From the Pastor - Solemnity of Christ the King

November 27, 2023

Today we come to the end of the liturgical year, celebrating the magnificent feast of the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe. Our readings provide contrasting images of this King of ours — He has authority over each and everything, and yet, He is humble and tender in His care for us, especially the most vulnerable.



How can we properly honor and love such a King? By offering Him our very lives through the stewardship way of life.

The Gospel passage from Matthew shows us how. The passage begins with Christ’s own description of His Second Coming, “When the Son of Man comes in his glory and all the angels with him, he will sit upon his glorious throne, and all the nations will be assembled before him.” Then the moment of judgment will come. Some will be invited into the Kingdom of Heaven — the others to eternal punishment.


This judgment will be based not on how influential we became in society, how high we climbed the corporate ladder, or any “worldly” achievements. Rather our judgment will be based on how we treated the least of those around us, whom Jesus calls His brothers. “Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of the least brothers of mine, you did for me.” To make His point very clear, Jesus gives specifics — feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, showing hospitality to the stranger, and caring for the ill and imprisoned.


The more deeply we embrace the stewardship way of life, the more closely our priorities will align with His. © Catholic Stewardship Consultants, 2023


Pastoral Pondering


Hopefully, the food fog has lifted by now and the last of the leftovers have been consumed and Black Friday passed without injury or incident. This Sunday brings us to the end of the Church year as we celebrate Jesus Christ King of the Universe. Kingship and Lordship are perhaps difficult concepts for the contemporary thinker, but they are apt images of our human relationship with the Divine. While some like to think of God as a buddy or pal. We should never reduce the Almighty to categories that are beneath the Divine dignity. Jesus did indeed take on flesh and become one of us to be Our Savior and our friend. At the same time, He did not do so to become more like us, but that we might become more like Him. Truly making Him Lord of our lives means more and more dying to ourselves so that His reflection can shine through us. This requires identifying the unhealthy attachments in our lives and asking Him for the grace to break them so that we can live in the freedom of God’s children. He will give the necessary grace if we are humble and sincere in asking.


A couple of weeks back the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith made public a response that they had given to a question posed by a Brazilian bishop regarding those persons identifying as transgender and whether any such person would be eligible for baptism and, beyond that, might stand as a godparent for baptism. The document was signed both by the prefect of the Dicastery, Cardinal Fernandes and Pope Francis. Hence, it generated quite a bit of interest and, for some, confusion.


The media, of course, seized on the release to garner headlines by saying that the Pope had approved baptism for transgendered people and opened the door to gay marriage, etc., etc. Hence, I thought I would look at the document and note what it actually says. None of the responses presented were new, in that, they echoed previous responses from the dicastery. However, because it was released publicly and signed by the Pope, it was released to get attention.


In discussing baptism, the document notes: In the case of Baptism, the Church teaches that when the sacrament is received without repentance for grave sins, the subject does not receive sanctifying grace, although he or she does receive sacramental character. The Catechism states, "This configuration to Christ and the Church, brought about by the Spirit, is indelible; it remains forever in the Christian as a positive disposition to grace, as a promise and guarantee of divine protection, and as a vocation to divine worship and service to the Church." (Catechism, 1121)


At the same time, as the Holy Father often points out, Baptism is the doorway of grace. If someone comes, sincerely requesting the life-giving waters, the sacrament should normally be offered. There is power in the sacraments and grace that can bring about transformation and conversion. The Holy Father focuses on the abundance of God’s mercy and rightly so. At the same time, as with all of the sacraments, prudence and discernment are necessary. In these situations, true accompaniment would be helpful to walk with the person as they discern and hearken to God’s call.

 


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.