"I have come to set the earth on fire,
and how I wish it were already blazing!"
Luke 12: 49

Dear Members of Our Strong and United Family:

During Holy Week in 1928, history was made at St. Mark's as the Sisters of St. Joseph moved in to the newly constructed convent across from the school where they taught the children of this parish. In our parish history, written by Msgr. Joseph Corrigan, it was noted that having the sisters reside where they worked would not only create efficiency but would bring "spiritual blessings upon the parish." And that it did.

Now, more than 80 years later, we have the opportunity to again reap blessings through the presence of servants of the Church in our convent. I'm happy to announce today that St. Mark's plans to open the doors of our convent to house seminarians from the Saint Paul Seminary, the Archdiocese's graduate-level seminary.

As you may have heard in the news last fall, the Saint Paul Seminary has record enrollment, its highest since 1981. Its student body, consisting of 91 seminarians, is expected to be even greater this coming fall, thus creating the need for more housing.

To prepare the convent to house seminarians, the Saint Paul Seminary will coordinate and fund an interior renovation of the building. Seminarians—ranging in age from mid-20's to 50's—and one priest will establish residence on the second and third floors; the parish offices will remain on the first floor.

For the seminary, this is a medium-term solution to its current housing challenges. They will continue to develop a long-term plan to meet seminarian housing needs.

St. Mark's will reap the benefits of a major improvement to our property without the significant expense. While we will be happy to have the seminarians for as long as the housing need exists, we will eventually have full access to a beautifully-improved facility to meet our future needs.

Less tangibly, but even more important, are the blessings that will flow from our participation in supporting the needs of these fine men who are responding to God's call to serve his Church as priests. While much of their time will be spent at the seminary, they will be part of our community in spirit. And our chance encounters with them in the parking lot or the chapel will be moments of blessing for our community and for these men, our future priests.

Of great importance, too, it has never been more tangible that the Spirit of God is inspiring our initiatives, The Lion of Saint Mark is truly Roaring in Our Community. The Spirit of God, from where all of this is coming, cannot be stopped! Growth has to continue. This opportunity, along with many others, will mean a leap in building an even stronger Family United in Christ. The Lion of St. Mark's has many things to say to this and the next generation! This is our chance to write one of the greatest pages in our Parish history.

So, as we move from Holy Week to Easter, let us reflect back to 1928 and the hospitality shown by St. Mark's to the Sisters of St. Joseph. In that same spirit, we look forward to welcoming into our neighborhood men preparing to serve the Church as priests. God is pouring blessings over blessings over our family. With this it is clearer that our "Strong Family United in Christ" theme is including and receiving more of our brothers and sisters in need of us and as any other family we are responding.

May the Lord bless you abundantly and fill your heart with all the graces that you need today,

Fr. Humberto Palomino, P.E.S.

Saint Mark's parish is receiving many graces and God is telling us to believe His words, "I am with you." He is showing us this in many ways: through more students in our school, more parishioners, and an increase in the number of vibrant groups in our parish which include the groups for middle school, high school, college students, the men, CCW, and the pastoral care of our sick. These groups and the school and parish staff are working together with me towards the same goal: A Strong Family United in Christ.

Brothers and sisters this is only the beginning, like other moments in the history of our Catholic Church. It is the same message that St. Francis received from the San Damiano Cross: "Rebuild my Church." This is our chance to put our time and talents towards the rebuilding of our community. To build our future, each family will begin to build again, from the beginning, their faith and love to the Church. Together we are going to prepare what the next generation will see in the Catholic Church in St Paul. The important thing is that Faith and Hope in Our Lord has not been lost and I can give testimony to that fact. Many of you have demonstrated this through your expressions of solidarity and generosity since we arrived here one year ago on the 29th of August. According to our Bishops, there is a future and hope for our Church community. If your heart is rejoicing as you read this, you are the proof that the Holy Spirit is at work in this portion of the vineyard of the Lord.

As many know, great things are waiting for us. I want to close by thanking all of the faithful and hardworking members of our family. Thank you again my dear brothers and sisters, my family, for everything you have done for Our Lord and His Church. My desire as pastor of this flock is that Our Lord returns to you a hundredfold of your dedication. I am offering daily Masses, rosaries and prayers everyday and ask you to do the same so that Christ will Reign, so that His Heart Reigns now and forever.

Father Humberto Palomino, P.E.S.
Pastor of the Church of St. Mark