From the Pastor - Ascension of the Lord

May 10, 2024

We often cite Jesus’ quote from today’s Gospel of Mark: “Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature.” This was not a suggestion from the Lord. It was quite frankly a command, and it is one which still holds for each of us. Being an evangelist, being a disciple, being a steward is not a matter of choice for those of us who are Catholic and Christian. It is something the Lord expects of us.


Often, we may like to spend time debating how to do that, but that does not lessen the fact that it is something we are supposed to do. We need to acknowledge that even the original Apostles and followers of Jesus did not do that immediately. We learn that they stayed in Jerusalem for some time, and it seemed to be only when the Church and its followers were persecuted that they began to reach out and truly share the “Good News.”


Once Christians accepted that charge from the Lord, they did indeed take the Word of God to all corners of the earth. Look at the Church today. It is incredible how this Church has grown from one Man/God and a small group into what it is today. That does not, however, get us “off the hook.”


As much as we may argue about how to carry out this command from Jesus, the fact remains that our very lives need to stand as a representation of what it means to be a Christian, what it means to “love one another,” what it means to live and to work as a disciple of Christ. © Catholic Stewardship Consultants, 2024


Pastoral Pondering

Over the past couple of weeks, there has been a lot of attention in the news cycle concerning various pro-Palestinian protests on college campuses, including UNC Chapel Hill. Some have become violent and most, at the time I am writing this, have been addressed by law enforcement. However, I thought it would be a good time to recall the conflict in the Holy Land which is ongoing.

As a member of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulcher of Jerusalem, a papal chivalric and philanthropical order, I have a special concern for the plight of the Christians in the Holy Land. These brothers and sisters of ours are, in a very real way, caught between Scylla and Charybdis, the monsters of Odysseus Book XII. The Christians in the Holy Land are for the most part Palestinian, so they are often caught between the Islamists on the one hand and the Jewish community on the other. Their plight at times is very difficult.


The conflict that arose because of the atrocities perpetrated against Israelis on October 7th by the terrorist group Hamas, was to be expected, but we must always remember that in these conflicts, there are always innocent victims. The Holy Father, Pope Francis, has been consistent in calling for some type of settlement both in this conflict as well as the one in Ukraine so that deaths might be minimized, and the innocent might not become victims.


There are any number of forces who want world conflicts to be ongoing; some for ideological reasons, some for financial gain, and some, I’m sure, who operate out their own sense of righteousness. For us Christians, however, we are always called to pray for peace. We must do what we can to in instruments of peace in the world that seems more and more determined to self-destruct in one way or another.


Please pray for the Christian community in the Holy Land. Pray that they might be protected in the midst of the fighting and pray that peace may soon be restored.



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.