From the Pastor's Desk - October 25, 2026

Dear St. Martin’s Parishioners,

By virtue of our baptism we become members of Christ and of his Mystical Body, the Church. The bonds that knit us together as one Body are stronger than any natural bond (i.e. family, friendship, or cultural ties). St. Paul was the first to describe this reality in his first letter to the Corinthians, when he described the Church as a body and each of us as a different part of the body. Just as each part of the body has its purpose and depends on the other members of the body to function correctly, so we, too, mutually enrich and depend on one another. How do we mutually enrich one another? The Church teaches that the baptized Christian is endowed with charisms, or spiritual gifts, which are to be used for the building up of the Body of Christ. Some gifts are “extraordinary,” like prophecy, speaking in tongues, healing, and miracle working (cf. 1 Cor. 12). Other gifts are “ordinary,” like teaching, hospitality, generosity, and service (cf. Rom 12:6-8). It is crucial that we discern our particular charisms and put them to use for the building up of the Church.

This weekend after all the Masses we are holding our annual Ministry Fair. St. Martin’s has an abundance of ministries spanning every facet of the Christian life: educational, spiritual, charitable and administrative. If you are not currently involved in a ministry at the parish, I urge you to explore the different ways that you may serve God’s people by stopping by the parish hall after Mass. Some people may have a particular charism that isn’t being utilized simply because they haven’t considered it before. Of course, many of these ministries exist to serve you in your spiritual growth, as well! If you’re looking to grow in your relationship with Christ or to serve Christ more concretely, the Ministry Fair is for you. Thank you to Fr. James for organizing the Fair and to all of our ministry leaders who will spend Saturday evening and Sunday displaying how their charisms build up the Body of Christ at St. Martin’s.

In Christ,

Fr. Dave