From the Pastor – 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

September 8, 2019

From the Pastor – 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

Today’s readings make very clear the demands that will be made of those wanting to be called disciples of Christ. We must be prepared to give our all to Him. But in the end, the life of discipleship — the stewardship way of life — is the only life that can truly satisfy.

In the Gospel passage from Luke, Christ says, “If anyone comes to me without hating his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.” Our Lord is speaking here not of emotions but rather of priorities. He must come first in all aspects of our lives. Period.

He goes on. “Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.” In other words, it’s all or nothing. Compromise is simply not possible. Christ wants us to give all of ourselves, all aspects of our individual lives, our family life, our parish over to Him and to the pursuit of His kingdom.

And just when we think our Lord might soften His message to make it a little more palatable, He goes further! “Anyone of you who does not renounce all his possessions cannot be my disciple.” Why is our Lord being so demanding? Only because He knows us so well and loves us so much.

He knows that if we do not live by putting Him first before all else, we will easily be swallowed up by the earthly cares that weigh us down — our material things, our status, and our egos. He knows these things cannot satisfy us. He knows this because He is our Maker, and He made us for more.

We are made to be His disciples, to seek after Him and His Kingdom. Embracing stewardship as a way life allows us to count the cost, and then run after Him with all our might. ©Catholic Stewardship Consultants

Pastoral Pondering

Pastoring a large suburban parish is a challenge on many fronts. Thankfully, I am blessed to have two other priests who assist me in that task along with a dedicated staff who give of themselves each day to accomplish our mission. In order to accomplish that mission, however, we have to constantly be reminded of what that mission is. Why do we exist? What is our core purpose? Our guiding light should always be taken from the Scriptures, and Jesus’ commands to His apostles. In Matthew 28:19 Jesus says: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”

So how do we translate that into a daily focus? In reflecting on the Scripture and considering some of the words of our recent Holy Fathers with our parish leadership team, we expressed it this way: “The love of Christ commands us to accompany and evangelize as many people as possible to the eternal happiness of heaven. That’s why we exist, to get to heaven ourselves and to bring as many folks with us as we possibly can. It may seem like a tall order, but that’s why we are not to undertake it alone. Every aspect of parish life and ministry has to be an expression of this fundamental core purpose. It is also why living the stewardship lifestyle is so essential to being a truly amazing parish.

In living out this core purpose, we want to look at who we are and what we do through some very specific filters that will help us focus our ministry and apostolates so that we are being faithful to the command of Jesus Christ and our desire to get to heaven and help others get their too. Hence, when making decisions about the parish and where we are going we will be asking the following questions: 1) Will this form our parishioners well and help them reach out to others? 2) Is this a good use of resources and will it help us accomplish our ministry needs? And 3) Will this empower families to take ownership and pride in their Parish and fulfill their mission of living as the domestic Church?

I share this with you because it’s important that those who are a part of this parish family understand why we do what we do, and understand that each member has a part to play. This call to evangelize and accompany is a call for all; not only for a few. We answer the call each according to his or her particular vocation and state in life, but everyone is called. Certainly, as much as we would like it to be otherwise, not everyone will get on board. Not everyone got on board with Jesus either. Our task is to be faithful to Him, pray for those who choose to follow a different path, and seek every day to be faithful to our mission and our call.

From the Pastor

From the Pastor - Sixth Sunday of Easter

By Lauren Rupar • May 15, 2026
On this sixth Sunday of Easter, our readings remind us that God must come first in our lives, and that love of God is shown through concrete actions — this is precisely why the stewardship way of life is so necessary. Our second reading, from St. Peter, challenges us to “Sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts.” In other words, we are to put Christ above all else. His role is not only as Savior — as essential as that is — but as Lord of our lives. As His disciples, we are called to place Him at the center of everything — our time, our talent, and our treasure. The beauty of the stewardship way of life is that it gives us a concrete way to live this out. It allows us to demonstrate that Christ truly is Lord of our lives, because love is not merely a feeling. “Whoever has my commandments and observes them is the one who loves me,” Jesus tells us in our Gospel from John. True love is an act of the will. It requires obedience, humility, and deep trust in God. But the reward is extraordinary. Christ tells us, “Whoever loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and reveal myself to him.” Could there be anything more fulfilling than living in such a way that the God of the universe reveals Himself more fully to us? © Catholic Stewardship Consultants, 2026 Pastoral Pondering Lately, with various discussions in the news, particularly with regard to a recent perceived back and forth between the Holy Father and President Trump, the issue of Catholic teaching and the authority of that teaching has come up. Hence, I thought it might be helpful to outline the levels of magisterial teaching in an effort to help folks navigate the different types of teaching along with the required response to each level. Summary: Levels of Magisterial Teaching The Catholic Church teaches with Christ’s authority through the Magisterium , but not all teachings carry the same weight or demand the same level of assent. Understanding these distinctions helps Catholics know how to respond faithfully to Church teaching. 1. Solemn Definitions (Extraordinary Magisterium) These are infallible dogmas formally defined by an ecumenical council or by the pope speaking ex cathedra. They concern truths revealed by God (e.g., the Immaculate Conception, the Assumption). Required response : The assent of faith. Denial is heresy. 2. Ordinary Universal Magisterium Teachings consistently and universally held by the bishops in communion with the pope, even without a formal definition. When universal agreement is clear, these teachings are also infallible (e.g., the intrinsic evil of abortion, male-only priesthood). Required response : The assent of faith. Denial is heresy. 3. Definitive Teachings (Non‑Revealed but Certain) Teachings proposed definitively because they are necessary to safeguard or explain divine revelation, even if not themselves formally revealed (e.g., canonizations, invalidity of Anglican orders). Required response: Definitive assent. Denial is grave error, though not heresy. 4. Authoritative but Non‑Definitive Teaching Non‑infallible teachings of the pope or bishops, such as many encyclicals or pastoral directives. Required response : Religious submission of intellect and will — a sincere openness and respect, not casual dismissal. 5. Prudential Judgments and Pastoral Applications Concrete applications of moral principles to specific situations (e.g., policy approaches in economics or immigration). Required response: Respectful consideration. Legitimate disagreement is possible. Why this matters : Recognizing these levels avoids two extremes—treating all Church teaching as optional opinion (laxism) or treating every Church statement as infallible dogma (rigorism). The Church teaches as a structured, living authority guided by the Holy Spirit, calling for responses proportionate to the level of teaching involved.

From the Pastor - Fifth Sunday of Easter

By John Putnam • May 1, 2026
The readings on this fifth Sunday of Easter present us with themes of dwelling places and home. As Christian stewards, we recognize that this world is not our permanent home. We are pilgrims here, making our way through the stewardship way of life toward our true home — heaven. Yet, as we journey toward heaven, we are called to make our dwelling here — whether in a household of one or a full and busy family — a true “domestic church.” In other words, the stewardship way of life begins long before we set foot on parish grounds. Stewardship starts at home. It begins with our families — our domestic churches. The domestic church plays a key role in our sanctification because it is the primary place where we learn and practice selfless love of others. In our Gospel passage from John, Jesus speaks of heaven as a home filled with dwelling places. “In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If there were not, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?” This is a beautiful image of the glory that awaits us and the personal love our Lord has for us — preparing a place for each one of us who remains faithful to Him. Let us respond to this great love by becoming good stewards of our earthly dwellings, making our homes true “domestic churches” where we honor God through prayer, care for one another, and generous hospitality. Let us never forget that stewardship starts at home! © Catholic Stewardship Consultants, 2026 Pastoral Pondering A common question that comes up is why non-Catholics can’t receive Communion at weddings or funerals . Hence, it continuing to address basics of the faith, I offer the following: The Holy Eucharist is the source and summit of the Christian life, the real presence of our Lord Jesus Christ—Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity—under the appearances of bread and wine. Because the Eucharist both signifies and effects the unity of the Church, the Catholic Church approaches the question of Eucharistic sharing, often called “intercommunion,” with profound reverence and care. Catholic teaching holds that full participation in the Eucharist expresses full communion in faith, worship, and ecclesial life. For this reason, the Church ordinarily admits to Holy Communion only those who are fully initiated Catholics and who are properly disposed: in the state of grace, having observed the Eucharistic fast, and free from grave sin. Intercommunion with Other Christians Members of other Christian communities are not ordinarily admitted to Holy Communion at Catholic Masses. As the USCCB Guidelines for the Reception of Communion state: “Because Catholics believe that the celebration of the Eucharist is a sign of the reality of the oneness of faith, life, and worship, members of those churches with whom we are not yet fully united are ordinarily not admitted to Holy Communion.” Eucharistic sharing in exceptional circumstances requires permission according to the directives of the diocesan bishop and the provisions of canon law. A clear distinction exists between different Christian traditions: Eastern Churches (such as the Orthodox Churches, the Assyrian Church of the East, and the Polish National Catholic Church) possess a valid priesthood and Eucharist by apostolic succession. Catholic ministers may licitly administer the sacraments of Penance, Eucharist, and Anointing of the Sick to members of these Churches if they spontaneously request them and are properly disposed (Canon 844 §3). However, these Christians are urged to respect the discipline of their own Churches, many of which do not permit reception in Catholic celebrations. Other Christians (including Protestants) do not share the Catholic understanding of the Real Presence or the priesthood in its fullness. For them, reception of Holy Communion in a Catholic celebration is permitted only in cases of grave necessity—such as danger of death—when they cannot approach a minister of their own community, they request the sacrament freely, and they manifest Catholic faith in the Eucharist while possessing the required dispositions (Canon 844 §4). General invitations at weddings, funerals, or other occasions are not permitted, as they could imply a unity that does not yet exist. Catholics, in turn, may receive the sacraments only from Catholic ministers, with very limited exceptions for the Eastern Churches when necessary (Canon 844 §2). Catholics are not permitted to receive Communion in most Protestant services, as those celebrations do not possess a validly ordained priesthood. A Call to Charity and Prayer These norms are not rooted in exclusion but in fidelity to the truth of the Eucharist as the sacrament of ecclesial unity. The Church recognizes the real, though imperfect, communion that exists with all the baptized through faith in Christ and the gift of Baptism. We are encouraged to foster unity through joint prayer, Scripture study, works of charity, and dialogue, while patiently awaiting the full visible unity for which Christ prayed. As the Catechism teaches, “Ecclesial communities derived from the Reformation… have not preserved the proper reality of the Eucharistic mystery in its fullness, which is why Eucharistic intercommunion is not possible” (CCC 1400). Yet we rejoice in the elements of sanctification and truth present in these communities and pray earnestly for the day when all Christians may gather at one altar in complete communion. If you have questions about these teachings—perhaps in the context of family members of other Christian traditions—please speak with a priest. He can offer pastoral guidance tailored to your situation while remaining faithful to Church discipline. May our reverence for the Most Blessed Sacrament deepen our love for Christ and our longing for the unity of His Church.