About St. Mark the Evangelist Roman Catholic Church · Erie, Pennsylvania
St. Mark the Evangelist Roman Catholic Church is a parish in the Lawrence Park neighborhood of Erie, Pennsylvania, in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Erie. Founded in 1938 to serve the growing eastern suburbs of the city, the parish has long partnered with neighboring Mount Calvary Parish (since 2017) and, since July 9, 2024, has operated as a secondary mission church of Saint James Parish, Erie, under Pastor Rev. James P. McCormick. Today St. Mark's continues its weekly Mass schedule — including a Saturday Vigil and Sunday morning Mass — and remains a Eucharistic community with a school/education wing and attached rectory on Smithson Avenue.
- Established
- 1938
- Patron
- St. Mark the Evangelist
- Rector
- Rev. James P. McCormick
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Erie (ErieRCD.org)
Why belong here
St. Mark the Evangelist offers the steady, familiar rhythm of a neighborhood Catholic parish — multiple weekly Masses, regular Saturday confession, and a small but committed community rooted in Eucharistic devotion. Since its founding in 1938, it has served the Lawrence Park families of eastern Erie, and even after the 2024 merger into Saint James Parish the Smithson Avenue church remains an active secondary mission church with its own weekend Mass schedule. Visitors and newcomers will find a sacramental community centered on the Eucharist, supported by two permanent deacons and a weekend-assisting priest, with faith formation and youth ministry still offered through the parish office.
Mass times at St. Mark the Evangelist Roman Catholic Church
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturdays 3:15 – 4:15 p.m. at St. Mark
- By appointment
Adoration times
- Wednesday 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. Holy Hour (per diocesan/aggregator listings)
Welcome and Parish Identity
St. Mark the Evangelist and Mount Calvary Parishes describe themselves as partnered Roman Catholic parishes in the Diocese of Erie that exist to love God and one another, grow in personal relationship with the Lord, and share their faith with the wider community. The mission statement on the parish website reads: 'Our mission is to continue to share God's word with the community and create disciples of Jesus Christ.' The community is self-described as 'a sacramental community with the Eucharist at our center,' supporting one another, reaching out to all, and practicing the faith in daily life.
- Partnered parishes: St. Mark the Evangelist (Smithson Ave) and Mount Calvary (E. Lake Rd)
- Mission: share God's Word and create disciples of Jesus Christ
- Identity: Eucharistic, sacramental, welcoming community
History of St. Mark the Evangelist Parish
Saint Mark the Evangelist Parish was established in 1938 in Lawrence Park to serve Catholic families on Erie's eastern edge. The very first Mass was offered in the auditorium of the nearby Saint Mary Episcopal Mission. Construction of the church complex began in 1940, slowed by wartime conditions. At Easter 1942 the parish began celebrating Mass in the partially constructed social hall, but a fire in July 1942 damaged the building. Despite the incomplete state of construction, the first Mass in the church proper was celebrated at Christmas 1942. The completed complex — church, social hall, and rectory — was built as a single cruciform unit.
- Established 1938 in Lawrence Park
- First Mass held at Saint Mary Episcopal Mission auditorium
- Construction began 1940; fire damaged social hall in July 1942
- First Mass in the church proper: Christmas 1942
- Cruciform complex: church + social hall + rectory integrated into one structure
The 2017 Partnership with Mount Calvary
In 2017 Bishop Lawrence Persico joined Saint Mark the Evangelist with the neighboring Mount Calvary Parish under a single pastor. The two parishes collaborated on faith formation, social activities, and Mass scheduling. Combined Mass attendance was reported at 501 in 2015 and 300 in 2023 — a 40% decline. Mount Calvary's school, originally staffed by the Sisters of St. Benedict, had closed in 2004, and its church (damaged by fire in 1975 and rebuilt/dedicated in 1977) became the northeast Erie campus of the partnered community.
- Partnership began in 2017
- Combined Mass attendance: 501 (2015) → 300 (2023)
- Mount Calvary founded December 13, 1951 by Archbishop John Mark Gannon
- Mount Calvary school closed in 2004
- Mount Calvary church rebuilt and dedicated 1977
2024 Merger into Saint James Parish
On April 12, 2024, Bishop Persico announced the final restructuring plan for Erie County parishes. Following Presbyteral Council approval on February 28, 2024, the Diocese of Erie issued a formal decree on May 25, 2024, merging Mount Calvary Parish and Saint Mark the Evangelist Parish into Saint James Parish in an extinctive union, effective July 9, 2024. All assets, responsibilities, and sacramental records were transferred to Saint James Parish. The Saint Mark the Evangelist church building retained status as a secondary mission church — Saturday evening and Sunday Masses permitted — while the Mount Calvary church became a secondary church without mission status and ceased regular weekend Masses in summer 2024.
- Decree issued May 25, 2024; merger effective July 9, 2024
- Merged into Saint James Parish, Erie (parish church)
- St. Mark the Evangelist = secondary mission church
- Mount Calvary = secondary church (no weekend Masses)
- All sacramental records transferred to Saint James Parish
Clergy, Deacons, and Staff
The current pastor of Saint James Parish — which includes the secondary mission church of St. Mark the Evangelist — is Rev. James P. McCormick. Rev. Scott Jabo serves as weekend assistant, and two permanent deacons — Deacon Charles Adamczyk and Deacon David Jacquel — are assigned to the parish. Deacon Michael Scanga was assigned as deacon assistant to St. James Parish in May 2024. Lay staff include Mary Jane Clark (Director of Liturgical Music) and Mary Shchouchkoff (Youth Minister). Earlier pastors included Rev. Msgr. Daniel K. Arnold and Rev. Tom Trocchio (who shepherded the St. Mark / Mount Calvary partnership from 2017 through the 2024 merger).
- Pastor: Rev. James P. McCormick
- Weekend Assistant: Rev. Scott Jabo
- Permanent Deacons: Charles Adamczyk, David Jacquel
- Deacon Assistant: Michael Scanga (assigned May 10, 2024)
- Director of Liturgical Music: Mary Jane Clark
- Youth Minister: Mary Shchouchkoff
- Former pastors: Rev. Msgr. Daniel K. Arnold; Rev. Tom Trocchio
Liturgical Music
Liturgical music at St. Mark the Evangelist is directed by Mary Jane Clark, who serves as the parish's Director of Liturgical Music. The music ministry supports the parish's weekend and daily Mass schedule at both the Smithson Avenue and East Lake Road campuses.
- Director of Liturgical Music: Mary Jane Clark
Religious Education and Youth Ministry
Faith formation at the parish is led by Rev. James McCormick as Religious Education Leader, with Mary Shchouchkoff serving as Youth Minister. Programs are coordinated through the parish office at 695 Smithson Avenue and serve the families of both the St. Mark and Mount Calvary communities, including sacramental preparation for First Communion, Confirmation, and continued formation for school-age youth.
- Religious Education Leader: Rev. James McCormick
- Youth Minister: Mary Shchouchkoff
- Sacramental preparation (First Communion, Confirmation)
Visiting, Office, and Contact
The St. Mark the Evangelist / Mount Calvary Parish Office is located at 695 Smithson Avenue, Erie, PA 16511, and is open Monday through Thursday from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. (closed Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays). The parish can be reached by phone at (814) 899-3000 or by email at [email protected]. Mount Calvary Church (2022 E. Lake Road) can be reached directly at (814) 454-0061.
- Parish Office: 695 Smithson Ave, Erie PA 16511
- Office Hours: Mon–Thu 8:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. (closed Fri–Sun)
- Phone: (814) 899-3000
- Email: [email protected]
- Mount Calvary Church: 2022 E. Lake Road, (814) 454-0061
Social Media and Online Presence
The parish maintains an official website at stmarkmtcalvary.church and a YouTube channel under the name 'Saint Mark the Evangelist Parish,' which has been used to share livestream Mass links. The website also links to a parish calendar and to the latest diocesan news and weekly bulletin.
- Website: stmarkmtcalvary.church
- YouTube: Saint Mark the Evangelist Parish (channel UCLV90KKL_NlDGU-oYIFbSmA)
- Calendar and weekly bulletin linked from the parish homepage
Facilities and Buildings
Saint Mark the Evangelist's physical plant consists of a cruciform-shaped complex combining the church, social hall, and rectory in a single attached structure, along with a school/education center and parish office. This is in contrast to the nearby Saint James Church, which is a stand-alone church building. The Mount Calvary campus (2022 E. Lake Road) is similarly integrated, with its church attached to a former school building currently leased to a charter school tenant.
- Single cruciform complex on Smithson Avenue (church + social hall + rectory)
- Attached school/education center and parish office
- Mount Calvary church attached to former school building (leased to charter school)
Membership and Demographic Trends
Like many parishes in the Erie region, St. Mark the Evangelist has experienced significant membership decline over the past decade. The Diocese of Erie reported 1,140 registered members in 2015 and 563 in 2023 — a 50% drop. The October weekly Mass count fell from 257 (2015) to 144 (2023), about a 44% decline. Infant baptisms fell from 14 in 2015 to 1 in 2023. Combined with Mount Calvary, the partnered parishes reported total Mass attendance of 501 in 2015 and 300 in 2023 — a 40% decline — driving the 2024 decision to merge into Saint James Parish.
- Registered members: 1,140 (2015) → 563 (2023)
- October Mass count: 257 (2015) → 144 (2023)
- Infant baptisms: 14 (2015) → 1 (2023)
- Combined with Mount Calvary: 501 → 300 weekend Mass attendance (40% decline)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Msgr. Daniel K. Arnold
Listed as Pastor of St. Mark the Evangelist prior to the 2017 partnering with Mount Calvary.
- Rev. Tom Trocchio2017 – July 2024
Served as Pastor of the partnered St. Mark the Evangelist / Mount Calvary parishes during the partnership era before the 2024 merger.
- Rev. James P. McCormickJuly 9, 2024 – present
Pastor of Saint James Parish, Erie, with the secondary mission church of St. Mark the Evangelist (Lawrence Park); appointment runs through May 16, 2025 per the May 2024 diocesan announcement.