This Friday, July 11, we celebrate the Feast of St. Benedict with the whole Universal Church. When the Church revised the calendar of Feasts, she moved this feast from March 21, the day St. Benedict passed away to July 11, the day his relics were transferred from Monte Cassino to Fleury in France because of an invasion by the Lombards which destroyed this monastery. It was the intention of the Church to move as many Feasts of saints out of the season of Lent as possible to deepen its focus on the Catechumens which are so great a part of the Lenten Liturgy.

We as Benedictines observe both feasts. However, we maintain the observance of St. Benedict’s death on March 21, our primary feast, and observe July 11 as St. Benedict, Patriarch of Western Monasticism. This is because at the beginning of the Middle Ages, the Church held St. Benedict’s Rule as the standard for all monks in the world because of its ability to adapt itself to every situation it happens to be practiced. As we praise God for the life and teachings of St. Bendict, we ask for his intercession on St. Andrew Abbey in Cleveland as well as our parish so we can be faithful to living the vocation to which God has called us.

As I write this column, excitement is building over the parish picnic on August 10, 2024. A lot is hard work is going into the planning of this great event in the life of our parish, which is only about a month away.

Your participation in the Parish Picnic is so very important. The raffle tickets are now available for purchase. This is a great source of revenue for our parish, so please try to get tickets for yourselves. Remember: there are also bonus tickets included which give you an extra chance to win. Also, please try to lend a hand to make the picnic a success. This is a yearly celebration of us as Assumption Parish and the many ministries that serve the people of Broadview Heights. Please remember to RSVP. Join in the procession and Mass. Be a part of something fun, enjoyable and good. You'll be glad you did.

We are now in the height of the summer season with vacations and all sorts of activities that provide us with much enjoyment. While it is necessary to take a break from the ordinary grind of activities, let us not forget that God never takes a vacation from us. If he did, we’d certainly be in a lot of trouble. Let’s not take a vacation from Him. When you go on vacation, make the necessary arrangements and make time for God. Get to Mass each Sunday. We want God to bless us. What better way to ask his blessing than to make it to Mass on Sunday and receive that blessing in person for all that we do and the plans we make.