From the Pastor - Solemnity of the Assumption

August 13, 2021

Today we celebrate the Assumption of Mary — the moment she was taken up, body and soul, into heaven. This day reveals much about our Holy Mother. Next to her Divine Son, Mary truly is the model steward for us as we journey through this life.


Our Gospel recounts the story of Mary visiting her cousin Elizabeth who was soon to deliver John the Baptist. Mary truly is a dwelling place for Christ. Even baby John the Baptist noticed as he leaped in his mother’s womb upon Mary’s greeting! We too are called to be a dwelling place for the Lord. Yet for Christ to dwell in us, we must prepare our hearts for Him.


Mary was prepared for Christ to reside in her, and her Magnificat expresses how we can imitate her and prepare a place for Christ in ourselves: “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord…”


How can we proclaim the ‘greatness of the Lord?’ It is simply by how we choose to live our lives. Each day is an opportunity to grow as a disciple of Christ. We can choose to rise each day in prayer, respond to those around us in kindness, serve in our vocations and occupations from a place of love and selflessness, and use our gifts and talents for the glory of God.


As we reflect on the life of Mary today, let us strive to imitate her in proclaiming the greatness of God by how we live our lives. Let us celebrate her as our Mother, our Queen, and a Model Steward. She is not distant or out of reach, rather, she is as close to us as a mother to her baby — constantly watching, interceding, and guiding us to be with her Divine Son in eternal life. © Catholic Stewardship Consultants, 2021


Pastoral Pondering

This weekend we have the opportunity to celebrate the Assumption of Our Lady. These solemnities occur infrequently on Sunday, so when they do, it’s a great opportunity to celebrate as a parish. This weekend as well, we are celebrating Father Gámez as he prepares to move to his new assignment in Winston-Salem. While his assignment there does not begin until the end of the month, until them he will be assisting primarily at St. Thomas.


Understandably, over the past several months, I have received a number of inquiries regarding various movements or trends that are going on in the wider culture, especially Critical Race Theory and the various gender theories. With that in mind, I thought it would be wise to present how the Church responds to such things. If one tries, it is usually possible to see both positives and negatives in these trends and movements; however, we must always seek to apply the eternal truths that have been passed down to us so as to be authentically Christian in response to the culture in which we live.


For the Church racism is a moral issue and needs to be evaluated in light of Catholic Social Teaching. Hence, there are aspects of Critical Race Theory (CRT) about which both Catholics and non-Catholics can agree. Namely, we can certainly agree on the importance of confronting racism, reaching out to and supporting the poor, under-privileged and poor, addressing social and economic inequalities, and actively fighting human exploitation. Each of these problems are concern because they undermine our Catholic view of the human person as having inherent dignity and being created in the image and likeness of God. Hence, our language when dealing with these wrongs arises from those core beliefs.


As Catholics, we believe that sin is an act of a person (CCC, 1868). Even when institutions or society participate in that which is immoral, it is still the work of individuals; albeit, in an accumulated manner. While it is true to say that in some instances, there needs to be a change in society as a whole, in the end such change only occurs one person, one soul at a time. Moreover, while recognizing the reality of historical sin, the Church does not believe that the offspring of those involved are culpable for the “sins of their fathers”. Christ reminds us of this in His preaching and teaching. This is where Catholic teaching would diverge from the political aspects of CRT because while CRT argues that the descendants of slave owners, for example, are responsible for the sins committed in the past and, therefore, they too are guilty due to the color of their skin, the Church would oppose such a view as not in harmony with the Gospel and Catholic Social Teaching.


As Catholics we are called to respond to those in need with the love of Christ and to oppose anything that contradicts that love. Seeking to restore a properly ordered society where each human being is treated with the dignity with which he or she is created is our aim. Sadly, in the current forms of CRT in the public arena, we often see other forms of discrimination being justified based on discrimination from the past. As the saying goes, “two wrongs don’t make a right”; hence, we are called to work against discrimination in all its forms and seek each day to recognize the dignity in each and every person.



An authentically Catholic approach to these matters then, begins and ends with the human person always guided by the light of God’s grace. We are called to be that hands and feet of Christ and look for opportunities to alleviate suffering wherever we find it; to respond with love when we encounter the hatred and anger that seems to be so pervasive throughout our society these days.

From the Pastor

From the Pastor - Second Sunday of Advent

By John Putnam • December 5, 2025
On this Second Sunday of Advent, our second reading from St. Paul’s letter to the Romans encourages us to focus our Advent preparations in this way: “Welcome one another, then, as Christ welcomed you, for the glory of God.” And how does Christ welcome us? With unconditional love. This is the essence of Christian hospitality, a vital aspect of stewardship living. Fully embraced, it has the power to transform our lives and the lives of those who experience it through us. The practice of Christian hospitality is also a way for us stewards to answer the call of John the Baptist, in our Gospel passage from Matthew. His words apply just as much to us today as they did to the people awaiting the Savior’s arrival. John says, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” And he recalls the words of the prophet Isaiah, “Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths.” There is a definite connection between repentance and effective hospitality. So how can we make repentance a regular part of our everyday lives? We can make an “examination of conscience” a daily part of our prayers, thanking God for the times we said “yes” to Him, and asking forgiveness for the times we chose our own will. We can (and should!) go to Confession this Advent. We can reach out to a family member or friend where there is distance or discord and make peace. As we “straighten the paths” of our own hearts and minds, we become more hospitable people, better stewards of God’s grace and mercy, and far more open and ready to invite others into our lives, homes, and parish. This is preparation fitting for our merciful Savior. © Catholic Stewardship Consultants, 2025 Pastoral Pondering Pope Leo XIV, the 267th Bishop of Rome, undertook his inaugural apostolic journey abroad from November 27 to December 2, 2025. This six-day itinerary encompassed Turkey (November 27–30) and Lebanon (November 30–December 2), marking a deliberate choice of destinations in the Middle East amid ongoing regional conflicts and global ecclesiastical anniversaries. As the successor to Pope Francis, who had planned a similar trip before his passing in April 2025, Leo XIV’s voyage fulfills a commitment to ecumenical and inter-religious engagement while advancing themes central to his nascent papacy: peace, unity, and dialogue. Historical and Ecumenical Significance in Turkey The Turkish leg of the journey centered on İznik (ancient Nicaea), where Pope Leo XIV participated in commemorations of the 1,700th anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea (325 AD). This ecumenical council, convened by Emperor Constantine I, produced the Nicene Creed—a foundational statement of Christian faith affirming the divinity of Christ and shared by Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant traditions. The event underscored the common heritage of Christianity, with Leo XIV joining Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople for a joint declaration and doxology at the Patriarchal Church of Saint George in Istanbul. This collaboration highlights efforts to bridge the schism between the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches, echoing historical papal visits to Turkey (e.g., by Popes Paul VI in 1967 and Benedict XVI in 2006). In a broader context, the visit to predominantly Muslim Turkey (where Christians constitute less than 0.5% of the population) served as a gesture of interfaith outreach. Key moments included a prayer at Istanbul’s Blue Mosque—though Leo XIV refrained from visibly praying there, distinguishing his approach from predecessors—and a meeting with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Discussions addressed tensions over sites like the Hagia Sophia, reconverted to a mosque in 2020, and emphasized mutual respect amid Turkey’s role as a crossroads of early Christianity and St. Paul’s homeland. The pilgrimage thus reinforced the papacy’s commitment to fostering “what unites us” over divisions, as articulated by Vatican spokespersons. Humanitarian and Diplomatic Significance in Lebanon Transitioning to Lebanon, Pope Leo XIV’s itinerary addressed the nation’s profound challenges: economic collapse since 2019, the devastating 2020 Beirut port explosion (which killed over 200 and displaced thousands), and renewed violence from Israeli airstrikes in 2024 targeting Hezbollah positions, despite a fragile Gaza ceasefire. Lebanon’s Christian community, the largest in the Arab world (comprising 30–35% of the population), faces emigration and instability, making the visit a vital affirmation of solidarity. Notable engagements included meetings with President Joseph Aoun, Parliament Speaker, Nabih Berri, and Prime Minister, Nawaf Salam; an inter-religious prayer at Beirut’s port memorializing explosion victims; and visits to the tomb of St. Charbel and the statue of Our Lady of Lebanon. An open-air Mass at Beirut’s waterfront, anticipated to draw 120,000 attendees, symbolized communal resilience. Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem extended a formal welcome, delivering a letter via group members and framing the visit as an opportunity for dialogue on regional peace. This outreach to Muslim-majority Lebanon (65–70% Muslim) amplified Leo XIV’s message of coexistence, drawing parallels to Pope John Paul II’s 1997 visit and Benedict XVI’s in 2012 amid the Syrian civil war. Broader Geopolitical and Papal Implications Occurring against the backdrop of a “piecemeal” third world war—encompassing Ukraine, Gaza, and Middle Eastern flashpoints—Leo XIV’s journey positioned the Holy See as a moral voice for de-escalation. In addresses, he invoked his predecessor Pope Francis’s warnings on humanity’s endangered future, urging world leaders to prioritize peace negotiations. The trip’s timing, covered by over 80 journalists from 15 countries (including major U.S. networks), amplified its global resonance, particularly as the first foreign voyage of an American pope. Symbolically, selecting Muslim-majority nations for his debut underscores a pontificate rooted in Augustinian spirituality (Leo XIV being the first from the Order of Saint Augustine) and social teaching, echoing Pope Leo XIII’s emphasis on justice in industrialized eras. It signals continuity with Francis’s bridge-building while introducing Leo XIV’s vision: unity across faiths, support for persecuted minorities, and advocacy for the vulnerable. By December 2, 2025, the visit had already prompted reflections on its potential to influence fragile truces and inter-communal harmony in the region.  This apostolic journey, therefore, transcends ceremonial bounds, serving as a strategic affirmation of the Catholic Church’s role in promoting global stability and religious solidarity.

From the Pastor - First Sunday of Advent

By John Putnam • December 2, 2025
Today we begin the beautiful season of Advent — a season of preparation. For what are we preparing? The celebration of the birth of our Savior, and the anticipation of His second coming. These are weighty tasks with eternal consequences. So, let us as Christian stewards make the words of the Prophet Isaiah our motto for the season: “Come, let us climb the Lord’s mountain to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may instruct us in his ways and we may walk in his paths.” In the weeks leading up to Christmas, it seems everywhere we turn we are pushed to spend more, do more, entertain more, and generally rush around at a frantic pace — all to create a “perfect” Christmas day. In contrast to this worldly pressure, the Church’s guidance to use these weeks as a time to focus on our spiritual lives can indeed seem like a mountain climb. But the intentional and wise use of the gift of time is exactly what the Christian steward is called to do, and with even greater intensity during Advent. How can we use our time to prepare for a holy celebration of Jesus’ birth on Dec. 25 and for his second coming at a date we do not know? We can push back against the world’s pressure to have the “perfect Christmas.” Scale back on the material kind of gift-giving, the complicated menus, the unessential trappings of the season so that we have more time for the spiritual preparations: Confession, weekday Mass, adoration, family prayer time, lighting the Advent wreath, acts of kindness. It may feel like a mountain climb, but in the end, we will be prepared to celebrate a truly meaningful Christmas, we will have become more like our Savior, and we will be ready for Him to come again. Let’s go climb the Lord’s mountain! © Catholic Stewardship Consultants, 2025 From the Pastor Advent brings a time of new beginning. A new liturgical year is upon us, but it is also a time to prepare our hearts for something – for the coming of the Lord. The first weeks of Advent focus on the Lord’s coming at the end of time, and the latter weeks of Advent focus on preparing to celebrate His coming at the Nativity. Both, however, are interconnected. The first coming of the Lord facilitates His coming into our hearts, which, in the end, facilitates His second coming to judge the living and the dead. The “in between” of these two comings is where time and eternity come together. We are called to live each day in expectation of His coming. We are called to hope for His coming and to expect it even when it seems long delayed. It is in this expectation that we must learn to live our lives. Daily life is messy and unpredictable. We must deal with disappointments, sickness and loss. Yet, we do so as people of hope who know that in these crosses, there lies ultimate joy because of the love of the Father who sent his Son to love us to the end. As we begin a new journey in a new liturgical year, let us do so with joyful expectation. Knowing that the end of the journey, if we are faithful, is paradise.