Most publications run a year-end series not unlike a “Top Posts of 2009.” Turns out that we are not above that sort of thing. (Review #10-4 here.) 

The #3 posting of the year noted what was a seminal moment in my professional year.  It was published on June 12.

The Fifth Mark of the Church

A few years back, we based the theme of the annual Pilgrimage on “One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic,” the four marks of the Church.  Accompanying the large pilgrimage cross through the streets of Baltimore on that Palm Saturday were individual banners for each mark.

At the day’s end, Cardinal Keeler gave thanks to the many collaborators who made the day a success.  Then, he thanked the director of the Division of Youth and Young Adult Ministry, Mark Pacione, quipping that perhaps “Mark Pacione is the fifth mark of the church.”  And it was hard to disagree about that possibility . . .

Today is Mark’s last day in the office as Director. After almost twenty-four years of serving in that capacity, Mark has been asked to work with the Archdiocese’s newly created Office of Schools Planning.  Through our country, catholic schools are struggling and Archbishop O’Brien has formed a blue ribbon committee locally to help create a plan.  Mark will now be in the middle of that whirlwind.

Which, needless to say, is an immense loss to our offices.  To sit with Mark is to be able to get “the vision thing” about church, youth ministry, young adult and campus ministry, the role of parents, the mission of our retreat house, national and international perspective of our work . . .  Mark has been the “programming” guy, “the guy” behind the events of World Youth Day in Denver and John Paul’s visit to Baltimore.   Mark has that intuitive feel for what works on both grand scales and on the personal level.

It is not an over-exaggeration to say that when I returned to work for the Archdiocese of Baltimore, I came back because I intentionally chose to work with Mark and the team he had assembled.

And, come Monday morning, Mark will still be with us in the Catholic Center building, still be a partner in our ministry, but will not be a direct collaborator in our fifth floor offices.  And, I and our office staff, while soldiering through towards the next tasks of the future, are clearly saddened by this turn of events.

Please keep us all in your prayers.  If you want to send your well-wishes, you can contact Mark here.