From the Pastor – 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time

September 18, 2017

The theme throughout today’s readings from Holy Scripture has to do with forgiveness. We must always appreciate that forgiveness is a two-way street. We need to seek forgiveness as all of us are likely to do. However, forgiveness is also something we need to grant to others.

Some scholars consider Matthew’s Chapter 18, from where our Gospel Reading comes today, as perhaps among His most personal teachings to His disciples and others as spiritual leaders. There is no question that the Lord is in the process of preparing His followers for the time when they (we) must continue His Kingdom without His physical presence. He is trying to build up the sense of fellowship and cohesion among His flock.

Thus, He focuses on how to build up cooperation and unity in those who work to build His Kingdom. He makes it clear that for us to accomplish that requires forgiveness and reconciliation. The lesson for us is quite basic: we need to know, appreciate and understand the grace of Jesus and respond by learning how to forgive our sisters and brothers (all sisters and brothers in our Christian and Catholic fellowship).

Christ always forgives us if we come to Him with a humble and repentant heart, and He expects the same from us. We need to forgive others just as we are forgiven. As Jesus warns us in today’s Gospel: “So will my heavenly Father do to you, unless each of you forgives your brother (and sister) from your heart.”

Pastoral Ponderings

Returning to the survey: Any comments regarding Liturgy and Worship at St. Mark? “The direction I sense we are being taken is pre-Vatican II. We now have “masters of ceremonies” turning pages as our priests are attempting to lift themselves above the faithful. Entirely too much pomp and little visible humility on the altar.”

In my experience, when someone makes a comment like this, they simply have no idea what the liturgical documents of the Church actually say. There are no liturgical practices at the parish that are not in conformity with both Sacrosanctam Concilium (The Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy of Vatican II), Redemptionis Sacramentum (Instruction on Certain Matters to be Done or Avoided during the Eucharist), the General Instruction on the Roman Missal , and the Liturgical Norms of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlotte. Observing the norms laid out in these documents is the serious obligation of the pastor and any priest who assists him in the pastoral care of the parish.

With that being said, there is certainly some latitude in how the celebrations are ordered and what options are exercised. First and foremost, it needs to be said that the celebration of the Most Holy Eucharist is about offering proper worship to Almighty God. It is neither about the people in the pew nor the priest on the altar. The whole assembly is to be directed towards Christ who is the perfect offering to the Father. As previously noted several weeks ago, we offer various liturgical “styles” musically at the various Masses of the weekend to provide options for the faithful. This is an intentional decision by the pastoral staff.

In terms of the use of older servers as “Masters of Ceremonies” is a great assistance to the celebrant. When he can focus solely on offering the prayers to God it makes the Mass more prayerful and allows the flow of the liturgy to occur more seamlessly. It has nothing to do with pomp. It has everything to do with practicality. Moreover, during the course of 25 years of priesthood, I have seen many of those who served in this role eventually enter the seminary and serve the Church as ordained priests. While this is certainly not a requisite of the position, why would anyone object to a liturgical function that encourages vocations? I am very proud of the young men who take such care to learn the various elements of the liturgy and offer their service freely to God and the parish. I would hope that everyone would offer the same level of appreciation to those who serve thusly.

By and large the responses to the survey were very helpful and appreciated. As was the case in the response above, there are some that seem to simply want to grind a personal axe rather than to assume the best of intentions and offer the benefit of the doubt. If you have a question about something, then ask one of the priests. We are all more than happy to respond to questions offered in charity and genuine interest.

From the Pastor

From the Pastor - 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time

By John Putnam • August 8, 2025
Whether you are just beginning your stewardship journey or have been living a stewardship way of life for years, today’s readings invite us to ask ourselves an important question. The question is this: “What do you treasure?” Of course, we all know the “right” answer: we treasure our faith, our family, and our friendships. But Jesus tells us in the Gospel passage from Luke how we can discover the real answer to this question. He says, “For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.” To discern what we really treasure, we need to do a check on our hearts. We can each ask ourselves, “Where do I spend the majority of my energy? Where do I find my thoughts dwelling? How do I choose to spend my time when I find myself with a few spare moments? What do my spending habits reveal about my what is important to me? As Christian stewards, we are called to live our lives in grateful response to all that God has given us. Do I recognize and treasure these gifts? © Catholic Stewardship Consultants, 2025 Pastoral Pondering A couple of weeks back, I wrote about the various types of prayer. Following up on that, I wanted to address what I would call emotionalism and faith. Over the years I have encountered quite a few Catholics who complain that they do not get anything out of Mass or they don’t “feel” God’s presence. This often leads to their searching all over the place – sometimes in all of the wrong places – for something to fill that void. There is a danger here that needs to be avoided. The Catholic view of emotionalism, while not explicitly addressed as a single concept in official doctrine, can be understood through the Church’s teachings on emotions, reason, and the role of the will in spiritual life. Emotionalism, broadly defined as an excessive or uncontrolled reliance on emotions over reason or disciplined faith, is generally approached with caution in Catholic theology. Below is a concise explanation based on Catholic principles: Emotions as Part of Human Nature : The Catholic Church teaches that emotions (or "passions") are natural components of human psychology, created by God. According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC 1763-1768), passions like love, joy, sorrow, or anger are neither good nor bad in themselves but become morally good or bad based on how they are directed by reason and the will toward God’s purpose. Balance of Reason and Emotion : Catholicism emphasizes the integration of emotions with reason and faith. Emotionalism, as an overemphasis on feelings without grounding in truth or moral reasoning, can lead to spiritual imbalance. St. Thomas Aquinas, a key Catholic theologian, teaches that passions must be governed by reason, which is informed by divine law and grace, to align with virtue (Summa Theologiae, I-II, Q. 24). Dangers of Emotionalism in Worship : In the context of liturgy and prayer, the Church values authentic emotional expression but warns against emotionalism that prioritizes subjective feelings over objective truth or the sacredness of worship. For example, Pope Benedict XVI, in his writings on liturgy, critiqued overly sentimental or entertainment-driven worship styles, advocating for reverence and focus on Christ’s sacrifice (The Spirit of the Liturgy). The Church encourages heartfelt devotion but rooted in doctrine and tradition. Sadly, there are many examples of contemporary Catholic worship that ignore this basic principle. Discernment in Spiritual Life : Catholic spirituality, as seen in the works of mystics like St. Ignatius of Loyola or St. Teresa of Ávila, stresses discernment to distinguish genuine spiritual consolations (from God) from fleeting emotional highs. Emotionalism that lacks discernment may lead to self-deception or instability in faith. Charismatic Movements and Emotional Expression : The Catholic Charismatic Renewal, for instance, embraces expressive worship and emotional experiences like joy or spiritual gifts (e.g., speaking in tongues). However, the Church regulates such movements to ensure they align with doctrine and are not driven by unchecked emotionalism. Vatican documents, like those from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, emphasize that charismatic expressions must be tested against Scripture and Tradition.  In summary, the Catholic Church views emotions as valuable but subordinate to reason, will, and faith. Emotionalism, when it overrides these, is seen as potentially misleading or spiritually immature. The goal is a balanced faith where emotions enrich but do not dominate one’s relationship with God. In the end, the goal of prayer, especially liturgical prayer, is to worship God. It is not about seeking heavenly warm fuzzies to make us feel better. On occasion we may certainly receive these signal graces, and we should thank God for those. Nonetheless, they are not ends in themselves. The only end of the spiritual life if God Himself.

From the Pastor - 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time

By John Putnam • August 2, 2025
Today’s Gospel passage comes as a pat on the back from Heaven for all of us striving to live a stewardship way of life. It reminds us why we live the way we do and why we make the choices we make. Let’s face it, if we truly embrace this way of life, there will be people who find our choices — based on serving God and others — downright foolish. But let’s see what God thinks. Spoiler alert: turns out Christian stewards are not the fools! In this passage, Jesus makes it clear that life is not about “stuff” as he tells the parable of the wealthy businessman who thought he had everything figured out. The man had such an abundance of stuff that he didn’t have room to store it all. So, thinking of earthly things and not on what is above, he decided to build a bigger place to store all that stuff. Patting himself on the back, he thought about what good times he would have in the years ahead. But Jesus tells us that day would turn out to be the man’s last day on the earth. And he had spent it thinking only of himself. How foolish! Don’t be ashamed of living differently from the people around you. Be confident as you set priorities based on what is above. © Catholic Stewardship Consultants, 2025 Pastoral Pondering With the election of Pope Leo XIV, many folks have expressed an interest in understanding the history of his most recent predecessor with the same name, Pope Leo XIII, who is considered a great proponent of Catholic Social teaching. His encyclical, Rerum Novarum, is the basis for our understanding of this important branch of Catholic theology, so I thought it might be useful to share a summary of that document. Rerum Novarum, an encyclical issued by Pope Leo XIII in 1891, addresses the social and economic challenges of the modern world, emphasizing the Church's role in addressing injustices within the rapidly industrializing society. It marks the beginning of modern Catholic social teaching and sets a framework for dealing with issues related to labor, capital, and society. Key Themes of Rerum Novarum: Dignity of Labor : It affirms the dignity of work and the rights of workers, including just wages, the right to form unions, and decent working conditions. Work is not merely an economic activity but a means for the personal development of individuals. Private Property : The encyclical upholds the right to private property, stating that it is natural and beneficial for individuals and families. However, this right carries with it the responsibility to use one's property for the common good. Role of the State : It outlines the role of the state in promoting justice and protecting the rights of individuals, especially the poor and vulnerable. The state should act as an agent for social order and the common good but should not overreach into individual freedoms. Class Cooperation : Pope Leo XIII advocates for the cooperative relationship between employees and employers, encouraging a spirit of mutual understanding and collaboration rather than conflict, aiming to harmonize interests for societal benefit. Social Justice : The encyclical is concerned with the effects of unchecked capitalism and socialism, critiquing both extremes and emphasizing a balance that respects human dignity while promoting social justice and the well-being of all members of society.  Rerum Novarum serves as a cornerstone for subsequent Catholic social thought, inviting us to consider how we can address economic and social issues while respecting human dignity and the common good.