From the Pastor – 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time

October 22, 2018

From the Pastor – 29 th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Our readings today are wonderfully consoling and wildly challenging. If we take them to heart, they just might change our lives. For they should call us to profound gratitude for all that God has done for us and inspire us to live lives of thanksgiving and obedience to Him in response to His overwhelming love and mercy.

In the Gospel Reading, from Mark, Jesus tells us in His own words how we can thank Him and how our lives can reflect greatness in His eyes — we can imitate Him. He tells us, “Whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all. For the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Our God has ransomed our lives. In truth, this “ransom” means our lives are not our own but belong to God. We must do what He asks us to do with them. And He has told us clearly what to do — serve others in love as we have been served in love by Him.

This is why service for the Christian Steward is not an add-on to our already busy lives. It is our life.

Over the course of the next week, take these readings to heart. Reflect on the remarkable love God has shown for you. Then look carefully at your daily life. Is it an imitation of the servant-love of your Brother and Savior? What changes do you need to make, perhaps just in attitude, or perhaps to the trajectory of your life as a whole, to live in grateful service to the One who loves you so?

Pastoral Pondering

This past week (assuming everything happens as it’s supposed to) the Ascension window has been installed. There has been a very positive response to our stained glass project, but there is still a good way to go in order to get all of the windows funded and installed. As of now, we have nine (9) windows fully sponsored and three (3) more in process.

Over the past several weeks, I have had a number of friends (Catholic and non-Catholic) asking me about the various headlines and scandals that seem to be popping up all over. Some have been an expression of genuine concern and others have bordered on incredulity that in light of such revelations how I would want to continue the life to which I have been called.

In all honesty, over these past weeks there have indeed been some difficult and sou-searching moments. Nevertheless, I am reminded in prayer and through the mediation of faithful friends, that the Church is far more than the sum of her wayward members. When Jesus asked the apostles at the end of the Bread of Life discourse if they were going to leave Him too, Peter responded, “Lord to whom should we go? You have the words of everlasting life.” (John 6:67-68)

As flawed as her leaders and members might be, the Church herself is indefectible. She is divinely established and has been entrusted with the sacraments of salvation. The sacraments, thankfully, neither depend on the sanctity of the ministers nor the members of the flock. The Church is holy because her Spouse is holy. Jesus Christ is the same today, yesterday and forever. He continues to make Himself present in the Eucharist and allow Himself to be mocked, ridiculed and debased by our unworthiness. But He does this out of love for us and for the world.

I am greatly inspired by some of the young men I work with in the seminary. In my discussions with them about these sad events, while they admit a certain trepidation in the face of the unknown, they express a more concrete commitment to holiness and persevering in a call to serve the Lord. True discipleship is not for the faint of heart. One has to be willing to give it all even when victory seems unattainable and bleak. Even when others seem to be abandoning the truth because of the failings of some, those words of St. Peter are a constant reminder of the unchanging truth. Jesus Christ is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one can come to the Father except through Him, and He has chosen the Church has the means through which to access that path.

From the Pastor

From the Pastor - 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time

By John Putnam • August 22, 2025
Today’s readings show us that it is not enough to be Christ’s disciples in name only. To be a real disciple, we must live for Christ every day and in every aspect of life. This kind of life takes strength and discipline. Intentionally and consistently offering the Lord the best of our Time, Talent, and Treasure through a stewardship way of life is a form of spiritual discipline. These spiritual disciplines teach us to become ever more aware of God’s constant provision for us and they keep us on the narrow path towards the Kingdom of Heaven. The more we embrace this way of life, the more we can be “trained” by the Lord in the ways of true discipleship. Though difficult, these disciplines become a source of spiritual strength. Our Lord Himself speaks of the difficult path to the Kingdom of Heaven in today’s Gospel passage from Luke. He is asked, “Lord, will only a few be saved?” Jesus responds, “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I tell you, will attempt to enter but will not be strong enough.” Showing up for Mass on Sunday while living as if Christ is an afterthought the rest of the week does not make us disciples. What’s more, this approach to our faith is an unjust and unloving response to our good God who has given us all that we have and are. Jesus does not want us to merely go through the motions of faith. He wants much more from us and for us. He wants to know us deeply and for us to get to know Him so that we become His holy disciples. This is not a burden; it is a privilege. But it does take discipline, the discipline of a stewardship way of life. © Catholic Stewardship Consultants, 2025 Pastoral Pondering As the school year ramps up again, I wanted to let you know that another young man from the parish has begun his propaedeutic year at St. Joseph College Seminary. John Yellico, the son of Glen and Lissette Yellico, was accepted to the program earlier this summer. He is also the brother of Father Joseph Yellico, recently ordained and Sister Mary Agnes Yellico of the Daughters of the Virgin Mother. Please keep him and all of our seminarians in your prayers. Recently, the Diocese has been working on developing policies to govern the use of artificial intelligence for our employees and ministry sites. AI is almost constantly in the news and most everyone is familiar with Chat GPT, Truthly (the Catholic option) and any number of other efforts to harness this new technology. Earlier this year, the Holy See’s Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith issued a document dealing with this topic. I thought it might be useful, therefore, to offer some thoughts that might be helpful to some of you. Here’s a pastoral reflection based on Antiqua et Nova, tailored for inclusion in a pastoral letter: In our time, we are witnessing extraordinary advances in technology, especially in the realm of Artificial Intelligence (AI). These developments bring both promise and challenge, and as your pastor, I feel called to reflect with you on what this means for our faith, our humanity, and our shared journey toward holiness. The Vatican’s recent document, Antiqua et Nova, reminds us that while AI may imitate certain aspects of human intelligence, it cannot replicate the fullness of what it means to be human. Our intelligence is not merely computational—it is relational, moral, and spiritual. It is a gift from God, rooted in our capacity to love, to discern, and to seek truth. AI can assist us in many ways, from medicine to education to communication. But we must never forget that machines do not possess souls. They do not pray, suffer, or hope. They do not know mercy or grace. Only we, created in the image and likeness of God, bear the responsibility to use these tools wisely, ensuring they serve the dignity of every person. Let us not be seduced by the illusion that technology can replace human wisdom or divine guidance. Instead, let us cultivate a “wisdom of heart,” as the document urges—a wisdom that listens to the Spirit, that seeks justice, and that places love above efficiency. In our homes, schools, and parishes, may we teach our children not only how to use technology, but how to remain human in a digital age. May we accompany one another with compassion, and may our choices reflect the Gospel values of truth, humility, and care for the vulnerable. Let us pray for discernment, for courage, and for a renewed commitment to the common good. And may we always remember: the most powerful intelligence is not artificial—it is the wisdom that comes from walking humbly with our God. The full document is worth the read and may be found on the Vatican website at Antiqua et nova. Note on the Relationship Between Artificial Intelligence and Human Intelligence (28 January 2025)

From the Pastor - 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time

By John Putnam • August 22, 2025
Today’s readings set a high bar for us Christian stewards, reminding us that a stewardship way of life is meant to be a challenging way of life. In the second reading, from the Letter to the Hebrews, we are told to live as Christ lived. And how did Christ live? “For the sake of the joy that lay before Him He endured the cross.” If we are tempted to complain about the sufferings we must endure in living as Christ’s disciples, we are told, “In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood.” In other words, “If you’re not bleeding, what are you complaining about?” That is quite a high bar! The Gospel reading from Luke continues this challenging theme. Our Lord tells His disciples “I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing.” A couple of verses later Jesus adds, “Do you think that I have come to establish peace on the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division.” Jesus’s life on this earth and the message He brought were not meant to simply make us feel good. In fact, His words can make us downright uncomfortable at times. That’s because His Good News (and it is indeed good news!) is meant to change us, to make saints of us. The stewardship way of life sets a high bar indeed. But deeply embraced, this way of life focused on God and others will make us the saints we are called to be. © Catholic Stewardship Consultants, 2025 Pastoral Pondering Most of you are probably familiar with a non-Catholic who accuses Catholics of “worshipping Mary and the saints”. This is, of course, false, but it shows a misunderstanding of Catholic theology and Catholic understanding of the various types of worship and veneration. I thought it would be helpful to lay this out in a simple way for everyone’s benefit. In Catholic theology, dulia , hyperdulia , and latria are terms used to describe distinct types of reverence or worship offered to God, the saints, and the Virgin Mary. - Latria : This is the highest form of worship, reserved exclusively for God (the Holy Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). It involves adoration, acknowledging God's supreme divinity and sovereignty. Latria is expressed through acts like the Mass, prayer, and sacrifice, directed solely to God. - Dulia : This is the veneration or honor given to saints, recognizing their holiness and their role as intercessors before God. Dulia is a lesser form of reverence compared to latria, as saints are not divine but are honored for their exemplary lives and closeness to God. This is expressed through prayers asking for saints' intercession, feasts in their honor, or devotion to their relics. - Hyperdulia : This is a special, elevated form of dulia reserved exclusively for the Virgin Mary, the Mother of God. Hyperdulia acknowledges Mary's unique role in salvation history, surpassing the honor given to other saints due to her divine maternity and sinlessness, but it remains distinct from and subordinate to latria. It is expressed through devotions like the Rosary or Marian feast days.  In summary, latria is worship for God alone, dulia is veneration for saints, and hyperdulia is a higher veneration for Mary, all carefully distinguished to maintain the centrality of God’s worship in Catholic practice.