From the Pastor - 6th Sunday in Ordinary Time

February 12, 2021

Today's readings prepare us for the penitential season of Lent.


In our Gospel, a leper knelt before Jesus and said, “If you wish, you can make me clean.” Jesus reached out and touched this diseased man and healed him. He then encouraged the man to show himself to the priest and offer himself a cleansing, referencing what was commanded in the Law of Moses. By completing these rituals, this man might be reinstituted into the community.


Let us approach this holy season of Lent like the leper. By our faults, we have distanced ourselves from God and His community. The leper reminds us Who to go to so that we might be healed. Let us approach the Lord this season on our knees asking for forgiveness and healing from our offenses, saying, “If you wish, you can make me clean.” There is no doubt that, if we have a contrite heart, Jesus will stretch out His hand in forgiveness and His mercy will touch our lives.


And like the leper, we too should go forth from being healed with a commitment to cleanse ourselves from the lasting effects of sin. Lent is a time to offer acts of reparation through Prayer, Fasting and Almsgiving so that we might be purified in all areas of our life and walk with the Gracious Healer, Who sacrificed His life for our sake.


This holy season of Lent is an opportunity to be healed and cleansed on our journey as disciples of Christ. Let us consider what we can do to offer acts of reparation so that we might be purified and one day partake in the resurrection of Christ. © Catholic Stewardship Consultants, 2021


Pastoral Pondering

Ash Wednesday This year with COVID precautions, Ash Wednesday will look a bit different. The Holy See has indicated that the imposition of ashes will take place a bit differently than is usually the case. This year the blessing of the ashes will occur in the normal way. After the blessing, the priest or deacon celebrating will offer the normal declarative “Remember you are dust…or Turn away from sin” only once. Then a small modicum of ashes will be sprinkled on each person who comes forward. This has been the practice used at Papal Masses for some time and will limit person to person contact.


Spiritual Obstacles – I would like to continue discussing some obstacles to spiritual growth that can and often do impact folks these days. The points that I raise arise from my own experience with deliverance ministry along with ongoing formation in this particular area of the Church’s ministry. Last week, I addressed the matter of soul ties and began two weeks ago with a general overview about how these obstacles can prevent us from growing in the spiritual life. Some of these can also have a negative impact on everyday life. Curses associated with freemasonry fall into that category.


The relationship between the Church and freemasonry is a long one. It is first important to have a general understanding of what freemasonry actually is. Masonry consists of fraternal organizations that trace their origins to the stonemason guilds of the 14th century. As it exists today, freemasonry broadly consists of two main groups: Regular Freemasonry and Continental Freemasonry. The former insists that a volume of scripture be open in a working lodge, the members profess belief in a Supreme Being and that discussions of politics and religion be banned. Only men are admitted to these lodges. The latter consists of jurisdictions which have removed some or all of the restrictions of Regular Freemasonry. Each group is organized into lodges that are subject to some type of regional or national supervision.


The Church’s condemnation of freemasonry began in 1738 with a papal bull issued by Pope Clement XII. Subsequent popes, from Pope Benedict XIV to Pope Pius XII reaffirmed and added to this condemnation and recognition that freemasonry was inherently incompatible with Catholic faith. In the Pio-Benedictine Code of Canon Law which was promulgated in 1917, a latae sententiae excommunication was indicated for any Catholic who joined freemasonry.


The intervening years between 1917 and the promulgation of the new Code of Canon Law in 1983, especially after 1966, were a period of some confusion regarding the status of freemasonry and whether or not Catholics could join. In 1980 the German Bishops Conference began a six-year dialogue with the United Grand Lodge of Germany. At the conclusion year dialogue, which included an investigation of Masonic rituals, the German Bishops reaffirmed that Catholics are forbidden to join lodges, even Catholic-friendly ones.


When the 1983 Code of Canon Law was issued, a number of automatic (latae sententiae) excommunications were removed. However, canon 1374 states: A person who joins an association which plots against the Church is to be punished with a just penalty; one who promotes or takes office in such an association, is to be punished with an interdict. This led to further confusion even though then-Cardinal Ratzinger issued an explanatory note which states: “faithful who enroll in Masonic associations are in a state of grave sin and may not receive Holy Communion … the Church’s negative judgment in regard to Masonic associations remains unchanged since their principles have always been considered irreconcilable with the doctrine of the Church and therefore membership in them remains forbidden”. In 1985 the United States Bishop issued a letter concerning Masonry indicating that “the principles and basic rituals of Masonry embody a naturalistic religion active participation in which is incompatible with Christian faith and practice … Those who knowingly embrace Masonic principles are committing serious sin.”


The foregoing provides some background of the history of freemasonry in relation to the Church. Next week, I will delve into some of the specific concerns and indicate how those who accept initiation into Masonic societies often handicap themselves spiritually.

From the Pastor

From the Pastor - 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time

By John Putnam • July 31, 2026
Today’s readings should inspire the Christian steward with deepened gratitude for our God, who loves us with both fierce and tender love. We must make an intentional response each day, returning love for Love. In our Second Reading from Romans, St. Paul reminds us that nothing and no one can separate us from the love of Christ. No anguish, distress, persecution, famine — and we might add illness, financial hardship, family struggles, or uncertainty about the future — nothing can keep our God from loving us. God holds us securely in the palm of His hand. And yet, this reassurance is only the beginning of God’s gifts to us. Our Gospel from Matthew recounts the miracle of the multiplication of the loaves and fish. This miracle foreshadows the gift of the Eucharist, where Christ feeds us not simply with bread, but with His own Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity. Notice how the Gospel begins. "His heart was moved with pity for them, and he cured their sick." What generous and compassionate love our Lord shows. But even that is not enough for Him. He remains with the people, teaching and ministering to them until evening. When the disciples suggest sending the crowds away to find food, Jesus instead invites them to become part of His plan. He tells them to feed the people, then miraculously multiplies the few loaves and fish they offer. What a privilege it was for the disciples to participate in Christ's work. That same privilege is ours as Christian stewards. Let us respond with grateful hearts to such amazing love. © Catholic Stewardship Consultants,

From the Pastor - 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time

By John Putnam • July 31, 2026
The stewardship way of life could be described as a daily pursuit of the Kingdom of Heaven. In today’s Gospel from Matthew, Jesus uses a series of parables to help us understand the incomparable value of that Kingdom. First, He reminds us that living for Him and for His Kingdom will require sacrifice. Yet the joy that comes from following Christ makes any sacrifice worthwhile. Jesus says, “The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field, which a person finds and hides again, and out of joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.” He then compares the Kingdom to “a merchant searching for fine pearls." When the merchant finds a pearl of great price, he gladly sells everything he has to obtain it. In both parables, the Kingdom is something precious that must be sought and recognized. We must intentionally look for it amid the distractions and noise of the world. Yet Jesus also reminds us that the Kingdom is meant for everyone. He compares it to a net cast into the sea that gathers fish of every kind. At the same time, He reminds us that each of us will one day be judged. The angels “will separate the wicked from the righteous.” It is a powerful reminder that our choices matter. Let us pray for the wisdom to recognize the Kingdom of Heaven in our midst and to pursue it above all else. There is no greater treasure, and no greater source of joy, than a life lived as a faithful disciple of Jesus. © Catholic Stewardship Consultants, 2026. Pastoral Pondering I enjoy books generally. I like to hold them, look at them and, of course, read them. I also enjoy audiobooks because they are a good way to pass the time with all the driving that I do. I like a wide variety of books, but I generally try to avoid things that are strictly political. Hence, I was a little hesitant when the book Communion by J.D. Vance was recommended to me. However, what I discovered is that it is an excellent read and has nothing to do with politics. Rather, it is the story of the Vice President’s return to the Christian faith that eventually resulted in his becoming Catholic. I suppose “conversion” stories attract me because of my own background. And while I did not grow up in Ohio coal country as he did, there are many similarities to his family, described in Hillbilly Elegy, and my dad’s family from the mountains of North Carolina. This particular book, in some ways, is a sequel to Hillbilly . It discusses his chaotic childhood and exposure to Baptist and Pentecostal churches, his drift into atheism as a young adult, following the death of his grandmother, and his gradual return to faith which culminated in his conversion to Catholicism in 2019. The title refers to the Eucharist, and the author explores what it means to be Christian across life stages – as a child, young man, husband, father and public figure – while reflecting on the role of religion in public life and American society.  This memoir mixes spiritual autobiography with broader commentary on faith, politics, family values, and societal problems. While some have criticized it as more of a cultural manifesto, I appreciated the honest assessment of one man’s journey from his childhood faith to an adult faith which led to full communion with the Catholic Church. Granted, it may not be to everyone’s liking, but it shouldn’t be dismissed simply because the author is the current Vice President. I enjoyed it, and if you want something to pass a lazy summer afternoon, I’d recommend it.