A photo of coffee in a glass mug on a rustic wooden table in Copenhagen, Denmark

Weekly pastor’s post (June 23 – 29, 2024)

by | Jun 28, 2024 | Pastor's post

A photo of a car side mirror from insidet he drivers seat, with the roadside blurring by
Car side mirror with a reflection of sun, Niranjan Photographs (Unsplash)

This week is marks my final days here at Saint Mark parish. One one hand, things have been moving impossibly fast between moving out, cleaning the rectory, moving the new pastor in, and preparing various briefing materials. On the other hand, life as a lame-duck pastor is ridiculously slow! As it turns out, I particularly enjoy the work of ministry…. and decidedly do NOT like having so much unfilled ‘free’ time on my hands. Sigh.

Amidst the weirdness of this fast/slow week and the many goodbyes that have already started, I find myself with a deep sense of gratitude and thanksgiving. Despite my relatively short five years here, I have found a home and many friends in Saint Mark parish. These final days here remind me how blessed I am – it is a privilege to be welcomed into the lives of so many, accepted as a member of this parish family, and treated so kindly on a daily basis. As our last weekend together approaches, please join me in praying for our community, the parish she will soon be joined with (Saint Matthew parish), and her new priests.


Painting of the birth of John the Baptist by Pontormo. Elizabeth lays on a bed as she is handed her son John the Baptist. Zechariah sits nearby writing his account of the events of John's birth.

June 24 – Today is the Solemnity of the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist. We celebrate the birth of the saint who famously declared that ‘He must increase, I must decrease’.1 His whole life a witness to the One for Whom he prepared the way, John testified to Jesus even in the womb as he lept for joy at the sound of Mary’s voice. Over at Word On Fire, Father Billy Swan has a lovely reflection on him.

June 27 – Today we celebrate the memorial of St. Cyril of Alexandria. An Egyptian bishop, he is most known for his part in helping affirm the Church’s teaching on the incarnation. Nestorius insisted that Mar was only the mother of Christ – refusing her the title of ‘Mother of God’ and denying, in the process, that Jesus was both human and divine. Cyril led the Council of Ephesus which condemned Nestorianism and affirmed the two-fold nature of the Lord. Read more about St. Cyril of Alexandria’s witness & life at Franciscan Media.

An icon of Saint Ireneaus. Robed in white with a red pallium, holding a bible in his left hand

June 28 – Saint Irenaeus, whose memorial we celebrate today, is credited with one of my favorite quotes by a saint: “For the glory of God is a living man; and the life of man consists in beholding God”. The Lord does not seek us to reduce us to servitude but rather to lift us up to share in the fullness of His goodness – His desire is to bring us to fulfillment and happiness. For a fuller reflection, check out Bishop Barron’s article ‘St. Irenaeus and the God Who Doesn’t Need Us‘.

Saints Peter and Paul sit before Jesus. Two angels crown Him with a wreath of flowers as He shows the wound in His side

June 29 – We conclude this week with the solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul. These two saints – one the first pope, the other the greatest apostle – were men of great fervor…. often to their own detriment! I find great consolation in the way that the Lord blesses even their impulsiveness such that it serves to further their work of proclaiming the Gospel. Read Pope Francis’ 2022 homily on the occasion of this solemnity.


Priests celebrating their anniversaries this week

A color line art picture of people gathered around an altar as incense rises above them to heaven before the three Persons of the Trinity, Mary & Joseph, and all the saints & angels.

Remembering our deceased priests

  • Fr. Bernard Kornke (June 23, 1938)
  • Fr. Thomas W. Beattie (June 23, 2009)
  • Fr. John F. Gibboney (June 24, 1956)
  • Abp. Thomas J. Murphy (June 26, 1997)
  • Fr. Sean C. Heneghan (June 26, 2002)
  • Fr. Francis A. Moens (June 29, 1945)
  • Fr. Thomas Fayne (June 29, 1957)
A black and white line art drawing of Christ the judge enthroned within an arch with angels seated on pillars to His right and left with stars behind him.
  1. John 3:30 ↩︎

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