CHURCH HISTORY
1984:
St. Ita, a mission to St. Bernadette Catholic Church in Hollywood, was established with a group of 60 Catholics in Sunshine Ranches. Mass took place at the Volunteer Fire House on Hancock Road.
1985:
In July of 1985, Archbishop Edward A. McCarthy announced the establishment of St. Mark the Evangelist Catholic Church, with Father William J. Hennessey becoming our first spiritual leader and Pastor.
1987:
Fr. Hennessey engaged the services of an architect to develop a master plan for the present and the future. This plan included a Parish Center, a permanent Church and a complex for a possible future elementary school. It was decided that the Parish should move forward with what was deemed as “immediate necessity” and save the other plans for the future.
1988:
In December of 1988, a groundbreaking ceremony was held for the Parish Center and Education Complex.
Auxiliary Bishop Norbert Dorsey blessed the grounds and parishioners added bricks inscribed with their names as part of the foundation.
1989:
First “Country Carnival” in partnership with the Schott Memorial Center.
1990:
December 2, 1990 marked the dedication of Parish Center. The Most Reverend John C. Favalora, Bishop of St. Petersburg and Fr. Hennessey joined with Archbishop Edward A. McCarthy to celebrate a Mass of Thanksgiving and dedicate this beautiful structure to God through the best efforts of the
St. Mark Parish Family.
1991:
Initial classroom building was completed and pressed into service with Pre-school classes only.
1995:
Early in 1995 marked a big change for St. Mark with the appointment of Fr. Hennessey as Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Miami and the arrival of Monsignor Robert N. Lynch.
August, St. Mark Catholic School officially opened with pre-school, Kindergarten and one first grade class. Mrs. Shirley R. Sandusky was the founding principal.
December, Msgr. Lynch was appointed Bishop of the Diocese of St. Petersburg. Rev. Edmond F. Whyte, long-time pastor at Our Lady of the Lakes (Miami Lakes) was assigned to St. Mark as the new pastor.
2002:
Parishioners joined with Msgr. William J. Hennessey, founding pastor of St. Mark, and
Fr. Edmond F. Whyte the current pastor, for the groundbreaking and blessing ceremony for the future parish facilities, which included a 1,200 seat Church and an administration building.
First Class from to go completely through St. Mark Catholic School graduates.
2006:
Sunday, May 21, 2006, Fr. Edmond F. Whyte and Archbishop John C. Favalora celebrated the dedication of our new Church.
2010:
St. Mark the Evangelist Parish celebrated 25 years!
2015:
St. Mark Catholic School’s founding principal, Mrs. Shirley R. Sandusky, retires after 22 years serving the St. Mark community. Mrs. Teresita Wardlow joined the St. Mark family as the new principal that summer.
2016:
January 23, 2016, the passing of our beloved Pastor, Msgr. Edmond F. Whyte.
Fr. Jaime H. Acevedo, a previous Parochial Vicar of St. Mark, is appointed as our new Pastor and is welcomed back to St. Mark.
Today:
St. Mark the Evangelist Catholic Church is the spiritual home to over 6,200 registered families, with 594 children attending the Pre-K through Eighth Grade in the School and an additional 500 children attending religious education classes in the evening. We have a vibrant and thriving parish community with over 50 different active ministries, and are blessed to call St. Mark “home.”
Welcome Home!