From the Parochial Vicar - August 19, 2018

August 20, 2018

Pastoral Pondering - August 19, 2018

“Are you a minister?” a stranger timidly asks.

“A Roman Catholic priest, yes!” I reply. “I sometimes come here with our Young Adult Group after our gatherings.”

“That’s cool. I was raised Catholic; went to Catholic school,” the man offers willingly.

“Well, I think it’s time you come back,” I say with a smile and offering my business card. “Here’s my card. There’s a Catholic church right down the road. It’s Saint Mark Catholic Church. We have confessions every day but call me to set up an appointment if you are more comfortable coming at a different time. We have Masses throughout the day on Sunday.”

Astonished, the man pipes up, “I didn’t even know there was a Catholic church in Huntersville!”

That line always gets me: I didn’t know there was a Catholic church in Huntersville. I hear it more frequently than I’d care to admit. It amazes me how busy people get with life that they don’t even hop on “the interwebs” (hat tip to Fr. Becker) to look for a Catholic church when they move here. I just smile, order my beer, and head back to the group of local Catholic young adults at the bar.

It’s a Tuesday night. We have had a handful of young adults reply to the MeetUp.com invitation to join our discussion at the Ranson Road House. There are over 100 young adults that get a weekly invitation to join us for this or that event. Many times, we have around ten people, and sometimes we get upwards of 15 or 20. It interests me when a newcomer walks in. We have had people walk in who were just passing through visiting family or friends and just wanted to spend an evening with other Catholic young adults. Others may be involved in another parish, but just wanted somewhere wholesome to be on Tuesday night because they had no plans. Many times, a “newbie” joins us because they have no other connection to the Church outside of Sunday Mass. Sometimes they come because I hear the loneliness in their voice during Confession and reach around the grille to hand an invitation card to the penitent.

Youth Ministry, as I have written about the last two weeks, is about accompanying our youth and guiding them into an intentional relationship of love. Young Adult Ministry (adults in their 20’s and 30’s) keeps the spark of love for the faith in the hearts of our young adults. It brings together adults who are all at a different place in their faith journey in order to “fan into flame the spiritual gift” (1 Tim 1:6) of their choice to remain Catholic, but sometimes do not know where they belong. Young Adult Group revolves around two main principles. First, in different and engaging ways we encourage one another to “let no one despise your youth, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity” (1 Tim 4:12).

When I returned from my conversation at the bar with a beer in my hand, one of our group said, “Evangelizing again, Father?” It is not uncommon for them to witness the power of the little, white Roman collar in public.

What transpired while I was getting a drink and talking to this gentleman who had fallen away from the faith was a continuation of a conversation that began during our young adult meeting, which twice a month is called PATH (Paschal Adoration through History). There were many questions about the Sacrament of Confession and how to approach it. What do you do if you haven’t been in a long time? How can I get over my nerves? I had a bad experience in confession one time when the priest was very hard on me. How can I be sure the confessor will be helpful and kind? When does a feeling become sinful? Little by little, the conversation naturally progressed from the sacraments and faith to society and politics. There was a passionate discussion as I piped in briefly at times to guide the conversation according to principles of Catholic Social Teaching. I encountered a very serious problem, however. I had an empty glass. I excused myself, offering to others who had an empty glass to grab another drink since I was making the walk back to the bartender. Taking the two or three orders, I left the group as they were approaching the subject of immigration.

“That’s really inspiring,” says a familiar voice behind me as I waited for the bartender who was tediously attending to the taps behind the bar. I turned and saw the same man with whom I was conversing with before. “I have been listening in to your conversation. I don’t agree with everything I’m hearing, but I have never heard such intelligent conversation at a bar before. I wish I had a young adult group when I came out of college. I felt like there wasn’t a place for me until I started a family and needed something for my kids. By then, I was getting by just fine without the Church. But now I see that my family is missing something.”

That man came back to the Church. His wife came into the Church. His children will be receiving the sacraments. And the young adults got their beer. Again, they noticed I had been talking to the same man as before.

“Still evangelizing, Father?” one asked again, adding, “Oh, and thanks for grabbing another beer for me.”

I smiled approvingly at the group and said, “Not me this time. You all. You all have been evangelizing.”

That man perceived in his 20’s that the Church lacked a place for him. He simply decided to just get on with his life and leave religion behind only to discover his mistake years later. I think his local parish community was a little at fault, too. This points to the second principle for the Young Adult Group: it is the ministry of John the Baptist. Part of John the Baptist’s mission was to catch disciples and then pass them off to Jesus when he came. The Young Adult Ministry is a “feeder group.” The members frequently participate together in different parish activities and, as a result, individual members discover their own personal interests, gifts, and talents that they can use individually within the community.

I am so very grateful to the young adults who are a part of our group. Each one is there for a different reason. And each one discovers faith, fellowship, fun, and renewal. Whether we are talking about some aspect of the faith, or just getting together at an Escape Room or River Jam, it is the love of Christ that binds them together and to the parish. If you or someone you know is a young adult that would benefit from a crazy group of peers who all desire holiness and truth, reach out to us. Pop in for a visit and bring a friend. Nobody can say that something “isn’t their thing” until they try it.

From the Pastor

From the Pastor - 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

By John Putnam • August 28, 2026
Living the stewardship way of life is not easy. Dying to self and living for Christ and others requires sacrifice. It is the work of a lifetime. Yet it is also the only work that truly matters and the only life that ultimately satisfies. In today's Gospel from Matthew, Jesus tells His disciples, "Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross and follow me." At first, those words may sound difficult to accept. Why would anyone willingly embrace such a path? Jesus immediately gives us the answer: "Whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it." Everything comes down to love. Jesus loved us completely, giving Himself for us on the Cross. He continues to give Himself to us through His Word and, most especially, in the Eucharist. Each day we are faced with a choice: to live for ourselves or to live for God and for others. The second path is more demanding, but it leads to lasting joy and the promise of eternal life. Christ assures us that He "will come with his angels in his Father's glory and then he will repay all according to his conduct." May we choose each day to lose our lives for Christ's sake, offering them back to Him in grateful response to His immeasurable love. ©Catholic Stewardship Consultants, 2026 Pastoral Pondering Two Italian dioceses (Rome and Ventimiglia-Sanremo) recently blocked planned Catholic funeral Masses for two prominent Freemasons after their Masonic affiliations became publicly known just before the ceremonies. This happened on August 7–8, 2026, and applies longstanding Church discipline rather than a new nationwide policy from the Italian bishops’ conference. Since some folks asked about this, I thought it would be a good article. The cases - Rome: Bruno Battisti D’Amario (88), a classical guitarist and professor closely linked to Ennio Morricone’s film work, died on August 5. His funeral Mass was scheduled for August 7 th at Santa Maria in Montesanto (the “Church of the Artists” in Piazza del Popolo). The Grand Orient of Italy (GOI) publicly eulogized him as a “master brother,” founder of the Roman Giuseppe Leti lodge, composer of the GOI’s official anthem, and holder of senior positions (including twice president of the Lazio District College of Worshipful Masters). Cardinal Baldassarre Reina, Vicar General of the Diocese of Rome, consulted the diocesan legal office and denied authorization for the funeral Mass, allowing only a brief prayer as a gesture of Christian charity. - Ventimiglia-Sanremo (Liguria): Mario Tarducci (73), a former Venerable Master of the local Mimosa lodge (no. 985, Orient of Bordighera), was scheduled for a funeral the next day at the parish church of San Marco in Camporosso. Bishop Antonio Suetta learned of the affiliation only after arrangements were made—via local news and public Masonic death notices. After consulting the family and pastor, and noting the simultaneous Rome case, he suspended the ecclesiastical funeral under the same principles, limiting it to simple prayers outside. Canonical and doctrinal basis Both decisions explicitly invoked Canon 1184 of the Code of Canon Law. It denies ecclesiastical funerals to those who, without signs of repentance before death, are “notoriously apostate, heretical or schismatic” or “other manifest sinners” whose funerals would cause public scandal among the faithful. This aligns with the Church’s consistent teaching that Freemasonry is incompatible with Catholicism. The 1983 Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith declaration (under then-Cardinal Ratzinger) reaffirmed that Catholics who join Masonic associations are in a state of grave sin and may not receive Holy Communion; the negative judgment on Masonic principles remains unchanged. Public, high-level membership without known repentance creates the “public scandal” element that triggers the canonical denial. These were not blanket bans on all Freemasons but responses to notorious cases where the affiliation was openly proclaimed by the lodges themselves, making a Catholic funeral appear to endorse or ignore the incompatibility. Similar past applications have occurred (e.g., high-profile cases involving public scandal). Pastoral care for the grieving family is still encouraged—Mass intentions or a memorial Mass sine corpore (without the body present) can be offered.  In short, two bishops applied existing law firmly once the memberships became public and notorious. The episodes have drawn attention precisely because they reinforce the long-standing discipline amid ongoing tensions between the Church and Freemasonry in Italy. It also reminds all of us that one cannot present themselves as Catholic and live in a manner that contradicts longstanding teaching of the Church.

From the Pastor - Dedication of Saint Mark Church

By John Putnam • August 21, 2026
This weekend we celebrate a sacred milestone: the anniversary of the dedication of our church building. The readings chosen for this occasion invite us to look beyond brick and mortar and ask a deeper question: What makes a house of God holy? And how do we, the living Church of Saint Mark, continue to be that house? In the First Reading, Solomon stands before the newly completed Temple in Jerusalem and prays with both awe and humility: “Can it indeed be that God dwells on earth? If the heavens and the highest heavens cannot contain you, how much less this temple which I have built!” Yet he dares to ask the Lord to keep His eyes open toward this place and to hear the prayers of His people. The Temple was never meant to limit God; it was meant to make His presence accessible to a people who needed a place to gather, to pray, and to be reminded that they belong to Him. Saint Paul takes this truth even further. Writing to the Corinthians, he tells them—and us—“You are God’s building… Do you not know that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” The foundation of this living temple is Jesus Christ alone. No other foundation can be laid. The physical walls of our church matter. They have been consecrated. They shelter the Eucharist. They hold our baptisms, our weddings, our funerals, and our daily prayers. But the true temple is the community of believers who gather here. We are the living stones. When we treat one another with reverence, when we protect the dignity of every person, when we refuse to allow division or scandal to take root, we honor the Spirit who dwells among us. Finally, in the Gospel, Jesus asks the decisive question: “Who do you say that I am?” Peter answers with the faith that becomes the rock: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Upon that confession Jesus builds His Church and entrusts Peter with the keys. Every time we renew our faith in Jesus as Lord, every time we hand over our lives to His authority, we strengthen the foundation of this parish. Saint Mark’s is not simply a building dedicated years ago; it is a community continually being built upon the rock of Peter’s confession and the living presence of Christ. As we mark this anniversary, let us give thanks for the sacred space that has sheltered our parish family. Let us also examine our hearts. Are we living as temples of the Holy Spirit? Are we building one another up on the one true foundation? May the Lord who cannot be contained by any temple continue to dwell richly among us—and may Saint Mark church always be a place where heaven and earth meet in prayer, in charity, and in faithful witness to Jesus Christ. Pastoral Pondering Consecrated church buildings hold a central place in Catholic worship and theology because they are set apart as sacred space—places where heaven and earth meet in a privileged way. The architectural style, the overall design and the artistic elements are all to serve Catholic worship and belief. The following offers some information on the role of church buildings in the life of the Church. 1. They are truly dedicated to God Through the solemn Rite of Dedication, a church building ceases to be ordinary architecture. The walls, altar, and space are anointed, blessed, and consecrated exclusively for divine worship. From that moment, the building belongs to God in a special way. Canon law treats consecrated churches as sacred places that may not be used for profane purposes (Canon 1210). This consecration is not merely symbolic; it affects a real change in the character of the place. 2. They house the Real Presence of Christ The most decisive reason a consecrated church is holy is the presence of the Blessed Sacrament in the tabernacle. Once the Eucharist is reserved there, the building becomes the dwelling place of the living Christ. Catholics genuflect not to architecture but to the Lord who remains present. The church is therefore more than a meeting hall; it is a true house of God. This presence elevates the entire space and gives Catholic church buildings a unique sacred character that persists even when no liturgy is being celebrated. 3. They are the ordinary place of the Church’s sacramental life The major sacraments of the Christian life—Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist, Reconciliation, Matrimony, Ordination and Anointing of the Sick—are normally celebrated within consecrated churches. The building itself becomes the visible setting in which the invisible grace of the sacraments is given. The altar, in particular, is the focal point: it is anointed and contains relics of the saints, signifying that the sacrifice of Christ is offered in communion with the whole Church, living and dead. 4. They image the mystery of the Church Catholic theology sees the consecrated building as a visible sign of the invisible reality of the Church. The physical structure points to the living temple made of “living stones” (1 Peter 2:5; 1 Corinthians 3:16-17). Just as Solomon’s Temple was the place where God’s name dwelt among His people, the church building is the place where the People of God gather as His temple. The architecture, art, and orientation of the building are meant to lift the mind and heart to the heavenly liturgy and to the eschatological reality of the New Jerusalem. 5. They foster continuity, identity, and reverence A fixed, consecrated place creates a shared sacred memory across generations. The same walls that witnessed baptisms and weddings decades ago continue to shelter the community today. Beauty, silence, and sacred art within the building form the senses and train the soul in reverence. This is why the Church has always insisted on the dignity and permanence of consecrated churches: they shape the faith of those who pray within them.  In short, consecrated church buildings matter because Catholicism is a sacramental religion. God works through material realities—water, oil, bread, wine, and also space and architecture. A consecrated church is not merely a convenient location for worship; it is a privileged locus of God’s presence, a visible expression of the Church, and a permanent invitation to encounter the living Christ.