From the Pastor - 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time

August 11, 2023

Stewardship spirituality invites us to surrender control of our lives to God in grateful recognition that all that we have is a gift from Him.

 

While today’s readings remind us that, of course, God is always in control of His creation and His creatures, they illustrate what amazing things can happen when we fully permit God to take charge of our lives — in other words, what can happen when we embrace the stewardship way of life.

 

When we take our eyes off God, we fail to see that all is gift from Him, we lose trust in Him and we do not make our lives a grateful response to Him.

 

Peter makes this mistake in our Gospel passage from Matthew. Jesus sends the disciples in a boat ahead of Him to the other side of the shore. Later that evening, Jesus casually strolls up to the boat, walking on the sea. He invites Peter to join Him. As Peter begins to walk on the water, he momentarily takes his eyes off Jesus to notice the strong wind surrounding them. With that, he sinks.

 

But what if Peter had not taken his eyes off Christ? What a grand adventure he could have had out there walking on the sea with Jesus! When we take our eyes off Christ, the many blessings He has given us, and the loving way He treats us, we sink, too.

 

But when we embrace the stewardship way of life, letting go of a tight hold over our money, time, and talents, our lives become a grand adventure, rooted firmly and gratefully in the God Who always cares for us. ©Catholic Stewardship Consultants, 2023

 

Pastoral Pondering

As I write this, I have just returned from my pilgrimage to Fatima. It was a beautiful experience, as always, and you were all in my prayers. For those of you who wrote petitions for me to take along, I left them with Our Lady in Cova da Iria. As my time there was coming to an end, Portugal was gearing up for World Youth Day. There were a significant number of groups that arrived early to spend time in Fatima with Our Lady. On the last night that I was able to participate in the candlelight procession, I was struck by the joy and happiness that radiated from all of those youthful faces. It was uplifting and made me smile. It is nice to know that so many young people love Our Lord and Our Lady in these confusing and uncertain times.

 

It seems like any time I go on pilgrimage, there are various questions that come up casually over a meal or during some activity. One of the questions that I was asked had to do with the priestly (and diaconal) promise of obedience during the rite of ordination. From that discussion, it appears that a number of folks are unsure of the difference that a priest or deacon makes during his ordination and the vow of obedience that is made by a consecrated religious during his or her religious profession. With that in mind, I thought I’d offer a few brief notes.

 

Consecrated religious persons take a vow of obedience to his or her superior at the time of the religious profession. The Code of Canon Law describes this vow in this way: “The evangelical counsel of obedience, undertaken in a spirit of faith and love in the following of Christ obedient unto death, requires the submission of the will to legitimate superiors, who stand in the place of God, when they command according to the proper constitutions (canon 601). The Catechism described the evangelical counsels as the “perfection of charity” (see CCC ¶ 1973-1974).

 

Priests who are not religious, on the other hand, do not take vows. Rather, a priest at ordination makes a promise of obedience to his bishop. The Catechism in paragraph 1567 describes that promise as follows: “The priests, prudent cooperators of the episcopal college and its support and instrument, called to the service of the People of God, constitute, together with their bishop, a unique sacerdotal college (presbyterium) dedicated, it is true, to a variety of distinct duties. In each local assembly of the faithful they represent, in a certain sense, the bishop, with whom they are associated in all trust and generosity; in part they take upon themselves his duties and solicitude and in their daily toils discharge them.” Priests can exercise their ministry only in dependence on the bishop and in communion with him. The promise of obedience they make to the bishop at the moment of ordination and the kiss of peace from him at the end of the ordination liturgy mean that the bishop considers them his co-workers, his sons, his brothers and his friends, and that they in return owe him love and obedience.”

 

The submission of the will of a consecrated to religious is different then from the promise of obedience made at ordination. In both the expectation would be one of mutuality and respect, but the religious place themselves completely in the hands of the religious superior. Secular priests, on the other hand, are dependent on their bishop for their ministry, but there are also rights and obligations that provide the framework of the relationship. A bishop, for example, may tell a priest that he will be transferred from one pastorate to another. The priest is not obligated to accept such a transfer without a discussion and mutual understanding. Theoretically, a religious would be required to accept the judgment of the superior as long as his or her demand (order) was in harmony with the constitutions of the Religious Order.


From the Pastor

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.

From the Pastor - Epiphany

By John Putnam • January 2, 2026
Today we celebrate the Epiphany — the manifestation of Christ to the world. The stewardship way of life is nothing other than a grateful response to God’s countless manifestations in our lives, and a commitment to make His love manifest to others through the sharing of our gifts. St. Paul reminds us in Ephesians that the grace given to him was “for your benefit.” Every gift we have received is meant to benefit others and give glory to God. The Magi show us how to live this out: Worship is their highest priority.They travel far, ask openly, and refuse to let anything stop them from honoring the newborn King. Is Sunday Mass the non-negotiable center of our week? 2. They are watchful. “We saw his star at its rising.” Good stewards stay alert to God’s presence and gifts in daily life. 3. They persevere through difficulty. Herod deceives, dangers threaten, yet God guides and protects them. Our stewardship journey will have twists, but God is faithful. 4. They are overjoyed True stewards radiate the deep, lasting joy that only comes from encountering Christ. 5. They prostrate and open their treasures. Overwhelmed with awe, they give totally of themselves and their gifts — the perfect act of worship. This year, let us rejoice in every manifestation of God in our lives, stay watchful for His star, and open our own treasures — our time, talent, and treasure — in generous gratitude to our King.  Come, let us adore Him — and then go and make Him known.