From the Pastor - Fifth Sunday of Easter

May 5, 2023

The readings on this fifth Sunday of Easter present us with themes of dwelling places and home. As Christian stewards, we are well aware that this world is not our permanent home. We are merely pilgrims here, making our way through the stewardship way of life to our true home, heaven.


Yet, as we make our way to heaven, we are called to make our dwelling here — whether we are in a household of one or bursting at the seams — a true “domestic church.” In other words, the stewardship way of life begins long before we set foot on the 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 practice intimate and selfless love of other persons.


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 in preparing the perfect “spot” for each one of us who remain 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 with our prayer, our thoughtfulness to each other, and our generous hospitality to all.

Let us never forget that stewardship starts at home! © Catholic Stewardship Conference, 2023


Pastoral Pondering

For those who might be interested, on Monday of the Octave of Easter, I added a new “member” to the rectory family. Daisy is a Pug puppy born on January 31st of this year. She was a gift to me from the members of Mary’s Women of Joy. She has made quite a hit with the parish staff and the pre-k children.


In last week’s bulletin, I gave a rundown of two movies, The Pope’s Exorcist and Nefarious. I am told that later this year, there are three or four more movies that touch, in one way or another, on the issue of demonic activity. I have also had some folks ask me about an event that recently occurred in Boston, MA to a sold-out crowd, SatanCon which was held the weekend of April 28-30 and is sponsored by the Satanic Temple which, more than being composed of Satanists, appears to be mostly associated with liberal atheism. They promote abortion and other “reproductive rights” as well as opposition to traditional faith and practice.


So why all this interest in “the dark side”? I suppose there are any number of explanations. Father Carlos Martins, a priest-exorcist from the Archdiocese of Detroit and the author of The Exorcist Files podcast, notes that rise of paganism and societal secularization. In times past, we lived in a Christian, and even Catholic, milieu in most places in the west. Most would agree that we are now living in a post-Christian society. The number of baptisms has declined, and there has been an increase in those identify as simply “spiritual” along with the increasing number of “nones”. Traditional Christian values are actively opposed in the public square and the academy, but that does not change human nature.


Whether we like or not or want to admit it or not, we human beings are made imago Dei, in the image and likeness of God. Because of that fact, we all have an innate need for something beyond ourselves. That natural reality will always impel us to look for something greater than we are. Even Friedrich Nietzsche, the famous German philosopher, who proclaimed God is Dead, understood that something needed to fill that void.



I say all of this simply to say that those of us who are trying to run the race and fight the good fight need to understand the world we live in. It is ripe for evangelization because many folks are actually looking for the truth and don’t really know it. In terms of interest in the demonic, well the evil one and his minions aren’t working more or less than in the past. There just might be, however, more people who are paying attention and being led astray in the process. C.S. Lewis treats the situation well in The Screwtape Letters. Give it a read if you have never done so, and keep your eyes on Jesus!


From the Pastor

From the Pastor - Divine Mercy Sunday

By John Putnam • April 10, 2026
The great feast of Easter has begun, Christian stewards. Let us rejoice and be glad! Just as we embraced the discipline and fasting of Lent, let us fully embrace the joy and feasting that the next 50 days offer. We are called to be good stewards of the Easter season. Our first reading, from Acts, gives instruction on how to do this. Here, St. Peter says that our Lord, “commissioned us to preach to the people and testify that he is the one appointed by God as judge of the living and the dead… that everyone who believes in him will receive forgiveness of sins through his name.” How do we ordinary people preach and testify to all God has done? We do so through how we live our ordinary lives — through the intentional use of our time, talent, and treasure for the kingdom of God. Putting God and others ahead of ourselves in every aspect of our lives is the most eloquent preaching we can do. Boldly and joyfully embracing a stewardship way of life is our most powerful testimony. As Christian stewards, we are the modern-day witnesses of an incredible miracle prompted by unfathomable love — the death and Resurrection of our Savior for us. Let us rejoice and be glad and let’s make sure our lives are a testimony to this amazing grace! © Catholic Stewardship Conference, 2026  HAPPY EASTER!

From the Pastor - Easter Sunday

By John Putnam • April 3, 2026
The great feast of Easter has begun, Christian stewards. Let us rejoice and be glad! Just as we embraced the discipline and fasting of Lent, let us fully embrace the joy and feasting that the next 50 days offer. We are called to be good stewards of the Easter season. Our first reading, from Acts, gives instruction on how to do this. Here, St. Peter says that our Lord, “commissioned us to preach to the people and testify that he is the one appointed by God as judge of the living and the dead… that everyone who believes in him will receive forgiveness of sins through his name.” How do we ordinary people preach and testify to all God has done? We do so through how we live our ordinary lives — through the intentional use of our time, talent, and treasure for the kingdom of God. Putting God and others ahead of ourselves in every aspect of our lives is the most eloquent preaching we can do. Boldly and joyfully embracing a stewardship way of life is our most powerful testimony. As Christian stewards, we are the modern-day witnesses of an incredible miracle prompted by unfathomable love — the death and Resurrection of our Savior for us. Let us rejoice and be glad and let’s make sure our lives are a testimony to this amazing grace! © Catholic Stewardship Conference, 2026  HAPPY EASTER!