program for 11-14 Year old boys and the Mother/Daughter Program for 10-12 year old girls will be held in the St. Pius X Gym (boys) and Cafeteria (girls) on March 13, 2019. The purpose of these programs is to foster open communication between parent and child and to provide sexuality information and fertility appreciation in a Christ-centered atmosphere of love. The cost is $25.00 for parent/guardian and one child. Pre-registration is required. Mother/Daughter-- https://nolacatholicfla.regfox.com/motherdaughter. Father/Son-- https://nolacatholicfla.regfox.com/fatherson.

The holy and penitential Season of Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, March 6th, with the distribution of Ashes. The Mass Schedule is 7AM, 9AM, 12Noon (Word Service with the Distribution of Ashes – No Mass) and 6PM.