Dear St. Mark Parish Family,

Eucharistia was a blessing to those who participated, the parish, and the surrounding community. We thank Our Lord for the opportunity to come together to worship, praise, and adore the Lord, and fellowship with each other as a parish family in prayer, petition, and picnic. Through Eucharistia and the various celebrations through the Archdiocese, the Church ended the Year of the Eucharist. However, our celebration did not end as we continue to celebrate with the reception of Holy Communion. Let us reflect on the benefits of the Eucharist: eternal life, spiritual joy with a relationship with Jesus, forgiveness of venial sins, spiritual armor against temptation to sin, and a deeper relationship with the Holy Trinity. Eucharistia, and frequent reception of the Eucharist, continues to outpour all these gifts to the family of St. Mark. With the celebration of Eucharistia now in the past, I want to emphasize three points: acknowledgement, thanking and encouragement.

Acknowledgement: I cannot begin to thank everyone wo made Eucharistia the success it was. Together we are a family, and we work together for the success of our goals. Through the weekend activities of Eucharistia, we all achieved a huge goal of bringing the focus of the Eucharist to St. Mark, our parish family members, and the surrounding community who may not yet recognize the presence of God in their lives.

Thank you: I want to thank each and every family member who participated, helped, and prayed for the success of Eucharistia. As a family, we needed each and everyone’s contribution. Your contributions were noted. Your attendance, help in any way, and desserts provided for the St. Mark Family picnic was an outpouring of love for one another. As a pastor, I say a heartfelt, “Thank you” to all, including those that led in special ways: Mike Duffy and our Knights of Columbus, Melanie and Mary Beall, Tricia McCloskey, Heather Nizer, Amanda Crabb, Paul Black, Kimberly Coe, Rob Loskot, Colin and Alex Reitmeyer, Russ Corkrin, and Ross and Lydia Mark. 

Encouragement. In this project of starting Eucharistia here, it was wonderful to see our parish family encouraging each other. Above all, the love, concern and compassion for each other was truly heartwarming. Through the parish determination to embrace Eucharistia, our confidence increased and we grew closer together. It was less than one year ago that I became your pastor, and the parish was disjoined. Today, my Trinitarian brothers and I can see the love of the Holy Trinity alive and thriving in our St. Mark Parish family.

Eucharistia was a great success. The Eucharist remains alive and thriving at St. Mark Parish. I acknowledge your support to Eucharistia and St. Mark Parish. I thank you for being a member of our family here, and  for all your contributions to this parish. I encourage you to desire more frequent reception of the Eucharist and to spend more time in Adoration of the Lord. The Holy Trinity is surely present and pleased with the St. Mark Parish family. I, as your pastor, am delighted with your devotion to the Eucharist here at St. Mark Parish.

In the Most Holy Trinity, 

Reverend Santhosh George, O.SS.T., Pastor