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 - 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time

By John Putnam • August 8, 2025
Whether you are just beginning your stewardship journey or have been living a stewardship way of life for years, today’s readings invite us to ask ourselves an important question. The question is this: “What do you treasure?” Of course, we all know the “right” answer: we treasure our faith, our family, and our friendships. But Jesus tells us in the Gospel passage from Luke how we can discover the real answer to this question. He says, “For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.” To discern what we really treasure, we need to do a check on our hearts. We can each ask ourselves, “Where do I spend the majority of my energy? Where do I find my thoughts dwelling? How do I choose to spend my time when I find myself with a few spare moments? What do my spending habits reveal about my what is important to me? As Christian stewards, we are called to live our lives in grateful response to all that God has given us. Do I recognize and treasure these gifts? © Catholic Stewardship Consultants, 2025 Pastoral Pondering A couple of weeks back, I wrote about the various types of prayer. Following up on that, I wanted to address what I would call emotionalism and faith. Over the years I have encountered quite a few Catholics who complain that they do not get anything out of Mass or they don’t “feel” God’s presence. This often leads to their searching all over the place – sometimes in all of the wrong places – for something to fill that void. There is a danger here that needs to be avoided. The Catholic view of emotionalism, while not explicitly addressed as a single concept in official doctrine, can be understood through the Church’s teachings on emotions, reason, and the role of the will in spiritual life. Emotionalism, broadly defined as an excessive or uncontrolled reliance on emotions over reason or disciplined faith, is generally approached with caution in Catholic theology. Below is a concise explanation based on Catholic principles: Emotions as Part of Human Nature : The Catholic Church teaches that emotions (or "passions") are natural components of human psychology, created by God. According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC 1763-1768), passions like love, joy, sorrow, or anger are neither good nor bad in themselves but become morally good or bad based on how they are directed by reason and the will toward God’s purpose. Balance of Reason and Emotion : Catholicism emphasizes the integration of emotions with reason and faith. Emotionalism, as an overemphasis on feelings without grounding in truth or moral reasoning, can lead to spiritual imbalance. St. Thomas Aquinas, a key Catholic theologian, teaches that passions must be governed by reason, which is informed by divine law and grace, to align with virtue (Summa Theologiae, I-II, Q. 24). Dangers of Emotionalism in Worship : In the context of liturgy and prayer, the Church values authentic emotional expression but warns against emotionalism that prioritizes subjective feelings over objective truth or the sacredness of worship. For example, Pope Benedict XVI, in his writings on liturgy, critiqued overly sentimental or entertainment-driven worship styles, advocating for reverence and focus on Christ’s sacrifice (The Spirit of the Liturgy). The Church encourages heartfelt devotion but rooted in doctrine and tradition. Sadly, there are many examples of contemporary Catholic worship that ignore this basic principle. Discernment in Spiritual Life : Catholic spirituality, as seen in the works of mystics like St. Ignatius of Loyola or St. Teresa of Ávila, stresses discernment to distinguish genuine spiritual consolations (from God) from fleeting emotional highs. Emotionalism that lacks discernment may lead to self-deception or instability in faith. Charismatic Movements and Emotional Expression : The Catholic Charismatic Renewal, for instance, embraces expressive worship and emotional experiences like joy or spiritual gifts (e.g., speaking in tongues). However, the Church regulates such movements to ensure they align with doctrine and are not driven by unchecked emotionalism. Vatican documents, like those from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, emphasize that charismatic expressions must be tested against Scripture and Tradition.  In summary, the Catholic Church views emotions as valuable but subordinate to reason, will, and faith. Emotionalism, when it overrides these, is seen as potentially misleading or spiritually immature. The goal is a balanced faith where emotions enrich but do not dominate one’s relationship with God. In the end, the goal of prayer, especially liturgical prayer, is to worship God. It is not about seeking heavenly warm fuzzies to make us feel better. On occasion we may certainly receive these signal graces, and we should thank God for those. Nonetheless, they are not ends in themselves. The only end of the spiritual life if God Himself.

From the Pastor - 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time

By John Putnam • August 2, 2025
Today’s Gospel passage comes as a pat on the back from Heaven for all of us striving to live a stewardship way of life. It reminds us why we live the way we do and why we make the choices we make. Let’s face it, if we truly embrace this way of life, there will be people who find our choices — based on serving God and others — downright foolish. But let’s see what God thinks. Spoiler alert: turns out Christian stewards are not the fools! In this passage, Jesus makes it clear that life is not about “stuff” as he tells the parable of the wealthy businessman who thought he had everything figured out. The man had such an abundance of stuff that he didn’t have room to store it all. So, thinking of earthly things and not on what is above, he decided to build a bigger place to store all that stuff. Patting himself on the back, he thought about what good times he would have in the years ahead. But Jesus tells us that day would turn out to be the man’s last day on the earth. And he had spent it thinking only of himself. How foolish! Don’t be ashamed of living differently from the people around you. Be confident as you set priorities based on what is above. © Catholic Stewardship Consultants, 2025 Pastoral Pondering With the election of Pope Leo XIV, many folks have expressed an interest in understanding the history of his most recent predecessor with the same name, Pope Leo XIII, who is considered a great proponent of Catholic Social teaching. His encyclical, Rerum Novarum, is the basis for our understanding of this important branch of Catholic theology, so I thought it might be useful to share a summary of that document. Rerum Novarum, an encyclical issued by Pope Leo XIII in 1891, addresses the social and economic challenges of the modern world, emphasizing the Church's role in addressing injustices within the rapidly industrializing society. It marks the beginning of modern Catholic social teaching and sets a framework for dealing with issues related to labor, capital, and society. Key Themes of Rerum Novarum: Dignity of Labor : It affirms the dignity of work and the rights of workers, including just wages, the right to form unions, and decent working conditions. Work is not merely an economic activity but a means for the personal development of individuals. Private Property : The encyclical upholds the right to private property, stating that it is natural and beneficial for individuals and families. However, this right carries with it the responsibility to use one's property for the common good. Role of the State : It outlines the role of the state in promoting justice and protecting the rights of individuals, especially the poor and vulnerable. The state should act as an agent for social order and the common good but should not overreach into individual freedoms. Class Cooperation : Pope Leo XIII advocates for the cooperative relationship between employees and employers, encouraging a spirit of mutual understanding and collaboration rather than conflict, aiming to harmonize interests for societal benefit. Social Justice : The encyclical is concerned with the effects of unchecked capitalism and socialism, critiquing both extremes and emphasizing a balance that respects human dignity while promoting social justice and the well-being of all members of society.  Rerum Novarum serves as a cornerstone for subsequent Catholic social thought, inviting us to consider how we can address economic and social issues while respecting human dignity and the common good.