From the Pastor – 6th Sunday in Ordinary Time

February 12, 2018

From the Pastor – 6 th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Often one of our human weaknesses has to do with us believing or thinking we know better than God in relation to what we do and what we do in relation to others. Of course, part of that has to do with our failure to pray and consult the Lord, or even more to make no effort to understand what God may be telling us.

In today’s Gospel Reading from St. Mark, we hear about Jesus curing a leper. In His instructions to the cured man, He says, “See that you tell no one anything,” Of course, the man pays no attention to this instruction from the Lord. Instead, “The man went away and began to publicize the whole matter.”

Surely the man meant well; in fact, he probably thought he was helping Jesus, but the reality as stated in the Gospel is that his disobedience hindered the ministry of Jesus, “so that it was impossible for Jesus to enter a town openly.” We need to obey the Lord, and we should never think we have a better plan than He does.

Even the eminent scientist Albert Einstein recognized how important Jesus’ teachings are. Einstein said, “As a child I received instruction both in the Bible and in the Talmud. I am a Jew, but I am enthralled by the luminous figure of the Nazarene — no one can read the Gospels without feeling the actual presence of Jesus. His personality pulsates in every word. No myth is filled with such life.”

From the Pastor

As we begin the season of Lent this Wednesday, we enter both a season of penance and renewal. It is a season of penance because we are called to deny ourselves and to take up our crosses and follow the Lord. It is a season of renewal because unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it cannot bear fruit (cf. Jn. 12:24). We must constantly die to ourselves in order that Christ may live in us. That resistance to dying to self comes in many forms. Sometimes it is, as Matthew Kelly points out, a resistance to happiness. At other times, it shows up as false pride that prevents us from being obedient to the Lord’s call to change. Whatever our struggle might be, Lent affords us the opportunity to marvel at what the Lord can do in our souls if we only allow Him to work and transform us.

Staff changes – I wanted to announce the following staff changes:

After serving the parish from its beginning in 1997, Tricia McCaa has decided to retire effective March 1 st . She can now devote herself to being grandma, which everyone knows brings her great joy. It is impossible to adequately thank someone for such longstanding service, but suffice it to say that to many Tricia has been a constant and stabilizing presence in the parish year after year and decade after decade. While she will certainly be missed in the office, I ask you to join me in wishing her well as she begins this new chapter in her life.

After serving the parish for over 10 years in Faith Formation, Faye Nye will be assuming the directorship of Faith Formation at Holy Spirit in Denver. Faye and her husband live in Denver now, and she has been volunteering there for some time. Father Carmen has been without a DFF for several months, and Faye is excited to help him develop and grow the program there. Faye has always been a pleasure to work with. She cares for each child she serves, and I know that she will bring that same love and commitment to Holy Spirit. We wish her well.

As I mentioned a couple of weeks ago, we have been doing some reorganizing in Faith Formation. Part of reorganizing also means evaluating the positions we have and making sure that we are being good stewards of our parish resources. The realignment, therefore, has resulted in seeing that one of our part time positions was no longer necessary since the tasks assigned could be assumed by Michael Griffith. Therefore, the position of Coordinator of Adult Faith Formation has been eliminated. Sonnet Bonelli has been serving in this capacity and has been a great help during this transition time. I want to thank her for her service and am thankful that she will continue to be involved in various ministries around the parish.

From the Pastor

From the Pastor - All Saints Day

By John Putnam • October 30, 2026
On this Solemnity of All Saints, we have the profound joy of celebrating our brothers and sisters in Christ, the saints. This is an especially meaningful feast for us as Christian stewards. At Baptism, each of us receives the call to holiness and discipleship. In other words, we are all called to become saints. Holiness is not reserved for a select few. It is God's desire for every one of His children. The stewardship way of life helps us answer that call each day. In today's Gospel from Matthew, Jesus gives us the Beatitudes. They reveal the qualities that mark the lives of His disciples and point us toward authentic holiness. As we continue striving to live as faithful stewards, the Beatitudes provide a faithful measure of our growth in Christ. The "blessed" that Jesus describes are not different categories of people who make it to heaven. Rather, they reveal the character of those who belong to Him - the poor in spirit, the merciful, the pure of heart, the peacemakers, and all who remain faithful in the midst of trials. None of us can live this way on our own. But as beloved children of God, we receive the grace we need through prayer, the sacraments, and a life centered on Christ. May the example of the saints inspire us to persevere in our own call to holiness, trusting that one day we will join them in the everlasting joy of heaven. © Catholic Stewardship Conference, 2026 Pastoral Pondering October brought us the Church's renewed attention to mental health. Pope Leo XIV has asked us this month to pray that our communities become places where those who carry unseen burdens find welcome, dignity, and hope- not judgment or silence. Many of those burdens are carried by women and girls. Some have lived through abuse, assault, or trauma that few around them even know about. Recent headlines, including those from Cornell University, have reminded the whole country how widespread these wounds are and how alone many survivors feel. Regardless of the outcome and veracity of the Cornell case, these types of cases exist closer to home. Women in our own parish and community often suffer quietly, unsure where to turn or whether anyone will truly understand. There is help, and there is hope. Healed and Restored, the local Catholic ministry founded by our own parishioner Elza Spaedy, exists precisely for this purpose. Through counseling, workshops, spiritual mentoring, retreats, and a supportive community, it walks with women and girls who have experienced abuse, assault, domestic violence, trafficking, or other trauma. Rooted in faith, it helps them encounter the Divine Physician who alone can restore what has been broken and discover that their wounds do not define them. Many of the women who have walked this path have found real freedom and a renewed sense of their dignity as daughters of God. If you are carrying a wound like this, or if you know someone who is, I encourage you to reach out. Information is available at healedandrestored.org. And if you simply want to stand with those who are hurting, please keep them in your prayers. Sometimes the greatest gift we can offer is to notice, to listen without fear, and to point someone toward the healing Christ offers. May the Lord who binds up the brokenhearted make our parish a place of true restoration.

From the Pastor - 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time

By John Putnam • October 23, 2026
Today's readings are all about love - God's faithful love for His people and the love we are called to return to Him and to one another. The stewardship way of life is simply the daily practice of these two greatest commandments. In today's Gospel, Jesus is asked which commandment is the greatest. His answer is both familiar and endlessly challenging. He says, "You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind ... The second is like it: you shall love your neighbor as yourself." Why are these two commandments inseparable? Because both are rooted in love. When we love God above all else, we begin to see others as He sees them. And when we genuinely love our neighbor, we reflect the love we have first received from Him. This is the heart of Christian stewardship. It is simple enough for a child to understand, yet rich enough to spend a lifetime putting into practice.© Catholic Stewardship Conference, 2026 Pastoral Pondering - Remembering the Saints and the Souls As October ends, the Church gives us two feasts back-to-back that show who we are as one family in Christ, living and departed. On November 1, the Solemnity of All Saints, we honor all the holy men and women now in heaven. That includes the famous names on our calendar, and it also includes the countless quiet saints no one ever canonized: grandparents, neighbors, and friends who loved God and others faithfully. Their lives remind us that holiness isn't only for a few. It's the calling of every baptized person. All Saints is a Holy Day of Obligation and since it falls on Sunday this year, it is easy to remember the times for Mass. On November 2, the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed (All Souls' Day), we pray for everyone who has died, especially our own loved ones. We trust in God's mercy and ask Him to bring them fully into the joy of His presence. Praying for the dead is one of the oldest Christian practices and a real act of love. The Church teaches that "all who die in God's grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but after death they undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven" (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1030). Purgatory isn't a second chance, and it isn't a smaller version of hell. It's God's mercy finishing what He began in us. Most of us leave this life still carrying some attachment to sin, and God lovingly purifies us so we can see Him face to face. Everyone in purgatory is already saved and on the way to heaven. The souls in purgatory can't help themselves, but we can help them. Since the earliest days, Christians have prayed for the dead (see 2 Maccabees 12:46). Our prayers, sacrifices, works of charity, and above all the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass can speed their way to God. This is the Communion of Saints at work: the Church in heaven, the Church on earth, and the Church being purified, all united in Christ and helping one another. Ways to take part Complete an All Souls envelope with the name of your deceased loved ones so it can be placed on the altar throughout November. Have a Mass offered for someone who has died. Visit a cemetery and pray for the faithful departed. A plenary indulgence for the souls in purgatory is available, under the usual conditions, to those who visit a cemetery and pray for the dead from November 1 to 8, or who visit a church and pray the Our Father and the Creed on All Souls' Day. Ask a favorite saint to pray for you and your family. These days remind us that death doesn't break the bonds of love. We pray for the souls, we ask the saints to pray for us, and we look forward to the day we'll all be together in God's kingdom. Eternal rest grant unto them, 0 Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace. Amen.