From the Pastor – The Ascension of the Lord

May 14, 2018

From the Pastor – The Ascension of the Lord

We often cite Jesus’ quote from today’s Gospel of Mark: “Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature.” This was not a suggestion from the Lord. It was quite frankly a command, and it is one which still holds for each of us. Being an evangelist, being a disciple, being a steward is not a matter of choice for those of us who are Catholic and Christian. It is something the Lord expects of us.

Often we may like to spend time debating how to do that, but that does not lessen the fact that it is something we are supposed to do. We need to acknowledge that even the original Apostles and followers of Jesus did not do that immediately. We learn that they stayed in Jerusalem for some time, and it seemed to be only when the Church and its followers were persecuted that they began to reach out and truly share the “Good News.”

Once Christians accepted that charge from the Lord, they did indeed take the Word of God to all corners of the earth. Look at the Church today. It is incredible how this Church has grown from one Man/God and a small group into what it is today. That does not, however, get us “off the hook.”

As much as we may argue about how to carry out this command from Jesus, the fact remains that our very lives need to stand as a representation of what it means to be a Christian, what it means to “love one another,” what it means to live and to work as a disciple of Christ.

Pastoral Pondering

In continuing our consideration of the 50 th anniversary of Humanae Vitae, I would like to point out the “prophetic” elements that Pope Paul foresaw. The encyclical warned of four resulting trends: a general lowering of moral standards throughout society; a rise in infidelity; a lessening of respect for women by men; and the coercive use of reproductive technologies by governments. It takes very little effort to find evidence that each of these trends have been realized.

I would now like to return to Dr. Mary Eberstadt’s recent article from First Things (April 2018). The second reality that she notes is the trend among some Protestants towards accepting the teaching of Humanae Vitae. I touched on this briefly last week but believe it merits a greater consideration since the shift in the early 20 th century in support of artificial contraception provided the backdrop of its wholesale exportation to the third world.

It is important to remember that Church teaching on contraception, including Protestant teaching, was the same across the board until 1930. In fact, much of Protestant teaching was far harsher than anything that Humanae Vitae had to say. For example, the Lambeth Conference of 1908 affirmed its opposition to artificial contraception by describing it as “demoralizing to character and hostile to national welfare.” Martin Luther in a commentary on Genesis declared contraception to be worse than incest or adultery, and John Calvin called it an “unforgivable crime.”

Nevertheless, the Lambeth Conference of the Anglican Communion of 1930 made the first exception to the prohibition thus leading to a divide on this moral teaching. Other mainline Protestant groups followed suit in the ensuing years. This has led to widespread disintegration of mainline Protestantism, especially the Anglican Communion. Moreover, the “Protestant cave-in” led to the wholesale exporting of contraception by much of western society to the third world.

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, for example, donated $14.6 billion to support contraception programs in Africa. Obianuju Ekeocha, a Nigerian-born author, wrote an open letter to Melinda Gates in response to this donation. “I see this $14.6 billion buying us misery. I see it buying us unfaithful husbands. I see it buying us streets devoid of the innocent chatter of children.... I see it buying us a retirement without the tender loving care of our children” (see Obianuju Ekeocha, Target Africa: Ideological Neo-Colonialism of the Twenty-first Century ). Africa, India, and much of the third world has been targeted with such donations. More often than not, support from the first world comes with the requirement that “family planning” be included as a requirement in order for funding to be offered.

Dr. Eberstadt also notes that there is also justification for some fear that in some places contraceptive technology might be imposed by governmental authority. This has certainly been the long-standing practice in China and has also been practiced in India and Indonesia. Even in the United States, there were efforts at one-time in which some U.S. judges backed state initiatives requiring implantation of long term contraceptives on women convicted of crimes. All of this, of course, would have been unthinkable 100 years ago.

Again, Pope Paul VI was prophetic in recognizing that the widespread use of contraception would result in the erosion of a basic respect for human life, a basic respect for marriage and family, and a basic respect for human dignity. The reality in which we live today certainly bears this out, and the proof often comes from secular rather than religious sources.

From the Pastor

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!!

From the Pastor - Ascension of the Lord

By John Putnam • May 15, 2026
Today we celebrate the great feast of the Ascension of our Lord — that moment when Jesus, 40 days after His Resurrection, was lifted up into heaven as the apostles looked on. It must have been an extraordinary sight. But the first reading tells us they were not meant to stand there for long. “Men of Galilee, why are you standing there looking at the sky?” In other words — don’t just stand there. Do something. This is a message for us as Christian stewards. We have been given every grace and blessing — through the Mass and the sacraments, through the Word of God, and through the gifts of our time, talent, and treasure. We are not meant to simply receive these gifts. We are meant to use them — in gratitude to the One who gave them. Like the apostles, we are called “to be [His] witnesses… to the ends of the earth.” And we do this not by our own strength, but through the power of the Holy Spirit at work within us. © Catholic Stewardship Consultants, 2026 Pastoral Pondering Just War Theory: The Catholic Moral Framework for Armed Conflict Just War Theory is one of the most important and carefully developed areas of Catholic moral theology. It does not glorify war — quite the opposite. The Catechism begins its section on war with a solemn reminder that "the fifth commandment forbids the intentional destruction of human life," and because of the evils and injustices that accompany all war, the Church insistently urges everyone to prayer and action so that God may free us from the ancient bondage of war. And yet, while war always involves evils, sometimes the choice not to engage in war can be an even greater evil — and this is the theory behind the Church's teaching that a nation *can* wage a just war. Historical Roots The theory of when and how war can be morally justified goes back at least to the pre-Christian Roman orator Cicero, and was taken up by St. Ambrose, then systematically developed by St. Augustine. Augustine's account was later refined by St. Thomas Aquinas, whose rendering was normative for Catholic theorists from the Middle Ages onward. The Second Vatican Council re-presented the classical account, placing much greater emphasis on the avoidance of war and offering a forceful condemnation of weapons of mass destruction. The current Catechism (CCC 2307–2317) develops this by conceiving war as a means of legitimate societal self-defense. Two Dimensions of Justice in War The Catholic Church distinguishes between two types of justice concerning war: jus ad bellum (justice before the war) and jus in bello (justice during the war). Most discussion focuses on jus ad bellum — the four conditions inherited from St. Augustine that determine whether going to war is justified. Jus in bello refers to how the war is actually conducted once it has begun. It is entirely possible for a country to fight a war that meets the jus ad bellum conditions for being just, and yet to fight that war *unjustly* — by targeting innocent civilians or dropping bombs indiscriminately. The Four Conditions for a Just War (CCC 2309) As long as the danger of war persists and no international authority has sufficient power to prevent it, governments cannot be denied the right of lawful self-defense once all peace efforts have failed. The strict conditions for legitimate defense by military force require that all four of the following be met simultaneously : 1. The damage inflicted by the aggressor on the nation or community of nations must be lasting, grave, and certain . 2. All other means of putting an end to it must have been shown to be impractical or ineffective . 3. There must be serious prospects of success . 4. The use of arms must not produce evils and disorders graver than the evil to be eliminated. These are hard conditions to fulfill, and with good reason — the Church teaches that war should always be the last resort. Justice During War (Jus in Bello) Even in a just war, moral law does not evaporate on the battlefield. The Church and human reason both assert the permanent validity of the moral law during armed conflict — "the mere fact that war has regrettably broken out does not mean that everything becomes licit between the warring parties." Noncombatants, wounded soldiers, and prisoners must be respected and treated humanely. Actions deliberately contrary to the law of nations are crimes, as are the orders that command them. Blind obedience does not excuse those who carry them out. The extermination of a people, nation, or ethnic minority must be condemned as a mortal sin — and one is morally bound to resist orders that command genocide. As the Catechism states clearly: "Every act of war directed to the indiscriminate destruction of whole cities or vast areas with their inhabitants is a crime against God and man, which merits firm and unequivocal condemnation." Catholics in the Armed Forces A Catholic who serves in the armed forces must discern the morality of any conflict. If ordered to commit an intrinsically evil act — such as the direct killing of an unarmed civilian or the torture of a prisoner of war — a Catholic soldier must *refuse* that order, even if it is legal and even if punishment results. The Challenge of Modern Warfare Pope John Paul II suggested that the threshold for a just war has been raised very high by the existence of weapons of mass destruction. Cardinal Ratzinger (later Pope Benedict XVI) went even further, asking "whether as things stand, with new weapons that cause destruction that goes well beyond the groups involved in the fight, it is still licit to allow that a 'just war' might exist."  Just War Theory is not a loophole for violence — it is a moral fence around it. The presumption always begins with peace. War is a tragic concession to human sinfulness, never a first resort, and always bound by the permanent demands of justice and human dignity.