From the Pastor - 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

August 27, 2021

Our readings today call us to pause for a moment and consider how we respond to God’s love for us each day.


Our Gospel recounts a dialogue between the Pharisees and Jesus. The Pharisees questioned why Jesus’ disciples did not practice the ritual washing before eating a meal.


Jesus’ response reminds us to ask ourselves ‘why.’ Why do we remain faithful to God’s commands? Why do we pray or go to Mass? Why do we participate in the sacraments? Why do we love others?


Often, we are living our faith a certain way out of obligation, fear, or duty. But Jesus reminds us that the greatest way to live out our faith is through love. Our faith has obligations to provide us opportunities to love, honor, and praise the Lord. They are meant to aid us on our personal journey with Jesus Christ.


St. James reminds us that every moment of each day is an opportunity to respond to God’s infinite love for us with love and gratitude in return.


If we approach our relationship with Jesus with this in mind, then we begin to realize that the gift of the Mass is an opportunity to worship God, the sacraments are ways to draw us closer to Him and His commandments are opportunities to love Him more faithfully.


And if we approach our day-to-day moments with this in mind, then we begin to see just how many blessings God has given us. Looking at life through the lens of gratitude helps us to see each moment as a gift with endless opportunities to respond in love.


This is how we ought to live our lives as Christian stewards — by recognizing our lives as a gift and an opportunity to love God in response to how He has loved us. (© Catholic Stewardship Consultants, 2021)


Pastoral Pondering – This weekend we celebrate catechetical Sunday which celebrates and recognizes the many volunteers and Catholic school teachers who give of themselves to participate in the Church’s mission of formation and education. The Church recognizes that parents are the primary teachers of their children, but they are not the only teachers. That role is also shared by the pastor and those who assist him in the catechetical aspects of parish ministry. Over 1,000 children are enrolled in the various catechetical efforts at St. Mark, and these efforts cannot take place without dedicated volunteers who selflessly give of their time and talent. We ask God to bless them abundantly for their generosity.


COVID Concerns – As of August 28th Mecklenburg County has proclaimed a mask mandate as a way to curb the increasing number of COVID cases. This mandate impacts public indoor spaces. Due to constitutional concerns and guarantees, the mandate does not apply to worship services. Nonetheless, we need to be mindful of the reality “on the ground”. Hence, we are making accommodation, as we did previously. In the Kerin center office area, folks are asked to wear a mask when they enter the building and remain in public spaces. At present, the mandate does not apply to formational ministry, so we will continue to follow the same protocols as our Catholic schools. The County proclamation also notes that those who cannot mask are not required to do so. We will continue to monitor the data and consult professionals regarding our protocols.


I would remind everyone that, thanks to a generous donor, we have been gifted with a very powerful air purification system in the Church. St. Mark school has received this as well. This system from Global Plasma Solutions is needlepoint bipolar ionization. It releases negative ions that bond with any viruses in the air and cancel out the proteins that cause the disease. The reality is at this point, we have moved from pandemic to endemic. These viruses are going to be with us, and finding new ways of battling them that allow people to live their lives is important. This filtration system adds an important layer of protection to our church building that helps keep everyone safe while they continue to offer fitting worship to God.



From the Pastor

From the Pastor - 2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

By John Putnam • January 16, 2026
Today’s readings provide clear and inspiring reminders of the most fundamental aspect of our identity — that of servants of our most high and holy God, His modern-day disciples, and stewards. John the Baptist recognized the holiness of Jesus and the response due to Him when he encountered Christ in person on the day they met at the Jordan River. His response, which we read in our Gospel passage from St. John was, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world… He is the one of whom I said, ‘A man is coming after me who ranks ahead of me because he existed before me.’” What a powerful description of our Lord and the place He should rightfully have in each of our lives. He is truly our Savior, the only one who can free us from our sinfulness. We are utterly and completely dependent on His power, love, and mercy. Therefore, He truly does “rank ahead” of us; he deserves to be first, above all other priorities and plans in our lives. Let us examine our daily lives and encourage our children to do the same. Does the way I spend my time reflect that God comes first? Do prayer and weekly Mass, regular confession, and time with my family “rank ahead” of everything else on my calendar? Do I use my talents, skills, and energy to serve my family, parish and community in thanksgiving and recognition that God’s kingdom ranks ahead of any other goals or ambitions? Do I spend my money and use my material possessions to glorify God? Challenge questions, to be sure. But questions worthy of our high calling as Christian stewards offered a glorious mission in service of our Lord and His kingdom. What will our response be? © Catholic Stewardship Consultants, 2025 Pastoral Pondering As I write this, I am just getting back from the Holy Land Pilgrimage with more than 20 of our seminarians. Spending the Octave of Christmas and celebrating the New Year in the Holy Land was very special and being with such a close-knit group was especially heartening. One of the questions that was posed before the pilgrimage began was, “Father, is it safe to go over there?” I can say without a doubt that it is safe to visit the Holy Land. We had no issues. What was sad was to see the Christian community suffering because of the lack of tourists. If you have the opportunity to go to the Holy Land, especially with Christopher Cross, I encourage you to go. The next scheduled trip is in March with Father Martinez. There are still slots available. We began the New Year on the Mount of Beatitudes with Mass and Holy Hour. One of the seminarians noted that it was amazing to the sermon of the Lord in the very place where He gave it while He was there on the altar in the monstrance. Another highlight was having two Masses in the Holy Sepulcher itself. Because of the size of the tomb, many in the group had to participate from the anteroom. One of the seminarians noted that it touched him deeply when the priest came out of the tomb to distribute Communion. “Literally, the Lord was coming out of the Tomb to give Himself to us.” For me personally, the Mass that we celebrated in Bethlehem in the Church of the Nativity complex was very moving. We celebrated Mass in the Chapel of St. Helena on the Feast of St. John the Apostle, just a short walk away from the grotto of the Nativity. The seminarians provided the music for the Mass, and it was “otherworldly”. I could feel the Lord’s presence and was overwhelmed with the reality that we were celebrating Christmas where Christmas was first celebrated. I have no doubt that the experience will impact the life and ministry of each of the seminarians who participated, especially those preparing for priestly or diaconal ordination this coming May. One cannot walk where Jesus walked without leaving with a new appreciation of all that He did for us.  Finally, thank you to all who made this pilgrimage possible. Through your kindness, you have enriched these men and helped them grow in their knowledge and love of Jesus Christ.

From the Pastor - Baptism of the Lord

By John Putnam • January 9, 2026
Today marks the close of the Christmas season, but before we return to Ordinary Time, we have one more great feast to celebrate — The Baptism of the Lord. Today’s feast is a perfect opportunity to consider the privileges and responsibilities we all share as Christian stewards by virtue of our own Baptism. At the moment of our Baptism, we became adopted sons and daughters of God, members of his holy, Catholic Church. Though we may not have realized it, the moment of our Baptism is also the moment we become Christian stewards, disciples of Jesus Christ, tasked with the work of following in His footsteps day by day and sharing the Gospel message with all those around us. In our second reading from the Acts of the Apostles, St. Peter gives us a glimpse of the person of Jesus we should imitate. “He went about doing good and healing all those oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.” We must live our lives like Jesus, seeking to do good to everyone we encounter; not just those in our inner circle of family and friends, but everyone in our community since the Father loves us all and Jesus sought out everyone with His saving message. In the Gospel passage from Matthew, we see yet another aspect of Jesus in action, this time as he humbly stands before John to be baptized by him. What humility and what willingness to unite Himself to us our Lord demonstrates by this act. We can do no less as we live out our daily lives as his disciples. And when we do strive with all our might to live out our Baptismal call to Christian stewardship, we will experience the deep honor of knowing that we, too, are God’s “beloved” sons and daughters “with whom He is well-pleased.” © Catholic Stewardship Consultants, 2025 Pastoral Pondering As many of you know, on December 17 Bishop Martin issued a pastoral letter concerning the reception of Holy Communion. In that letter, he directed that non-fixed altar rails and kneelers be removed no later than January 16. I want to acknowledge, very simply and honestly, that this has been difficult for many in our parish. I feel that weight as well. I love St. Mark, and I am grateful for the reverence and devotion so many of you show toward the Holy Eucharist. I do not take lightly the concerns, questions, or disappointment this has raised. I am also aware that some of the faithful have made use of the appropriate channels within the Church to petition for clarification or reconsideration, and those processes may continue. At the same time, as your pastor, I am entrusted with leading this parish in fidelity to the Church and her discipline in those matters that do not contradict Catholic law. While there are sincere and thoughtful discussions about posture for receiving Holy Communion, the current liturgical discipline in the United States indicates that Communion is ordinarily received standing, whether on the tongue or in the hand. It is important to state clearly that the right of an individual communicant to kneel remains fully intact, and no one may ever be denied Holy Communion for choosing to do so. Therefore, unless a suspensive decision is issued by the Bishop or by the Dicastery for Divine Worship, we will comply with the directive and remove the kneelers from around the sanctuary. To assist with the reverent and timely distribution of Holy Communion, we will also increase the number of Communion stations. I know this change will be challenging for some. It is not something I approach lightly. My hope is that we can carry this moment together, offering whatever frustration or sorrow we may feel as a personal sacrifice, united to Christ present in the Eucharist. Crosses come in many forms, and how we bear them matters greatly. Let us remain united in prayer and charity, so that anger, bitterness, or division never take root at St. Mark. The weight of the Bishop’s office is a heavy one. I pray for Bishop Martin daily, and I ask that you do the same. Bishop’s office is a heavy one. I pray for him everyday, and I hope that you will as well.  On a happier note, as we come to the end of the Christmas season, I want to thank everyone who dropped off Christmas greetings and goodies. Your kindness is very much appreciated.