Saint Mark Catholic Church
Weekly Newsletter
January 24, 2020
The 3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

In this weekend’s Gospel, Jesus begins His ministry of healing, proclaims the kingdom of God and calls His first disciples, Simon and Andrew, and then the sons of Zebedee, James and John. Those first disciples might have preferred to keep their jobs, remain with their families and stay with the life they knew. Remarkably though, all four of these people follow after this stranger who interrupts their daily routine. When they see Jesus and hear His words to them, they make a different choice. They take a risk, step out in faith, leave behind that which is comfortable and secure. They choose to follow Jesus.

How far are we willing to go to leave the comfort and security of the life we know to follow Jesus? Trust in the Lord and take that step to follow Jesus the year.

This week we celebrate our Catholic schools. We are thankful for your commitment to Catholic education and are happy to support your children through our parish preschool, Saint Mark Catholic School (K-8) and Christ the King High School.  All students are encouraged to wear their uniforms at the 9 and 11 am Masses on Sunday in celebration of Catholic Schools Week. 

Blessings,
Father John
Saint Mark will present a special pro-life mission featuring Jeronimo Silva, father of 7 and devout Catholic from Hanceville, Alabama.
 
His talks will be on strengthening the family and promoting holy Catholic families. Talks are open to everyone each night but the individual focus of each talk is as follows:
 
Sunday, January 26, 7 pm
Men: Defending the Family in a Secular Culture
 
Monday, January 27, 7 pm
Women: Building a Culture of Life through Their Femininity in the Catholic Family
 
Tuesday, January 28, 7 pm
Teens: Teenagers through Chastity and Modesty Can Help Protect the Dignity of Life
 
Wednesday, January 29, 7:30 pm
Family: Supporting Life by Supporting the Family
(light reception to follow)
 
Note: Talks are approx. 1 hour and will alternate in both English and Spanish.
 
Faith. Exploration. Discovery. Knowledge. Scholars. Artists. Athletes. Leaders. Champions.
Start With Us. Stay With Us.
Mecklenburg Area Catholic Schools PK-12th Grade

To all current and prospective families:
It is a privilege to partner with you in passing on and celebrating our Catholic faith with your family. We value the Catholic formation that your children receive in their respective schools and are grateful for the commitment you put forth so that your children may attend Mecklenburg Area Catholic Schools (MACS). MACS offers a significant financial benefit to those families who are participating in the life of their parish. To receive this financial benefit from MACS your family must be “participating” at your respective parish. To qualify as participating at Saint Mark Catholic Church, the following three requirements must be met: Parish Registration, Mass Participation and Parish Participation. Find the details on our website at www.stmarknc.org/MACS before you register in the Catholic School System.
BLOOD DRIVE
Sunday, January 26
8 am-1 pm
Saint Mark Knights of Columbus have partnered with One Blood (formerly Community Blood Center of the Carolinas) for a blood drive! Charlotte area hospitals require nearly 400 blood products each day to treat patients battling cancer, undergoing transplants, or facing blood disorders such as sickle cell disease.

Your blood donation is greatly needed and appreciated.