From the Pastor - 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time

July 14, 2023

In today’s Gospel from Matthew, our Lord shares the Parable of the Sower who scatters seed on many different kinds of land. This is a wonderful analogy for the stewardship way of life, demonstrating the slow and steady, yet powerful effect this lifestyle will have on those who fully embrace it.


In this parable, some of the seeds land on a path where birds carry them off before they can begin to take root. Other seeds land on rocky ground with little soil. As soon as things begin to heat up, they get scorched and die. Then there are seeds that land on soil cluttered with thorns which choke the seeds just as they are beginning to grow strong.


Finally, there are seeds that land on deep and healthy soil. These seeds produce abundant fruit.


This is where the stewardship way of life comes in. When we give the best of our time, talent and treasure to serve God and others, we create lives filled with that rare “good soil” needed for the Kingdom of God to thrive.


How does this happen? Stewardship living removes the “rocks” of mistrust from our lives as we develop an unshakeable faith that God will always provide for our needs. It clears away the “thorns” of worldly ambition that make us self-centered, fill us with needless anxiety and stifle our focus on God. Stewardship living requires a deep reliance on the Word of God and the sacraments which continuously nourish and fertilize the soil of our lives.


Let us deepen our commitment to this way of life, allowing the Sower to do His work in us, slowly and steadily. The Master Gardner will surely produce miraculous fruits through us. © Catholic Stewardship Consultants, 2023


Pastoral Pondering

This past week, the parish welcomed Father Chinonso Nnebe Agumadu. He’s decided to go by “Father Chinonso” to make everyone’s life easier 😊. We also bid a fond farewell to Father Yumo. Keep him in your prayers as he begins his new assignment, and thank you for being so gracious and welcoming to him during his service at St. Mark. He shared with me before he left that this assignment has been the best part of his priesthood. I did remind him that he will always have a home here.


I will be leaving for Fatima this coming Wednesday. As in the past, I am happy to take petitions over for anyone who would like me to do so. They would just need to be turned into the office by the close of day on Tuesday. This will be the first time I have been able to go back since before COVID.


I wanted to return briefly once again to the Eucharistic revival. Back in 2021 before the plan for the revival was approved by the United States Bishops, one of their number, Bishop John Stowe of Lexington, KY, criticized the plan openly. In an essay printed in Commonweal magazine, Bishop Stowe opined: “It does not strike me as coincidental that much of the Eucharistic Revival focuses on eucharistic adoration, passive in nature, and so offers an easy alternative to the active engagement of walking together synodally.” The intimation is that such a revival, which came about due to the lack of belief in the reality of the Holy Eucharist, needs to be more focused on social outreach and community engagement.


In truth, one should flow out of the other. We cannot be a Eucharistic people who know, love, and adore our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament, if we do not also allow that love and devotion to overflow into our outreach to the poor and marginalized. It’s not an either/or but a both/and situation. This is why the conclusion of Holy Mass reminds us to go on mission. The Mass is ended, go! What we are to go out and do is evangelize and be the hands, feet and voice of the Lord in a needy world.



In the same essay, Bishop Stowe cited Pope St. John XXIII as a model for the Church today. One Twitter follower in commenting on this, shared one of the Good Pope John’s statements about the Eucharist: “When Eucharistic fervor is attenuated or extinguished, then it is very difficult for men to understand each other, love grows cold, sin invades minds and hearts.” If we don’t believe in the God who gives us Himself in the Eucharist, then we certainly will not be inspired to go out and look for Him in our brothers and sisters who suffer.


From the Pastor

From the Pastor - Solemnity of Christ the King

By John Putnam • November 21, 2025
On this Feast of Christ the King, our readings show us that we serve the greatest of Kings, who is at the same time the humblest of Kings. Christ is the perfect model of servant leadership. And what an indescribable privilege that He has called us to be servant leaders — stewards in the work of advancing His Kingdom. In our second reading, from St. Paul’s letter to the Colossians, Paul describes the great power and dignity that characterize Christ the King. “All things were created through him and for him. He is before all things and in him all things hold together.” It makes you want to stand up and cheer. That’s our King! Yet, what a contrasting description of the same King we find in our Gospel passage, from Luke. Now we see our King nailed to the Cross. Everyone from rulers to soldiers, to the criminals on either side of Christ is mocking, sneering, and reviling him. They tauntingly urge him to prove His kingship by coming down from the Cross to end his suffering with a great show of power. “if you are the King of the Jews, save yourself.” But He does not. Amazingly, it is in this moment of seeming-weakness and humiliation, when all appears hopeless and lost, that the full breadth of his greatness as king is displayed. Though all things were created through and for Him — Christ chooses to live entirely for others, for us! What does this mean for us as his followers and stewards of His kingdom? It is precisely that our lives are not about us. They are about Christ and others. And we will advance his kingdom to the extent that we embrace this mindset: my life is not about me; it is about serving the King of kings. © Catholic Stewardship Consultants, 2025

From the Pastor - 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

By John Putnam • November 14, 2025
As we approach the end of the liturgical year, our readings offer a sober reminder that this life is not our aim and that God’s justice will triumph in the end. Now is the time to get our priorities in order, putting God above all else as his faithful stewards. Our Lord brings home the urgency of right priorities in our Gospel passage from Luke, reminding the people around him who were looking at the temple nearby, “All that you see here—the days will come when there will not be left a stone upon another stone that will not be thrown down.” Our Lord reminds us that all in this world is passing. We must keep our focus on eternity. Yet before the eternal bliss of heaven, we should expect to be tried and tested. “Before all this happens, however, they will seize and persecute you, they will hand you over to the synagogues and to prisons and they will have you led before kings and governors because of my name.” Sounds scary. But if you are living a stewardship way of life, there is nothing to fear. You have a plan in place. All you need to do is stick with it. Put our Lord first in your time, with your talents, and through your use of treasure. This way of life is not easy. But Jesus promises it will lead to eternal salvation and the joy of union with Him. “You will be hated by all because of my name, but not a hair on your head will be destroyed. By your perseverance, you will secure your lives.” Onward, Christian stewards, the struggle is worth the joy that awaits! Pastoral Pondering On November 4th the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith released Mater Populi Fidelis, a 20-page doctrinal note which was approved by the Holy Father. The Document addresses longstanding requests for clarification on Marian titles related to Mary’s cooperation in salvation. It emphasizes Mary’s unique role as Mother of believers while safeguarding Christ’s sole mediatorship, aiming to foster authentic devotion, Catholic fidelity, and ecumenical dialogue. The Note responds to decades of proposals, including petitions for new Marian dogmas, often amplified via social media and private revelations. It draws on Scripture, Tradition (e.g., St. Augustine), and prior papal reflections, including Joseph Ratzinger's 1996 and 2002 critiques of certain titles as unclear or prone to misunderstanding. The document appreciates popular piety but cautions against expressions that could confuse the faithful or obscure Christ's centrality. It promotes "participated mediation"—Mary's supportive role in union with Christ—without equating her to the Redeemer. The document goes on to underscore “approved titles/expressions” and “discouraged titles/expressions.” Those that are encouraged include: Mother of God (Theotokos), Mother of Believers, Spiritual Mother, Mother of the Faithful People of God, and Mediatrix (in a general sense of intercession). It notes that these underscore Mary's maternal bond with Christ and the Church, directing devotion to the Son. They are biblically rooted (e.g., John 19:26-27) and foster hope, tenderness, and unity. Those titles discouraged are Co-redemptrix and Mediatrix of All Graces. It notes that these risk eclipsing Christ's unique mediation (1 Tim 2:5) and redemption; not explicitly in Scripture or early Tradition; potential for confusion or imbalance in faith, especially ecumenically. I know in my own discussions over the years; it is very easy (especially for my non-Catholic relatives) to get confused over certain Marian titles. They can certainly be explained, but as the DDF points out, those titles that require greater explanation for common understanding should be discouraged. To be sure, you can find both titles used in various Catholic resources, and the document certainly does not forbid their use. Nonetheless, it approaches the topic in a balanced and pastorally sensitive way that recognizes the importance of Marian devotion and piety while, at the same time, reminding us all of the importance supporting and encouraging doctrinal harmony.