The homebound ministry is for any man, woman or family who sees Christ in the person of the sick, shut-in, or lonely. Volunteers spend time each week visiting and bringing communion to those from our parish who are ill, infirmed, or aged. They are truly being Christ to one another!
Contact: St. Mark Parish Office at 972-423-5600.
Altar Care
Altar Care is a ministry that is always in process. There are many jobs in need of a sincere heart and a willingness to provide selfless, humble service for the care of the Church Sanctuary. Some tasks take five or ten minutes while others can take from 30 minutes to an hour or more. If this ministry interests you, please contact us for more information about how you can help.
Contact: Parish Office at 972-423-5600
Altar Servers
Pope Benedict XVI once wrote: “the altar is the place where heaven is opened up and the Church is led into the eternal liturgy.” In order for the congregation to enter fully into these Sacred Mysteries, the various actions within the Mass should be performed with beauty, discipline, decorum, and piety. Therefore, Altar Servers have the privilege of attending to the needs of the clergy, instilling a sense of reverence within the congregation, and, above all, ministering to God.
Our Servers here at St. Mark’s become proficient in their craft through mentorship, study, and practice. Additionally, they are expected to exemplify camaraderie, carrying out their duties as a unified group. Altar Serving is especially beneficial for young men as it helps them to discern the possibility of a priestly vocation.
Altar Server training for new servers is offered bi-monthly to youth between the 5th and 12th grade. Existing servers are expected to attend continuing education sessions once a quarter. Training sessions typically last for 2 hours.
If you are interested in serving at Mass, please contact:
Josh Denil via the Parish Office 972-423-5600
Ushers
Ushers are ministers of hospitality. They welcome and offer hospitality during Masses. They greet people warmly, welcome visitors, help people sit together, distribute bulletins, care for any needs and emergencies, take up the collection, help with an orderly Communion, and make sure that the first and last face everyone sees at Church is a smiling face. While everyone in the assembly share responsibility for hospitality, the ministers of hospitality are those who are specifically assigned. We are looking for men, women, young adults, youth, and families of all ages to serve as ministers of hospitality (ushers). Please call if you are interested in this special ministry. A training workshop is offered.
Contact: Roy Areeckal 214-679-4057.
Lectors
Lectors are the storytellers of our faith community. They must be at home with the Scriptures, love them, and pray with them. The special gifts of Lectors are good public reading skills and the ability to draw everyone into the Scriptures. Lectors do not merely read the texts, but proclaim the readings with meaning and enthusiasm. When you answer the call to be a minister of the Word (one who proclaims the Bible readings to the assembled faith community), you enter a deeper relationship with the Word of God as revealed in sacred Scripture. You take on the duty and privilege of bringing the printed word to life. We invite baptized and confirmed men, women, young adults, and youth as Lector candidates and offer extensive preparation for service in this ministry. Please call if you are interested in becoming a Lector.
Contact: Claire Moxley 318-243-8095
Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion
Life as a Extraordinary Minister is one of both being and giving the Body of Christ. Those who take on this ministry must, above all else know how to be truly present to others. It is important for Extraordinary Ministers to have, or soon acquire, a grace in movement and reverence in touch, since their work involves taking in hand the vessels of consecrated bread and wine and sharing them with everyone. Their reverence for what they carry is seen and felt by all, not as false humility, but as a pure joy and delight in the sharing of the Lord’s body and blood. This ministry is open to baptized and confirmed men, women, young adults, and youth. Please call if you are interested in serving as a Extraordinary Minister .
By “extraordinary” we do not mean special, distinguished or set apart. The ordinary ministers of the Eucharist are the priests and deacons. The extraordinary ministers of communion assist with the distribution of Holy Communion, under both species, and are often called upon to set-up for Mass, and clean the vessels after they have been purified by the priest or deacon. They may also bring the Holy Eucharist to those who are homebound, in nursing homes or hospitals, or in prison. To be an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion, you must be a Roman Catholic, at least 16 years old, who has received the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist. If married, you must have received the Sacrament of Marriage in the Catholic Church. Ministry formation and training sessions are offered throughout the year with the expectation of regular attendance.
We are blessed at Saint Mark with nine choirs that provide a diverse range of music at weekly Masses. As you consider your gifts of time and talent, please think about joining one of our choir families. You don’t have to be a great musician or singer to join a choir – we help you develop your talents at every rehearsal in a loving and encouraging environment. Singing the Mass as part of a choir family is a wonderful and profound experience – please come and see for yourself!
Choir Schedule
ENGLISH CHOIRS:
Children’s Choir – Rehearses 4-5PM Wednesdays,
sings at various Masses throughout the year
9AM Folk Choir – Rehearses 7:45am Sunday before Mass
10:30AM Traditional Choir – Rehearses 7:30-9:30PM Wednesday and
9:30AM Sunday before Mass
4:30PM Guitar Choir – Rehearses 3PM Sunday before Mass
6PM Spirit Choir – Rehearses 4:30PM Sunday before Mass
SPANISH CHOIRS:
7PM Saturday Vigil Mass Choir – Rehearses 5:30PM Saturday before Mass
12PM Choir – Rehearses 7PM Friday and 10:30 Sunday before Mass
1:30PM Choir – Rehearses Noon Sunday before Mass
3PM Choir – Rehearses 1:30PM Sunday before Mass
St. Mark Golden Treasurers meet on the 4th Saturday of the month after the 5:30 pm Mass for monthly potluck dinner. The potlucks are held from September to May. Plesae watch the bulletin for upcoming potluck details, or contact Candy Butcher [email protected] at 972-578-9293.
WELCOME / CRSP Retreats
WELCOME RETREATS! / Cristo Renueva Su Parroquia
Do you sometimes feel that if you weren’t so busy you would be happier, healthier, more fulfilled and maybe even a better person? This retreat helps you answer this question!
The weekend is held at St. Mark and begins with breaklfast at 7:00 AM on Saturday and ends at 3:30 PM on Sunday. Sunday Mass is included. CRHP is open to all adults of St. Mark the Evangelist Church age 19 and older.
St. Mark parishioners are invited to join the Habitat for Humanity Team. The team, in cooperation with the South Collin County Habitat (HfH-SCC) organization, meets regularly to support and sponsor the building of quality, low cost, housing in and around Plano. This helps low-income families who need a hand up onto the ladder to economic independence.
Every house that is erected by the volunteers begins with a fundraising effort to buy the building materials. The volunteers then assemble the house under the guidance of experienced Habitat for Humanity project leaders. St. Mark, through its Habitat for Humanity Team, works alongside other churches and local corporations to raise funds and provide volunteers to these Habitat projects.
How can you help?
Contact one of the Team organizers, below, so you receive future email updates and upcoming meeting schedules.
Attend meetings and learn how your talents and interests can help with planning, fundraising and/or construction opportunities.
Watch the St. Mark weekly bulletin for information and announcements about the Habitat Team and future activities.
Please consider giving a donation thru St. Mark’s. Contact Frank McElligott for details.
For Information about the St. Mark’s Habitat for Humanity Team
contact Frank McElligott at [email protected].
The Parish Library provides a collection of religious, educational, inspirational, and spiritual books, videos, DVDs, magazines and other materials to support the Catholic faith for adults, teens, and children in English and a limited collection in Spanish. Volunteer opportunities are also available.
Annulment Information Programs are offered twice yearly and are designed to answer questions about the annulment process. Trained annulment case sponsors are also available to provide a “walk with” approach throughout the annulment process by assisting an individual with their petition for nullity of marriage.
Advocates assist indivuduals to prepare the paperwork for beginning the annulment process and walk with them through the process.; training is provided for this ministry through the Diocese of Dallas Tribunal Office.
For Annulment Information contact: Deacon Federico Marquez at 972-423-5600, ext. 280
Divine Mercy Cenacle
We have a new Divine Mercy Cenacle at St. Mark. Please contact Antonio Pana via email at [email protected] for more information.
Family Fully Alive
A Higher Purpose
Help families place God and the Catholic faith at the center of their lives, year-round. Using the Family Fully Alive Booklet as a devotional guide, this program provides monthly themes, reflections, meditations and group projects.
Overview
During his visit to the Philippines, Pope Francis cited the need for “holy and loving families to protect the beauty and truth of the family in God’s plan and to be an example for other families” (Address to Families at the Mall of Asia Arena, 2015).
The Family Fully Alive program asks families to invite God into their homes and cultivates each family as a miniature domestic church. To this end, the program provides monthly themes, scripture verses and activities. Through prayer and reflection, each family has the opportunity to grow in holiness together. The Family Fully Alive monthly devotions are concrete ways that Knights of Columbus, in solidarity with Pope Francis, can support the growth of holy and loving families in the Church.
When we are grieving the death of a loved one, adjusting to the changes and loss associated with their passing can easier when we have a supportive environment where we can share our feelings and experiences of loss and learn of the process that includes information about grief and how to get emotional and spiritual support.
Faith and Grief Monthly Gatherings
The Faith and Grief gatherings are held on the first Wednesday of each month from 12:00-1:00pm in McGivney Hall (located in the St. Mark Parish Center. There is a theme each month and guest speakers will share either share their personal grief journey, or a topic associated with the grief journey will be covered; table leaders assist the attendees to learn more about grief and grief recovery. There will be table talk, however each person shares as they please.
Registration: Register at faithandgrief.org or by phone at 469-616-1795
Marriage Enrichment Opportunities
St. Mark Parish Life Ministry sponsors a variety of marriage enrichment opportunities for couples of all ages and stages of married life, such as periodic marriage seminars, workshops and retreats. Each year, our annual Marriage Milestones event with renewal of wedding vows is held on World Marriage Day in February.
Marriage Encounter Circle:
Enrichment program for married couples based on a weekend experience followed by Circle support groups. Requires couples to attend a Worldwide Marriage Encounter weekend.
Contact: Ed & Ann Cabrera 972-424-3885, Worldwide Marriage Encounter
A 26-week interactive men’s program combining the best research from science with the teachings of the Catholic faith and the wisdom of the saints to develop the vision of a man fully alive. By honestly addressing the pressures and temptations that men face in our modern culture. That Man is You! sees to form men who will be capable of transforming homes and society.
CHRP is a process designed to bring members of a parish together in Christ. It emphasizes continued growth in your Christian life and in your daily contact with others. The weekend retreats offer an excellent opportunity to move away from regular activities and commitments to be spiritually and personally enriched in a friendly, relaxing, yet stimulating environment.
Contact: For more information or to register, call 972-423-5600
Rosary
Evangelization and building of faith communities by promoting devotion to the Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Contact: Lore Profaizer at 972-424-7326.
Rosary Makers Group
Join us in the great opportunity to serve Our Lord and Our Blessed Mother in a very special way of making Rosaries for missions at home and around the world.
We meet once a month on the first Tuesday from 7-9 PM in the library. For more information about our group, please call Rita Johnson at 817-781-1393.
Spiritual Direction
St. Mark offers a ministry of spiritual companionship and deepening into sacred transformation of individuals. Spiritual Director(s) will support directees as they discern the way God is leading them, and encourages directees to faithfully follow God’s lead and the Gospel of Jesus.
Throughout human history individuals have been called to accompany others who are seeking the Mystery of God. Spiritual Directors, guided by the Holy Spirit, prayerfully render an active ministry of sensitivity, presence, and support that helps others tell their sacred stories. Through Christian prayer and listening, the director seeks to invite directees to listen more closely and respond more fully to God in their lives.
Contact us: The Spiritual Direction Ministry it is led by its co-sponsors:
We will coordinate informational/introductory sessions for interested groups and/or individuals of our parish community about Spiritual Direction and contemplative prayer. Sessions will explain via mini-practices, a variety of contemplative prayers, as well as demonstrate its relationship to Spiritual Direction. Among the contemplative prayers we will include: breath prayer, lectio divina, centering prayer, praying with creation, visio divina, and others.
Those interested in Spiritual Direction will be invited to meet with a Spiritual Director from our team.
Women’s Ministry
Women of St. Mark
Women of St. Mark (affiliated with National Council of Catholic Women) invite all women of the parish to join hands and hearts to support women in growth and spirituality, as well as opportunities to serve the parish. Join us in making new friends, through fun, fellowship and informational programs.
All are welcome! For more information contact Julia DeVaney 214-785-7176.
In order to better serve our parishioners of St. Mark Catholic Church, the Parish is forming the St. Mark Sentinels Ministry. Their focus will be on training members of the parish to react and execute in times of emergency and disasters. At this phase, we are looking for volunteers with Safety and Security backgrounds to form a Core Team. If you interested in joining the team, please contact the Director Jack Ternan Sr. at [email protected]
Para servir mejor a los feligreses de St. Mark’s Catholic Church, la parroquia va a formar el St. Mark Sentinnel Ministry. Este ministerio entrenará a miembros de la parroquia a reaccionar y actuar en caso de emergencia o de desastre. En esta fase de su creación se buscan bilingüe voluntarios. Si está interesado en formar parte de este equipo, por favor, póngase en contacto con el gerente de la parroquia al 972-423-5600
Pro-Life Ministry
Pro-Life Ministry defends life in all circumstances from conception to natural death. Volunteers work with Crisis Pregnancy Center (972-BABY-DUE) and Abortion AfterCare-Healing in English call (214-544-CARE) or in Spanish (972-679-4760).
Contact
Carrie Baula at 469-772-0228 (English) Silvia Caballero 972-916-8345 (Spanish) Pro-Life Dallas at 972-267-5433
In order to better serve our parishioners of St. Mark Catholic Church, the Parish is forming the St. Mark Sentinels Ministry. Their focus will be on training members of the parish to react and execute in times of emergency and disasters. At this phase, we are looking for volunteers with Safety and Security backgrounds to form a Core Team. If you interested in joining the team, please contact the Director Jack Ternan Sr. at [email protected]