From the Pastor - Second Sunday of Advent

December 8, 2023

We serve a merciful and patient God. In His kindness, He warns us that we will be called to make an account one day for the way in which we made use of the gifts He has given us.


The most precious gift He has given us is His own Son, Whose birth we are preparing to celebrate.


St. Peter describes the loving kindness of the Father in our Second Reading today, saying God “is patient with you, not wishing that anyone should perish but that all should come to repentance.” Yet, in the same passage we receive this warning: “The Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a mighty roar... and the earth and everything on it will be found out.”

How are we to assimilate these two truths — the merciful love of God and the responsibility that comes with the privilege of living as His disciple? St. Peter tells us we should conduct ourselves “in holiness and devotion.” Indeed, this is the goal of our Advent “reset” — to return to living lives focused on Christ, in gratitude for all He has done for us.


In our Gospel passage from Mark, John the Baptist instructs us to “prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths.” We must make good use of the gift of time we have been given this Advent season. Let’s be sure to get to Confession, prioritize a daily reading the of Scriptures, and reach out to someone in need with a word of comfort or an act of service.


In this way, we will honor both the mercy and justice of our God, and we will be prepared to celebrate the birth of Christ and give account for all His gifts to us. ©Catholic Stewardship Consultants, 2023


Pastoral Pondering

Last week we considered pre-marital cohabitation which is connected to fornication. This week I thought we would look at adultery. The topic is addressed under Offenses Against the Dignity of Marriage in paragraphs 2380-2381.


2380 Adultery refers to marital infidelity. When two partners, of whom at least one is married to another party, have sexual relations—even transient ones—they commit adultery. Christ condemns even adultery of mere desire. The sixth commandment and the New Testament forbid adultery absolutely.172 The prophets denounce the gravity of adultery; they see it as an image of the sin of idolatry.


2381 Adultery is an injustice. He who commits adultery fails in his commitment. He does injury to the sign of the covenant which the marriage bond is, transgresses the rights of the other spouse, and undermines the institution of marriage by breaking the contract on which it is based. He compromises the good of human generation and the welfare of children who need their parents’ stable union.


Catholic Church. (2000). Catechism of the Catholic Church (2nd Ed., p. 572). United States Catholic Conference.


Of all the sins against marriage, adultery is the one that is often most destructive. It breaks trust and destabilizes the unique relationship of marriage. Nonetheless, many noble souls have persevered and exercised heroic forgiveness, and the marriages end up stronger.


Here, it is good to mention another type of adultery that is often overlooked, the virtual adultery of pornography. The use of porn has grown exponentially since the advent of the internet. Now, with the rise of AI and the explosion of pornographic websites, it has become a true epidemic. Some studies note that the use of pornography is more addictive than cocaine or heroin, and it can be just as destructive of the marriage bond as physical adultery. When the use of pornography has become habitual, it requires significant efforts to break the addiction. Most experts recommend a three-pronged approach including counseling, spiritual direction, and group accountability (AA, NA, etc.).


From the Pastor

From the Pastor - 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time

By John Putnam • August 22, 2025
Today’s readings show us that it is not enough to be Christ’s disciples in name only. To be a real disciple, we must live for Christ every day and in every aspect of life. This kind of life takes strength and discipline. Intentionally and consistently offering the Lord the best of our Time, Talent, and Treasure through a stewardship way of life is a form of spiritual discipline. These spiritual disciplines teach us to become ever more aware of God’s constant provision for us and they keep us on the narrow path towards the Kingdom of Heaven. The more we embrace this way of life, the more we can be “trained” by the Lord in the ways of true discipleship. Though difficult, these disciplines become a source of spiritual strength. Our Lord Himself speaks of the difficult path to the Kingdom of Heaven in today’s Gospel passage from Luke. He is asked, “Lord, will only a few be saved?” Jesus responds, “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I tell you, will attempt to enter but will not be strong enough.” Showing up for Mass on Sunday while living as if Christ is an afterthought the rest of the week does not make us disciples. What’s more, this approach to our faith is an unjust and unloving response to our good God who has given us all that we have and are. Jesus does not want us to merely go through the motions of faith. He wants much more from us and for us. He wants to know us deeply and for us to get to know Him so that we become His holy disciples. This is not a burden; it is a privilege. But it does take discipline, the discipline of a stewardship way of life. © Catholic Stewardship Consultants, 2025 Pastoral Pondering As the school year ramps up again, I wanted to let you know that another young man from the parish has begun his propaedeutic year at St. Joseph College Seminary. John Yellico, the son of Glen and Lissette Yellico, was accepted to the program earlier this summer. He is also the brother of Father Joseph Yellico, recently ordained and Sister Mary Agnes Yellico of the Daughters of the Virgin Mother. Please keep him and all of our seminarians in your prayers. Recently, the Diocese has been working on developing policies to govern the use of artificial intelligence for our employees and ministry sites. AI is almost constantly in the news and most everyone is familiar with Chat GPT, Truthly (the Catholic option) and any number of other efforts to harness this new technology. Earlier this year, the Holy See’s Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith issued a document dealing with this topic. I thought it might be useful, therefore, to offer some thoughts that might be helpful to some of you. Here’s a pastoral reflection based on Antiqua et Nova, tailored for inclusion in a pastoral letter: In our time, we are witnessing extraordinary advances in technology, especially in the realm of Artificial Intelligence (AI). These developments bring both promise and challenge, and as your pastor, I feel called to reflect with you on what this means for our faith, our humanity, and our shared journey toward holiness. The Vatican’s recent document, Antiqua et Nova, reminds us that while AI may imitate certain aspects of human intelligence, it cannot replicate the fullness of what it means to be human. Our intelligence is not merely computational—it is relational, moral, and spiritual. It is a gift from God, rooted in our capacity to love, to discern, and to seek truth. AI can assist us in many ways, from medicine to education to communication. But we must never forget that machines do not possess souls. They do not pray, suffer, or hope. They do not know mercy or grace. Only we, created in the image and likeness of God, bear the responsibility to use these tools wisely, ensuring they serve the dignity of every person. Let us not be seduced by the illusion that technology can replace human wisdom or divine guidance. Instead, let us cultivate a “wisdom of heart,” as the document urges—a wisdom that listens to the Spirit, that seeks justice, and that places love above efficiency. In our homes, schools, and parishes, may we teach our children not only how to use technology, but how to remain human in a digital age. May we accompany one another with compassion, and may our choices reflect the Gospel values of truth, humility, and care for the vulnerable. Let us pray for discernment, for courage, and for a renewed commitment to the common good. And may we always remember: the most powerful intelligence is not artificial—it is the wisdom that comes from walking humbly with our God. The full document is worth the read and may be found on the Vatican website at Antiqua et nova. Note on the Relationship Between Artificial Intelligence and Human Intelligence (28 January 2025)

From the Pastor - 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time

By John Putnam • August 22, 2025
Today’s readings set a high bar for us Christian stewards, reminding us that a stewardship way of life is meant to be a challenging way of life. In the second reading, from the Letter to the Hebrews, we are told to live as Christ lived. And how did Christ live? “For the sake of the joy that lay before Him He endured the cross.” If we are tempted to complain about the sufferings we must endure in living as Christ’s disciples, we are told, “In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood.” In other words, “If you’re not bleeding, what are you complaining about?” That is quite a high bar! The Gospel reading from Luke continues this challenging theme. Our Lord tells His disciples “I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing.” A couple of verses later Jesus adds, “Do you think that I have come to establish peace on the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division.” Jesus’s life on this earth and the message He brought were not meant to simply make us feel good. In fact, His words can make us downright uncomfortable at times. That’s because His Good News (and it is indeed good news!) is meant to change us, to make saints of us. The stewardship way of life sets a high bar indeed. But deeply embraced, this way of life focused on God and others will make us the saints we are called to be. © Catholic Stewardship Consultants, 2025 Pastoral Pondering Most of you are probably familiar with a non-Catholic who accuses Catholics of “worshipping Mary and the saints”. This is, of course, false, but it shows a misunderstanding of Catholic theology and Catholic understanding of the various types of worship and veneration. I thought it would be helpful to lay this out in a simple way for everyone’s benefit. In Catholic theology, dulia , hyperdulia , and latria are terms used to describe distinct types of reverence or worship offered to God, the saints, and the Virgin Mary. - Latria : This is the highest form of worship, reserved exclusively for God (the Holy Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). It involves adoration, acknowledging God's supreme divinity and sovereignty. Latria is expressed through acts like the Mass, prayer, and sacrifice, directed solely to God. - Dulia : This is the veneration or honor given to saints, recognizing their holiness and their role as intercessors before God. Dulia is a lesser form of reverence compared to latria, as saints are not divine but are honored for their exemplary lives and closeness to God. This is expressed through prayers asking for saints' intercession, feasts in their honor, or devotion to their relics. - Hyperdulia : This is a special, elevated form of dulia reserved exclusively for the Virgin Mary, the Mother of God. Hyperdulia acknowledges Mary's unique role in salvation history, surpassing the honor given to other saints due to her divine maternity and sinlessness, but it remains distinct from and subordinate to latria. It is expressed through devotions like the Rosary or Marian feast days.  In summary, latria is worship for God alone, dulia is veneration for saints, and hyperdulia is a higher veneration for Mary, all carefully distinguished to maintain the centrality of God’s worship in Catholic practice.