From the Pastor - 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time

August 18, 2023

Our Gospel today from Matthew reminds us to trust in Him even when it seems He is not answering our prayers.


God wants to lead us to the joy of heaven to spend eternity with Him. For that, we must be strong in faith and live our lives as an act of love and gratitude to Him. In other words, we must allow Him to transform us into saints. This is what the stewardship way of life is meant to do. Sometimes, that will feel painful to us. Often, it will be challenging.


Jesus certainly challenged the Canaanite woman in today’s Gospel passage from Matthew. She called out to Him on behalf of her daughter, who was being tormented by a demon. What did Jesus do in reply to this mother’s desperate plea? Nothing. He “did not say a word in answer to her.” Undeterred, the woman continues to call out to Him, yet He still does not give her what she asks for. Instead, He continues to challenge her faith.


And she rises to the challenge to such an impressive degree that Jesus exclaims, “O woman [a term of deep respect in that day], great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.” Imagine hearing those words proclaimed over us by God. Truly there could be no higher honor than hearing our Lord say that to us.


So we must accept the difficulties that come with the stewardship way of life. Some days will be a true challenge to our trust in God. But those are the days when God is making saints of us. Let’s embrace the hard days during these difficult times. The deep joy that eventually comes, the eternal reward He promises, will be so worth it.


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

A recent report in the Charlotte Observer noted that the three “hottest zip codes” for home buyers are all located in the greater Charlotte the three in order are, the 28269 in north Charlotte, 28078 (Huntersville) came in second and 28277 (Ballantyne) came in third. This creates both challenges and opportunities. We presently have 4500 registered families and have begun a process of pastoral planning that has been set in motion for all the parishes of the Diocese. The goal of the process is to help each parish develop pastoral priorities that harmonize and complement those of Bishop Jugis and the Diocese.


The Bishop’s new pastoral priorities, as announced in his letter of April 16, 2023, are six:


  1. To help the faithful of the Diocese to renew and anchor their lives in the Most Holy Eucharist;
  2. While strengthening our communion with Christ, we must turn to Him to strengthen the communion within our families and the Church. The Church cannot allow herself to be fractured by partisanship. We must follow Our Lord, who prayed at the Last Supper, “that they may be one, as We are one;
  3. We are a family of faith. As such, we must inspire youth to find their home in the Church, speaking to the meaning of a true Christian life;
  4. In a time of moral confusion, we must inspire lives of personal holiness highlighting the beauty of chaste love;
  5. We must learn to proclaim the faith in a digital age, that we may better evangelize a culture teeming with secular and contrary messages; and
  6. We must meet the challenges of an ever-growing Diocese. In just 50 years the Diocese of Charlotte has grown from 34,000 Catholics in 75 parishes to more than 500,000 Catholics in 92 parishes and missions spread across 46 counties.


On July 10th, I sent my letter to Bishop Jugis which opens our pastoral planning process. In that letter I identified the following priorities that we will continue to develop over the next six months:


  1. Continue promoting Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration in support of the National Eucharistic Revival;
  2. Asking our parish departments and apostolates to focus their efforts on strengthening family life through catechesis and adult engagement;
  3. In order to promote the unity for which Our Lord prayed, seek to accompany our parishioners in the pursuit of the good, the true and the beautiful as an antidote for the moral confusion in our culture. To do this through a robust adult education effort which includes engaging Evangelical Catholic and supporting our small group efforts along with missions and both formational and social opportunities;
  4. Continue our commitment to Youth Ministry through Edge, Lifeteen, Fraternus and Fidelis along with encouraging extra-parochial opportunities fostering strong support of our young people. Develop a stronger outreach to college-aged parishioners and young adults and encouraging them to take their rightful place in the life of the parish; and
  5. With the rapid growth of the Huntersville area, to begin considering the needs of the physical plant and making long-range plans, in cooperation with the Diocese, to examine the need for another parish in the North Charlotte area.


These are wide-strokes of priorities that we, as a parish, will need to “tweak” and develop as we prepare for our meetings with the Bishop and his staff in the Spring of next year.


From the Pastor

From the Pastor - Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity

By John Putnam • May 29, 2026
Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity — the central mystery of our faith. Though the Trinity is a profound mystery, it also reveals something very practical for us as Christian stewards. The Trinity is a communion of Persons who give themselves completely to one another. This self-giving love is at the heart of the stewardship way of life. In our Gospel, we hear, “God so loved the world that he gave his only Son.” God gives Himself to us out of love. We are called to respond in the same way — by giving ourselves back to Him and to others. The more we give of ourselves in love, the more we experience “the grace of the Lord, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit” within us. This Triune God invites us into a deeper relationship with Him — one that grows as we live a life of gratitude and self-gift through the stewardship way of life. © Catholic Stewardship Consultants, 2026 Pastoral Pondering In light of the blessing of the ordination of ten new priests for the Diocese of Charlotte and the 34 th anniversary of my own ordination (May 30 th ), I thought it would be good to reflect on the importance of the ministerial priesthood in the life of the Church. The Catholic priesthood (ministerial priesthood) is essential to the Church's life, mission, and sacramental reality. It flows directly from Christ's own priesthood and enables the Church to continue His saving work until the end of time. Rooted in Christ's Priesthood Catholic teaching holds that Jesus Christ is the one eternal High Priest (Hebrews 5:1-10, 7-10). The ministerial priesthood does not replace or compete with His but participates in it in a unique way. Priests are ordained to act in persona Christi Capitis ("in the person of Christ the Head")—especially in the sacraments. This differs essentially (not just in degree) from the common priesthood of all the baptized , by which every Christian offers spiritual sacrifices, lives a holy life, and witnesses to the Gospel (1 Peter 2:5, 9). The ministerial priesthood exists *for the service* of the common priesthood, to build up the Church as the Body of Christ. Key Roles and Importance Priests exercise a threefold ministry (teaching, sanctifying, and governing), called the three Munera, that mirrors Christ's: Sanctifying the People of God : Priests are the ordinary ministers of several sacraments, above all the Eucharist . Through them, Christ's one sacrifice on the Cross is made present in the Mass. Without ordained priests, there would be no valid Eucharist in the Catholic understanding. They also forgive sins in Confession, anoint the sick, baptize (in ordinary circumstances), and celebrate other sacraments. This makes divine grace accessible in a tangible, ecclesial way. Proclaiming the Word : Priests preach the Gospel, teach the faith, and guide consciences. They are "co-workers" with bishops in shepherding the faithful. Governing and Serving : As spiritual fathers, they lead communities, counsel, perform works of mercy, and foster unity. They do this not by their own power but as instruments of Christ. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states: "In the ecclesial service of the ordained minister, it is Christ himself who is present to his Church as Head of his Body, Shepherd of his flock, high priest of the redemptive sacrifice, Teacher of Truth." Apostolic succes sion ensures continuity: Bishops ordain priests through the laying on of hands, tracing back to the apostles. This sacramental character is indelible—permanent. Why It Matters to the Church The Church cannot fully be the Church without it in Catholic doctrine. The priesthood guarantees the valid celebration of the Eucharist (the "source and summit" of Christian life) and the other sacraments that nourish faith. It maintains the Church's hierarchical structure for unity and ordered mission. Priests enable the laity's priestly vocation by providing the sacraments and pastoral care that empower everyday Christians to live out their baptismal calling. Historically and theologically, the priesthood fulfills and surpasses the Old Covenant priesthood, making Christ's mediation present across time and place. Vatican II's Presbyterorum Ordinis (Decree on the Ministry and Life of Priests) emphasizes that priests are "taken from among men and appointed for men in the things that pertain to God" (Hebrews 5:1). Their celibacy, obedience, and life of prayer are oriented toward total availability for the Gospel and the flock. In short, the Catholic priesthood is not an optional "clergy class" but a divine gift by which Christ continues to shepherd, teach, and sanctify His Church. Catholics believe that through faithful priests, grace flows to the world, making salvation accessible and the Church a living sacrament of Christ's presence.  Let’s thank God for the gift of our newly ordained priests and ask the Lord to continue to send workers into the vineyard.

From the Pastor - Pentecost

By John Putnam • May 22, 2026
Throughout our readings today for Pentecost Sunday, we see the powerful truth that the Holy Spirit gives us gifts and guidance in a deeply personal way. We are meant to use these gifts to build up the Body of Christ — each in our own unique way. In our first reading from Acts, we hear of the dramatic outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles. A strong driving wind filled the house, and tongues of fire came to rest on each of them. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues. Notice how personal this moment is. The Spirit came upon each individual, equipping them in a unique way to share the Gospel. The same is true for us today. Embracing the stewardship way of life means allowing the Holy Spirit to guide us in using the unique gifts He has given to each of us for the mission entrusted to us. In our Gospel, Jesus sends His disciples forth: “As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” This is our mission as well. But we are not sent alone. Jesus gives us His peace — “Peace be with you.” As this Easter season comes to a close, let us be at peace and resolve to rely more fully on the Holy Spirit as our guide through the stewardship way of life. ©Catholic Stewardship Consultants, 2026 Pastoral Pondering This weekend we are celebrating a number of events that I am extremely thankful for. First, three of our own parishioners were ordained deacons on their road to the Priesthood. Bradley Loftin, Patrick Martin and Connor White were ordained deacons by Bishop Martin. I have had the privilege of watching each of these young men grow up, in many respects, and mature in their discernment of God’s call in their lives. Each will be serving in a parish this summer. Deacon Loftin will be serving at St. Eugene in Asheville, Deacon Martin will be serving at St. Matthew in Charlotte and Deacon White will be serving at the Cathedral of St. Patrick. Secondly, on Pentecost afternoon we will be receiving our candidates, those who received baptism in a non-Catholic Christian church, into the full communion of the Catholic Church with the reception of Confirmation and Holy Communion. Each of them has studied and prayed and prepared for this special occasion. Please pray both for our new deacons as well as our newest Catholics. These events are a reminder that God is never outdone in generosity, and He continues to produce an abundance of fruit when we willingly open our hearts and cooperate with His grace. Happy Pentecost!!