From the Pastor - 5th Sunday in Lent

March 25, 2024

As we are nearing the end of our Lenten journey, our readings today remind us of the goodness that our God has to offer us.


In today's Gospel, Jesus announces that the “hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.” All that He came to do on this earth was soon to be fulfilled. When we reflect on what Jesus says in this passage, He tells us a great deal about how we should be living as disciples of Christ. He clearly states, “unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit.”


We are called to detach from our own desires and entrust our lives to all that God has in store for us. Without self-denial, we might miss occasions God has given us to produce good fruit. We have been practicing this throughout our Lenten season through fasting. One way to continue this effort after Lent is by taking advantage of the countless opportunities God presents to us to sacrifice our desires for something much greater — whether waking earlier to spend time in prayer, fasting from a favorite comfort on a weekly basis or taking the time to check in on a friend or family member instead of turning on the TV, just to name a few. It is important that we continue to make room for God and the good things He wants to produce in us all year long.


As our Lenten journey soon concludes, may we consider the ways in which we might continue the practice of self-denial by offering small, daily sacrifices to the Lord. © Catholic Stewardship Consultants, 2024

 

Pastoral Pondering

A few weeks back the Alabama Supreme Court, in an 8-1 ruling, ruled that human embryos preserved cryogenically in in vitro fertilization (IVF) clinics are “extrauterine children,” and are therefore protected under the state’s “wrongful death of a minor” law. Writing for the majority, Justice Jay Mitchell states the following: “It (the law in question) applies to all children, born and unborn, without limitation. It is not the role of this Court to craft a new limitation based on our own view of what is or is not wise public policy. That is especially true where, as here, the People of this state have adopted a Constitutional amendment directly aimed at stopping courts from excluding ‘unborn life’ from legal protection.”


For a myriad of reasons, the decision sparked outcry from all sides and two weeks ago, Congress attempted to pass a bill guaranteeing IVF access. There also appears to be a lot of confusion regarding the reality of IVF, what the moral issues are, and what the Church teaches regarding IVF.


As with other moral issues, the Church roots our understanding of the human person in the very design of creation and, thus, Divine law. Human beings are created in the image and likeness of God. They, therefore, have inherent dignity and worth. Hence, the Catechism of the Catholic Church notes in paragraph 2378:


A child is not something owed to one but is a gift. The ‘supreme gift of marriage’ is a human person. A child may not be considered a piece of property, an idea to which an alleged ‘right to a child’ would lead. In this area, only the child possesses genuine rights: the right ‘to be the fruit of a specific act of the con jugal love of parents,’ and ‘the right to be respected as a person from the moment of conception.’


What occurs in IVF is that human eggs and sperm are combined to create human embryos. Usually, more embryos than are needed are produced leading to some being frozen or destroyed. If multiple embryos are implanted successfully, and the couple only desires one child, the other embryo(s) are often aborted.


There is certainly a high incidence of infertility in our society, and this can be a source of great suffering for couples unable to conceive. Nonetheless, in her moral teaching, the Church has and continues to maintain that there are grave problems with IVF, and Catholics should avoid ever using it. The reasons for the prohibition include:


  1. It goes against God’s plan for the way children are to come into the world – conception is to come about exclusively through the physical expression of love between a husband and a wife;
  2. Some embryos, tiny human beings, are almost always killed through this procedure.
  3. As already noted, if more than one embryo successfully implants in the uterine wall, the doctor will kill one or more of them.
  4. IVF treats children as though they were commodities to be produced for adult needs and can also lead to genetic engineering, “designer babies, and the view that “leftovers” can serve as material for research scientists.


It is important to remember that children conceived through IVF are precious in the sight of God. They are loved by God and should be loved and cherished by us as well.



The adage “what can be done does not necessarily indicate what should be done” is useful here. Infertility is not new. In the Bible Hannah, Sarah and others wept because they were barren. Infertility causes true pain and anguish. Nonetheless, no one has a “right” to children because children are a gift from God. While we may never understand the “why” of a particular situation, we do believe that God can and will work, and this is especially true when we are obedient to the Divine plan without seeking a true good via immoral means. In Catholic thought and teaching the ends never justify the means. Positively, however, there are many pro-life doctors who are making great strides in methods that can be of great help to couples who are infertile. In all of these difficult matters, we have to approach with humility, trust and prayer.


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.