From the Pastor – 2nd Sunday of Advent

December 10, 2018

From the Pastor – 2 nd Sunday of Advent

The readings for the Second Week of Advent offer both encouragement and challenge as we reflect and prepare for the two “comings” of Christ — His coming as a baby on the great feast of Christmas, and the anticipation of His second coming at the end of time.

Our First Reading, from Baruch, is a wonderful reminder that God has triumphed over sin and death and that we — His faithful disciples — will live in the light of His glory one day. Until He comes again, we must remain faithful to Him as true disciples and good stewards of all the gifts He has given us.

While it can be tempting to give in to the materialism and calls for self-indulgence that surround us, (ironically more than ever at this time of year), this reading calls us back to the spiritual reality that this life is passing and that we are made for eternal life with God. We are called to prepare for eternal life by the way that we use our time, our talents and our treasure now.

The Gospel reading from Luke shows us how personal and detailed is God’s love for humanity as He prepared the way for Christ’s coming among us. We are told the precise time, place and person, John the Baptist, He appointed to announce the arrival of our Savior.

John tells us how to celebrate to the fullest this first “coming” on the feast of Christmas and how to prepare for the second coming — through repentance.

This Advent, let’s turn away from any bad habits or sin that may have crept in to our lives and turn our hearts and minds back to Christ. This is what the stewardship way of life is all about —moving closer ever closer in relationship with Christ and imitation of Him, ready to celebrate His birth, with eyes fixed on eternal life with Him.

Pastoral Pondering

As we move into December, in addition to thinking about Christmas, folks also begin thinking about the educational path for their children. Some high school students have already applied for early college acceptance, the Catholic schools begin accepting online applications this month, and home schools and faith formation begin considering curricula and programming for the coming year. I thought this would be a good time to write about the importance of Catholic education in an increasingly secular society.

In the geographical boundaries of St. Mark parish, Catholic education occurs in any number of ways. We have two regional Catholic schools (St. Mark and Christ the King), we have a large homeschool cooperative, and we have our Faith Formation and Youth Ministry programs. In addition to these, some of our parishioners avail themselves of offerings outside the parish in other MACS schools, in homeschool offerings in other parishes, and in various on-line offerings.

The pastor, and really the parish as a whole, has various obligations and responsibilities with regard to Catholic education and formation in all of its forms, and these must be taken seriously as being part and parcel of the mission of the Church. The very nature and purpose of Catholic education in all of its forms is revealed to us by the Lord who instructed His apostles to “go…and make disciples of all nations…teaching them to carry out everything I have commanded” (cf. Mt. 28:18-20). Because of this, it is essential to understand that Catholic education cannot exist apart from Catholic life and practice. Catholic education begins in the home, the domestic church, but the institutions of the Church have a serious obligation to assist Catholic parents by insuring that our schools, faith formation programs and homeschool collaboration is imbued with an evangelical spirit that can help “restore the conviction that human beings can grasp the truth of things, and in grasping that truth can know their duties to God, to themselves and their neighbors” (see John Paul, II, Ad limina address to US Bishops of Region IV, 1988).

As a pastor, I support Catholic education in all its forms. Even as adults, we should never tire of learning about and growing in our Faith. If you are a parent considering your child’s education, I encourage you to seriously consider the benefits of Catholic education. The parishes of the Diocese make great financial sacrifices in support of the various educational efforts. Our Catholic schools because of their historical importance to the Church in this country have pride of place and should always be considered as a viable option for any Catholic family. Often times parents realize the financial sacrifice that is required and dismiss Catholic education as an option. However, there are significant funds available to assist every Catholic child who desires to obtain a Catholic education.

Our public schools, while in some cases offering a rigorous academic program, are often forced to teach and embrace cultural currents that are diametrically opposed to Catholic teaching. They have sadly, on many fronts, become institutions of indoctrination rather than education. This makes the task of our Faith Formation programs even more challenging and highlights why our Catholic schools and homeschools are so important to the continuation of the faith.

Please pray for all of our educational endeavors that they might be fruitful and effective in proclaiming Christ Jesus, who is Emmanuel, God with us.

From the Pastor

From the Pastor - 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time

By John Putnam • July 11, 2025
In today’s Gospel passage, from Luke, we read the well-known parable of the Good Samaritan. Here, Jesus teaches us in rich detail what stewardship in action looks like. In fact, this parable could just as accurately be called the parable of the Good Steward. The first thing we note about the Good Samaritan is that he is aware of the needs of those around him and responds generously. While the priest and Levi brush right past the man on the side of the road, the Samaritan is watching for those who might be in need. He has a hospitable way of looking at the world around him and so he is able to “see” in a way that the others did not, and he was “moved with compassion at the sight” of the man. Next, we see the Good Samaritan spring into action to serve this man, setting aside his own schedule and plans to meet his needs. He does not just give the man a few dollars or offer quick words of encouragement from across the road. He goes right up to the man. He cleans and bandages his wounds. He puts the man on his own animal and brings him to an inn where he can heal. He ensures the innkeeper would continue to look after him, and he commits to re-turning to the man on his way back. That is how we live out God’s commandments. That is true hospitality and service.  That is how a good steward springs into action when he comes upon a neighbor in need. And Jesus says to each of us personally, just as He did in today’s Gospel, “Go and do likewise.” ©Catholic Stewardship Consultants, 2025 Pastoral Pondering I want to welcome Father Christopher Angermeyer to St. Mark as Parochial Vicar. As many of you know, Father was ordained in June. After completing his undergraduate studies at Belmont Abbey and St. Joseph College Seminary. He completed his theological studies and priestly formation at Mount St. Mary’s in Cincinnati. His home parish was St. Thomas Aquinas in Charlotte. We are happy to have Father Angermeyer with us. I know you will do your part to make him feel welcomed here at St. Mark. I will be away for the next couple of weeks on pilgrimage with a group of seminarians and faithful. Please know that the parish will be in my prayers, and I take all of your intentions with me to the Shrine of Our Lady.

From the Pastor - 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time

By John Putnam • July 7, 2025
In today’s Gospel passage, from Luke, we find our Lord appointing disciples to go out and prepare others to receive His invitation into the Kingdom of God. Every verse has something to say about the way a Christian steward should approach others. Let’s consider at least one of the coaching tips Christ gives. “The Lord appointed seventy-two others whom He sent out ahead of Him in pairs to every town and place He intended to visit.” In His wisdom, Christ sent His disciples out not as individuals but in pairs, as teams. This approach to evangelization certainly provided practical advantages. The disciples could lean on each other for mutual support and encouragement, helping each other to stay on task and to put their heads together to pray and problem-solve. This teamwork approach is just as relevant to us modern-day Christian stewards. It takes courage and commitment to go out and invite others into the Christian life. We need to work together to do it well. But there is also symbolic importance to working in teams. It points to the reality that when we invite others to embrace the Good News of the Gospel, we are not merely inviting them into a belief system, but into a relationship with Christ and through that relationship, into Christ’s family — our fellow Christian disciples near and far. Our parish is our immediate spiritual family in this extended worldwide fold. We are not meant to live as isolated individuals within the parish any more than we are meant to live in isolation within our families. We are meant to be a community. That is why it is so important for us to foster a vibrant, supportive, welcoming parish life. This is why we emphasize hospitality as one of the pillars of stewardship. It is not enough just to point others to Christ; we must invite them to join us in community with Him; we must offer a place and mission for them in the Church and within our parish family. © Catholic Stewardship Consultants, 2025 Pastoral Pondering As you know, during the last weekend of May (5/31-6/1), we had our final push for our Growing Home Campaign. I wanted to give everyone a final update as we conclude our fundraising period. During that weekend’s presentation, I asked everyone to help us close the $325,000 gap to meet our $9.7 M goal. As we close this portion of the campaign, I am happy to report that we have reached $10.5 million in pledges and gifts, exceeding our goal by $800,000! I am continuously amazed by the giving spirit that pervades our parish. Your generosity is a tangible expression of your commitment to our amazing parish. The funds raised over the goal and any funds raised going forward will help us to address the ever-increasing cost of construction and reduce the loan amount that will be required to complete the overall project. As noted earlier this year, the Rectory project has started and is projected to take about 12 months to complete. Our hope and plan is to break ground on the Monsignor Bellow Center and Adoration Chapel next summer or early Fall. Words alone never seem adequate to express the gratitude that I have in my heart for all of you who have participated in and supported this monumental effort. Both the financial support and the support with time and talent have been tremendous and for that, I want to offer a heartfelt “THANK YOU!”. May God bless each of you for your generosity in helping us grow our home here at St. Mark.
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