Author: Dawn Leach

We are excited to offer a local mission trip for our teens in the Summer of 2026 right here in Atlanta!  Alive in You Camps is returning to Atlanta for the first time since 2017! Our days will be packed with awesome praise and worship music, prayer, motivational speakers, lots of service, and education about our Catholic faith. Our St. Benedict group will also have time to come together daily and grow closer!

We will be meeting at St. Pius Catholic School on the afternoon of Tuesday, June 16 and parents will pick up teens on Sunday, June 21 from St. Pius after Mass.  Our group will stay at St. Pius during the week and participate in 3 days of service work around the city.  In the evenings and on Saturday afternoon, we will have sessions with interactive games and daily themes, talks, praise & worship, parish time together and other fun activities.  

Teens who will be in 8^th grade – 12^th grade during the 2026-2027 school year are eligible to attend, as well as college age young adults! 

The trip fee includes daily transportation, the registration fee, a t-shirt, water bottle, backpack, all meals, and our group outing (Saturday morning).  

Here’s a highlight video from one of their camps:  2025 highlight video from Mobile, AL

Alive in You – Atlanta   June 16-21,  2026

Register by January 12,  2026           $510

Register after January 12, 2026      $550

SPACE IS VERY LIMITED!

Contact Rita (randerson@stbenedict.net) or Amy (abennett@stbenedict.net) with any questions! 

St. Benedict Youth Group Mission Trip to Guatemala (Porch de Salomon)

July 25-August 2, 2026

St. Benedict Teens are invited to apply for our third mission trip to Guatemala in partnership with Porch de Salomon, a non-profit ministry serving the people of the Lake Atitlán basin since 2005. Rooted in the spirit of the first-century Church, Porch de Salomon offers a unique opportunity for teens to grow in faith through service, community, and adventure while loving and serving “the lost, the least, and the last.”

Who Can Apply:
High school and college students who are at least 15 years old by June 1, 2026. Priority consideration will be given to St. Benedict parishioners and first-time missionaries, provided all application materials are submitted on time. Adult chaperone space is extremely limited and will be filled as needed.

Application Requirements:
Applicants must submit:

• A completed Guatemala Mission Trip application
• Two reference letters (from non-family members)
• A school reference form

An interview with the Ministry Team is required after all materials are received. Space is limited.

Deadline to Apply: January 24, 2026
Applicants will be notified of acceptance by February 7, 2026.

Cost:
Approximately $1,700, which includes airfare, local transportation, room and board, meals, and individual international health insurance.

For more information about our mission partner, visit porchdesalomon.org.

Young Adult Bible Study

Come join the St. Benedict Young Adults to do a Bible study on the book of James! We will be talking about the book’s theology and the ways in which it shows us how to live out the gospel in this study. Meetings will be held weekly in room #10 at 10:30 AM on Saturdays!

Please contact YoungAdult@stbenedict.net for more information!
 

BLAZE: Connecting Girls to Christ

BLAZE is a Walking with Purpose ministry for teen/tween girls that counteracts
the way our society drives girls to question their identity,
worth and beauty. Through BLAZE, we emphasize how a girl’s identity is rooted
in Christ as God’s chosen, beloved daughter.

An antidote to bullying, feeling anxious, and body-image issues, BLAZE
replaces lies with truth and strengthens girls from the inside out through
the use of Scripture-based programs.

20 fun weekly lessons that girls will truly enjoy.

Each week, participants are led through an ice breaker activity and a short lesson based on a lie found in the world and a truth found in Scripture.

The girls leave with a small takeaway gift which corresponds with the lesson.

As the girls are introduced to the Bible in relevant and fresh ways, they will hear Jesus telling them how loved and beautiful they are!

WHAT: Blaze Masterpiece
WHO: Rising 6th and 7th grade girls
WHEN: September through April
HOW OFTEN: Two Fridays a month
TIME: 6:00 PM-7:30 PM
COST: $80

Blaze Masterpiece will be meeting on the following Fridays:
September 5
September 12
October 3
October 24
November 7
November 14
December 5
December 12
January 9
January 23
February 6
February 20
March 6
March 20
April 17
April 24

TOP 10 REASONS TO JOIN BLAZE
1. Come as you are—no pressure to be perfect.
2. Hang out with friends and meet new girls—see friendly faces and grow your friend group in a positive and new way.
3. Enter a judgment free zone—share the stuff that’s hard and the things that are good.
4. Be surrounded by positivity—this is a place to lift you up when you’re down.
5. Grow in self-love—learn how to see yourself through the eyes of God.
6. Take a break—escape the drama and stress of school.
7. Be a better friend—learn how to be a good friend and to choose good friends.
8. Take off your mask—BLAZE is a place to be your authentic self.
9. Feel no pressure to perform—just show up and let God do the rest.
10. Discover that your faith can be fun!

Registration is currently closed.

For questions, please contact Ingrid Delgado at mjmolinadelgado@hotmail.com or Heather Webb at hvwebb@gmail.com.

The St. Benedict Columbarium and Memorial Garden is a sacred resting place on holy ground for cremated human remains with the same dignity of a cemetery.  A place for our loved ones to rest until our Lord comes again, a place at home in our beloved community and Church.  Our columbarium offers a very peaceful place for you to come and pray and ask God to intercede for your loved one. 

The parish columbarium offers these benefits:

Perpetual Care
The Code of Canon Law requires the Catholic Church to perpetually maintain its places of burial.  Hence, care will always be assured.

Security
Proximity on well-lighted Church grounds assures optimum security.

Convenience
With your final resting place only a few feet away from the Church, your family and friends attending Mass will be able to visit the columbarium which is a brief walk away.

Serenity
Our columbarium design fits perfectly into existing space, offering a serene, peaceful environment for meditation and quiet reflection.

The outdoor columbarium altar can be used for

· Memorial Service for All Souls Day

· Services for Urn Placement in Niche

· Veterans Day Memorial Services

Cost includes engraved face, perpetual care fund and all other costs associated with the columbarium.

Reservation deposits

Currently, we are working on getting the costs from the general contractor to finish our phase 2 plan.

Once we get those costs on our spreadsheet, we will submit to the Archdiocese and ask approval to start building the niche foundations and moving some drains.

That also will trigger the ok to start building contracts with those who want to purchase niches. We already have over 50 interested people on the backup list. Although we are not taking reservation deposits at this time, we plan on adding 176 new niches so if you are interested, please ask Renee at the front desk for a reservation form. Thanks for your interest in this project.

Explore Celtic Ireland with Fr. Flood: July 7-18, 2026. 10 nights featuring hotels, daily breakfast, 6 dinners, and breathtaking sightseeing.

Tour Highlights

• Begins at Dublin Airport: July 8, 2026
• Ends at Dublin Airport: July 18, 2026
• Deluxe motor coach with private Tour Director
• 10 nights in 4-star hotels:
  • 2 nights Kilkenny (Rivercourt Hotel)
  • 3 nights Killarney (International Hotel)
  • 3 nights Galway (Park House Hotel)
  • 2 nights Dublin (Iveagh Garden Hotel)
• Daily breakfast (including arrival day)
• 6 hotel dinners (one per location)
• Porterage for 1 suitcase per guest
• All taxes and service charges included

Airfare available September 2025.
Contact: info@bracktours.com

Tour Cost (Per Person):
Land Only – $4,985 (Twin/Double)
Single Supplement – $1,315 (Limited availability – book early)

Early Bird Offer:
Save $250 when you book by July 4, 2025.
Use code: FRFLOOD26

Cookbook Project

Does your family ask for a particular recipe during the holiday season? A special cookie, side or traditional dish? What is your favorite recipe to bring to potlucks and parties? The WINGS cookbook project would love to capture that recipe and memory in our hardbound cookbook coming out at the end of 2025.

The Legion of Mary Mother of Divine Grace Praesidium at St. Benedict’s is debuting a Pilgrim Virgin Statue Home Visitation Program. Parishioners will have the opportunity to sign up to have the Pilgrim Virgin Statue brought to their home for a special week-long Marian devotion. What a wonderful way to honor Our Blessed Mother Mary!

Interested in this special ministry program? Contact Brigid Yeager at theyegars@aol.com or Beth Callahan at elizabethwcallahan@gmail.com

That Man Is You! Is an interactive men’s program combining the best research from science with the teachings of the Catholic faith and the wisdom of the saints to develop the vision of man fully alive. By honestly addressing the pressures and temptations that men face in our modern culture, That Man Is You! seeks to form men who will be capable of transforming homes and society.

This is a weekly ongoing Saturday morning program (starts with breakfast at 7:30AM and concludes at 9:00AM). Jump in at anytime. For more information or to register, please contact Brian Thompson at 770-667-8758.