From the Pastor – 6th Sunday in Ordinary Time

February 12, 2018

From the Pastor – 6 th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Often one of our human weaknesses has to do with us believing or thinking we know better than God in relation to what we do and what we do in relation to others. Of course, part of that has to do with our failure to pray and consult the Lord, or even more to make no effort to understand what God may be telling us.

In today’s Gospel Reading from St. Mark, we hear about Jesus curing a leper. In His instructions to the cured man, He says, “See that you tell no one anything,” Of course, the man pays no attention to this instruction from the Lord. Instead, “The man went away and began to publicize the whole matter.”

Surely the man meant well; in fact, he probably thought he was helping Jesus, but the reality as stated in the Gospel is that his disobedience hindered the ministry of Jesus, “so that it was impossible for Jesus to enter a town openly.” We need to obey the Lord, and we should never think we have a better plan than He does.

Even the eminent scientist Albert Einstein recognized how important Jesus’ teachings are. Einstein said, “As a child I received instruction both in the Bible and in the Talmud. I am a Jew, but I am enthralled by the luminous figure of the Nazarene — no one can read the Gospels without feeling the actual presence of Jesus. His personality pulsates in every word. No myth is filled with such life.”

From the Pastor

As we begin the season of Lent this Wednesday, we enter both a season of penance and renewal. It is a season of penance because we are called to deny ourselves and to take up our crosses and follow the Lord. It is a season of renewal because unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it cannot bear fruit (cf. Jn. 12:24). We must constantly die to ourselves in order that Christ may live in us. That resistance to dying to self comes in many forms. Sometimes it is, as Matthew Kelly points out, a resistance to happiness. At other times, it shows up as false pride that prevents us from being obedient to the Lord’s call to change. Whatever our struggle might be, Lent affords us the opportunity to marvel at what the Lord can do in our souls if we only allow Him to work and transform us.

Staff changes – I wanted to announce the following staff changes:

After serving the parish from its beginning in 1997, Tricia McCaa has decided to retire effective March 1 st . She can now devote herself to being grandma, which everyone knows brings her great joy. It is impossible to adequately thank someone for such longstanding service, but suffice it to say that to many Tricia has been a constant and stabilizing presence in the parish year after year and decade after decade. While she will certainly be missed in the office, I ask you to join me in wishing her well as she begins this new chapter in her life.

After serving the parish for over 10 years in Faith Formation, Faye Nye will be assuming the directorship of Faith Formation at Holy Spirit in Denver. Faye and her husband live in Denver now, and she has been volunteering there for some time. Father Carmen has been without a DFF for several months, and Faye is excited to help him develop and grow the program there. Faye has always been a pleasure to work with. She cares for each child she serves, and I know that she will bring that same love and commitment to Holy Spirit. We wish her well.

As I mentioned a couple of weeks ago, we have been doing some reorganizing in Faith Formation. Part of reorganizing also means evaluating the positions we have and making sure that we are being good stewards of our parish resources. The realignment, therefore, has resulted in seeing that one of our part time positions was no longer necessary since the tasks assigned could be assumed by Michael Griffith. Therefore, the position of Coordinator of Adult Faith Formation has been eliminated. Sonnet Bonelli has been serving in this capacity and has been a great help during this transition time. I want to thank her for her service and am thankful that she will continue to be involved in various ministries around the parish.

From the Pastor

From the Pastor - Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity

By John Putnam • May 29, 2026
Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity — the central mystery of our faith. Though the Trinity is a profound mystery, it also reveals something very practical for us as Christian stewards. The Trinity is a communion of Persons who give themselves completely to one another. This self-giving love is at the heart of the stewardship way of life. In our Gospel, we hear, “God so loved the world that he gave his only Son.” God gives Himself to us out of love. We are called to respond in the same way — by giving ourselves back to Him and to others. The more we give of ourselves in love, the more we experience “the grace of the Lord, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit” within us. This Triune God invites us into a deeper relationship with Him — one that grows as we live a life of gratitude and self-gift through the stewardship way of life. © Catholic Stewardship Consultants, 2026 Pastoral Pondering In light of the blessing of the ordination of ten new priests for the Diocese of Charlotte and the 34 th anniversary of my own ordination (May 30 th ), I thought it would be good to reflect on the importance of the ministerial priesthood in the life of the Church. The Catholic priesthood (ministerial priesthood) is essential to the Church's life, mission, and sacramental reality. It flows directly from Christ's own priesthood and enables the Church to continue His saving work until the end of time. Rooted in Christ's Priesthood Catholic teaching holds that Jesus Christ is the one eternal High Priest (Hebrews 5:1-10, 7-10). The ministerial priesthood does not replace or compete with His but participates in it in a unique way. Priests are ordained to act in persona Christi Capitis ("in the person of Christ the Head")—especially in the sacraments. This differs essentially (not just in degree) from the common priesthood of all the baptized , by which every Christian offers spiritual sacrifices, lives a holy life, and witnesses to the Gospel (1 Peter 2:5, 9). The ministerial priesthood exists *for the service* of the common priesthood, to build up the Church as the Body of Christ. Key Roles and Importance Priests exercise a threefold ministry (teaching, sanctifying, and governing), called the three Munera, that mirrors Christ's: Sanctifying the People of God : Priests are the ordinary ministers of several sacraments, above all the Eucharist . Through them, Christ's one sacrifice on the Cross is made present in the Mass. Without ordained priests, there would be no valid Eucharist in the Catholic understanding. They also forgive sins in Confession, anoint the sick, baptize (in ordinary circumstances), and celebrate other sacraments. This makes divine grace accessible in a tangible, ecclesial way. Proclaiming the Word : Priests preach the Gospel, teach the faith, and guide consciences. They are "co-workers" with bishops in shepherding the faithful. Governing and Serving : As spiritual fathers, they lead communities, counsel, perform works of mercy, and foster unity. They do this not by their own power but as instruments of Christ. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states: "In the ecclesial service of the ordained minister, it is Christ himself who is present to his Church as Head of his Body, Shepherd of his flock, high priest of the redemptive sacrifice, Teacher of Truth." Apostolic succes sion ensures continuity: Bishops ordain priests through the laying on of hands, tracing back to the apostles. This sacramental character is indelible—permanent. Why It Matters to the Church The Church cannot fully be the Church without it in Catholic doctrine. The priesthood guarantees the valid celebration of the Eucharist (the "source and summit" of Christian life) and the other sacraments that nourish faith. It maintains the Church's hierarchical structure for unity and ordered mission. Priests enable the laity's priestly vocation by providing the sacraments and pastoral care that empower everyday Christians to live out their baptismal calling. Historically and theologically, the priesthood fulfills and surpasses the Old Covenant priesthood, making Christ's mediation present across time and place. Vatican II's Presbyterorum Ordinis (Decree on the Ministry and Life of Priests) emphasizes that priests are "taken from among men and appointed for men in the things that pertain to God" (Hebrews 5:1). Their celibacy, obedience, and life of prayer are oriented toward total availability for the Gospel and the flock. In short, the Catholic priesthood is not an optional "clergy class" but a divine gift by which Christ continues to shepherd, teach, and sanctify His Church. Catholics believe that through faithful priests, grace flows to the world, making salvation accessible and the Church a living sacrament of Christ's presence.  Let’s thank God for the gift of our newly ordained priests and ask the Lord to continue to send workers into the vineyard.

From the Pastor - Pentecost

By John Putnam • May 22, 2026
Throughout our readings today for Pentecost Sunday, we see the powerful truth that the Holy Spirit gives us gifts and guidance in a deeply personal way. We are meant to use these gifts to build up the Body of Christ — each in our own unique way. In our first reading from Acts, we hear of the dramatic outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles. A strong driving wind filled the house, and tongues of fire came to rest on each of them. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues. Notice how personal this moment is. The Spirit came upon each individual, equipping them in a unique way to share the Gospel. The same is true for us today. Embracing the stewardship way of life means allowing the Holy Spirit to guide us in using the unique gifts He has given to each of us for the mission entrusted to us. In our Gospel, Jesus sends His disciples forth: “As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” This is our mission as well. But we are not sent alone. Jesus gives us His peace — “Peace be with you.” As this Easter season comes to a close, let us be at peace and resolve to rely more fully on the Holy Spirit as our guide through the stewardship way of life. ©Catholic Stewardship Consultants, 2026 Pastoral Pondering This weekend we are celebrating a number of events that I am extremely thankful for. First, three of our own parishioners were ordained deacons on their road to the Priesthood. Bradley Loftin, Patrick Martin and Connor White were ordained deacons by Bishop Martin. I have had the privilege of watching each of these young men grow up, in many respects, and mature in their discernment of God’s call in their lives. Each will be serving in a parish this summer. Deacon Loftin will be serving at St. Eugene in Asheville, Deacon Martin will be serving at St. Matthew in Charlotte and Deacon White will be serving at the Cathedral of St. Patrick. Secondly, on Pentecost afternoon we will be receiving our candidates, those who received baptism in a non-Catholic Christian church, into the full communion of the Catholic Church with the reception of Confirmation and Holy Communion. Each of them has studied and prayed and prepared for this special occasion. Please pray both for our new deacons as well as our newest Catholics. These events are a reminder that God is never outdone in generosity, and He continues to produce an abundance of fruit when we willingly open our hearts and cooperate with His grace. Happy Pentecost!!