Our next Family Movie Night will be on Thursday, October 25, 2018 at 7pm in the Teen Center. The movie is "Power In My Hands." This 80 minute film will represent the faces of America and propose the simple and yet profound power of the rosary for all people of all ages to usher in an era of peace, harmony and most of all hope. Refreshments will be available. The Rosary will be recited following the movie. All are invited to attend. To watch the film trailer, visit: www.powerinmyhandsthemovie.com

Safe Environment Training will be held at St. Benilde on October 24th, at 6 PM, in the cafeteria. All volunteers who have ongoing contact with minors, even one unsupervised contact with minors, and all who participate in an overnight event, must attend Safe Environment Training prior to volunteering for the first time and every three years thereafter.

The Sacrament of Confirmation will be celebrated by Most Rev. Archbishop Alfred Hughes on March 26, 2019. As part of the preparation for Confirmation, candidates must attend at least one of the following activities: World Youth Day, Nov. 4, 2018, at the Morial Convention Center, from 9 AM to 5 PM — (registration deadline is Oct. 12); or view a movie on Dec. 2, from 4 to 6 PM in room 204 of the main school building. For more information, please contact Cecilia Wilson at (504)782-8943 or cwilson@stbenilde.com

Workshops for new ministers will be held this fall. Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion: September 15, Archdiocesan Administration Bldg.,7887 Walmsley Ave., New Orleans; October 13, St. Ann Church and Shrine, 3601 Transcontinental Dr., Metairie; October 27, Archdiocesan Administration Bldg, 7887 Walsmley Ave., New Orleans; November 17, St. Joseph Church, 1802 Tulane Ave., New Orleans, December 1, Archdiocesan Administration Bldg., 7887 Walmsley, Ave., New Orleans. Lectors: October 20, St. Clement of Rome Church, 3101 Eton St., Metairie. All workshops are from 9 AM until 1 PM. You must get Fr. Cooper’s permission before registering with the Parish Office.

On the weekend of October 6th and 7th, members of St. Benilde’s CYO will be selling Right to Life calendars in observance of Respect Life Sunday. The calendars cost $5 each and the proceeds help all the good pro-life work of New Orleans Right to Life, CYO, and other parish organizations. Thank you in advance for your support.

Little Flowers and Blue Knights will meet again one Friday a month September-May at St. Benilde. The clubs are open to boys and girls 5yrs old and up. They will learn about a saint and virtue in a fun way and do a craft or activity to correspond with it. Those with girls Interested in Little Flowers should email Casey at caseysprehe@gmail.com and those with boys interested in Blue Knights should email Kevin at sprehe19@gmail.com.

St. Benilde Parish is looking to fill a part-time (approximately 16-19 hours per week) maintenance position. Duties would include maintenance projects, grounds keeping, and janitorial work. Compensation based on skill set and experience. If you are interested in the position, please contact Fellman Mire at the Parish Office: 504-834-4980.

Attention all Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion: The delegation for all those who currently serve will expire at the end of November, 2018. The re-delegation session conducted at St. Benilde Parish will be held this Thursday, September 27th, at 6:30 PM, in the Church. If you are unable to attend this session, you must attend the re-delegation session hosted by the Office of Worship. If you have not already done so, please RSVP to the Parish Office.

Following Pope Francis’ call for congregations to move beyond church walls, the Archdiocese of New Orleans sponsors a monthly Peace Prayer Walk in different parts of the Archdiocese. Please join us on Tuesday, September 25, from 6 to 7:30 PM, when participants will walk from St. Benilde Church to Archbishop Rummel High School praying for peace and an end to violence in our community.

The long held dream to construct a grotto at St. Benilde honoring Our Lady is about to become a reality. The 10’ X 12’ grotto will be located on the side of Church near the Adoration Chapel. Plans are for it to be constructed from old New Orleans pavestones and stones that were used for ballast. It will include benches and be accessible 24 hours a day. We need your help to raise $7,000 to complete the project. We hope to get the construction started this summer. All donations are welcome. Please make checks payable to St. Benilde Church and indicate it is for the grotto. Your generosity is greatly appreciated

Due to the Priest Convocation there will be no School Mass on Wednesday, September 19. Otherwise, we will follow our normal weekly Mass schedule. Please pray for our priests during these days of prayer, reflection and study.

Early Childhood Formation: 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 dedicated and nurturing employees to work as teachers and substitutes in our programs. We currently have available both full time and part time positions. Pay is based upon experience and degree level. A competitive benefits package for full time employees includes medical, dental, vision, and 401K. 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. Candidates with experience working in Early Childhood or a degree in Early Childhood Education is preferred. For more information or to apply, please contact at jkelly@stbenilde.com or call 504-833-9894.

We look forward to worshiping with you Sunday, September 16th during the 11:00 AM Mass at St. Benilde Church as we celebrate Catechetical Sunday. The SBS Children's Choir will lead the congregation in song and students will serve as lectors. In addition, our SBS faculty and staff as well as our Catechists from our CCD, Confirmation Prep and RCIA Programs will be present to receive a special blessing and gift from Fr. Cooper in recognition of their most important duty as catechists in handing on the Faith of the Church to the young children, teenagers and adults of our parish family.

The Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults begins Monday, September 10th. Sessions are held Mondays, at 7:30 PM, in the Library. The program is open to those who have never been baptized; baptized Christians seeking to become Catholic; and Catholics desiring a better knowledge of their faith. Please call the Parish Office for more information.

St. Benilde’s CCD Program is offered to pre-K4 through 12th grade students not currently attending Catholic school. Classes begin on Sunday, Sept. 9, in the main school building. We teach religion from 9:30 a.m. until 10:45 a.m. Registration forms are available in the Church vestibule and in the Parish Office. The usual fee/tuition is $50 per student. For more information, please visit www.stbenilde.org/ccd or call Mary Kelly at 504-834-4980 ext.113.

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 the St. Benilde Teen Center in Metairie. The series will be for five (5) Tuesdays, September 11, 18, 25, October 2 and 9. Hours are 7:30–9 PM. The materials for the series cost $25.00. To register go to our website https://nolacatholicfla.regfox.com/annulment-writing-workshop-septemberoctober-2018. For more information, please call Cathy, 504-861-6243.

Archbishop Aymond is asking all churches in the Archdiocese of New Orleans to have a light on in the confessional on Wednesday, September 12th as a sign that Christ is not only the light of the world but one who is eager to forgive and to heal us. St. Benilde Catholic Church will offer the Sacrament of Reconciliation on September 12th from 5:00pm-6:30p.m. If you have been away from the Sacrament of Reconciliation, we invite you to come back to God’s loving mercy and forgiveness.

Drop off your car Sunday, September 2, between 8:30 AM and 12:30 PM and the CYO will wash your car while you are attending Mass. Donations gratefully accepted.

Now, more than ever, the Church is in need of men and women to commit their lives to the priesthood and religious life. For many years, parishioners of St. Benilde have accepted the responsibility of praying for vocations at home with Fr. Peter Peacock’s “traveling chalice.” The family takes the chalice into their home for a two-week period. At a special time each day, the family will pray together for vocations. We would like to invite you to participate in this tradition. Thank you for your prayers and assistance in helping promote vocations. For more information, please call Mary Catherine at 888-2973.

Work for the installation of the new Church organ will last for the entire months of June, July, and August. We apologize for any messiness during installation and thank you for your understanding as we may have to alter our liturgical music and practices to accommodate the installation process. Our new organ will be dedicated in memory of our long-time, faithful organist – Mrs. Miriam Whitman.