From the Pastor – 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time

September 15, 2019

From the Pastor – 24 th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Today’s readings focus on the personal, passionate and merciful love of God, which should fill us with unending gratitude to Him. This gratitude is the fuel that keeps the stewardship way of life rolling along.

In our Second Reading, from St. Paul’s letter to Timothy, we find a grateful Paul who says of himself, “I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and arrogant, but I have been mercifully treated.” St. Paul is well aware of the sins he has committed. But this does not hold him back from ministry. Rather, it makes him all the more grateful to be God’s steward. How encouraging to know that this is true for us, as well. Our past sins, and even our present struggles, do not disqualify us from becoming God’s grateful stewards.

Jesus gives us several poignant illustrations of His merciful love in today’s Gospel reading from Luke. Let us focus on one in particular — the story of the lost sheep. He asks, “What man among you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them would not leave the ninety-nine… and go after the lost one until he finds it?”

The logical response is no one! It simply does not make sense to spend time and energy searching for one lost sheep when there are so many others to tend to. But God’s logic — God’s mercy — defies human logic. And who is the lost one? It is every one of us when we stray away from God through sin, great or small.

What gratitude we owe to such a personal, passionate, loving God! Just think, even our sins, once forgiven, become a source of fuel for our stewardship way of life as we reflect with deep gratitude on the powerful mercy of our Savior. ©Catholic Stewardship Consultants

Pastoral Pondering

I want to thank all of those who attended, and especially those who assisted with the Eucharistic Congress last weekend. It is such a wonderful event and a tremendous opportunity to come together as a local Church to celebrate faith and to offer God fitting worship and praise.

Last week I discussed the mission of the parish, why we exist. This week I want to focus on the two principal bodies that help me as pastor implement that vision, the Pastoral Council and the Finance Council. In order to understand the roles of these two councils, it’s helpful to understand how the Church understands parish. Canon law understands a parish to be, in general, a territory that embraces all of the Christian faithful who live within that territory which is entrusted to a pastor who is responsible for its pastoral care. Usually, when we think of a parish, we think of those who are registered or attend the parish. Actually, however, the Church envisions the parish as including everyone who live within the territory, whether registered or not and whether Catholic or not. The parish exercises this responsibility through works of social justice and sharing the message of the Gospel.

While the pastor is especially entrusted with leading the mission of the parish, he does not carry out this task in isolation. Every member of the Christian faithful, the baptized, have a responsibility of sharing in the mission of the Church and fulfilling the role of the parish. This task is especially expressed in the work of the Pastoral and Finance Councils.

The main role of the Pastoral Council is to bring concerns that affect the whole parish to the pastor’s attention. The Council also develops and implements a Parish Pastoral Plan through which those things that impact the whole parish are addressed.

The Finance Council assists the pastor in the administration of parish temporal matters. The universal law of the Church requires every parish to have a Finance Council. The Council is especially responsible for supporting the pastor in his stewardship of parish resources while being accountable to the parish and the Diocesan bishop. This accountability is primarily carried out through regular review of parish finances and regular reporting of those activities to the parish and the Diocese.

The Pastoral and Finance Councils work cooperatively to implement the goals and objectives outlined in the Pastoral Plan. The Finance Council does this through guiding the budgetary process and insuring that the parish budget is a faithful expression of the values set forth in the Pastoral Plan of the parish.

Over the years I have found both of the Councils to be invaluable in assisting me to carry out the pastoral mandate entrusted to the pastor. While some do, most pastors do not have the expertise to fulfill all that the Church expects of him. Hence, the assistance of the laity who have various talents and charisms is essential to effective pastoral ministry.

Our Pastoral and Finance Councils here at St. Mark are a great help to me. The members offer insight and advise that I have found to be invaluable. The ability of the Council members to collaborate with staff in implementing the pastoral plan is really the key to insuring that we, as a parish, are being faithful to why we are here. John Benson is the chair of our Pastoral Council and Coley O’Shaughnessey is the chair of our Finance Council. If you have questions about either council or would be interested in serving in the future, please feel free to reach out to any one of us.

From the Pastor

From the Pastor - 5th Sunday in Lent

By John Putnam • March 20, 2026
At this point in our Lenten journey, it is tempting to grow weary of the spiritual disciplines we have taken on. Today’s readings inspire us to remain faithful, in grateful response to a God who loves us so much. In our first reading, the prophet Ezekiel speaks God’s own words to us. “I will put my spirit in you that you may live… I have promised and I will do it, says the Lord.” Our God wants to be so closely united to us that we are one with Him. And He has promised He will do it. But only if we make room for Him by making Him THE priority of our lives. Putting God first is a grateful response that is very pleasing to Him. How can we do this? Our second reading, from Romans, tells us. “Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. But you are not in the flesh… you are in the spirit if only the Spirit of God dwells in you.” The disciplines of Lent and a stewardship way of life are wonderful gifts that free us from too great an attachment to “the flesh.” The sacrifices we make as Christian stewards are not meant to restrict our freedom and joy. Quite the contrary. They are tools to help us find the real freedom and joy that only come when we make room in our lives for God. As we journey closer to the Passion of our Lord, let us intensify our Lenten resolutions and our stewardship way of life, inviting the Holy Spirit to take over more and more of our lives. By Easter, we will be freer to rejoice in Him and truly pleasing to God. © Catholic Stewardship Consultants, 2026. Pastoral Pondering On September 29, 1916, the Angel of Peace appeared to the three shepherd children in Fatima. During this encounter, the Angel shared with the children the following prayer: "Most Holy Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, I adore thee profoundly, and I offer Thee the Most Precious Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of the same son Jesus Christ, present in the Tabernacles of the world, in reparation for all the sacrileges, outrages, and indifferences by which He Himself is offended. And by the infinite merits of His Most Sacred Heart and through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I beg of Thee the conversion of poor sinners." In keeping with the theme that I began last week, about reviewing the basics, I thought it might be useful to address the importance of Eucharistic reverence and devotion. In the prayer given by the Angel, sacrileges, outrages and indifferences are specifically mentioned. Perhaps looking at each of these is a helpful way to address this.

From the Pastor - 4th Sunday in Lent

By John Putnam • March 13, 2026
Today’s readings for this Fourth Sunday of Lent are filled with powerful contrasts — God’s vision versus human vision, the light of Christ versus the darkness of sin, and spiritual blindness versus spiritual sight. Embracing a stewardship way of life frees us from spiritual blindness, helps us see as God sees, and allows us to reflect Christ’s light in our daily lives. In our Second Reading from Ephesians, St. Paul reminds us, “… You were once in darkness but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light.” Through Baptism, the very life and light of the Blessed Trinity dwell within us. Yet amid the busyness and challenges of daily life, it is easy to forget this truth. We may even struggle to recognize whether our actions truly reflect Christ’s light. A stewardship way of life — with its intentional and grateful use of our time, talent, and treasure — provides a daily guide to help us live as children of the light. It encourages us to make choices that reflect Christ in the way we serve, give, and love others. In today’s Gospel from John, Jesus restores sight to a man born blind, and the man simply testifies that Christ “opened my eyes.” During these Lenten days, we too can ask Jesus to open our eyes — to help us see areas where spiritual blindness may still linger, especially in how we use the gifts entrusted to us. As we continue our Lenten journey, let us renew our efforts wherever our vision has grown dim, so that by Easter we may truly live as children of the light. © Catholic Stewardship Consultants, 2026. Pastoral Pondering It is always good to be reminded of the fundamentals of our faith. Recently, I have become more aware that some Catholics do not realize or understand the necessity of assisting at Mass on Sundays and Holy Days. With that in mind, hopefully the following will be of assistance. As Catholics, we are called to make the Eucharist the “center” of our spiritual lives. Attending Mass on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation is not merely a tradition or a good suggestion—it's a fundamental precept of the Church that helps us fulfill God's command and grow in faith. The Biblical and Divine Foundation The importance begins with the Third Commandment: "Remember to keep holy the Sabbath day" (Exodus 20:8). For Christians, Sunday—the Lord's Day—replaces the Jewish Sabbath because it commemorates the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, the central event of our salvation. The early Church gathered on Sundays to break bread (the Eucharist) in memory of the Lord's passion, resurrection, and glorification (see Acts 20:7; 1 Corinthians 16:2). The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that "the Sunday celebration of the Lord's Day and his Eucharist is at the heart of the Church’s life" (CCC 2177). Sunday Mass is the "foundation and confirmation of all Christian practice" (CCC 2181). By participating, we obey Christ's command at the Last Supper: "Do this in remembrance of me" (Luke 22:19). Why the Church Requires It The Church, guided by the authority Christ gave the apostles (Matthew 18:18), has established this as a precept to help us fulfill the moral law of worshiping God. Canon Law states: "On Sundays and other holy days of obligation, the faithful are bound to participate in the Mass" (Canon 1247). Deliberately missing Mass without a serious reason (such as illness, caring for infants, or other grave circumstances) constitutes a grave sin (CCC 2181). This obligation extends to Holy Days of Obligation, which highlight key mysteries of our faith—events in the life of Christ, Mary, or the saints that are so central they call the whole Church to gather in worship. These days remind us of God's saving work and invite us to pause our daily routines to give thanks and receive grace. Benefits for Our Spiritual Life Attending Mass regularly: Unites us with Christ in His sacrifice, allowing us to receive the Eucharist, our spiritual food and source of strength. Builds community: We gather as the Body of Christ, supporting one another in faith (CCC 2182). Sanctifies our week: It sets aside time for rest, reflection, family, and mercy, helping us avoid habits that harm our relationship with God. Testifies to our faith: Public participation shows our commitment to Christ and His Church. Holy Days of Obligation serve a similar purpose, celebrating core truths like the Incarnation, Mary's role, or Christ's Ascension. In the United States, these typically include (in addition to all Sundays): January 1: Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God Ascension Thursday (transferred to Sunday in our Diocese) August 15: Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (may be abrogated if it falls on Saturday or Monday in some cases) November 1: All Saints' Day December 8: Immaculate Conception December 25: Christmas A Joyful Invitation, Not a Burden The Church's precept isn't meant to restrict us but to free us for what truly matters: encountering the risen Lord. As one reflection notes, Sunday Mass reorients our lives toward God, reunites us in love, and pours out grace for salvation. It's the "sweetest obligation ever imposed" because it draws us into the mystery of God's love. If scheduling conflicts arise, speak with your pastor—exceptions exist for serious reasons. But let's embrace this gift: make attending Mass a priority and let it transform your week and your life.  May the Eucharist strengthen us all as we journey together toward heaven!