Sacraments

Baptism-

Baptisms at St. Mark Parish take place at noon on the first Sunday of the month in Spanish, and the fourth Sunday of the month in English.

To register for the next Pre-Baptismal/Re-Jordan class call:

Nelly Rojas @ (267) 680-3610 (Spanish)

Anna Larrisey @ (215) 788-8948- home or (215) 788-1600- work (English)

Requirements for the Parents:

The family must be registered as members of St. Mark Parish.
Both parents must attend our Pre-Jordan session; Godparents are also invited. These classes help parents understand the sacrament and gain awareness of the responsibilities of Christian parenting.

Requirements of the Godparents/Sponsors:

Two Catholic Godparents or one Catholic Godparent and one Christian witness.
Must be at least sixteen years old and have received the Sacraments of Initiation (Baptism, Confirmation and Communion)
If not a members of St. Mark, they must obtain a certificate or letter of eligibility from his/her respective parish stating that they are registered, practicing Catholics in good standing and eligible to be a Godparent/Sponsor.
Married by the Catholic Church or single without living in a free union.
A Godparent cannot be someone who is a Baptized Catholic but now practices another religion.
All required forms must be submitted to the parish office at least two weeks before the baptism.

Requesting an Eligibility Certificate:

Saint Mark Parish is happy to provide its members with a letter of eligibility when requested to do so, provided that the following are true:

The person making the request is a registered member of Saint Mark Parish.
- Young adults are considered registered members of the parish via their parents’ registration until they move away from home or reach the age of twenty-five, whichever comes first.
- If you are newly registered, you must wait three 3 months and attend mass regularly before requesting the certificate.
The person meets the following requirements for service as a sponsor or godparent:
- He or she must be at least 16 years old.
- He or she must be a baptized Catholic, who has also received the Sacraments of Confirmation and the Most Holy Eucharist.
- He or she practices their faith by regularly participating in Mass and the Sacraments.
- He or she, if married, has been married according to the laws and teachings of the Catholic Church.
- He or she is not the father or mother of the candidate.

Christian Witness for Baptism:

Provided one Godparent is a practicing Catholic, a Christian witness may serve as the second Godparent. A Christian witness is a validly baptized non-Catholic who practices their faith in Christ visibly and sincerely.

The Christian Witness must provide a letter from his or her pastor, indicating that they are an active member of their church.

If you have a question about these requirements or if you find yourself ineligible, contact our parish office at 215-788-2319 so we can answer your questions and provide information to help you return to a regular practice of the faith.

Matrimony-

Preparing for Weddings at St Mark and St Ann:

For a wedding in the Catholic church at least one of you must be a baptized Catholic.
Notify parish office at (215) 788-2319, nine months before your intended date, to check if the church is available. No Friday weddings.
Schedule to meet with our priest for an interview three months prior
If you have been previously married in either a civil or religious ceremony make sure you discuss this with the Priest at the first meeting.
If not baptized at our parish, you must provide a certificate dated six months prior to the wedding date.
Participate in Pre-Cana class (a course or consultation for couples preparing to be married in a Catholic church) Use this link to schedule class: phillycatholicmarriageprep.com
Participate in Sacrament of Reconciliation
Schedule to meet with Priest for prenuptial investigation and to finalize the ceremony
Contact our music directors, Joy Walker (St. Mark)/ Rosemarie Mignoni-Szczucki (St. Ann), at least two months prior to your wedding date to complete your musical arrangements.
Attend rehearsal in the church with parish staff.

This archdiocesan marriage preparation program (the steps of which are outlined above) will provide you with the spiritual resources and practical tools you need for a strong and healthy marriage – not only as newlyweds, but for a lifetime.

Wedding Planning Booklet and Forms:

Together for Life- Wedding Readings

Event Information and Reading Selection Form (Print, complete and return to the priest prior to wedding date)

Wedding Music Guidelines, Suggested Music, Music Selection Form (Please review complete and return it to our music director.)

Folleto y Formularios de Planificación de Bodas:

Juntos Para Toda La Vida– Lecturas Para Su Boda

Información del evento y formulario de selección de lectura (Favor complete y devuelva antes de la fecha de su boda.)

To assist you, click here for a sample template for your wedding program.

Penance-Confession-

Saturdays, 3:30 pm to 4:30 pm at our parish site.

Sacrament of Anointing-

Any baptized Catholic who is suffering from serious illness, dying or going into surgery may be anointed. Call the parish office at (215) 788-2319 during business hours to arrange a visit by our priest. After hours, if you have an emergency needing the sacramental attention of a priest, please call (215) 788-2493.

Holy Orders-

Priests, Deacons and Nuns are needed in the Catholic Church. If you have an interest in a vocation as a priest, a deacon, or a religious sister or brother, please contact our parish office so you can make an appointment to talk to our pastor, or you can learn more about vocations by visiting heedthecall.org.

Prayer for Vocations

If you an adult and are interested in taking the steps towards becoming Catholic, and preparing for these sacraments contact the parish office or visit our RCIA page.