Stoking Parish Life at St. Benedict Church in Terre Haute

St. Benedict Church, Terre Haute, Indiana

As the year came to an end, the members of the Parish Life Committee at St. Benedict Church in Terre Haute, Indiana looked back at what had happened to their organization.

St. Benedict is a Conventual Franciscan parish. Friar Joel Burget served as its pastor until recently. These two pieces of information are important. The Conventual Franciscan spirit is one of community and care for the other. As the members of the Parish Life Committee examined the events of 2009, the bonds that bind them together came to the fore time and time again.

St. Benedict Church has a strong sense of community

The era we currently live in is not an easy one. A number of parishioners at St. Benedict lost their jobs and had to relocate in the past year. Serious illnesses have stymied other members of the St. Benedict community. None of these individuals however have been forgotten. The members of the Parish Life Committee really do their best to help persons in need.

Meanwhile as the previous year went on, the Parish Life Committee at St. Benedict worked hard to bring parishioners together at its various events. Whether they were munching on fluffy pancakes at the Pancake Breakfast, feeling the excitement during the Longaberger Basket Bingo game or savoring various delicacies offered at the Parish Dinner, St. Benedict parishioners had countless opportunities to have fun and strengthen the connection to their brothers and sisters.

Setting off into the future, the Parish Life Committee at St. Benedict plans on compiling a cookbook full of recipes submitted by parishioners. While learning from the past and remembering it is important, one must also look toward the future as well. No matter what happens, life continues and we must keep our faith strong with it.

Noticeable in the retrospection on last year was also Friar Joel’s involvement with the life of St. Benedict Parish. Friar Joel is not simply a priest who celebrates Mass and then disappears into his friary. He is a member of the St. Benedict community and an avid supporter of boosting parish life through the Parish Life Committee.

(Sources of related images on webpage and homepage: img.groundspeak.com and www.stbenedictth.org.)