From the Pastor – 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time

July 23, 2018

From the Pastor – 16 th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Most are familiar with the scriptural quote from Psalm 23, “The Lord is my shepherd. There is nothing I shall want.” This passage serves as the Responsorial Psalm on this 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time because it supports the other readings with two key ideas: that we must place our trust in the Lord, and that we inherit life from our Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ.

At the time St. Paul was writing his Letter to the Ephesians (our Second Reading), Paul was under house arrest in Rome and awaiting trial. He was allegedly accused by the Jews of taking a Gentile into a temple. Therefore, part of Paul’s statement, “For he (Christ) is our peace, he who made both one and broke down the dividing wall of enmity, through his flesh, abolishing the law with its commandments and legal claims,” is saying essentially the Lordship of Jesus is not greater than any difference you may feel you have with others — that Jesus is our Savior and our Shepherd.

In the Gospel Reading from Mark, the idea of shepherding lies at the heart. “When he (Jesus) disembarked and saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things.” In other words, He began to feed them with the Word of God. That is what we do during this part of our Mass; we hear Holy Scripture. These are the Words of the Lord. He is our shepherd. We are His sheep.

As always, Jesus teaches us a valuable lesson about stewardship through today’s readings. To the Lord, the needs of others were more important than His own. When we share our time, our talents, and our treasure, we are not only following our Good Shepherd, we are also living His Gospel call to shepherd others by giving of ourselves.

Pastoral Pondering

I want to thank all of those who generously gave of their time and resources to help us meet our Rise Against Hunger goal last week. The 100,000 meals that were packaged will bring life-giving food to the most needy and vulnerable. This weekend we welcome Father Cyrus Gallagher, a priest representing Unbound Ministries which was founded in 1981 to provide assistance to needy children around the world. The work of Unbound is solidly rooted in Catholic Social Teaching. Father Gallagher is here to share about their good work and invite those who feel called to cooperate in their outreach.

In the July 6 th issue of the Catholic News Herald the front page focused on the recent immigration issues, especially helping separated families. My sense from talking to a number of people is that there is some confusion regarding what the Church teaching regarding this matter is and how we, as Catholics, should be responding.

First and foremost, Catholic Social Teaching is based on our fundamental belief, deeply rooted in the natural law, that each human person is created in the image and likeness of God. Each person then has inherent dignity which should guide all of our interactions within the human community.

With that being said, we also believe in the right of the state to enact laws that protect the good of society at large. Securing our borders would certainly fall into that category. Such laws have to be evaluated as to their moral (or immoral) value.

The flashpoint of the most recent debate has focused on separating children from families who have entered the country illegally. Bishops have spoken out about the injustice of such a policy and certainly, Pope Francis has been clear about his support of immigration. Obviously, the Church supports families and family unity.

Nonetheless, it would behoove everyone to step back and take a more circumspect view of this particular situation. Most importantly, it is necessary to have reasonable discussions without demonizing those who disagree with one position or another. Evidence suggests that many children are used and abused by the adults who benefit from illegal immigration. Kidnapping, Human trafficking, and drug trafficking are realities that also need to be addressed among others.

The government certainly needs to listen to the voices of those who raise legitimate concerns about the morality of policies, but the converse is also true. Those who raise concerns need to make sure that they have a clear understanding of all of the facts that impact the issues at hand. And, as I pointed out last week, civil discourse is essential to reaching a common goal. It respects the dignity of each person and realizes that individuals and groups of individuals can disagree but at the same time work towards solutions that benefit everyone.

From the Pastor

From the Pastor - Solemnity of Corpus Christi

By John Putnam • June 5, 2026
Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity — the central mystery of our faith. Though the Trinity is a profound mystery, it also reveals something very practical for us as Christian stewards. The Trinity is a communion of Persons who give themselves completely to one another. This self-giving love is at the heart of the stewardship way of life. In our Gospel, we hear, “God so loved the world that he gave his only Son.” God gives Himself to us out of love. We are called to respond in the same way — by giving ourselves back to Him and to others. The more we give of ourselves in love, the more we experience “the grace of the Lord, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit” within us. This Triune God invites us into a deeper relationship with Him — one that grows as we live a life of gratitude and self-gift through the stewardship way of life. © Catholic Stewardship Consultants, 2026 Pastoral Pondering In light of the blessing of the ordination of ten new priests for the Diocese of Charlotte and the 34 th anniversary of my own ordination (May 30 th ), I thought it would be good to reflect on the importance of the ministerial priesthood in the life of the Church. The Catholic priesthood (ministerial priesthood) is essential to the Church's life, mission, and sacramental reality. It flows directly from Christ's own priesthood and enables the Church to continue His saving work until the end of time. Rooted in Christ's Priesthood Catholic teaching holds that Jesus Christ is the one eternal High Priest (Hebrews 5:1-10, 7-10). The ministerial priesthood does not replace or compete with His but participates in it in a unique way. Priests are ordained to act in persona Christi Capitis ("in the person of Christ the Head")—especially in the sacraments. This differs essentially (not just in degree) from the common priesthood of all the baptized , by which every Christian offers spiritual sacrifices, lives a holy life, and witnesses to the Gospel (1 Peter 2:5, 9). The ministerial priesthood exists *for the service* of the common priesthood, to build up the Church as the Body of Christ. Key Roles and Importance Priests exercise a threefold ministry (teaching, sanctifying, and governing), called the three Munera, that mirrors Christ's: Sanctifying the People of God : Priests are the ordinary ministers of several sacraments, above all the Eucharist . Through them, Christ's one sacrifice on the Cross is made present in the Mass. Without ordained priests, there would be no valid Eucharist in the Catholic understanding. They also forgive sins in Confession, anoint the sick, baptize (in ordinary circumstances), and celebrate other sacraments. This makes divine grace accessible in a tangible, ecclesial way. Proclaiming the Word : Priests preach the Gospel, teach the faith, and guide consciences. They are "co-workers" with bishops in shepherding the faithful. Governing and Serving : As spiritual fathers, they lead communities, counsel, perform works of mercy, and foster unity. They do this not by their own power but as instruments of Christ. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states: "In the ecclesial service of the ordained minister, it is Christ himself who is present to his Church as Head of his Body, Shepherd of his flock, high priest of the redemptive sacrifice, Teacher of Truth." Apostolic succes sion ensures continuity: Bishops ordain priests through the laying on of hands, tracing back to the apostles. This sacramental character is indelible—permanent. Why It Matters to the Church The Church cannot fully be the Church without it in Catholic doctrine. The priesthood guarantees the valid celebration of the Eucharist (the "source and summit" of Christian life) and the other sacraments that nourish faith. It maintains the Church's hierarchical structure for unity and ordered mission. Priests enable the laity's priestly vocation by providing the sacraments and pastoral care that empower everyday Christians to live out their baptismal calling. Historically and theologically, the priesthood fulfills and surpasses the Old Covenant priesthood, making Christ's mediation present across time and place. Vatican II's Presbyterorum Ordinis (Decree on the Ministry and Life of Priests) emphasizes that priests are "taken from among men and appointed for men in the things that pertain to God" (Hebrews 5:1). Their celibacy, obedience, and life of prayer are oriented toward total availability for the Gospel and the flock. In short, the Catholic priesthood is not an optional "clergy class" but a divine gift by which Christ continues to shepherd, teach, and sanctify His Church. Catholics believe that through faithful priests, grace flows to the world, making salvation accessible and the Church a living sacrament of Christ's presence.  Let’s thank God for the gift of our newly ordained priests and ask the Lord to continue to send workers into the vineyard.

From the Pastor - Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity

By John Putnam • May 29, 2026
Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity — the central mystery of our faith. Though the Trinity is a profound mystery, it also reveals something very practical for us as Christian stewards. The Trinity is a communion of Persons who give themselves completely to one another. This self-giving love is at the heart of the stewardship way of life. In our Gospel, we hear, “God so loved the world that he gave his only Son.” God gives Himself to us out of love. We are called to respond in the same way — by giving ourselves back to Him and to others. The more we give of ourselves in love, the more we experience “the grace of the Lord, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit” within us. This Triune God invites us into a deeper relationship with Him — one that grows as we live a life of gratitude and self-gift through the stewardship way of life. © Catholic Stewardship Consultants, 2026 Pastoral Pondering In light of the blessing of the ordination of ten new priests for the Diocese of Charlotte and the 34 th anniversary of my own ordination (May 30 th ), I thought it would be good to reflect on the importance of the ministerial priesthood in the life of the Church. The Catholic priesthood (ministerial priesthood) is essential to the Church's life, mission, and sacramental reality. It flows directly from Christ's own priesthood and enables the Church to continue His saving work until the end of time. Rooted in Christ's Priesthood Catholic teaching holds that Jesus Christ is the one eternal High Priest (Hebrews 5:1-10, 7-10). The ministerial priesthood does not replace or compete with His but participates in it in a unique way. Priests are ordained to act in persona Christi Capitis ("in the person of Christ the Head")—especially in the sacraments. This differs essentially (not just in degree) from the common priesthood of all the baptized , by which every Christian offers spiritual sacrifices, lives a holy life, and witnesses to the Gospel (1 Peter 2:5, 9). The ministerial priesthood exists *for the service* of the common priesthood, to build up the Church as the Body of Christ. Key Roles and Importance Priests exercise a threefold ministry (teaching, sanctifying, and governing), called the three Munera, that mirrors Christ's: Sanctifying the People of God : Priests are the ordinary ministers of several sacraments, above all the Eucharist . Through them, Christ's one sacrifice on the Cross is made present in the Mass. Without ordained priests, there would be no valid Eucharist in the Catholic understanding. They also forgive sins in Confession, anoint the sick, baptize (in ordinary circumstances), and celebrate other sacraments. This makes divine grace accessible in a tangible, ecclesial way. Proclaiming the Word : Priests preach the Gospel, teach the faith, and guide consciences. They are "co-workers" with bishops in shepherding the faithful. Governing and Serving : As spiritual fathers, they lead communities, counsel, perform works of mercy, and foster unity. They do this not by their own power but as instruments of Christ. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states: "In the ecclesial service of the ordained minister, it is Christ himself who is present to his Church as Head of his Body, Shepherd of his flock, high priest of the redemptive sacrifice, Teacher of Truth." Apostolic succes sion ensures continuity: Bishops ordain priests through the laying on of hands, tracing back to the apostles. This sacramental character is indelible—permanent. Why It Matters to the Church The Church cannot fully be the Church without it in Catholic doctrine. The priesthood guarantees the valid celebration of the Eucharist (the "source and summit" of Christian life) and the other sacraments that nourish faith. It maintains the Church's hierarchical structure for unity and ordered mission. Priests enable the laity's priestly vocation by providing the sacraments and pastoral care that empower everyday Christians to live out their baptismal calling. Historically and theologically, the priesthood fulfills and surpasses the Old Covenant priesthood, making Christ's mediation present across time and place. Vatican II's Presbyterorum Ordinis (Decree on the Ministry and Life of Priests) emphasizes that priests are "taken from among men and appointed for men in the things that pertain to God" (Hebrews 5:1). Their celibacy, obedience, and life of prayer are oriented toward total availability for the Gospel and the flock. In short, the Catholic priesthood is not an optional "clergy class" but a divine gift by which Christ continues to shepherd, teach, and sanctify His Church. Catholics believe that through faithful priests, grace flows to the world, making salvation accessible and the Church a living sacrament of Christ's presence.  Let’s thank God for the gift of our newly ordained priests and ask the Lord to continue to send workers into the vineyard.