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

From the Pastor - Ascension of the Lord

By John Putnam • May 15, 2026
Today we celebrate the great feast of the Ascension of our Lord — that moment when Jesus, 40 days after His Resurrection, was lifted up into heaven as the apostles looked on. It must have been an extraordinary sight. But the first reading tells us they were not meant to stand there for long. “Men of Galilee, why are you standing there looking at the sky?” In other words — don’t just stand there. Do something. This is a message for us as Christian stewards. We have been given every grace and blessing — through the Mass and the sacraments, through the Word of God, and through the gifts of our time, talent, and treasure. We are not meant to simply receive these gifts. We are meant to use them — in gratitude to the One who gave them. Like the apostles, we are called “to be [His] witnesses… to the ends of the earth.” And we do this not by our own strength, but through the power of the Holy Spirit at work within us. © Catholic Stewardship Consultants, 2026 Pastoral Pondering Just War Theory: The Catholic Moral Framework for Armed Conflict Just War Theory is one of the most important and carefully developed areas of Catholic moral theology. It does not glorify war — quite the opposite. The Catechism begins its section on war with a solemn reminder that "the fifth commandment forbids the intentional destruction of human life," and because of the evils and injustices that accompany all war, the Church insistently urges everyone to prayer and action so that God may free us from the ancient bondage of war. And yet, while war always involves evils, sometimes the choice not to engage in war can be an even greater evil — and this is the theory behind the Church's teaching that a nation *can* wage a just war. Historical Roots The theory of when and how war can be morally justified goes back at least to the pre-Christian Roman orator Cicero, and was taken up by St. Ambrose, then systematically developed by St. Augustine. Augustine's account was later refined by St. Thomas Aquinas, whose rendering was normative for Catholic theorists from the Middle Ages onward. The Second Vatican Council re-presented the classical account, placing much greater emphasis on the avoidance of war and offering a forceful condemnation of weapons of mass destruction. The current Catechism (CCC 2307–2317) develops this by conceiving war as a means of legitimate societal self-defense. Two Dimensions of Justice in War The Catholic Church distinguishes between two types of justice concerning war: jus ad bellum (justice before the war) and jus in bello (justice during the war). Most discussion focuses on jus ad bellum — the four conditions inherited from St. Augustine that determine whether going to war is justified. Jus in bello refers to how the war is actually conducted once it has begun. It is entirely possible for a country to fight a war that meets the jus ad bellum conditions for being just, and yet to fight that war *unjustly* — by targeting innocent civilians or dropping bombs indiscriminately. The Four Conditions for a Just War (CCC 2309) As long as the danger of war persists and no international authority has sufficient power to prevent it, governments cannot be denied the right of lawful self-defense once all peace efforts have failed. The strict conditions for legitimate defense by military force require that all four of the following be met simultaneously : 1. The damage inflicted by the aggressor on the nation or community of nations must be lasting, grave, and certain . 2. All other means of putting an end to it must have been shown to be impractical or ineffective . 3. There must be serious prospects of success . 4. The use of arms must not produce evils and disorders graver than the evil to be eliminated. These are hard conditions to fulfill, and with good reason — the Church teaches that war should always be the last resort. Justice During War (Jus in Bello) Even in a just war, moral law does not evaporate on the battlefield. The Church and human reason both assert the permanent validity of the moral law during armed conflict — "the mere fact that war has regrettably broken out does not mean that everything becomes licit between the warring parties." Noncombatants, wounded soldiers, and prisoners must be respected and treated humanely. Actions deliberately contrary to the law of nations are crimes, as are the orders that command them. Blind obedience does not excuse those who carry them out. The extermination of a people, nation, or ethnic minority must be condemned as a mortal sin — and one is morally bound to resist orders that command genocide. As the Catechism states clearly: "Every act of war directed to the indiscriminate destruction of whole cities or vast areas with their inhabitants is a crime against God and man, which merits firm and unequivocal condemnation." Catholics in the Armed Forces A Catholic who serves in the armed forces must discern the morality of any conflict. If ordered to commit an intrinsically evil act — such as the direct killing of an unarmed civilian or the torture of a prisoner of war — a Catholic soldier must *refuse* that order, even if it is legal and even if punishment results. The Challenge of Modern Warfare Pope John Paul II suggested that the threshold for a just war has been raised very high by the existence of weapons of mass destruction. Cardinal Ratzinger (later Pope Benedict XVI) went even further, asking "whether as things stand, with new weapons that cause destruction that goes well beyond the groups involved in the fight, it is still licit to allow that a 'just war' might exist."  Just War Theory is not a loophole for violence — it is a moral fence around it. The presumption always begins with peace. War is a tragic concession to human sinfulness, never a first resort, and always bound by the permanent demands of justice and human dignity.

From the Pastor - Sixth Sunday of Easter

By Lauren Rupar • May 15, 2026
On this sixth Sunday of Easter, our readings remind us that God must come first in our lives, and that love of God is shown through concrete actions — this is precisely why the stewardship way of life is so necessary. Our second reading, from St. Peter, challenges us to “Sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts.” In other words, we are to put Christ above all else. His role is not only as Savior — as essential as that is — but as Lord of our lives. As His disciples, we are called to place Him at the center of everything — our time, our talent, and our treasure. The beauty of the stewardship way of life is that it gives us a concrete way to live this out. It allows us to demonstrate that Christ truly is Lord of our lives, because love is not merely a feeling. “Whoever has my commandments and observes them is the one who loves me,” Jesus tells us in our Gospel from John. True love is an act of the will. It requires obedience, humility, and deep trust in God. But the reward is extraordinary. Christ tells us, “Whoever loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and reveal myself to him.” Could there be anything more fulfilling than living in such a way that the God of the universe reveals Himself more fully to us? © Catholic Stewardship Consultants, 2026 Pastoral Pondering Lately, with various discussions in the news, particularly with regard to a recent perceived back and forth between the Holy Father and President Trump, the issue of Catholic teaching and the authority of that teaching has come up. Hence, I thought it might be helpful to outline the levels of magisterial teaching in an effort to help folks navigate the different types of teaching along with the required response to each level. Summary: Levels of Magisterial Teaching The Catholic Church teaches with Christ’s authority through the Magisterium , but not all teachings carry the same weight or demand the same level of assent. Understanding these distinctions helps Catholics know how to respond faithfully to Church teaching. 1. Solemn Definitions (Extraordinary Magisterium) These are infallible dogmas formally defined by an ecumenical council or by the pope speaking ex cathedra. They concern truths revealed by God (e.g., the Immaculate Conception, the Assumption). Required response : The assent of faith. Denial is heresy. 2. Ordinary Universal Magisterium Teachings consistently and universally held by the bishops in communion with the pope, even without a formal definition. When universal agreement is clear, these teachings are also infallible (e.g., the intrinsic evil of abortion, male-only priesthood). Required response : The assent of faith. Denial is heresy. 3. Definitive Teachings (Non‑Revealed but Certain) Teachings proposed definitively because they are necessary to safeguard or explain divine revelation, even if not themselves formally revealed (e.g., canonizations, invalidity of Anglican orders). Required response: Definitive assent. Denial is grave error, though not heresy. 4. Authoritative but Non‑Definitive Teaching Non‑infallible teachings of the pope or bishops, such as many encyclicals or pastoral directives. Required response : Religious submission of intellect and will — a sincere openness and respect, not casual dismissal. 5. Prudential Judgments and Pastoral Applications Concrete applications of moral principles to specific situations (e.g., policy approaches in economics or immigration). Required response: Respectful consideration. Legitimate disagreement is possible. Why this matters : Recognizing these levels avoids two extremes—treating all Church teaching as optional opinion (laxism) or treating every Church statement as infallible dogma (rigorism). The Church teaches as a structured, living authority guided by the Holy Spirit, calling for responses proportionate to the level of teaching involved.