From the Pastor – 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time

October 8, 2017

From the Pastor – 27 th Sunday in Ordinary Time (10/8/17)

One of St. Paul’s favorite topics was prayer, and today’s reading from his letter to the Philippians is no exception to that. He says, “Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God.” For Paul all topics are appropriate for prayer because we need to share and consult with the Lord about everything.

God knows what is on our minds already, of course, but He also desires that we make a conscious effort to communicate with Him on these subjects. In addition, Paul points out that our prayers need to be infused with thanksgiving. We should not just petition the Lord and make requests. It is equally important that we think about, identify, and acknowledge our blessings.

We have often pointed out that stewardship is a life of gratitude, a way of living which encourages us to focus on gifts, not on problems and challenges all the time. If we strive to have grateful hearts, our prayers come much more easily, and we tend to be much happier and more upbeat in our lives.

The noted author, philosopher, journalist, and theologian G. K. Chesterton is well known in Catholic circles because he converted to Catholicism during his life, and was an excellent conveyor of the faith. In terms of living grateful lives he said, “I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought; and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder.” That includes thanks to God.

Pastoral Pondering

From the survey: I know there are a lot of needs all over the place, but it seems like we are having second collections almost every week. At times, it seems overwhelming.

I agree with the sentiment. Certainly, there are at times special circumstances such as the hurricanes and earthquake that require an extraordinary response, but it seems things are coming from all sides. This has been a topic of discussion in various leadership groups in the parish. One proposal that I like very much is to eliminate ALL second collections. The exception would be an extraordinary circumstance such as noted above. We would then simply budget for the annual second collections and others would simply apply to the Charitable Giving Committee for consideration. This would, of course, require everyone to increase their weekly giving to take account of this, but then everyone knows what is budgeted, and we can be more intentional about our giving and not worry about being overwhelmed. Last week the annual report was included in the bulletin which outlines the last fiscal year and the proposed budget for the present fiscal year. With the Finance Council’s help and your generosity, we were able to increase charitable giving significantly and plan to continue working towards a true “tithe” of our resources. This requires faith and generosity of all involved, but I firmly believe that the Lord cannot be outdone in generosity. We just have to take Him at His word.

From the survey: We moved here about two years ago, and I was surprised that there is no Faith Formation on Sundays. It can be difficult for families in our busy world to manage faith formation during the week.

Since I have been pastor at the parish, there have been limited Faith Formation opportunities on Sunday morning; although, Sunday evening is regularly used for Faith Formation and Youth Ministry. In previous assignments, Sunday along with weekdays were utilized. In looking at the Sunday Mass schedule, we would need to see what adjustments could be made to provide an adequate time slot for Faith Formation. The benefit of this, would be to provide a time slot for some type of Adult Education while the children are in class, e.g. “Doughnuts and Dogma” or “Faith Facts with Father”. The down side would be changing the Sunday Mass schedule. People get very used to routines, and change can bring challenges. I do think this is something that needs further consideration. The most logical change would be to shift the 7:30 am Mass to 7:00 am, and move the 9:00 am to 8:30 am. This would provide 45 minutes before the 11:00 am Mass that could be used for faith formation. Should such a change be implemented, Diocesan approval would be required and enough lead time to give everyone an opportunity to adjust.

Communion notes: There have been ongoing questions about the discontinuation of distributing the Precious Blood at the 11 am Mass. As I indicated several weeks back, it was decided to do this to help expedite the distribution of Communion at this Mass. So far this has been helpful. I would also ask your assistance in maintaining a proper care and reverence when receiving. In recent weeks, we have seen an increase of spillage of the Precious Blood and Hosts falling to the floor. Most of this can be avoided by slowing down. I would also ask parents to take some extra time in reminding children how to properly receive. Many of the spills have been younger children receiving. Also, please remember that if you do not have the use of both hands when receiving, the host will be placed on your tongue. It is not acceptable to receive with one hand. This is often what leads to Hosts falling. Thanks for your help with this!

From the Pastor

From the Pastor - Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul

By John Putnam • June 27, 2025
During June, we have celebrated key moments in the life of the Church — Pentecost, the Most Holy Trinity, Corpus Christi — culminating today with the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul. Though very different men, they are united in faith, mission, and martyrdom, and the Church has honored them together since the third century. St. Peter, the first Pope, was chosen by Christ as the rock on which the Church would be built. The Catechism tells us that because of the faith he professed, Peter remains the “unshakeable rock of the Church.” Despite his human weaknesses, Peter's loyalty, repentance, and leadership make him a powerful model of stewardship. St. Paul, once a persecutor of Christians, became one of the Church’s greatest evangelists. In today’s second reading, Paul reflects on his mission, saying, “I have finished the race… the crown of righteousness awaits me.” The Greek word he used for “crown” — stephanos — refers to a victor’s crown, not a royal one, showing his view of faith as a race well-run for the sake of Christ. Though they were martyred separately, tradition holds that Peter and Paul were in Rome at the same time, and their shared witness and sacrifice tie them closely together in Church history. They embody two vital aspects of stewardship — Peter in his faith and leadership, and Paul in his zeal and wisdom. As stewards, we are called to follow their example — to build the Church through our commitment, to overcome our failures through God’s mercy, and to proclaim the Gospel with courage. Like Peter and Paul, we are invited to give all we have for the sake of Christ and His Church. © Catholic Stewardship Consultants, 2025 Pastoral Pondering  This Solemnity marks the beginning of summer vacation in Rome. The Holy Father will be traveling to Castelgandolfo for some time away from the heat of Rome. For the rest of us, the weeks of summer are in full swing, and as we move into July this week, I hope that families have an opportunity to spend some time in rest and relaxation. Spending time with family, friends, and the Lord, are among the best things that we can do with our “down time”. Leisure is essential to a well-lived life, but it has to be understood properly in the context of the Christian life. Anthony Esolen’s Leisure: The Basis of Culture is a contemporary reflection and expansion on the classic work of the same name by Josef Pieper. Esolen argues that modern society has lost its understanding of true leisure, mistaking it for mere idleness or entertainment. In contrast, he defines leisure as a contemplative, receptive state that allows individuals to encounter truth, beauty, and God. True leisure, according to the author, distinguishes leisure from passive consumption or busyness. True leisure is rooted in wonder, worship and reflection – activities that are ends in themselves, not means to productivity. He critiques how modern life has turned all human activity into something utilitarian. Education, art and even religion are often reduced to tools for social mobility or economic growth, rather than pursued for their intrinsic value. Esolen emphasizes that leisure finds its highest expression in worship and liturgy. Time spent in contemplation of the divine is the deepest form of leisure, because it directs the soul toward eternal realities. He draws on classical and Christian sources to affirm that man is not simply a worker or consumer but is made for contemplation and communion. In the end, he calls for a return to genuine leisure as the only path to restoring culture, education, and the dignity of the human spirit. The author argues that without true leisure, civilization cannot thrive, because it loses contact with what is eternal and meaningful. Leisure, rightly understood, is not a break from life – it is at the heart of what makes life worth living.

From the Pastor - Corpus Christi

By John Putnam • June 20, 2025
Today we observe the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ. This beautiful feast celebrates the gift of the Eucharist, which the Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches is the source and summit of our Christian faith. “For in the blessed Eucharist is contained the whole spiritual good of the Church, namely Christ Himself” (CCC paragraph 1324). The very word, Eucharist, means “thanksgiving” or “gratitude” and so this feast is especially meaningful to all of us who are striving to live as grateful stewards of all God’s blessings to us. Surely the Eucharist is the greatest of all blessings because it is not only from God, the Eucharist, is God — the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Today’s second reading from St. Paul’s letter to the Corinthians reminds us of the depths of love our Lord has shown us in the gift of the Eucharist, recalling Christ’s words at the very first Eucharistic celebration. “The Lord Jesus… took bread, and, after he had given thanks, broke it and said, ‘This is my body that is for you.’” In that moment, and at every celebration of the Mass thereafter, Jesus gives us His very self in an act of complete humility and perfect love. How can we possibly show our gratitude for such a sublime gift? We can receive the gift of the Eucharist with the greatest possible reverence and love. And, following our Lord’s example, we can give ourselves generously to others in the week ahead. © Catholic Stewardship Consultants, 2025 Pastoral Pondering The Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ naturally follows the Solemnities of Pentecost and the Holy Trinity. Each of those celebrations highlight a profound experience of God. The Eucharist invites us into the very life of God which is the Holy Trinity. We are nourished by the Lord to sustain us as we strive to run the race and fight the good fight. The Church in the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy of Vatican II describes the Eucharist as the summit toward which the activity of the Church is directed; at the same time it is the font from which all her power flows… At times perhaps we allow our assistance and participation at Mass and reception of the Eucharist to become habitual or common place. Such an attitude should always be avoided since it diminishes the centrality that the Eucharist is to play in each of our lives. Nonetheless, it is a common pitfall that many of us fall into. There are a number of ways in which we can help ourselves to avoid falling into that trap. First and foremost, we should prepare ourselves for participation at Mass. This can be accomplished in a number of ways but especially by taking some time to read and reflect on the Scriptures before we arrive at the church. Arriving early at Mass so that we can actually spend some time in prayer, quieting our hearts and minds before the celebration begins is also helpful. Outside of Mass, we can make spiritual Communions and make visits to the Blessed Sacrament. These moments of grace can also inspire us to live more authentically Christian lives by our concern for and service to the poor. Serving our neighbor and loving the neighbor as we love ourselves is a true expression of our love for God.  I also want to offer a word of thanks to all those who assisted with the diaconate and priestly ordinations the previous two Saturdays. A great deal of work goes into these events, and the St. Mark staff and volunteers always “step up” to do their part. We as a parish are honored to host these important Diocesan events and appreciate all of those who contribute to their success.
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