From the Pastor - 4th Sunday of Lent

April 1, 2019

From the Pastor – 4th Sunday of Lent

All of the readings for this Fourth Sunday of Lent deal with reconciliation and forgiveness. There is a strong suggestion relating to our Sacrament of Penance (Confession, Reconciliation).

An important characteristic of stewardship is to faithfully follow our beliefs. As Catholics we are called to Confession at a minimum annually, and in reality more than that. Canon 989 states: “All the faithful who have reached the age of discretion are bound faithfully to confess their grave sins at least once a year.”

Reconciliation/Confession is one of the least understood of the Sacraments of our Catholic Church. In reconciling us to God, it is a great source of grace, and we are encouraged to take advantage of it often. The Church strongly recommends that, in preparation for fulfilling our Easter Duty to receive Communion, we go to Confession.

The Gospel from Luke, the parable of the Prodigal Son, is filled with forgiveness and reconciliation. The son’s actions and his desire to be reconciled follow the requirements each of us must follow for our own reconciliation/confession to be valid.

We are called to be a forgiving people. Just as the father in the parable, who, of course, represents our own Heavenly Father, completely forgives his son and welcomes him and celebrates his return, we must reach out to those around us — perhaps family or friends with whom we have some dispute, and forgive and seek reconciliation. Lent is a perfect time to do that.

Pastoral Pondering

Stained Glass Windows — St. Peter (Clergy Window) $18,566.92/$3,433.08; Scourging (F3 Window) $17,150/$4,850

Diocesan Support Appeal — The most recent report from the Diocese indicates that for St. Mark they have received $133,382.13 in cash donations; $115,118.13 in outstanding pledges; leaving a remaining balance to reach the goal of $22,978.74. The Diocesan office has not yet tabulated all of the cards collected during our two appeal weekends, so these numbers will be modified as that information is updated.

A matter of faith — Questions commonly arise surrounding Catholic funeral practices. Most often than not these occur in the time of need when someone has just died or when it is clear that someone is quickly approaching death. This week I will address the importance of planning and will address additional topics next week.

Death is a reality that everyone of is must face. Memento mori (Remember death) is an often quoted phrase among many saints. On a very practical level, pre-planning the arrangements for our funeral and burial is a great help to those who survive us. Doing so also provide clear direction at a time when emotions can be high and conflicts can easily occur. Planning should be done in a number of ways:

(a)  Live a Catholic sacramental life – we do not know the day or the hour of our death; therefore, we should always be prepared for the moment it comes.

(b)  Develop a Catholic understanding of life and death – we should not fear death. We are not made for this life but for the life to come.

(c)  Seek out the Sacraments - If you become seriously ill or are preparing for surgery, make a good confession and ask for the Anointing of the Sick.

(d)  Make advanced plans with the parish for the funeral rites and save for the expenses of a proper Catholic funeral.

(e)  Communicate - Make sure that your family members are aware of your desire for Catholic funeral rites – this is especially important in cases where your children or grandchildren do not practice the faith and do not understand the importance of these rites for Catholics.

(f)  Funeral Service and Burial - Make arrangements with a funeral director and make provision for a burial site. Ideally, Catholics should be buried in Catholic cemeteries; however, when this is not available, the burial site should always be blessed.

(g)  Financial Provision – The expenses of the funeral and burial should be planned for just like anything else. We save for college or a dream vacation. We should also plan for our death and burial in a manner that conforms to our belief in the resurrection of the Body and the teachings of the Church. Insurance policies are often a very good way to do this.

(h)  Praying for the Dead – One of the spiritual works of mercy is to pray for the Faithful Departed. Hence, a Catholic should make provision in his or her will to have Masses offered for the repose of his or her soul after – the Mass is the most perfect prayer that can be offered for the living or the dead because it is the Holy Sacrifice of Jesus on Calvary made present in the here and now.

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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