Author: Father Jacob Maurer

On behalf of Saint Mark Catholic Classical School, you are cordially invited to the upcoming Multicultural Dinner on Saturday, February 4, 2023 celebrating the end of Catholic Schools Week and the kickoff for the Annual Lion’s Fund. The dinner will begin after the 5:00 pm Mass in the gym. We are looking forward to coming together as a community for this event.

The Multicultural Dinner brings the community together and emphasizes getting to know one another with a shared meal. Families are encouraged to bring a favorite dish which will represent their culture or one they simply enjoy. Families are also encouraged to label their dish and list the ingredients so the entire community can learn more about the food.

There will be entertainment from a few groups and lots of time for getting to know one another. There will also be an invitation to support the Annual Lion’s Fund this year. Please join us for the evening.

For those who wish to help with the event there is an online sign-up for volunteers (click here). Many hands make light work. We hope to see you there!

This weekend our pope emeritus, Pope Benedict XVI, was called home to his eternal reward. As we make our goodbyes to a beloved pope, the Church offers many traditions for us to mourn and pray for him.

At Saint Mark parish, we will celebrate a memorial Mass on Thursday, January 5th at 9:30 am – the same day Pope Benedict’s funeral Mass will be offered in Rome.

Catholics everywhere are encouraged to pray for the pope. There are several traditional ways this might be done during the Novemdiales (the nine days of mourning after the death of a pope):

• Joining in Masses offered for Pope Benedict XVI
  • Saint Mark’s will be offering a Mass on Thursday, January 5th at 9:30 am
  • Archbishop Etienne will offer a Mass at Saint James cathedral on Monday, January 9th at 12:10 pm
• Praying the traditional prayers for the Pope (the Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory Be), ideally in common
• The Office for the Dead (from the Liturgy of the Hours)

Archbishop Etienne has shared a personal reflection on the ways Pope Benedict XVI touched his life on his blog, as has Father Maurer on his blog. We have indeed been blessed by the many ways Pope Benedict XVI offered his ‘yes’ to the call of the Lord – may we together pray for his entrance into the heavenly kingdom.

V. Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord.
R. And let the perpetual light shine upon him.

And may the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

Starting Sunday, January 1st, Saint Mark parish will be taking part in 40 Hours of adoration, spread over the first week of 2023. The Blessed Sacrament will be exposed in the main body of the church, available to all who desire to come pray before the Lord. Benediction will be celebrated each evening at 6:00 pm, except for Saturday evening, where it will be celebrated at 4:30 pm (just before the 5:00 pm vigil Mass). Come spend an hour with our Savior!