From the Pastor -The Ascension of the Lord

June 2, 2019

From the Pastor -The Ascension of the Lord

On this Feast of the Ascension, we celebrate Christ’s triumphant return to the Father after perfectly accomplishing His mission on earth. But we also can also view this Feast as a celebration of the “launch day” of our commissioning as Christ’s disciples.

Today’s Gospel draws our attention to the clear instructions that Jesus gave His disciples (and to us) just before ascending to the Father: “Thus it is written that the Christ would suffer and rise from the dead on the third day and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins, would be preached in his name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things."

Embracing a stewardship way of life, with its emphasis on the use of time, talent and treasure, helps us to live in such a way that our very lives speak as a witness of the Good News of the Gospel. While we take time to reflect and renew our commitments in these three areas annually as a parish family, it is of great benefit to take some time individually throughout the year to take stock of the commitments we have made — looking at both our strengths and our need for continued growth in each area.

On this Feast of our "launch day," take some time to celebrate your victories as Christ’s disciples and renew your commitment to remain faithful to Him and the unique mission He has entrusted to you!

Pastoral Pondering

Stained Glass Windows – Several folks have asked when all of the windows will be installed and in what order. I would expect all of them would be installed by Christmas They are being created based on when they were sponsored. As of this writing, seven windows have been installed. The remaining windows are scheduled to be installed in the following order: Carrying of the Cross, Institution of the Eucharist, the Resurrection, the Descent of the Holy Spirit, the Visitation, the Annunciation, the Proclamation of the Kingdom, the Transfiguration, the Assumption, the Crowning with Thorns, the Old Testament (Moses and the Law), the Baptism, the Coronation of Mary, the Scourging at the Pillar, and the New Testament (Catholic Church).

Matters of Faith — One would, in general, be told to avoid a field containing land mines. However, if the goal of life is on the other side of the field, what is one supposed to do? One would have to get across that field! I have had a number of parents ask be about the morality of video games, especially Fortnite. In all honesty, my video playing days ended with Donkey Kong, Mario Brothers, and Pac Man. Nevertheless, we do believe in moral principles that can be used to evaluate any human behavior or activity.

Recently, I came across a very good article by John Horvat II. He is the author of Return to Order which was recently published. The article appeared in the May 16, 2019 internet release from Crisis Magazine ( crisismagazine.com ). Mr. Horvat is a very good writer, and he makes some very salient points that deserve consideration, not only about Fortnite but about any number of cultural fads and trends that, from a moral perspective, we often ignore.

The author asks three fundamental moral questions: “Is Fortnite sinful? Does it lead to sinful acts? Can playing it be sinful?” In responding to these questions, Horvat notes that “the best way to judge Fortnite is to analyze its bad effects.” According to Northwestern Medicine (nm.org), the bad effects include: 1. Gaming can be addictive, 2. Gaming can lead to relationship problems, 3. Gaming may reduce time spent on physical activity, and 4. Live chat features can expose kids to negative socialization and allow them to be victimized by strangers over the internet. The same website identified two positive effects: 1) enhancing creativity, and 2) improving social skills.

Anecdotally, the bad effects, according to Horvat, result in various behaviors including: “children (especially boys) not sleeping due to playing the game. Players isolate themselves and often become rude, violent and uncharitable. Some gain weight for lack of exercise, others lose weight due to refusing to eat because of intense game playing. Some steal money to pay for the game’s accessories. The stress on families is severe as gamers lose interest in family affairs, disobey parents and create conflicts.”

One can say clearly, that these bad effects involve sin in one form or another. Hence, the evaluation of the moral appropriateness of playing Fortnite or any other game would be whether or not they result in behaviors that offend God by acting contrary to the order that He put in society. While not sinful in itself, the game itself is designed to psychologically captivate players. It convinces players that they were close to victory, and a win is eminent. They didn’t lose, but they “almost won”. This same logic contributes to gambling addictions. Players lose control of moderation, which can lead to sloth and gluttony.

In discussions with our Middle Schoolers, we have also discovered that bullying through live chat and in person are prevalent among our own children at St. Mark. Most of our Middle Schoolers are playing Fortnite, especially the boys, and when, during Edge, they anonymously wrote down bullying comments they’ve received or have said to another, a large number of them shared bullying others and/or being bullied about their Fortnite abilities.

One could also consider the amount of violence, the portals or associated websites of some games that connect with or provide access to pornography or other sinful material. We are all called to be people of virtue, because the virtues provide the antidote to the seven deadly sins. Lest we forget what they are, the seven deadly sins include: pride, anger, avarice, lust, gluttony, sloth, and envy. The seven virtues that are set forth to counteract the deadly are: humility, patience, charity, chastity, temperance, diligence, and kindness. One can find any number of listings, but the conclusion is clear, we need to be virtuous to avoid sin.

Hence, whether it is Fortnite, Social Media, or any other type of activity, most of which are not sinful in themselves, parents and those who take their place, should always evaluate how the activity in question impacts the person’s ability to love God and love their neighbor. Does this or that help the child to become more loving, more Godly and more other-centered or does it lead to the opposite. Is it a good use of time? Parents can (and probably should) make use of parental controls and monitor who their children are connecting with over gaming and social media platforms. Vigilance in our technological society is always necessary. There is a lot in the world that can be beneficial to be sure, but there are also many things that can be detrimental. For the disciple of Christ, we must always evaluate what we say and do against who we are before God and who we are called to be before our fellow human beings.

From the Pastor

By John Putnam June 6, 2025
Today we reach the finale of the Easter season with the celebration of the great Feast of Pentecost. Reflecting on today’s readings, inspires a sense of awe as we consider the mighty power of the Holy Spirit at work giving birth to and sustaining our Church. Just as awesome — the same Spirit is calling to us this day to take up our part in the Church’s saving work. In the first reading, from Acts, we see the creative genius of the Holy Spirit moving through the newly confirmed Apostles “who began to speak in different tongues as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim.” The large crowd, gathered from all over the world were “amazed” and “astounded” that each one could understand the Apostles speaking in their own language. Each one of us, young and old alike, is personally called today by the Holy Spirit into the same mission as that of the first Apostles — to advance the Kingdom of God in our corner of the world. Just as He did on that Pentecost day, the Holy Spirit speaks to us in our “own language” to give us the Good News of the Gospel and urge us to share it. We can think of our own language as the particular gifts, talents, and passions we possess. We experience the presence of the Holy Spirit through them and we are meant to put them to work in grateful service of the Kingdom of God. When we consider the stewardship way of life we are called to live, we often focus on the challenges it poses. Surrendering ourselves to God is indeed a challenging way to live. But it leads to a life that is exciting, creative, and deeply rewarding. Stewardship allows us to experience life as a great adventure because it is a life guided and directed by the very source of power and creativity— the Holy Spirit! © Catholic Stewardship Consultants, 2025 Pastoral Pondering At the dawn of creation, the Spirit hovered over the waters (Genesis 1:2). In that very moment, God breathed life into the world. That same breath, that same Spirit, was breathed into the apostles when Jesus said, "Receive the Holy Spirit.” (John 20:22) The Holy Spirit is not an abstract force. He is the breath of God , the Giver of Life, who animates the Church and renews our hearts. Without the Spirit, we are like dry bones in a desert. With Him, we are brought to life and made new. In the Acts of the Apostles, the Spirit descends upon the disciples like tongues of fire, and they begin to speak in different languages. But notice this: though they spoke in many tongues, they all understood one another . The Spirit doesn’t cause confusion—He brings unity. In a world divided by language, culture, politics, and pride, the Holy Spirit builds communion. He makes us one body in Christ. He does not erase our differences, but He harmonizes them. As St. Paul says, “There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit.” We are each unique, with our own gifts and personalities. But the Holy Spirit brings those together for the common good of the Church. Unity in diversity—that is the hallmark of the Spirit. The apostles were afraid and hiding before the Spirit came. But when the Spirit descended, they were transformed. Cowards became courageous. Fishermen became preachers. Ordinary men became saints. That is what the Holy Spirit does. We too are sent—into our families, our workplaces, our communities. We are sent to proclaim the Gospel not always with words, but with our lives. We are called to be witnesses of mercy, joy, and truth in a world desperately thirsting for God. And the good news is: we are not alone . The Spirit is our Advocate, our Helper, our Strength. He prays in us when we do not know how to pray. He inspires, guides, convicts, and consoles. Let us open our hearts more fully to the Holy Spirit. Invite Him into your life daily. Ask Him to stir up in you the gifts of wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord. Let us not treat the Holy Spirit as a distant mystery, but as a close companion. Let us walk by the Spirit, live by the Spirit, and be on fire with the Spirit.  Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful, and enkindle in them the fire of your love. Amen.
By John Putnam May 30, 2025
On this Feast of the Ascension, we celebrate Christ’s triumphant return to the Father after perfectly accomplishing His mission on earth. But we also can also view this Feast as a celebration of the “launch day” of our commissioning as Christ’s disciples. Today’s Gospel draws our attention to the clear instructions that Jesus gave His disciples (and to us) just before ascending to the Father: “Thus it is written that the Christ would suffer and rise from the dead on the third day and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins, would be preached in his name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things." Embracing a stewardship way of life, with its emphasis on the use of time, talent and treasure, helps us to live in such a way that our very lives speak as a witness of the Good News of the Gospel. While we take time to reflect and renew our commitments in these three areas annually as a parish family, it is of great benefit to take some time individually throughout the year to take stock of the commitments we have made — looking at both our strengths and our need for continued growth in each area. On this Feast of our "launch day," take some time to celebrate your victories as Christ’s disciples and renew your commitment to remain faithful to Him and the unique mission He has entrusted to you! © Catholic Stewardship Consultants, 2025 Pastoral Pondering In Matthew 28:20 Jesus reminds the apostles, “I am with you always, to the end of the age.” I have always taken great strength and consolation from these words. They are foreshadowed in the Old Testament in Isaiah 41:20: “Fear not for I am with you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous hand.” These are words from a God who loves us and who desires our good. A God who desires to make His dwelling with us and to inspire us to live lives worthy of Himself. They are words that help us prepare ourselves to celebrate Pentecost and to be open to the work of the Holy Spirit in us and among us.  Next Saturday evening, we will celebrate the Rite of Confirmation and Reception into Full Communion with our candidates who have been participating in the OCIA process. Please keep them in your prayers and help them find their place within our parish community. In the morning next Saturday, we are privileged to host the diaconate ordination for seven of our diocesan seminarians. As noted previously, one of them, Michael Lugo, will be with us for the summer. This parish is phenomenal in helping these young men find their “ministerial feet” so to speak. And we always welcome the opportunity to be blessed with their enthusiasm and energy. Finally, the Diocese has approved our moving into the construction phase for the rectory project. The prep work has already been done, and the actual building phase should begin in the next few weeks. This weekend, we are making a final push to reach our campaign goal. If you have not done so, we need your help and participation. The goal is doable and, together we can accomplish much. Assuming our fundraising keeps apace our hope is to begin the main-campus project next summer. Between now and then we will be doing some evaluations and, where necessary, value engineering to help us stay on track with the plan.
More Posts