Parish History
            

                                                   Weekly Bulletin      Saturday Bible Study

                                                  Parish Email Contacts       St Mark Services  

                                        Sacraments   Organizations

                                       Parish History  Links

Parish History

St. Mark Roman Catholic Church is the most visible landmark in Evanston. For the first half of the twentieth century, St. Mark was Evanston. The neighborhood developed rapidly in the years following its annexation to Cincinnati, and in 1905 Archbishop Henry Moeller established a new parish. The first services were held in the home of Mary Klinckhamer, daughter of Park Brewery owner Henry Klinckhamer. A temporary frame church was erected on land she donated. A combination church-school was constructed in 1906, and a convent was built in 1909 for the Sisters of the Precious Blood, who operated the school. By 1911 the Sisters were holding classes in both the old frame church and the newer school.
Evanston Catholics went to great effort and expense to create an edifice that expressed the social and spiritual importance of their parish. The present Romanesque Revival style church, dedicated in 1916, is dominated by a campanile and large rose window. The church has terrazzo floors, marble columns and altars, oak wainscoting, and imported stained glass windows. The mural on the proscenium was painted in 1939 by Leo Mirabile.
The school burned down in 1922, but parishioners replaced it within a year. In the 1940's the parish built a recreation center, complete with bowling alley and youth club. The new rectory was completed in 1950.

Saint Mark Catholic Church continues to serve the residents of Evanston and beyond with quality pastoral ministry, worship, praise and love based on community, that is deeply rooted in Scripture understanding and Catholic spirituality.
 

[ Home ]

Send mail to Web Creator with questions or comments about this web site.
Last modified: 08/07/2005