From the Pastor – Feast of the Holy Family

January 1, 2018

From the Pastor – Feast of the Holy Family 2017

The primary purpose of The Feast of the Holy Family is to present the Holy Family as a model for Christian families.

In Italy there is a saying, “La famiglia é tutto,” which means, “the family is everything.” Our Holy Father Pope Francis has made families one of the focal points of his papacy. He organized a conference on families in 2015. Speaking to the gathered families, he said, “You cannot have a family without dreams. I am very fond of dreams in families. For nine months, every mother and father dream about their baby. They dream about what kind of child he or she will be… You can’t have a family without dreams. Once a family loses the ability to dream, children do not grow, love does not grow, life shrivels up and dies. So I ask you each evening, when you make your examination of conscience, to also ask yourselves this question: Today did I dream about my children’s future? Today did I dream about the love of my husband, my wife? Did I dream about my parents and grandparents who have gone before me?”

All of today’s readings have to do with families and family life. The reading from Sirach, our First Reading, emphasized the Fourth Commandment, “Honor thy father and mother.” We are commanded to respect and love our parents. However, it is a two-way street. The Gospel Reading speaks of the development of Jesus, and that should inspire parents to understand that our prayers are the same as the prayers of Joseph and Mary — that our children will become strong in spirit and filled with wisdom.

Pastoral Pondering

During the weeks before Christmas the other priests and high heard hundreds of first Confessions along with all of the other confessions that we hear on a weekly basis. One of the things that we started doing this year with the children seeking first reconciliation and first Communion was that the parents right a letter to me indicating the desire on their part for their children to receive the sacraments, but also, a commitment on their part to do what is necessary to provide their children with a truly Catholic formation. This commitment involves getting their children to Mass on Sundays and holy days and providing them opportunities for prayer and spiritual growth. The following admonition from the Rite of Baptism for Children encapsulates what’s expected of parents when they present a child for baptism:

“On your part [parents], you must make it your constant care to bring them up in the practice of the faith. See that the divine life which God gives them is kept safe from the poison of sin, to grow always stronger in their hearts.”

Parents today have a hard task. We live in a world that is hostile to the faith on many levels. Certainly, this is true for the majority of public universities and colleges, but, sadly, that attitude can also be found in schools of all levels and even in some that bear the name Catholic. Yet, in the midst of all of this, parents are not without spiritual support if they avail themselves of it.

The faith when it is faithfully lived at home and actively lived outside the home, is a potent antidote to the “spirit of this world.” Failing to provide that for our children is spiritually abusive because it places them on the battleground without providing them with the weapons they need to defend themselves and survive. It is heartbreaking, for example, to have a second-grader, confess that he or she missed Mass because mom and dad are too busy to take them. This is the minimum that should be expected of Catholic parents.

The minimum, of course, is not going to be enough is this time in history, however. The faith must be lived at home. It is not enough to send children to faith formation or Catholic school and expect them to simply absorb the faith as by osmosis. It simply does not work that way. Children learn from what the adults in their lives say and do. Baptism is not magic, and living the Christian life is hard work. But it is a labor of love and if done with faith and attention will bear great fruit.

If we want our families to be holy, we have to be holy. We can only be holy, when we do whatever He tells us. Happy New Year!

From the Pastor

From the Pastor - Third Sunday of Easter

By John Putnam • April 17, 2026
Today’s readings focus on a theme of “sojourning.” As Christian stewards, we know our lives are a sojourn toward the ultimate destination of heaven. Our Gospel passage today describes the sojourn of the two disciples on the road to Emmaus. The two are dejected and despondent after Jesus’ death. They knew Jesus personally. They had heard the Gospel message directly from His lips. They heard the testimony of the women who discovered our Lord’s empty tomb and saw a vision of angels announcing He was alive. They had been informed by other disciples who went to the tomb that all was exactly as the women reported. How much more obvious could the Good News be? And yet, at times, the reaction of the two disciples describes our own stewardship journey, doesn’t it? We have the fullness of the Catholic faith, the power of the sacraments, and the support of our parish family. Yet, we often lose our way. We fail to see all the gifts we have been given. We lack trust in the perfect goodness and almighty power of God. But notice what happens to the two men when their eyes are opened once again, and they recognize Jesus in the Eucharist — the “breaking of the bread.” They are transformed! Their hearts are set on fire with love for the Lord and for their faith. They recall that their hearts began “burning within” as the Lord was explaining the Scriptures to them. When we find we have lost our way, we can go to the same sources as the two disciples on the road to Emmaus — the Scriptures and the Eucharist. In this Easter season, resolve to feast deeply on these two sources of grace. They are the fuel that will propel us on our journey toward heaven. © Catholic Stewardship Consultants, 2026 Pastoral Pondering Returning to a review of Catholic teaching basics, as we move into Spring, we often see an increase in the number of weddings requested. Sadly, it is not uncommon these days to find couples choosing to live together prior to their marriage. Hence, I thought it would be a good idea to lay out the Church’s teaching on this matter in a concise way. Living Together Before Marriage: A Catholic Perspective From the Catholic Church’s teaching, living together (cohabitation) before marriage is morally wrong, primarily because it typically involves fornication —sexual relations outside of marriage—which is gravely sinful (CCC 2353). Human sexuality is a sacred gift ordered by God to the unitive and procreative purposes of marriage alone. Sexual intimacy outside marriage cannot express the total, faithful, and permanent self-giving that spouses vow in the sacrament. Instead, it says with the body what is not yet true in commitment: “I give myself to you completely and forever.” This makes the act a contradiction, contrary to the dignity of persons and God’s plan for love (see CCC 2391; USCCB resources on marriage preparation). Cohabitation also: Creates a near occasion of sin , placing the couple in a situation that strongly tempts them toward grave immorality. Gives scandal , leading others—especially the young—to doubt or dismiss the Church’s teaching on chastity and the sacredness of marriage. Treats marriage as a “trial” rather than the definitive covenant it is meant to be. True love “demands a total and definitive gift of persons to one another” and cannot be an arrangement “until further notice.” Additionally, studies cited by Catholic sources show that couples who cohabit before marriage face higher risks of divorce, instability, and weaker commitment compared to those who do not. The Church calls engaged couples to practice chastity in continence during preparation for marriage—an “apprenticeship in fidelity” that builds mutual respect and prepares them to receive the grace of the sacrament (CCC 2350). Priests, deacons and pastoral ministers accompany cohabiting couples with mercy and truth, encouraging them to live separately or chastely while preparing for a valid sacramental marriage. In a culture that often views cohabitation as practical or normal, the Church invites couples to witness the beauty of God’s design: chastity before marriage, followed by a joyful, lifelong union blessed by the sacrament. For more, see the Catechism of the Catholic Church (esp. 2331–2400).

From the Pastor - Divine Mercy Sunday

By John Putnam • April 10, 2026
The great feast of Easter has begun, Christian stewards. Let us rejoice and be glad! Just as we embraced the discipline and fasting of Lent, let us fully embrace the joy and feasting that the next 50 days offer. We are called to be good stewards of the Easter season. Our first reading, from Acts, gives instruction on how to do this. Here, St. Peter says that our Lord, “commissioned us to preach to the people and testify that he is the one appointed by God as judge of the living and the dead… that everyone who believes in him will receive forgiveness of sins through his name.” How do we ordinary people preach and testify to all God has done? We do so through how we live our ordinary lives — through the intentional use of our time, talent, and treasure for the kingdom of God. Putting God and others ahead of ourselves in every aspect of our lives is the most eloquent preaching we can do. Boldly and joyfully embracing a stewardship way of life is our most powerful testimony. As Christian stewards, we are the modern-day witnesses of an incredible miracle prompted by unfathomable love — the death and Resurrection of our Savior for us. Let us rejoice and be glad and let’s make sure our lives are a testimony to this amazing grace! © Catholic Stewardship Conference, 2026  HAPPY EASTER!