From the Pastor - 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time

September 20, 2024

Our readings today bring to light the daily struggle between good and evil and how we can combat this struggle through gratitude.

In our Gospel, we see an example of how surrendering to our passions negatively affects us. Jesus was with His disciples when they began to argue amongst themselves as to who was the greatest in the group.


If we look at our own lives, we might find many instances where we fall into the same tendencies — we constantly compare ourselves to others, out of pride we feel the need to point out another’s faults or choose to fight back in an argument. We know we should act one way but choose another.


When Jesus hears what the apostles are discussing, He has them focus on a child. “Whoever receives one child such as this in my name, receives me.”


If we reflect on the moment someone receives a child, oftentimes their hearts are overwhelmed with joy and gratitude for this gift. There is no jealousy or anger, just thanksgiving, and appreciation.


The apostles are busy bickering about who was the best. Their vision was clouded, and they could not even stop and be grateful for the gift of being so close to our Savior and that they were chosen to be His closest followers.


When we are caught in the raging war of jealousy, fighting, and pride, and begin to become enslaved to our passions we are ultimately ungrateful for what we have been given. We overlook the blessing God has given us and the gifts and talents He has entrusted to us.


Today, let us recall that we have an infinitely loving God who cares deeply for us. Consider all that He has blessed you with, and how you can use those blessings for His glory. ©Catholic Stewardship Consultants, 2024


Pastoral Pondering

By now registered households should have received a letter from me regarding our Growing Home campaign. Prior to the pandemic, there was general recognition that we were out of space. The pandemic put those discussions on hold. At this point, however, we really cannot afford to delay. The cathedral moratorium will go into effect next year, so we either move forward or wait until after 2030. Those who advise me on staff as well as those in lay leadership in the parish all feel strongly that we need to move forward. Hence, after discussing and planning with the Diocese and Sursum Consulting over the past six months, we are ready to move forward with the campaign which will include three main components: an additional building, the Monsignor Bellow Family Life Center, that will provide a large space for nicer gatherings which can be divided into smaller venues when needed; a larger adoration chapel to accommodate 75 adorers; and bringing the parish back to campus by building a rectory on the Ranson Road site.



This is an ambitious project, but each part of the project is a response to an expressed need and/or desire from our most recent pastoral plan survey. The projected total cost for the project is $13.7 million. Of that, we are required to have 30% in pledges, 40% in cash-on-hand and 30% can come from a line of credit. Hence, the goal for the campaign is approximately $9.7 million. As a point of reference, building the church was a $10 million project when it was built in 2009. The parish has grown significantly since that time, and I am hopeful that we will be able to reach our goal and move forward with these parish needs.

Next week, I will return to our consideration of Fatima and connected devotions but wanted to highlight this important moment in the life of our parish. St. Mark is my home and yours. We have an opportunity now to grow our home so it may serve our parish family for years to come.



From the Pastor

From the Pastor - Palm Sunday

By John Putnam • April 11, 2025
Two very different responses to our Lord’s passion are highlighted during the Gospel reading from Luke today: the response of Simon of Cyrene and the response of Jesus’ acquaintances. Of Simon we are told, “They took hold of a certain Simon, a Cyrenian, who was coming in from the country; and after laying the cross on him, they made him carry it behind Jesus.” Whether Simon entered willingly and compassionately into this service or whether he took up the Cross of Christ with a grudge, we don’t know. What we do know is this: Simon did his part faithfully. He stayed near to Christ, carrying the Cross until our Lord reached Golgotha, the site of His crucifixion. We also know that Simon’s family was among the first of the early Christians. Staying near to Christ, embracing the Cross (quite literally), transformed his life and the life of his family. In contrast, near the end of this Gospel account, we are told of another reaction to Jesus’ passion and death, namely that “all His acquaintances stood at a distance.” They knew Jesus! They had heard him preaching and teaching, witnessed His signs and miracles, maybe even benefitted personally from them. Perhaps they did not participate in mocking Him or calling for His crucifixion. But they chose to stay a safe distance from Him when the going got tough. Unlike Simon, they refused to go too near to Christ. Where will you place yourself this week? Keeping your distance from all the pain and suffering Christ endured? Or close by, staying near to Him as Simon did? It is when we go near to Christ that we can be transformed by Him. It is by embracing the crosses in our lives, stewarding them well rather than trying to run from them, that we become His true disciples. ©Catholic Stewardship Consultants, 2025 Pastoral Pondering As we begin Holy Week and approach the end of the Lenten season, we can hopefully look back and see a fruitful observance of this penitential season. I want to thank all of those who have responded this far and helped us to reach $9 million in pledges and donations for our Growing Home Campaign. We still have a bit of work to do, but your support has been tremendous. We would very much like to increase participation. Remember it is not about equal amounts but equal sacrifice. If you call St. Mark home; then, you are a part of this effort. We need you. This week we are happy to host the Chrism Mass for the Diocese of Charlotte. Bishop Martin will gather with his priests and will bless and consecrate the holy oils and the sacred Chrism that will be used in sacramental celebrations throughout the year. The celebration is open to all who would like to attend. The Sacred Triduum begins with the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday. Following Mass, we will process with the Blessed Sacrament to the Kerin Center for quiet adoration. This is also the evening when it is traditional to visit seven churches for adoration. Resources will be provided for those who wish to participate. Good Friday we will have stations as well as the Service of the Passion. Thursday, Friday and Saturday we will be offering confessions. However, PLEASE try to go earlier in the week. We do our best to accommodate everyone, but there is limited time and only a few of us. Have mercy.  Holy Saturday we will welcome our catechumens into the Church. The vigil begins at 8:30 pm with the blessing of the Easter Fire. Easter Sunday, of course, tends to bring a lot of folks to Mass that perhaps we don’t normally see. Please be patient and kind. We do have two Masses at Christ the King High School that might be less stressful options for families. There will be overflow seating in the Kerin Center, but the parking lot only has so much space, sooooo…..Have a blessed week!

From the Pastor - Fifth Sunday of Lent

By John Putnam • April 4, 2025
Once again, this week, we are reminded of what a loving and merciful God we serve. The theme of the readings for this fifth Sunday of Lent are summed up beautifully in today’s Gospel passage from Luke, which recounts the story of the woman caught in adultery. After all those who would have stoned this woman leave the scene, Christ says to her, “Neither do I condemn you. Go, and from now on do not sin anymore.” When we turn to God for forgiveness, He is indeed gracious and merciful. So much so, that not only will He forgive our sins without condemnation, but He will also make us completely new creations in Christ. What is more amazing is that this all-perfect and holy God of ours draws so very near to us. Our sins do not drive Him from us, but rather to us so that He can set us free from them. Look carefully at Christ’s actions and posture in the Gospel reading as He deals with both the crowd of people, the Scribes and Pharisees, and the adulterous woman. “All the people started coming to Him and he sat down and taught them.” “He bent down and began to write with His finger.” He “straightened up” when He confronted the Scribes and Pharisees about their own sins. And he “straightened up” when He assured the woman that He did not condemn her for her past. Like a skilled teacher, or loving “big brother,” Christ bends down to where we are, He sits among us, He stands to confront us when needed and He stands to look us in the eye to remind us of our true dignity. We’re all unworthy of the great privilege of serving Him. But that, quite simply, is cause for greater joy in serving Him with all our hearts. ©Catholic Stewardship Consultants, 2025 Pastoral Pondering This Sunday begins the traditional Lenten period known as Passiontide which draws our attention to a more direct consideration of the Lord’s Passion and death. The images and statues in the church building are covered as a sign of mourning. In the Liturgy, there is a shift of focus from penance and preparation for Easter to a meditation on the suffering and death of Jesus. The readings during these final weeks of Lent increasingly focus on the events surrounding Jesus’ passion and crucifixion. Passiontide culminates in Holy Week beginning with Palm Sunday, which commemorates Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem, followed by His Passion and death on Good Friday. The core themes of Passiontide are the suffering and sacrifice of Christ, which is seen as the ultimate act of love and redemption for mankind. Catholics during this time are called to enter into Christ’s suffering in a spiritual sense through prayer, penance, and reflection.  In summary, Passiontide is a deeply contemplative period in the Church, marked by somber liturgies, a focus on the suffering and death of Christ, and practices such as veiling statues and images. It is a time for the faithful to prepare spiritually for the resurrection of Christ at Easter, emphasizing the central role that Christ’s Passion plays in Christian salvation. This is our Lenten home stretch, so play to win!
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