Skip to main content
All Posts By

Mark Jacks

Mark Jacks
In St. James Jobs

Director of Evangelization and Formation

ST. JAMES PARISH – ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, IL
DIRECTOR OF EVANGELIZATION AND FORMATION

Position Type: Full Time

Department: Formation + Evangelization

Under the direction of the pastor, the Director of Evangelization and Formation provides leadership and oversight for Religious Education, Youth Discipleship and Evangelization, FOCUS Parish Outreach, and other efforts associated with evangelization and faith formation. This includes pastoral planning and needs assessment regarding evangelization and faith formation for the parish and school. The Director supports, accompanies, and equips the leaders in parish ministerial areas to focus their attention beyond parishioners and into the community at large.

RESPONSIBILITIES

  • Collaborates with the Pastor and other Pastoral Team members on discerning the vision that best enables the parish to offer ways for all parishioners to practice missionary discipleship.
  • Develops strategies and methods to help integrate new members into parish ministries and parish life overall.
  • Provides direct management and leadership for staff who direct Religious Education, Youth Discipleship and Evangelization, FOCUS Parish Outreach, as well as lay leaders who coordinate faith formation programs, such as RCIA.
  • Assists those who coordinate the parish ministries to help them align the vision of their specific ministries to the parish vision and develop teamwork that will support these efforts.
  • Develops an annual budget for the pastoral ministries that provide for parish vitality and evangelization in collaboration with the Controller.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS

  • Seven to ten years of experience in evangelization and/or faith formation working within a parish or religious organization.
  • Bachelors or Masters’ degree in Theology; religious education or related field and/or experience in parish catechetical ministry; Archdiocesan Catechist Certification; Protecting God’s Children trained.
  • Demonstrated success in leading and managing teams with a strong commitment to collaboration and teamwork among the clergy, staff, volunteers, groupings, and the Archdiocese of Chicago.
  • Technology, social media, and computer literacy.
  • Practicing Catholic with a solid grounding in Catholic identity and the faith tradition.
  • An evangelizer, yourself, who can share experiences of “being a disciple, and making disciples” in line with our parish mission statement.
  • Able to maintain a healthy lifestyle and a reasonable balance among the legitimate claims of family, community, personal relationships, and ministry, and possess the ability to be sensitive to the realities of parish life as it is lived in our community.
  • A change maker, who can ascertain the future needs of ministries, develop plans, match resources to the needs, and implement.
Drop files here or
Accepted file types: pdf, docx, Max. file size: 5 MB, Max. files: 2.
    Mark Jacks
    In Path To Sunday

    4th Sunday of Advent & Christmas

    John 1:23

    In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

    Full Gospel Passage: John 1:1-18

    For Christmas Day

    Isn’t it a little crazy: Christmas is Jesus’ birthday, and yet we are busy giving gifts to everyone else but the birthday boy. Did you ever wonder what Jesus wants for his birthday? I think he may want Time. It is a special gift that, in a way, can only be given once. At the same time – no pun intended – that is the gift he has already given to us.

    In the Gospel reading for Christmas day, we read: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came to be through him, and without him nothing came to be.”

    Not only did God create time itself, but God gave us his own personal time. When God the Son took on our human nature and was born in Bethlehem, he was giving us 33 years of his presence on earth. Are we willing to give to Jesus our time? Are we willing to volunteer, pray, worship, and spend time at St. James? Are willing to give Jesus a unique gift of Time for his birthday?

    - Fr. Paul Stein

    Reflection

    • What does Jesus truly desire for His birthday? Consider if you’re ready to present Him with the precious gift of your time.
    • Besides time, what is Jesus’ silent wish for you to give for His birthday? Sit with Him and contemplate how you can gift Him more through prayer, worship, and service.

    Reminder:

    We get to go to mass twice this Sunday! About every six or seven years (a leap year might extend the interval) the Fourth Sunday of Advent and Christmas Eve fall on the same day. As Catholics, we are obligated to attend and participate in the mass on Sundays and other days designated as holy days of obligation, like Christmas. So this Sunday, like our regular obligations, we must attend mass for the 4th Sunday of Advent and Christmas Eve. A lot is happening but lets make sure to remember why we prepare, gather, and celebrate: the birth of our lord Jesus Christ.

    Mark Jacks
    In Path To Sunday

    Third Sunday of Advent

    John 1:23

    I am the voice of one crying out in the desert,
    ‘make straight the way of the Lord

    Full Gospel Passage: John 1:6-8, 19-28

    In today’s gospel reading, the “Jews from Jerusalem sent priests and Levites” to ask John the Baptist, “Who are you?” Didn’t they know he was John the Baptist?

    They knew his name but wanted to know if he was one of the three persons whose arrival they were anticipating. In the first century AD, the Jewish people expected:

    • A Davidic messiah figure, the Christos, to fulfill God’s promise to King David that one of his descendants would always sit on the throne (2 Sam 7:11-13): (2 Sam 7:11-13): “Moreover, the LORD also declares to you that the LORD will make a house for you: when your days have been completed and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring after you, sprung from your loins, and I will establish his kingdom. He it is who shall build a house for my name, and I will establish his royal throne forever.”
    • That Elijah (who never died but was taken up into heaven in a chariot of fire – 2 Kings 2:11) would come back and prepare the way for the Messiah (Malakai 4:5): “See, I am sending you Elijah the prophet before the day of the Lord comes, that great day, greatly to be feared.”
    • There will be a prophet like Moses who will explain and clarify the law (Deuteronomy 18:15-18): “A prophet like me will the LORD, your God, raise up for you from among your own kindred; that is the one to whom you shall listen… I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their kindred, and will put my words into the mouth of the prophet; the prophet shall tell them all that I command.”

    While John was not the messiah/Christ, Elijah, or the prophet, Jesus identified him as a figure like Elijah (Matt 11:14), preparing the way of the Lord.

    - Fr. Paul Stein

    Reflection

    • Amidst Advent’s anticipation, do you approach prayer with openness to the unexpected ways God acts? How can this expectancy deepen your connection with Him?
    • Reflecting on John’s preparation, how might your Advent prayer create space for Christ’s presence, shaping a welcoming heart for His arrival?
    Mark Jacks
    In Path To Sunday

    Second Sunday of Advent

    2 PETER 3:9

    The Lord does not delay his promise, as some regard “delay,” but he is patient with you, not wishing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance

    Full Gospel Passage: Mark 1:1-8

    “The Lord does not delay his promise, as some regard “delay,” but he is patient with you, not wishing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9).

    Peter reminds us of the important meaning of this time of repentance and preparation, the season of Advent; firstly, the Lord’s desire for us, and secondly, our interior disposition as we prepare.

    The Prophet Isaiah uses very earthy language which can be applied to our hearts: “In the desert prepare the way of the LORD! Make straight in the wasteland a highway for our God! Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill shall be made low; the rugged land shall be made a plain, the rough country, a broad valley.”  (Isaiah 40:3).

    Confession is a fruitful way to prepare for both Christmas and the Second Coming of the Lord. There is a necessary humility in confessing our sins in the sacrament, but a powerful grace comes in a good confession. It is the opportunity to make a fresh start and receive the Lord’s abundant forgiveness. There’s a scene in John Powers’ delightful novel about growing up Catholic in the 1950s Do Black Patent Leather Shoes Really Reflect up? in which the author leaves church and returns home after going to confession. In his head, he hears these joyful words – Free from sin! Free from sin! Free from sin!

    - Fr. Ed Pelrine

    Reflection

    • How will you actively align your Advent with the Lord’s patience and desire for repentance (2 Peter 3:9)? Take a specific step, like praying in adoration, today to foster repentance and preparation recognizing it as a key aspect of this season.
    • What concrete action can you commit to experiencing the grace of confession? Consider going to confession at St. James on Thursdays and Saturdays, or scheduling a confession as a tangible step towards a renewed spiritual journey this Advent.
    Mark Jacks
    In Path To Sunday

    First Sunday of Advent

    MARK 13:33

    Be watchful! Be alert! You do not know when the time will come.

    Full Gospel Passage: Mark 13:33-37

    Can you believe it? It is only 21 days until Christmas; so much to do, so little time. Thank God Amazon delivers. While Advent is a busy time in which we prepare for Christmas by cleaning, decorating, and shopping, perhaps we should also prepare… just in case Jesus comes back. Can you imagine Christmas morning, Jesus knocking on your door and saying: “I heard you are having a party for my birthday, mind if I join you?” While it may seem far-fetched, we truly don’t know when Jesus is coming back.

    He tells us in today’s gospel: “You do not know when the time will come.” If Jesus did come, would we wish that we had more time to prepare? More time to volunteer, more time to help our neighbor, more time to pray, read the bible… anything to prepare for his coming? I doubt we would wish that we had watched more episodes of our favorite TV show or YouTube and TikTok videos. I bet we would wish that we had given Jesus more of our time. We can start by giving our time here at St. James.

    - Fr. Paul Stein

    Reflection

    • In the midst of the Christmas bustle, what specific actions or changes can you incorporate into your daily routine to ensure that you are allocating meaningful time to volunteer, help your neighbor, and engage in prayer or scripture to grow your relationship with Jesus?
    • Reflecting on Jesus’ return, what adjustments can you make in your priorities to align more closely with what you would value if Jesus were to arrive unexpectedly, such as dedicating more time to prayer, reading the Bible, and serving your community?
    Mark Jacks
    In Path To Sunday

    Thirty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

    MATTHEW 25:21

    Well done, my good and faithful servant.

    Full Gospel Passage: Matthew 25:14-30

    In the parable of the talents from Matthew chapter 25, we hear the familiar lesson from Jesus about the master who gives his talents (money) to three of his servants. He gave them responsibility over very large amounts of money. Two of the servants were good and prudent stewards who invested the money, but the third buried his treasure out of fear. We are all given treasures by God, who may be asking us through this parable to seriously consider what we are doing with that gift.

    Time, talent, and treasure are abundant gifts from a generous God. What does our stewardship look like? Are we imitating God’s generosity in building up others and the Church?

    - Fr. Ed Pelrine

    Prayer for Reflection

    Lord Jesus, teach me to be generous. Teach me to serve as you deserve, To give and not to count the cost, To fight and not to heed the wounds, To labor and not to seek to rest, To give of my self and not ask for a reward, Except the reward of knowing that I am doing your will.

    - St. Ignatius of Loyola
    Prayerfully Consider Your Stewardship
    Mark Jacks
    In Path To Sunday

    Thirty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

    MATTHEW 25:13

    Stay awake, for you know neither the day nor the hour.

    Full Gospel Passage: Matthew 25:1-13

    I remember the shock: it was 1995 and I was in college. A classmate with whom I had many classes in high school died at the age of 20. When you are young, you think you are going to live forever; as you get older, you realize time goes quicker than you think. Jesus’ words are just as true today as they were back then: “Stay awake, for you know neither the day nor the hour.” When I come before the Lord at the end of my life – which could be any day – what will I tell him that I did with all the earthen treasures that he entrusted to my care?

    After all, he created the world; everything ultimately belongs to him. Did I freely and gladly return to him what is already his? Did I give of my treasure to the poor and to the Church? It is one thing to bequeath my money after I die and it is no longer any good to me, it is another to lovingly give it away now. I hope to love Jesus intensely now by giving back my treasure so that I may ultimately have treasure in heaven.

    - Fr. Paul Stein

    Reflection

    • How am I presently stewarding the earthly treasures entrusted to me by God, considering the transient nature of life?
    • How can I more actively share my treasures with the needy and support the Church, embodying a spirit of selfless generosity in the present?
    Mark Jacks
    In Path To Sunday

    Thirty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time

    MATTHEW 23:10

    You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.

    Full Gospel Passage: Matthew 23:1-12

    We read today Christ rebuking the Pharisees and the practice of their priestly work for the gratification of themselves to be seen by others as being holy. They took the opportunity to show their piousness by expanding their phylacteries (small leather pouch or box that carried the law) and lengthening their tassels. They wore the façade of holiness yet were all too eager to accept places of honor at banquets, seats of honor in synagogues, greetings in marketplaces, and the salutation ‘Rabbi.’ They were not living their purpose to shepherd the people of Israel back to God but expand their influence and status, as well as their material comfort and benefit. As a result, there were factions within the Jewish community that purported to know the fullness of the law and that if the Jewish people wanted to be truly faithful they should follow them.

    Christ shows us how we are to avoid those pitfalls and look to Him and His Church: Call no one on earth your father; you have but one Father in heaven. Do not be called ‘Master’; you have but one master, the Christ. The greatest among you must be your servant. Following Christ and knowing Him personally is what we long for. He is the way the truth and the life and He’s given us a Church that provides us with Sacraments, moments to experience an outward sign of inward graces, to experience Him and His unending love for us. We are called to move towards Him, not to tie ourselves to worldly vices that detract from Him. To move as siblings in Christ building up His church and inviting souls outside the Christian family to join us. The parish today is the primary vehicle we can achieve that, and providing the parish with our talent, treasure, and time and seeing that those three “t’s” belong to God helps us move the mission of the Church forward, to make disciples of all nations.

    Reflection

    • When have you placed appearances and worldly recognition ahead of genuine faith and service, as the Pharisees did?
    • How can you invest your time, talents, and resources to strengthen your Christian community and the Church’s mission?
    • In what practical ways can you ensure your material wealth is used to strengthen the Church’s mission and deepen your connection with Christ while avoiding worldly distractions?
    Mark Jacks
    In Behold-The Church

    Hierarchy is Good

    Hierarchy is Good

    Fr. Paul Stein

    So often in today’s culture, we presume that hierarchy is bad: it’s oppressive, unfair, etc. Yet, are not parents hierarchically above their children? Is a mom being oppressive when she insists that her children eat their vegetables? Those hierarchically above can indeed abuse, mistreat, or fail those below them; but does that make hierarchy intrinsically bad? If so, scrap the following: families, civic organizations with their “presidents,” armies, and corporations.[1] Effectively, you would scrap society into anarchy.

    Hierarchy is built into creation. You can see it in families, you can see it in mammal behavior. It is also how angels are created. A hierarchy as created by God, is a chain or ladder of persons:

    A contemporary reader may wonder if an angel in the lower part of the hierarchy is somehow “less” than an angel higher up in the order. In a sense, no. Granted, angels higher up have more power, but that does imply less dignity or less importance. (H)ieros means holy (a hierus was a priest, a holy one) and archia means to rule. The one above you is empowered by God to elevate you toward him, to lift you up. God empowers or capacitates a hierarchy to look after and be responsible for the one(s) below. Thus, while our guardian angels are “above” us, yet they take care of us.

    Hierarchy is built into creation.

    … hierarchy is not an oppressive thing, but to the contrary, a responsibility to God and others in the hierarchy. Fans of Spiderman may appreciate the idea that: “with great power comes great responsibility.” This applies to any hierarchy: the military, the family, or the Church. When lived authentically, it is a reflection of the God who took on our humanity in Christ and suffered and died on the cross to save us, in service of humanity. The Church, as the Body of Christ, is supposed to be like a human chain that extends from earth up to heaven, with anyone above, a hierarch, lifting up (the chain) the one below him. Hence, one title of the Pope is the servant of the servants of God.[2]

    The Church’s hierarchy is meant for sanctification, raising someone up to heaven. It is true, that the structure would place the pope at the “top,” bishops coming next, then priests, deacons, and then laity.[3] But the Pope is serving faithfully when he is lifting the bishops and everyone else “below.” The purpose of the Pope’s authority is to fulfill his responsibility. For example, Papal Infallibility exercised ex-cathedra – which has only been used twice in history – to provide doctrinal clarity for the sake of salvation.

    We can ultimately see the Church’s hierarchical structure in what is above the Pope: Christ himself. “He is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things he himself might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile all things for him, making peace by the blood of his cross” (Col 1:18-20). He is the ultimate “top” of the hierarchy who gave his life to save everyone in the Church. The head of the Church serves all its members.

    That is why a bishop’s threefold office to sanctify, teach, and govern – which comes from Christ himself who is priest, prophet, and king – is all aimed at salvation. The bishop is empowered sacramentally through ordination to fulfill these responsibilities. The “power” is not meant for self-service. If the bishop is to be saved, it is through being a faithful shepherd of the flock and father to the people. He cannot even absolve himself from sins, he must go to the sacrament of penance/reconciliation with another bishop or priest!

    What This Means For Us

    If we spend some time thinking about it, the Church’s hierarchy is ultimately familial. Just as we expect a father to be available to his children even in the middle of the night when they are sick, we expect a priest to be available at all hours of the day to anoint the sick and dying. For a pastor in particular, the responsibility for others and the hierarchical authority as the head of the community are two sides of the same coin. May our family homes be domestic churches where parents exercise their hierarchical authority with great love for their children, being willing to give their lives if necessary for their children.

    Footnotes

    [1] The Soviet Union, starting in 1918, tried to abolish nuclear families; they had to backtrack, particularly in the Family Code of 1936. The Chinese Communist Party tried abolishing hierarchy in the army (the PLA); in 1988, they wound up reinstituting a system of ranks. Socialism, in essence, is anti-hierarchical; it has never worked out well… and yes, to all those who insist that it hasn’t really been tried: socialism has been tried and it’s a miserable failure.

    [2] See the Behold article on The First Hierarchy: Angels.

    [3] A clarification: Cardinals are considered clergy of Rome and advisors to the Pope. Most Cardinals are bishops, but not necessarily; the pope has, on occasion, named a priest as a cardinal, though that person is usually beyond voting age for any papal conclave where they elect the next Pope/Bishop of Rome. Religious may be either clergy or laity, depending. A Jesuit priest is both a religious and clergy. A Jesuit brother (not ordained) is religious, but not clergy.

    For Further Reading On This Topic

    The Church Is Family

    | Behold-The Church | No Comments
    St. Paul, in his letters in the New Testament, often refers to his audience as “brothers” or “brothers and sisters.” Is it hyperbole? Was it the first-century equivalent of “bruh”?…

    Hierarchy is Good

    | Behold-The Church | No Comments
    So often in today’s culture, we presume that hierarchy is bad: it’s oppressive, unfair, etc. Yet, are not parents hierarchically above their children? Is a mom being oppressive when she…

    Can I Start My Own Church?

    | Behold-The Church | No Comments
    It seems like anybody and everybody is starting their own “church.” You can find them in storefronts and sometimes using a public school gym before they can afford to construct…

    Church is She. Period.

    | Behold-The Church | No Comments
    Did you ever wonder why we have never called the Church, “he?” We most certainly don’t call the Church zie, ze, xe, or one of the other gender-neutral “pronouns.” The…
    Back To Behold

    Join the Behold Newsletter

    and receive topics (like the one above)
    on Catholicism straight to your inbox!

    * indicates required
    Mark Jacks
    In Path To Sunday

    Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time

    MATTHEW 22:37

    You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.

    In the gospel passage from Matthew 22:34-40, we are presented with a profound encounter between Jesus and a scholar of the law, who, in a quest to test the Lord, inquires about the paramount commandment within the divine law. In response, Jesus imparts divine wisdom, offering a succinct yet deeply profound answer: "You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments."

    These words encapsulate the very heart of Christian spirituality. The first commandment underscores the supreme importance of our sacred connection with God, emphasizing that loving Him with the entirety of our being is a call to complete surrender, unwavering devotion, and steadfast faith. It's a reminder that our talents and gifts are divine blessings that should be used to serve Him and His Church.

    The second commandment redirects our focus to the world around us, admonishing us to extend the love we bear for ourselves to our fellow siblings in Christ. In doing so, we're also called to share our talents and gifts with others, providing Christ and His Church with our unique abilities and skills. By serving our neighbors and the Church, we become instruments of God's love in the world.

    Reflection

    • How am I currently utilizing my God-given talents and gifts to serve both the Church and my fellow siblings in Christ?
    • In what ways can I deepen my love for God with the entirety of my being, and how does this devotion influence the use of my talents in His service?
    • As I consider the call to love my neighbor as myself, what specific actions can I take to better share my unique abilities and skills with others, becoming a more profound instrument of God’s love in the world?
    Put This Reflection Into Action

    Give of your talents by contributing to the Liturgy of the Mass by joining a choir or serving as an usher or a greeter.

    Contact Tamaron Conseur, Director of Music and Liturgy to get involved

    Contact
    Join us for our Mass livestream Watch Online