Author: Don M

Sunday April 21 – Tuesday April 23, 2024

THE EUCHARIST: A MYSTERY TO BE BELIEVED, ADORED AND LIVED!

If you can commit to a time for adoration, please sign up on the sign-up sheet after Mass or with the parish office so that we can ensure the sacrament is attended at all times.

Volunteers are needed to hide eggs during Mass, and to assist with the hunt after Mass. If you are willing to help in either way, please sign up on the volunteer page on the Parish Website!

Please join us for our last Lenten dinner of the year tomorrow, Friday March 15 2024! Dinner starts at 5:00 and ends at 6:30 – followed by Stations of the Cross in the church. Dinner is in the St. Mark Social Hall. There will be a 50/50 drawing at 6:15! We hope to see you all there!

Sister Karolyn Grace of the Immaculate Conception, known by many parishioners in her childhood as Megan Wertner, has written an open letter expressing her gratitude for the support of our prayers and asking for their continuance as she and her sisters relocate to a fully established monastery in Kokomo, Indiana. She will continue in her contemplative life as a Poor Clare but will have a time of formation as she enters the life of this community.

Please see her full letter here:

December 9-11

St. Mark & St. Luke will have an online auction just in time for the holidays!

The auction will begin at 8 am on Dec 9 and end Sunday, Dec 11th at 8pm. Item pickup will be scheduled before Christmas with the winning bidders.

You will have to create an account in order to bid and will get text or email updates when you are outbid. No credit card information is needed – winners will pay for their items when they are picked up.

You can view the auction here:

If you have any questions, please contact Barbara Danowski, Amy Sanders or Diane Sturm. Thank you.

St. Mark

Thurs. Dec. 24 4:00 PM: Celebration of the Word & Communion*
Thurs. Dec. 24 6:00 PM: Christmas Mass
Thurs. Dec. 24 8:00 PM: Christmas Mass
Fri. Dec. 25 9:00 AM: Christmas Mass

St. Luke

Thurs. Dec. 24 4:00 PM: Christmas Mass
Thurs. Dec. 24 6:00 PM: Celebration of the Word & Communion*
Fri. Dec. 25 11:00 AM: Christmas Mass

* Celebration of the Word & Communion: includes music, the
Christmas Readings and Gospel, a Homily and Communion.

Please review Fr. Walter’s message regarding the return of Masses at Saint Mark to the Church. There are no changes to requirements for masking, social distancing, and sanitation (details are in the linked message).

This is a link to Fr. Walter’s June 1 2020 letter that was mailed to parishioners this past week. It outlines the plans, schedules, and safety measures in place as we return to public masses on June 13 & 14.

There are many important details in the letter, including:

• some permanent changes to Mass times.
• please bring your own chair (if possible) for Mass at St. Mark, which will be held in the Social Hall. If you cannot bring a chair one will be provided.
• please wear a mask at all times while on church grounds, except when receiving Holy Communion.

If you wish to follow the readings during Mass using your electronic device, you may follow this direct link for the current day’s readings (http://usccb.org/bible/readings/index.cfm).

To download the readings in advance, you can find a link to them on our website (https://www.stmarkstlukeparish.org) near the bottom of the home page in the “DAILY READINGS” feed.

Dear Ones, 

     I hope everyone is doing well. I can’t believe it’s been almost three months since I have seen you. I truly miss all of you. I am getting excited knowing that our time to be together is coming soon. I, with our wonderful parish staff, have been preparing for your return to St. Mark and St. Luke for public Masses. Please know, as we move into the yellow phase of reopening, I must follow the guidelines established by the Diocese of Harrisburg.  That being said, I am happy to inform you that we will begin our public Celebration of Mass on the weekend of June 13 and 14. I will start offering the Sacrament of Reconciliation at St. Mark every Monday from 6:30 – 7:30 pm, beginning June 8. Confessions will be heard in the foyer between the church and the social hall. To prevent the spread of the virus, you will need to remain standing. Confessions will be face-to-face. Please park in the north lot and wait in your car. We will have volunteers to let you know when it’s your turn. If there is still a line at 7:30, I will continue to hear confessions. The church itself and restrooms will remain closed.

     I will be mailing a letter to everyone next week with the guidelines given to us by the Diocese. This letter will explain the new procedures that we have formulated to fit our parish’s specific needs.

     I kindly ask for your prayers and patience as we work to make the liturgy and sacraments as available as possible during these unusual times. I know that you are excited to come back to Mass. Please know that I can’t wait for you to come back to church again, however, I must make sure we have a safe place for you to come back to. 

In Christ, 
Fr. Walter