From the Pastor -Sixth Sunday of Easter

May 20, 2022

The concept of hospitality is fundamental to a stewardship way of life. When we envision hospitality, we naturally think of offering a sincere and warm welcome — to those new to our parish, for instance. We picture inviting them in and making them feel at home and at ease in our presence, communicating to them that they are highly valued.


Today’s Gospel reading from John invites us to think of hospitality in a slightly different way. In it, we hear Jesus speaking this to his disciples: “Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him.”

Jesus is asking that we permit the Blessed Trinity to come and dwell within us. This is a stunning request. It tells us that our first and most privileged form of hospitality should be directed towards God Himself.


How does one show hospitality to God? How do we make God “at home and at ease” within us? How can we communicate to God that He is “highly valued” by us? Jesus tells us how: we are to keep His word, to follow HIs teachings.


To keep His word, we must know His word. This takes discipline and effort on our part.  We must make the study of Scripture and Church teaching a priority in our daily lives. This can be done in small and simple ways. Perhaps you can commit to setting your alarm ten minutes early to meditate on the day’s Gospel. Perhaps you could read a paragraph of the Catechism with your family at dinner. You could pray over a portion of the Psalms before going to bed at night. You can join (or start!) a Bible study right here at the parish. There are many ways to grow in knowledge and love of God’s word.


Over time these simple practices can radically change one’s life. We will begin to more easily think like Jesus, respond like Jesus, and live like Jesus. We really will form our minds, hearts, and souls into a place where the Blessed Trinity is pleased to dwell.


How is this possible? Because we have an Unseen Teacher with us as we seek to know and keep God’s word. Jesus tells us so later in this same Gospel passage. “The Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you.” Ask the Holy Spirit to show you when and how you can get to know God’s word in your particular circumstances and then commit to it!


If we want our parish to be a place of genuine Christian hospitality, we must be sure that our own hearts are hospitable dwelling places for the Blessed Trinity.  Then our smiles and words, our greetings and ministries will radiate with the warmth of God’s love. And our parish family will become at least a little bit like Heaven on earth. This is the simplicity and glory of a stewardship way of life. © Catholic Stewardship Conference, 2022


Pastoral Pondering

As I sit here writing this, the news is filled with reports and coverage of the leaked Supreme Court draft decision that would impact Roe vs. Wade. Video of protestors outside of Justices homes and, what I would call, Satanic, demonstrations outside of churches, e.g. Old St. Patrick in Manhattan. If the draft remains substantially unchanged, it means that regulation of abortion is returned to the states. Over the last couple of years, several states, e.g., New York and California, have enacted laws that basically allow an abortion to take place throughout a pregnancy. Because of the possibility of protests that were possible over the weekend of May 7/8, we, along with several other parishes, decided to increase security and engage the assistance of local law enforcement. Thankfully, the weekend was peaceful. I am appreciative of everyone who assisted with this effort.


The dedication and wholesale sponsorship of abortion by by political parties and various groups, even some who identify as Catholic, should give everyone pause. There is a positive element to the leaked draft; namely, everyone can see the diabolical desire for abortion that is present in a sector of our society. Moreover, there is no longer any denial what abortion actually does – a child is killed in a most barbaric way.



As I have said before, the scourge of abortion will not be solved by courts or legislatures. If a win occurs in the courts, that’s fine, but in the end, the only thing that will put an end to abortion is a change of heart. God is indeed merciful, but He is also just. We should not overlook the fact that the murder of the most defenseless of children, those in the womb, cries out to heaven for justice. We should not be surprised then that we see around us so much suffering. Prayer and reparation, as Our Lady requested in Fatima through the First Saturday devotion, is at least one way that we can begin to repair the gaping wound that abortion has caused and continues to cause in our country. Let us pray for true conversion so that God’s justice might be averted and innocent human lives might be saved

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.