St. Mark Catholic Church gathers on West 96th Avenue in Westminster, Colorado, where weekend and daily Mass, the sacraments, and family formation anchor parish life. Located at 3141 W 96th Avenue, the parish serves families across Adams County with a steady rhythm shaped by the Roman Catholic tradition.
Weekend Mass
St. Mark's weekend schedule is built around four Masses. Saturday evening Mass begins at 5:00pm. On Sunday, Mass is offered at 7:30am, 9:00am, and 11:30am. The 9:00am and 11:30am Sunday Masses tend to draw the largest gatherings of parish families, while the Saturday vigil and the early Sunday Mass offer a quieter setting for those who prefer it.
Daily Mass, Holy Days, and Reconciliation
For those whose days are punctuated by weekday prayer, daily Mass is celebrated Monday through Friday at 8:30am. On Holy Days of Obligation, two Masses are offered at 8:30am and 6:00pm. The sacrament of Reconciliation is heard on Saturday afternoons from 3:30pm to 4:30pm in the church.
Becoming Catholic Through OCIA
The Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA) at St. Mark welcomes anyone curious about the Catholic faith, including those who have never been baptized, those baptized in another Christian denomination, and baptized Catholics who have not yet received Confirmation or First Communion. The parish describes OCIA as a process of prayer, spiritual formation, and religious education, and as a community faith journey that leads to a transformation of mind and spirit.
Classes meet Tuesday evenings from 6:00pm to 7:30pm in the church. The program begins in mid-September and runs through the Easter season, with participants received into the Church at the Easter Vigil. The year combines study, prayer, discussion, and sharing, and is supported by sponsors drawn from the parish community. The program also welcomes Catholics willing to serve as sponsors for newcomers walking the journey themselves.
Family Faith Formation
Family Faith Formation (FFF) is the heart of the parish's ministry to children. Directed by Nancy Luensmann, the program invites families with children from pre-kindergarten through sixth grade to gather on Sunday mornings from 10:15am to 11:20am in the parish hall, between the 9:00am and 11:30am Sunday Masses. Children learn the teachings of the Catholic faith through small groups, activities, prayer, and shared community. Once a month, the program shifts to family activities that bring parents and children together. Yearly highlights include Trunk or Treat and a parish carnival in October, Las Posadas in December, and a Mardi Gras celebration in February, alongside other activities prompted by the parish community.
Sacramental preparation for First Reconciliation (grade 2 and older), First Eucharist, and Confirmation (grades 2 through 8) is built into the FFF program. The parish notes that no family is turned away from faith formation for inability to pay.
Infant Baptism
Baptism, the first sacrament of initiation, is celebrated as the basis of the whole Christian life, with infants through age six welcomed at St. Mark. Parents are required to be registered members of the parish for at least three months and to be actively practicing their faith.
Parents and godparents attend a single baptism preparation class, held on a scheduled Sunday each month from 1:00pm to 3:00pm. Baptisms are celebrated during Mass, with the date scheduled once paperwork is received and the class is completed. The parish asks that godparents be fully initiated Catholics, at least sixteen years old, and practicing members of the Church. Only one godparent is required; if two are chosen, one must be male and the other female. Children seven and older are directed to the Religious Education program.
Knights of Columbus and the Pilgrim Statue
The parish's Knights of Columbus council keeps a visible Catholic presence in the wider Westminster community. The council offers a pilgrim statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary that parishioners can reserve through the parish office; a Knight will deliver the statue to the home and pick it up after a week of prayer. Families are encouraged to gather neighbors and friends to pray for world peace, the sick, the dying, and the lost, with directions and prayer suggestions provided with the statue.
The council also hosts a monthly rosary on the first Saturday of each month at 10:00am at the Armed Forces Tribute Garden, 6001 W 104th Avenue in Westminster.
Parish Staff and Giving
St. Mark is led by pastor Rev. Jim Baird, with deacons Chuck Schultz and Josh Dalcher also serving the parish. Donna Deslauriers serves as Music Director, and Patsy Melonakis coordinates the ministry to the homebound and to those in care facilities. Parish office hours run Monday through Thursday from 9:00am to 4:00pm and on Friday from 9:00am to noon. The parish phone number is 303-466-8720.
Electronic giving is available for the offertory, building fund, deferred maintenance, Holy Day and special collections, and Faith Formation fees, with options for one-time, monthly, or weekly gifts. The parish has also partnered with the Driven to Donate vehicle donation program, which returns fifty percent of the sale price of donated vehicles to St. Mark.
Visiting St. Mark
St. Mark Catholic Church is located at 3141 W 96th Avenue in Westminster, Colorado. English is the language of the parish's regular liturgies and programs. Visitors are welcome to introduce themselves at the parish office during the week, where staff can answer questions about registration, sacraments, and ongoing programs.