From the Pastor - 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time

October 20, 2023

Today’s readings encourage us Christian stewards to always be mindful of who we are and Whose we are in every aspect of our lives.


Jesus reminds us of this truth in our Gospel passage today as He cleverly puts the Pharisees in their place during their attempt to verbally entrap Him. They ask Him whether it is lawful to pay the tax to Caesar. But the Pharisees were thinking small. Christ, on the other hand, thinks big.


We all know how the story goes. Christ asks to see the coin that pays the tax and has them state whose image is on it. They of course, reply, “Caesar.” In response Christ tells them to “Repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.”


With that, He reminds us that while civil authorities should be obeyed, we answer to an infinitely higher Authority, God, Who is Lord of everything and everyone. All things and all people were created by God. In Baptism we have been claimed for Christ. Our lives are a gift from God and we have the privilege and responsibility to use every aspect of our lives in grateful response to Him.



Let us joyfully give thanks to this wonderful God by the way we live our daily lives. We belong to Him and there is no other! © Catholic Stewardship Consultants, 2023.


Pastoral Pondering

As I write this, most are dealing with the horrible news coming out of the Middle East. Hamas has attacked Israel, taken prisoners, and killed men, women and children. As was expected, Israel’s response to this unprovoked attack has been decisive and destructive. We have also heard that some Americans have been taken hostage and some have died in the conflict. This past Sunday, I was standing in St. Peter’s Square as the Holy Father prayed for an end to violence and a restoration of peace in the region. It is inevitable at times like these for many of us to ask “Why?” & “How can God allow this to happen?”


First and foremost, we have to remember that God never desires such evil. Sadly, our fallen human nature allows us to make decisions that are harmful, destructive and sinful. While God does not desire it, He allows us to exercise our freedom. As the Catechism of the Catholic Church points out: “Moral evil, however, results from the free choice to sin which angels and men have; it is permitted by God, who knows how to derive good from it, in order to respect the freedom of His creatures (311). The entire revelation of God’s goodness in Christ is a response to the existence of evil.”


In other words, all of these acts of evil throughout the centuries have shown how the abuse of human freedom and our tendency to sin has wrought havoc over and over again. Yet, in the midst of this, God continues to work, bring good out of the chaos, and invites us to do our part to promote peace and justice. Jesus’ own sacrifice shows how God can bring great good out of the greatest of evils.


From a moral standpoint, every nation has a right to protect itself and its citizens. This falls under the just war theory in terms of Catholic moral theology. This same principle, however, also requires that the response to unjust aggression must be proportionate and appropriate to the threat. A fuller discussion of this can be found in the Catechism ##2307-2309. Sadly, this often results in a substantial amount of collateral damage, and Hamas and other terrorist organizations regularly use the innocent as human shields leading to even more collateral damage even with the most advanced military technology.


Gaza is home to 2.5 million people. I would hope that most of them, unlike their leaders, are not seeking to destroy their neighbors and anyone who gets in their way. Hence, the solution to this matter is extremely complicated, and, in all honesty, our government has sent mixed messages that has led to, at least, a perception that the U.S. is weak and lacking in resolve. Iran, as is being reported, is fueling much of this conflict. Ultimately, Iran’s complicity has to be addressed directly and clearly. The Palestinian people that I have met over the years, simply want to live their lives, raise their families, and get along with their neighbors. We need to pray for them, especially for the Palestinian Christians who are often caught between the two warring factions, and support them with humanitarian aid, spiritual support, and all of the political influence we can muster.


From the Pastor

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.

From the Pastor - Fourth Sunday of Easter

By John Putnam • April 24, 2026
Today’s readings on this fourth Sunday of Easter offer us a glimpse into the heart of our loving Savior. He is the Good Shepherd and we can confidently place our trust in Him as we live the stewardship way of life. This endearing image of Jesus as our shepherd, and His personal love for each one of us, is described in our Gospel passage from John, through the words of Jesus Himself. Here we read Jesus’ description of Himself as the “Good Shepherd.” He says of Himself, “The sheep hear his voice, as the shepherd calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has driven out all his own, he walks ahead of them and the sheep follow him, because they recognize his voice.” This aspect of our Lord’s tender and personal love for each one of us is a compelling reason to embrace the stewardship way of life — in the offering of our time, talent, and treasure to Him, we can express our gratitude to Him for the incomprehensible love He has for us. Embracing this way of life certainly requires trust on our part. But Christ has proven Himself worthy of our trust. He “bore our sins in His body.” He calls Himself our shepherd and He offers Himself as the guardian of our souls. He has withheld nothing of Himself and His goodness from us. He would never ask anything of us that would bring us harm. He tells us “I came so that [you] might have life and have it more abundantly.” This Easter season, let us resolve to entrust ourselves and our lives gratefully to Him. © Catholic Stewardship Consultants, 2026 Pastoral Pondering As we continue our treatment of the basics of the faith and following up on last week’s discussion of cohabitation, this week I wanted to focus on Natural Family Planning which some people misconstrue as Catholic contraception. Natural Family Planning: The Catholic Way to Responsible Parenthood Natural Family Planning (NFP) consists of moral, scientific methods that help married couples achieve or postpone pregnancy by observing a woman’s natural signs of fertility—such as cervical mucus and basal body temperature—without drugs, devices, or surgery. The Catholic Church fully supports NFP because it respects God’s design for marital love, which is both **unitive** (bonding) and **procreative** (open to life). Unlike artificial contraception, which deliberately blocks fertility, NFP works with the body’s natural cycles through periodic abstinence when needed. Church Teaching In Humanae Vitae (1968), Pope St. Paul VI taught that couples may use the infertile periods for serious reasons, while always remaining open to the gift of children. The Catechism of the Catholic Church (2370) affirms that methods based on self-observation and infertile periods are morally acceptable because they respect the dignity of the spouses and promote authentic freedom. NFP is not “Catholic contraception.” The difference is in the heart: contraception rejects fertility in the act itself; NFP involves responsible discernment and periodic continence when there are just reasons (health, financial, emotional, or other proportionate circumstances). Couples should prayerfully discern together, ideally with a priest or spiritual director, avoiding a selfish “contraceptive mentality.” NFP can also help couples conceive by identifying the fertile window. Benefits for Catholic Couples - Strengthens marriage through better communication, mutual respect, and shared sacrifice. - Respects the woman’s body and natural rhythms. - Highly effective when properly learned and used. - Supports monitoring of reproductive health. Popular Church-approved methods include the Sympto-Thermal Method , Creighton Model , and Marquette Method . Instruction from a certified teacher is strongly recommended. A Parish Invitation As the domestic Church, families thrive when they live God’s plan for love and life. If you are preparing for marriage, newlywed, or seeking to grow in this area, contact your diocesan Family Life Office or visit the USCCB Natural Family Planning page for resources and local classes.  May the Lord bless all married couples as they cooperate with God in the beautiful vocation of responsible parenthood!