From the Pastor - 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time

October 10, 2023

We have been given so many gifts and blessings by our Heavenly Father. Yet, in our fallen state it is all too easy to take them for granted. Our readings today teach us that we must live with an intentional awareness of our many blessings and use them gratefully to glorify God.


In our Gospel passage from Matthew, Jesus uses the image of a vineyard to teach the importance of using our blessings well. He tells the story of a landowner who plants a vineyard and leases it to tenants before he goes on a journey. Instead of tending the vineyard, the tenants mistreat the servants in the vineyard and even the son of the landowner, whom they kill. When the landowner realizes what the tenants have done, he puts them to death and leases his vineyard to tenants who “will give him the produce at the proper times.”


By Baptism, we have received the gift of salvation and membership in Kingdom of God — we are now “tenants” called to work in the “vineyard” and produce fruit for its owner, our Heavenly Father. Jesus makes it clear that if we squander the gift of salvation, we will lose it. It is a sobering truth.


So, let us use our intellect to think on these gifts throughout the day and resolve to use all our gifts for God’s glory. © Catholic Stewardship Consultants, 2023.


Pastoral Pondering

I love the autumn weather. However, as soon as October arrives, time seems to start moving faster! We are already looking ahead to Thanksgiving and Christmas, and our various charitable efforts will begin in the not too distant future. Thanks to all of you who have responded to our efforts with Walking with Mothers and the diaper drive that is occurring this weekend. These efforts can make significant differences in the lives of mothers and babies in need.


Even though the national elections are not until next year, there has already been lots of coverage of what those might look like. What this often does is eclipse the very important local elections that often have far greater impacts on our lives than do those at the higher levels. Regardless of the type of elections that are occurring, Catholic Social Teaching, as expressed in the Catechism of the Catholic Church and documents issued by the United States Bishops, Catholics have an obligation to get involved in the public square and bring their faith to bear in that arena.


This November 7 Huntersville will be electing a new mayor and town board. Additionally, there will be an election for an at-large seat on the Mecklenburg County Schoolboard. As with all elections, it’s important for us to support candidates who uphold, or at least not oppose, the Church’s teachings on the dignity of the human person, marriage, and family. For this reason, I have encouraged parishioners to get engaged in the process or even put themselves forward as candidates for office.


Town governments usually focus on roads, public safety and the like. However, in recent years, there have been efforts on the part of some elected officials and activists to promote anti-family policies such as gender ideology, under the guise of equality, that could undermine the religious liberty of Catholics and other people of faith, especially those who operate businesses according to strongly held religious beliefs. Such an effort was tabled last year, assisted hopefully by St. Mark’s engagement in the matter, but are sure to be brought up in the future. Separately, the CMS Board already embraces such policies, and it is important that other pro-family voices be added to the mix on the school board.


Thankfully, for both races, there are candidates – including parishioners of St. Mark - committed to good governance and the promotion of policies that will make our community and our schools safer and more welcoming for families and children. Local county and municipal politics can have long-term impacts that should be a concern to every person of faith. Hence, doing your personal research and learning where the candidates stand on critical issues is imperative if we hope to promote a culture that appreciates the good, the true and the beautiful, including respecting those laws that promote family life and the strengthening of marriage, family, and religious freedom.



The candidates’ positions on these matters of importance are not always easy to find. Some have been very quiet about the positions they support. In these cases, it is helpful to look at the position statements of their party and the laws that the particular party supports and promotes. I encourage you to get to know the candidates who are running so that the decisions we make at the ballot box can be informed and supportive of those who support our faith and values. Don’t be a bystander. Get involved.

From the Pastor

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.

From the Pastor - 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time

By John Putnam • July 25, 2025
In our Gospel reading from Luke, some disciples of Jesus ask our Lord to teach them how to pray. Jesus instantly offers them the beautiful prayer which we, of course, call the Our Father. The Our Father is truly a steward’s prayer. In it, we call upon God in an intimate way, as Father. We ask that His will be done (not ours!) and that His kingdom come (not ours!). In other words, we remember that He is our Creator, everything is His, and our focus in life should be on His priorities, not our own. Then we ask Him to supply our needs (to give our daily bread), forgive our sins, and protect us from evil. That is, we proclaim our complete trust in His provision for us and mercy towards us. We, too, commit to extending mercy ourselves (as we forgive those who sin against us.) As we pray the words of the Our Father, we recognize this basic truth about ourselves and God: God is our Father, and we are beloved and infinitely blessed to be His children. This is the basis of a stewardship way of life. At the end of the Gospel passage, Jesus encourages us to pursue a relationship with the Father: Ask Him, seek Him, knock on His door! He can hardly wait to bless us, HIs children. Remember that this week, then go, be a blessing to others! Stewardship is just that simple. © Catholic Stewardship Consultants, 2025 Pastoral Pondering  Last week I was listening to an episode of the Conor Gallagher Podcast, in which the author, Paul Zucarelli, was being interviewed. I found it extremely interesting and thought provoking, so I thought I would provide a summary of his book this week. Faith Understood: An Ordinary Man’s Journey to the Presence of God by Paul Zucarelli is a memoir recounting the author’s near-death experience and its profound impact on his life and faith. Zucarelli, a successful businessman and CPA, died of sudden cardiac death on Pentecost Sunday in 2017 in Phoenix, Arizona, and was revived after two hours through what he attributes to intercessory prayer and divine intervention. During this experience, he describes encountering a heavenly realm, witnessing a radiant light filled with warmth and love, and hearing a divine voice assuring him of safety, which left him with no fear of death or desire to return to his body. The book goes beyond the near-death account, focusing on Zucarelli’s spiritual transformation and renewed commitment to living for God. It emphasizes themes of faith, hope, and love, illustrating how God uses trials to draw people closer to Him. Zucarelli shares how this event deepened his Christian faith, leading him and his wife, Beth, to dedicate their lives to evangelization, sharing their testimony across the United States. The narrative includes reflections on scripture, personal vulnerability, and five life lessons outlined in Chapter Nine, which readers found universally compelling and timeless. While some reviewers wished for more detailed descriptions of the heavenly experience, the book is praised for its authenticity, inspiring both believers and non-believers to explore God’s presence and the power of prayer. Proceeds from the book support a charitable foundation, reflecting Zucarelli’s mission of altruism. What I found most compelling about the podcast was the author’s sense of peace about how God has been working in his life since his near-death experiences. His story, which is deeply informed by his Catholic faith, shows the transforming power of God’s love in the midst of life’s trials and tribulations.