Dear St. Mark Families,

In this Sunday’s Gospel,  John 9:1-41, the healing of the man born blind invites us to focus on the physical and spiritual aspects of sight and light. In the first part of the Gospel, we will hear Jesus’ response to a prevalent belief of his time: that misfortune and disability were the result of sin. That belief is why Jesus is asked the question of whose sin caused the man’s blindness—his own or his parents’. Jesus does not answer directly, but instead gives the question an entirely different dimension—through this man’s disability, God’s power will be made manifest. Jesus then heals the man.

The healing is controversial because Jesus heals on the Sabbath. The Pharisees, the religious authorities of Jesus’ time, understood that the law of Moses forbade work (including healing) on the Sabbath. They also have trouble believing that Jesus performed a miracle. To determine whether the man was really born blind, the Pharisees question him and his parents. The man challenges the leaders of the synagogue about their assessment of the good that Jesus has done. In turn, they expel the man for questioning their judgment.

The final revelation and moment of enlightenment comes when the man born blind encounters Jesus again. Having heard the news of his expulsion, Jesus seeks out the man born blind and reveals himself to him as the Son of Man. In this moment, the man born blind shows himself to be a man of faith and worships Jesus. Jesus replies by identifying the irony of the experience of many who encounter Jesus: Those who are blind will now see, and those who think they now see will be found to be blind. © Loyola Press Sunday Connection

I wish you all God's Blessings and Grace.

Yours in Christ,

Mrs. Warner 

Prayer and Worship Opportunities during Lent

in the Catholic Community of Stratford

Save the Date

Living Stations of the Cross will be presented by the Class of 2023 on Wednesday, April 5th at 1:0oP in our Church. All parents are welcome to attend. 

Supply Reminders

Headphones/Earbuds

Please check with your child or his/her teacher to ensure they have properly working headphones/earbuds for use in school. Many of our digital learning tools require headsets for online use.

Water Bottles

Please send a water bottle to school with your child daily. Water bottles can be disposable or reusable. No glass bottles, please.

Third Quarter Marking Period

As the third quarter marking period closes on March 30th, parents in Grades 4 through 8 are encouraged to check Parents PlusPortals for the most up to date information on your child’s growth and progress thus far.

PlusPortals is the Diocesan Student Information Web Portal System available to all parents grades K-8. PlusPortals provides parents access to student grades, attendance, announcements, and teacher emails. Any family that needs PlusPortals activation resent, please email Mrs. Mannino cmannino@stmarkschool.org.

For the third quarter marking period, report cards will be issued to students in Grades K through 8 after Easter Break, prior to Spring Parent/Teacher Conferences.

In Our Classrooms

Please join me in congratulating 8th Grader, Molly, who's "Keep Christ In Christmas" essay has been chosen as a winner by the Knights of Columbus, Fourth Degree, Gen. Philip H. Sheridan Assembly, No. 107.

Congratulations to Sara, Julianne and Sofia who presented their Science projects in the final round this week at the CT Science and Engineering Fair. We are so proud of their accomplishments!  

Living Our Faith

Today our 2nd graders received the sacrament of First Penance. May God keep them close as they now prepare for their First Holy Communion. 

We are pleased to welcome a new member into our faith. Second Grader, Elyna, was Baptized into the Catholic faith. May God’s grace and the blessings she received on her Baptism day, guide her throughout her lifetime.

Students in Grade 7 & 8 participated in an immersive service project this week.  Students prepared over 50 meals with sandwiches for the guests at the Lord’s Kitchen.

2023-2024 Registration

If you haven’t completed your 2023-2024 registration (enrollment contract and FACTS) please check your inbox for a reminder email from our Admissions Team.

Please re-enroll your child as soon as possible as we have opened admissions to new families. Any questions, please contact our AMEN Team amenteam@stmarkschool.org

In our Community

Today our 6th, 7th, and 8th Grade students proudly represented St. Mark School in the St. Patrick's Day Parade in Bridgeport.

Athletic Update

Our 2022-2023 St. Mark Basketball Tournament concluded on Saturday, March 11th.  I’d like to take this opportunity to thank our Athletic Director, Michael Sciallo, for organizing and executing another successful basketball season and tournament.

We celebrated "Senior Night" for our Grade 8 Varsity Basketball players.  It was a wonderful moment to honor our student athletes during a time filled with memories, emotion and fantastic basketball!

Congratulations to our Boys JV Basketball team for winning the St. Mark Championship in their division. 

A huge thank you to our players, coaches, volunteers, parents, families and community for your support in putting on such a fantastic tournament!

Important Updates 

Demographics

Has your family moved? Have you changed your email address or phone number? Please contact the Main Office with any changes. It is very important that we have your most current contact information. 

2022-2023 Parent/Student Handbook

Please be advised that the following information regarding St. Mark School’s attendance policy inadvertently did not carry over from the previous year’s Parent/Student Handbook:

• Every 5th unexcused absence in a marking period may result in a one-hour after school detention

• Every 5th unexcused tardy in a marking period may result in a one-hour after school detention

As such, the 2022-2023 Parent/Student Handbook is amended to reflect this past practice.  

As a reminder, the Early Dismissal of Individual Students policy (pg. 38) states, “Parents must notify the main office and the homeroom teacher of a student's need to be dismissed early. Parents or guardians must report to the school office when picking up a student who is to be dismissed early and the student will be called to the office. Parents should make this request in writing. Phone calls are not acceptable. In the event of an emergency, the Principal shall give permission for a student to be released.”

Punctual and regular attendance at school is vitally important to a child’s success.  Thank you for your anticipated cooperation with our attendance policies.

Snow Days and Virtual Learning Days



As a reminder, St. Mark School has observed 2 "traditional" snow days with no virtual learning.  Therefore, any remaining snow days will be virtual learning for students in Grades K through 8.  Virtual learning days will begin at 8am and end at 12pm.

Please be assured that classroom and specials teachers have been preparing students for the possibility of virtual learning snow days during class time.

Due to the 2 “traditional” snow days already observed, 2 days will be added to the end of the school year.  Therefore, the last day of school will be June 15, 2023.  Virtual learning days will not be added to the end of the school year calendar.

Parish News

Mass Scheduled Changes for St. Mark Parish

In the last few years there has been a steady decline in Mass attendance across America and more so after COVID-19. As a result, following the recommendation of Bishop Caggiano, many pastors have reduced the number of weekend Masses in their parishes across the Bridgeport Diocese, including our own town. After deep prayer and reflection, and after consulting the clergy members and lay leaders of the parish, I have decided that it is time for us also to reduce the number of Masses in our parish. 

Beginning January 1, 2024, the new weekend Mass schedule will be as follows: 

Saturday – Vigil: 5:00 p.m. 

Sunday – 7:30 a.m, 9:30 a.m., and 11:30 a.m.

Baptisms – 12:30 p.m. 



The weekday and Holy Day Mass schedules remain as they are. 

Knights of Columbus

The Knights of Columbus, Saint John Paul II, will be hosting a blood drive for the Red Cross on Saturday, April 1st in the Parish Center from 8A to 1P. Potential donors can sign up for an appointment at www.redcross.org. Our blood drive last year was a great success, and we hope this year will be a success too!  

Mass for Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI

We will celebrate a Mass in honor of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI on Sunday, March 26, at 7:30 a.m. All are welcome.  

Lenten Fish Dinner 2023

We are happy to announce that Father Birendra is bringing back the annual Lenten Fish Dinner.  Please mark your calendars for Friday, March 31, 2023, at 6:00 p.m. in the Parish Center. An order form is included in the bulletin starting this weekend.  You may mail to the office, drop off, or put in the collection basket, your order form and payment. Please mark your envelope “Paula.” You will note that our “fish” dinner cost has risen to $20; however, we kept the children’s and grilled cheese selections priced as before.  As many of you know from grocery shopping, prices are exorbitant. We thank you for helping us to cover costs. The event is open seating; we are not booking reserved tables. 

SEEK Where You Are

St. Pius X, Fairfield, CT, will be joining hundreds of parishes across the country in hosting the program SEEK Where You Are! Open to all.  The program hopes to foster an encounter with the heart of Jesus through sacraments, small groups, and world-class speakers. Special Guest Speaker: Mother Olga, founder of the Daughters of Mary of Nazareth. All the details are in the bulletin.  

• Wednesday, March 22nd: HSA Snack Shop, $1

• Thursday, March 23rd: HSA Fellowship Committee Led Virtual Gospel Discussion, 8P

• Saturday, March 25th: HSA Father's Committee Game Night, 6P

• Thursday, March 30th: Quarter 3 Marking Period ends

• Friday, March 31st: Easter Egg Hunt

• Saturday, April 1st HSA Bottles and Cans Drive, 10A-2P

• Sunday, April 2nd: Palm Sunday

• Monday, April 3rd: Spring Uniform Begins

• Monday, April 3rd: Quarter 4 Marking Period Begins

• Wednesday, April 5th: Living Stations of the Cross, 1P

• Thursday, April 6th: Holy Thursday, No School

• Friday, April 7th: Good Friday, No School

• Sunday, April 9th: Easter Sunday

• Monday, April 10th - Friday, April 14th: Easter Break, No School

• Monday, April 17th: School Resumes

God gives each one of us sufficient grace ever to know His holy will, and to do it fully.

St. Ignatius of Loyola