OUR MISSION STATEMENT
TO SPREAD THE GOOD NEWS
OF JESUS CHRIST TO ALL GOD’S
PEOPLE BY WORD AND ACTION.
02
“LIVING OUR MISSION,
GROWING OUR FUTURE”
04
CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR
CERTIFIED CATECHISTS
05
SUNDAY DINNER
07
KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS SKEET
SHOOT PHOTO ROUNDUP
Winged Lion
THE
NOVEMBER
2 014
Annual Stewardship Renewal
November 8-9, 2014
Dear Members of our St. Mark Faith Community,
As a parish, we are about to begin the annual stewardship renewal process of thinking about how each of us is called to
bring Christ to others. Our theme this year is “Faith, Hope and
Love.”
God continues to entrust us with the work of Christ as we strive
to build His kingdom. He continues to gift us with the responsibility of sharing our resources and ourselves with our families, in the workplace, at the parish and in the larger community. We freely embrace the spiritual principles of stewardship
that center around our belief in God as the Giver of all good
gifts. As good stewards, we recognize these gifts, develop
them, use them and share them in justice with others. During
the next few days, when you pray, ask God to help you recognize your giftedness. Start to evaluate how you use your gifts
of time, talent and treasure in all areas of your life.
We pray that our God continues to bless and gift you and your
family as you move from decision to action, to become good
stewards who set out to bring Jesus to others.
StMarkEvangelist.WeShareOnline.org
“Save Time and Donate Online!”
Online Giving is now available for parishioners with
WeShare, an easy and convenient way to save time
and support the church. Donating is simple, safe, and completely secure.
With WeShare, you can set up a recurring weekly or monthly
transaction using your checking, savings, or credit card account.
You can decide how much to give
to any collection and make
changes any time, day or night.
Plus, you can leave your checkbook at home on Sundays.
Sincerely yours in Christ,
If you would like to enroll in Online Giving, please visit
stmarkevangelist.weshareonline.org. If you have any questions
or concerns about the program or would like help setting up
your account, please call our parish office at 494-1606.
Monsignor Kevin E. Ryan
"Give and gifts will be given to you; a good measure, packed
together, shaken down, and overflowing, will be poured into
your lap. For the measure with which you measure will in return
be measured out to you." Luke 6:38
Pastor
campus. As we prayerfully begin to discern how to best utilize
this property, our community will be guided by five concepts:
The grounds and buildings will reflect our Catholic traditions
and parish liturgical mission.
The grounds and buildings are for the support and growth
of our ministries.
The grounds and buildings will be inviting and accessible.
The grounds and buildings will be connected through elements that express our Catholic faith journey.
The grounds and buildings will be of the highest quality
within our financial means.
In the spring of 2014, a vision to bring
together the two properties was developed by parishioners through ministry
surveys and a series of parish-wide workshops.
Our community vision encompasses:
The transformation of existing buildings into multi-purpose
educational and ministry buildings ready to serve the
next generation of our parish community.
The creation of harmonious community spaces indoors and
outdoors that inspire our Catholic faith journey and
reflect our shared liturgical faith.
Additional provisions for easy vehicle and pedestrian access,
better definition of our borders, and improved safety
on campus.
The following is the case statement for our “Living Our Mission,
Growing Our Future” capital campaign. We ask that everyone
prayerfully consider making a sacrificial gift to the future of our
parish. For more information about the capital campaign, please
contact Shane Hamilton at 494-1606 x306.
____________________________________________________
Visioning & Planning Case Statement
St. Mark the Evangelist Parish
Throughout all of scripture, we see God bringing His work of
salvation in and through communities. In the 1970s, approximately 325 families began a journey to establish a Catholic community in north central San Antonio. Many parishioners will
remember Blossom Athletic Center where we first gathered.
With thoughtful prayer, leadership, and action, our community
has grown into one of the largest Catholic parishes in San Antonio, serving more than 12,000 members or approximately 3,900
families. Our parish community continues to expand by over 200
new families every year. We are constantly vigilant of our beginning, our growth, and mission to the entire San Antonio community. Today, thousands of passionate parishioners in nearly 80
ministries live our mission “to spread the good news of Jesus
Christ to all God’s people in word and action.”
The ongoing passion from our community fuels ever increasing
needs to expand our campus. Through God’s grace and in support of our mission, our parish had an opportunity to expand our
physical campus. St. Mark purchased in 2013 the former Northside Church of Christ property adjacent to our current parish
We are committed to embracing our vision, developing specific
plans and raising the financial resources to transform the two
properties into a unified campus that will serve our ever expanding parish community. To accomplish this vision of a functional
and inspiring unified campus, St. Mark will initiate a capital fund
drive beginning in September 2014. In the months to come, parishioners will be invited to participate in the capital campaign,
led by the pastor, fellow parishioners, ministry leaders, and staff.
The money raised will first go towards the Church of Christ property acquisition, followed closely by building renovations and
grounds improvements.
God calls us not only to be individuals who believe in Him, but to
be a community that belongs to Him. Just as those first 325
families did in our early years, today’s St. Mark community,
through word and action, will expand God’s work of salvation in
San Antonio. Our parish journey begun in the 1970’s has no
end.
At St. Mark’s we have two
Communal celebrations of this
Sacrament: during Advent and
during Lent.
What is the Sacrament
of the Sick?
…Are any among you sick? They should call for the elders of the
church and have them pray over them, anointing them with oil
in the name of the Lord. The prayer of faith will save the sick,
and the Lord will raise them up; and anyone who has committed
sins will be forgiven… (James 5:14-15)
This is the prayer of Christ and His Church for the physical and
spiritual health of a person who is ill.
Anointing of the Sick is a sacrament for the living. It can help a
person grow spiritually, heal physically, and be reassured of
God’s love and mercy.
The Sacrament of the Sick is for any of the following: Those facing surgery, those with an illness, the aged, and anyone who
needs God’s healing presence in any area of their lives.
The Mass of the Anointing of
the Sick is scheduled for December 6th 2014 at 10:30am in
the Sanctuary.
The Anointing of the Sick is
also available on the first Monday of the month after the
6:30pm Mass, on the second
Wednesday of the month after the 8:15am Mass, and again on
the third Thursday after the 6:30am Mass.
Please feel free to call the Church at anytime if you think a family member or friend is asking for this Sacrament. After hours
please use our emergency phone number, or during the day call
the Parish Office.
At one time this sacrament was called “Extreme Unction” or Last If you would like to talk about this Sacrament for a loved one
Rites. But today it is celebrated for a person who is seriously ill, please feel free to call Catherine Lopez or Carroll Migura @ 494
for the elderly or those in danger of death to help them achieve 1606.
spiritual and physical healing.
MOBILE LOAVES & FISHES, INC.
Pumpkin Patch---Watch for pictures in next edition!
Mobile Loaves & Fishes, Inc. brought back the pumpkin patch to St. Mark’s after a
long retirement. And what a great time it was for family and friends and fun. The
fundraising event brought in folks from the surrounding community to enjoy the festivities of a carnival like atmosphere to celebrate the season. So many volunteers
helped in this effort---from middle school to our seniors ---from every type of job you
can imagine including setting up games and signs; unloading and selling pumpkins;
selling food and beverages; endless emailing and phone calls. So many to thank---it
couldn’t have been done without your help and we would especially like to acknowledge the following for their sponsorship:
Schott Family
Oppenheimer Multifamily Housing & Health Care Finance
Tom Pardue Company, LLC
ERA Troy, REALTORS
Camacho’s Plumbing Services, Inc.
Resurrection Cemetery at Cordi – Marian
And to the following retailers for Gift Cards:
The Magnolia Pancake Haus
Willie’s Grill & Ice House Once Upon a Child
And to HEB & Bill Miller BBQ for their continued generosity.
Certified Level
Certified Level
St. Mark the Evangelist Catholic Church would like to recognize the following individuals for their
time and effort at completing the Archdiocesan requirements as Level One and Level Two Certified
Catechists. We appreciate their efforts and hope they will continue contributing to the formation of
their fellow parishioners’ faith.
Lisa Anthony
Sylvia Benavides
Brian Bielefeld
Marvin Boroski
Annabel Farrell
John Farrell
James Fleming
Gerald Gaenslen
John Handrahan
Judith M. Handrahan
Laura Ann Harlow
Anne K. Kemper
Annette Kurburski
Diane McConnell
Ruth Moore
Vincent Papa
Kay Parker
Aris Roth
Sara Anne Stulga
Ann Slonek Swihart
Steve Treu
Kristi Flores
GIRL SCOUTS WANTS YOU!!
Joanna Aleman
> Do you like to have fun?
> Want to meet new friends?
> Would you enjoy learning new skills or
making cute crafts?
> Is camping your thing?
Girls Scouts of Southwest Texas serves girls ages 5-17 in 21
counties...and St Mark the Evangelist has sponsored some of
those Girl Scout troops. But girls no longer need to join traditional troops to be Girl Scouts... For a small $15 national
membership fee, a girl will be eligible to participate in all programs and camping opportunities offered in the Fall 2014 Pathways Guide, published by Girl Scouts of Southwest Texas
(www.girlscouts-swtx.org).
Adults...volunteer as leaders so we can start a few NEW troops here at St Mark's and
girls can also earn their religious medal for their age group!
Please contact SANDY FINLEON for more information. I prefer email, but you can
call if you prefer. Info: [email protected] OR call 210-494-1807 (if I'm out, you
may leave a "clear" message on the answering machine.)
Sunday Dinner
by William H.Willimon:
An excerpt with adaptation:
“Because of our Sunday mealtime ritual, no one had to tell me what it
meant to be a part of this family. No one had to tell me who I was or instruct me in the proper world view for folk with our name.” (Catholic)
“I never got (very much) formal instruction to orthodox belief or behavior. No one had to explain to me that I belonged or that I was loved. I
learned all that at the Sunday dinner table. (Mass) If someone asked me,
“Who are your people and what do they stand for?,” I would have responded quite honestly, “My people are those who gather at my father’s
dinner table; at the table we were initiated, nurtured and claimed into
the family. There we participated in common memory, fellowship and
identity. There we found our place, our name, our story at the table.”
1) “Sunday Dinner: The Lord’s Supper and the Christian life.”
On Saturday October 11, Divine Mercy joined
with 12,629 Rosary Rallies around the nation
celebrating the miracle of the sun in Fatima
97 years ago. Next year our goal will be
14,000. This was held in St. Francis Circle at
noon. The noon hour is chosen because it is
the closest time to the actual miracle. Our
Lady stopped the rain and the sun shone on
all of us.
"Finally, my Immaculate Heart will triumph!"
(Our Lady of Fatima, July 13, 1917)
We have witnessed at St. Mark that some do not come to the table and
share in the feast. Our family must be fed to be strong on our journey as
we leave the table, yet some leave hungry before communion. Help us
understand how we can help you to join us in the Eucharist.
Is there something we can do to assist you in joining the family at our
communion table as we celebrate our Father’s feast on Sunday? If it is a
marriage issue or something you can speak about, we will be happy to
assist you. Perhaps you are not Catholic…we want you to know that you
are invited to become an inquirer and ask all of your questions about being Catholic.
Dot Hamlin, Pastoral Administrator 494-1606 ex 311
Paul Vance, Adult Faith Formation 494-7434 ex 326
Anne Kemper, Rites of Christian Initiation for Adults
Rites of Christian Initiation for Children 494-7434 ex 329
Yes, it's that time of year already! The 2014 Elf
Louise Christmas Project is gearing up for the
Christmas holidays and we're already looking for
volunteers to help in the Wrap Room this season.
Our Wrap Days are from Sunday, November 30th
to Friday, December 5th, 2014. Our 2014 Project
location is at Port San Antonio near Lackland Air
Force Base at 201 N. Frank Luke, Bldg 1470, San
Antonio, TX 78226.
We would love to have you work with us this year
and help make a child's Christmas dreams come
true. Please feel free to pass this on to anyone
who might also be interested. That includes clubs,
groups, churches, etc. We can always use the
extra hands. THANK YOU for considering the Elf
Louise Christmas Project. I promise it will touch
your heart.
Becky Schulze
Elf Louise Christmas Project
Board Member
Email: [email protected]
(preferred method)
Cell Phone: 210-771-6968
For info regarding the Elf Louise Christmas Project,
visit our website at http://www.elflouise.com/.
FOCOLARE MINISTRY
SUPPORTS THE TROOPS
The Focolare Ministry at St. Mark’s wishes to thank you for your generosity in supporting the wonderful men and women who are giving their very
lives to keep our country safe. As you can see, we were able to collect a
great deal of material for them – Rosaries, Scapulars, prayer books, devotionals, bibles, and many, many other beautiful items.
Prior to delivering the religious items to Ft. Sam Houston, Fr. Morgan
blessed them and the Focolare members; Kay Parker, Janie & Eddie Carter,
and Nick & Pat Young sorted and boxed the items.
We then took the items to the Chaplain and the Command Chaplain Operations NCO. These two men were very gracious and thanked us profusely
for bringing all these religious materials to them to share with the troops.
They were very appreciative of
your kind donations and stated
they were greatly needed. May
God bless you and reward your
generosity.
NATIONAL HUNGER AND
HOMELESS AWARENESS WEEK
November 16-22
Becoming a
Culture of Encounter
Mobile Loaves and Fishes, a social outreach ministry that empowers communities into a lifestyle of
service with the homeless, invite you to attend a
Fall Gathering.
As part of National Hunger and Homeless Awareness week, Fr. John Markey will be reflecting on
Becoming a Culture of Encounter. Fr. Markey is
well known to the St. Mark parish as he is frequently the Presider here. A culture of encounter
is centered on getting to know people who are
usually forgotten. Fr. John Markey, OP, PhD is an
associate professor of theology, director of the
doctorate in spirituality program at the Oblate
School of Theology, and author of Constituting
Communion: The Theology of the Constitutions of
the Church, and Moses in Pharaoh’s House: A Liberation Spirituality for North America.
PRAYER FOR PRIESTS
By John Cardinal O'Conner; 1995
Lord Jesus, we Your people
pray to You for our priests.
You have given them to us for our needs.
We pray for them in their needs.
We know that You have made them priests in
the likeness of your own priesthood.
You have consecrated them, set them aside,
anointed them, filled them with the Holy
Spirit, appointed them to teach, to preach, to
minister, to console, to forgive, and to feed us
with Your Body and Blood ...
We pray to You, 0 Lord, with Mary,
the Mother of priests, for Your
priests and for ours. Amen.
'That all may know the Savior’
The gathering will be in Christopher Hall at
St. Mark the Evangelist Catholic Church, 1602
Thousand Oaks, San Antonio 78261. Tuesday,
November 18, 2014 at 7:00 p.m. All are welcome.
This event is one of the Pilgrimage site for the
Charter of Compassion San Antonio. The Charter
for Compassion is a cooperative effort to restore
not only compassionate thinking but, more importantly, compassionate action to the center of religious, moral and political life. Compassion is the
principled determination to put ourselves in the
shoes of the other, and lies at the heart of all religious and ethical systems.
Please come to hear the message of hope and
love for our brothers and sisters in need and continue on the mission that Christ has commanded:
“ Love one Another.”
Knights of Columbus Skeet Shoot a Booming Success
Volunteering at CRIT USA is to belong to a group
of people who donate their time to serve the children with disabilities.
Our main purpose is to attend and serve, with a
high human quality and sense, all of the patients
and families coming every day for their therapy
sessions and doctor’s appointments. We are willing to provide quality, love and warmth at all
times.
To volunteer you must be 18 yrs. or older, with

Great sense of responsibility,

A smile,

Arms ready to work and

A very big heart.
To become a volunteer, please contact us at:
[email protected] or call 210-257-6260.
We are very excited to announce our 2015
Parish Mission evenings with nationally known
and award winning actor, Frank Runyeon.
Sure to be a wonderful experience and a great
way to start your Lenten journey.
Check out the latest on our website
www.StMarkEvangelist.com
St. Mark’s Preschool
G FOR
ENROLLIN
2014-2015
SINCE 1980
 Ages 18 months - 5 years
 9am - 2pm, Mon. - Thurs.
REVELATION
The Kingdom Yet
to Come
Have you ever wondered when and
where to begin studying the Bible? Do
you start at the beginning in Genesis or
perhaps the Psalms or Proverbs … The
time to start is now and best place to
start is right where you are! The important thing is to start!
This much-anticipated study of Revelation:
The Kingdom Yet to Come by Jeff Cavins
and Thomas Smith is currently being offered at St. Mark’s. Join us for an intriguing
look at one of the most talked-about
books in Scripture. Jeff Cavins explores Revelation to demonstrate how the
kingdom established by Christ in His
Church is intimately connected with the
kingdom of heaven, especially through the
celebration of the Mass. You will learn what
all the mysterious figures and images of
Revelation present, as well as what will
happen during the Second Coming of
Christ, what has already happened, and
what is happening now in salvation history.
Classes are held Tuesday mornings from
9:00-11:00 and Tuesday evenings from
6:45 to 8:30. For further information,
please contact Sheryl Parker at 274-1031
for morning class information or Ricki
Brady at 495-8877 for evening class information. Babysitting is available.
 9am-Noon, Friday
Explore your faith and discover how your
story is already written in the Gospel.
Monday Evenings, 7pm-9pm
September 22, 2014—April 20, 2015
Shalom Room
Take an Individual Class or take all Ten
Classes and earn your Level 1 Catechist
Certification
Individual Class Modules—$10
All Ten Modules—$50
(20 students required for
class to commence)
Contact Paul Vance at (210) 494-7434.
St. Mark the Evangelist
Catholic Church
1602 Thousand Oaks @ Hwy. 281
210-494-9282
Holy Land Trip
Men’s ACTS Prayer Meeting
Join us every Wednesday night at 7:30pm, in
Room 201 of Christopher Hall for music,
prayer, and spiritual reflection.
 All men are welcome.
 No need to have attended
an ACTS Retreat.
This is your invitation to come
and see what it is all about.
No RSVP needed!
If you bring your Bible and your rosary,
we’ll bring fellowship, friendship, and hospitality. See you there this Wednesday!
Walk where the Master
walked.
Join Msgr. Kevin Ryan as we return to
the Holy Land April 15th to April 26th,
2015. Contact John Thabet at 494-3553.