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 - 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time

By John Putnam • October 23, 2026
Today's readings are all about love - God's faithful love for His people and the love we are called to return to Him and to one another. The stewardship way of life is simply the daily practice of these two greatest commandments. In today's Gospel, Jesus is asked which commandment is the greatest. His answer is both familiar and endlessly challenging. He says, "You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind ... The second is like it: you shall love your neighbor as yourself." Why are these two commandments inseparable? Because both are rooted in love. When we love God above all else, we begin to see others as He sees them. And when we genuinely love our neighbor, we reflect the love we have first received from Him. This is the heart of Christian stewardship. It is simple enough for a child to understand, yet rich enough to spend a lifetime putting into practice.© Catholic Stewardship Conference, 2026 Pastoral Pondering - Remembering the Saints and the Souls As October ends, the Church gives us two feasts back-to-back that show who we are as one family in Christ, living and departed. On November 1, the Solemnity of All Saints, we honor all the holy men and women now in heaven. That includes the famous names on our calendar, and it also includes the countless quiet saints no one ever canonized: grandparents, neighbors, and friends who loved God and others faithfully. Their lives remind us that holiness isn't only for a few. It's the calling of every baptized person. All Saints is a Holy Day of Obligation and since it falls on Sunday this year, it is easy to remember the times for Mass. On November 2, the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed (All Souls' Day), we pray for everyone who has died, especially our own loved ones. We trust in God's mercy and ask Him to bring them fully into the joy of His presence. Praying for the dead is one of the oldest Christian practices and a real act of love. The Church teaches that "all who die in God's grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but after death they undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven" (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1030). Purgatory isn't a second chance, and it isn't a smaller version of hell. It's God's mercy finishing what He began in us. Most of us leave this life still carrying some attachment to sin, and God lovingly purifies us so we can see Him face to face. Everyone in purgatory is already saved and on the way to heaven. The souls in purgatory can't help themselves, but we can help them. Since the earliest days, Christians have prayed for the dead (see 2 Maccabees 12:46). Our prayers, sacrifices, works of charity, and above all the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass can speed their way to God. This is the Communion of Saints at work: the Church in heaven, the Church on earth, and the Church being purified, all united in Christ and helping one another. Ways to take part Complete an All Souls envelope with the name of your deceased loved ones so it can be placed on the altar throughout November. Have a Mass offered for someone who has died. Visit a cemetery and pray for the faithful departed. A plenary indulgence for the souls in purgatory is available, under the usual conditions, to those who visit a cemetery and pray for the dead from November 1 to 8, or who visit a church and pray the Our Father and the Creed on All Souls' Day. Ask a favorite saint to pray for you and your family. These days remind us that death doesn't break the bonds of love. We pray for the souls, we ask the saints to pray for us, and we look forward to the day we'll all be together in God's kingdom. Eternal rest grant unto them, 0 Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace. Amen.

From the Pastor - 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time

By John Putnam • October 16, 2026
Today's readings remind us to be mindful not only of who we are, but also Whose we are. In today's Gospel, the Pharisees attempt to trap Jesus by asking whether it is lawful to pay the tax to Caesar. Their question is meant to force Him into choosing sides. But Jesus refuses to be drawn into their narrow way of thinking. Instead, He asks whose image appears on the coin. When they answer, "Caesar," Jesus responds, "Repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God." Those words remind us that while we have responsibilities in this world, our first allegiance belongs to God. Everything we have comes from Him, and through Baptism we have become His sons and daughters. Our time, our talents, our treasure, and our very lives are gifts entrusted to us by the Lord. May we use them each day in grateful response to His goodness, remembering that we belong to Him above all else. © Catholic Stewardship Conference, 2026 Pastoral Pondering With the mid-term elections coming up and early voting beginning this past week, I thought it would be a good idea to remind everyone the importance of Catholics voting and engaging in civil life. On November 3 we will elect members of Congress, state officials, and many local officeholders. Midterm elections draw fewer voters than a presidential year, yet they shape the laws under which we live: the protection of human life, the freedom of the Church to teach and serve, the strength of the family, the care of the poor, and the education of the young. To stay home is not neutrality. It leaves those decisions to others. The Church has long taught that citizenship is part of charity. The Catechism says that co-responsibility for the common good makes it “morally obligatory… to exercise the right to vote” (CCC 2240). Pope Francis put it plainly: a good Catholic does not stand apart from politics, but offers the best of himself so that those who govern may serve the good of all. Voting is one ordinary way we do that. It is also a moral act, not a team sport. Our identity in Christ comes before any party label. The U.S. bishops, in *Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship* (scan code), remind us that we form our consciences by the Gospel and the Church’s teaching, then vote in light of that formation. A well-formed conscience does not support a program that contradicts the fundamental contents of faith and morals. Some acts are always gravely wrong: the direct taking of innocent human life, including abortion and euthanasia; attacks on the nature of marriage; religious persecution; and the deliberate degradation of the poor. Other issues—immigration, wages, housing, care of creation, criminal justice—also belong to the common good and require prudent judgment about what will help people. Not every issue carries the same moral weight, and rarely does one candidate embody the whole of Catholic social teaching. We weigh, we pray, and we choose the path that best protects human dignity and advances the common good. A few practical steps help. Read the bishops’ guidance and, where available, nonpartisan comparisons of candidates’ records and stated positions. Pray before you vote, perhaps with the family. Discuss the issues with charity, remembering that the person across the aisle is also made in the image of God. Then vote. If you cannot get to the polls, use whatever law the state provides. Participation does not end at the ballot box: write your representatives, serve the poor, and keep the Church’s voice in the public square after Election Day. Here at St. Mark we will not tell you whom to support. That judgment belongs to your conscience, formed by the faith. We will urge you not to surrender that conscience to habit, fear, or party. The Lord who will judge nations also judges how we used the freedom we were given. May we use it well.