From the Desk of Father Mark - Our Pastor
November 16, 2025 - Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time

"All that you see here - the days will come when there will not be left
a stone upon another stone that will not be thrown down."

As you know, Pope Leo XIV went to St. Mary of the Assumption grammar school in Riverdale. A fun fact is that, as a seminarian, I lived for a short time at the St. Mary of the Assumption rectory. After hearing of the Pope’s election, I drove back to Riverdale to see the old complex. The buildings, while still there, are fenced off and have not been used in quite a while. Nothing in this world lasts forever. But from that simple beginning, came a great life, priesthood, and now papacy.

There is a custom at both the Our Lady of the Ridge and St. Linus sites of naming streets and buildings in honor of past pastors. I understand the sentiment. But honestly, I would not want my name on anything. I became a priest, pastor, and teacher to proclaim Jesus Christ. To His name be the glory!

In our recent celebration of All Saints and All Souls, we recall that we are named as blessed by Jesus himself. It is from the blessing of our name that we become a blessing and thus are given an opportunity of a holy life. Those who became Saints did so, not because of what they accumulated and gained in this life, but in what they gave away to live as a blessing in eternal life.

In Mark’s gospel, after the resurrection, there is great fear. This fear is perhaps a lack of understanding (or faith) in what resurrection offers. In the risen Lord, there is a sharing in eternal life that not only begins in the present but leads to all eternity. The empty tomb is not honored. The life of Jesus is honored.

Nothing in this world lasts forever. But the name of Jesus lives forever. And our life with His life lives as well!

CAPITAL CAMPAIGN - If you haven’t yet considered the capital campaign, please do. The campaign ends at the conclusion of 2025. Thank you!

Have a great week!

Fr. Mark Walter
Pastor of Our Lady of the Ridge - St.Linus Parish