If you’re looking to make an appointment with Father Maurer, you can do so by calling (206) 364-7900 x101.
![](https://saintmarkshoreline.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Fr-Maurer-2021-parish-portrait-240x300.jpg)
Dear friends,
Welcome to Saint Mark’s (online) parish community. Starting on July 1st, 2019, Archbishop Sartain has appointed me to serve as pastor, succeeding Father Mitchell and a long line of priests whose faithful ministry I hope to continue during my time here.
A little about me: I was ordained on June 13th, 2009, the feast of St. Anthony of Padua, by Archbishop Brunett for the Archdiocese of Seattle. I served as parochial vicar for the Tacoma cluster of parishes (then a six-parish grouping) from 2009-2010, as parochial vicar at Saint Michael’s in Olympia from 2010-2011, as priest administrator and pastor of Holy Rosary & Saint Joseph in Tacoma from 2011-2015, and in the Lewis county cluster (initially a nine-church grouping!) from 2015-2019.
Though my immediate family lives here in Washington, we are originally from Minnesota, where my parents were born and raised. The first of my parents, I lived there a whole six months before my father’s military career took us around the country and to a few places beyond. I am the second eldest of my siblings, with an older half sister, a younger brother, an adoptive sister, a foster brother, and finally my youngest adoptive brother. As you might imagine, we’re quite a crowd – both in number and variety – when we get together!
My hobbies include reading (science fiction & fantasy for fun, healing & Marian writings for the spiritual side – I recommend In Sinu Jesu by A Benedictine Monk and He and I by Gabrielle Bossis to anyone looking for their next spiritual reading!), technology, gaming (tabletop & video), hiking trails, and archery – among other things! I can be found at my blog, at my personal Twitter account, or on the r/Catholicism & r/AskAPriest Reddit online, where I much enjoy engaging other Catholics and those interested in discussing the faith.
Thanks to my parents’ faithful passing on of the faith and many wonderful pastors, I have a great love for our faith, particularly in the faithful & frequent celebration of the sacraments in liturgical celebration. It is a delight to continue to be formed in the rich history and tradition of our faith, as well as to take advantage of the modern developments & technology that enable us to pass on the faith to the next generation.
To my parishioners and any visitors, I would offer special invitation and exhortation to come to confession! The reception and celebration of God’s merciful love is a particular passion of mine, both in my own practice as a Catholic as well as in my ministry as a priest. There is such a great joy in the lifting of the weight of sin – especially long-standing or grave sin – from our souls. I hope you’ll consider coming to reconciliation – and joyfully receiving the Eucharist at the soonest Mass afterwards.
In your kindness, please take a moment – even right now – to offer a quick prayer for our parish community and for me. Be assured of my daily prayer for our parish community.
Your brother in Christ,
Father Maurer