History
Harlem was home to five Roman Catholic parishes built by German, Irish and Italian residents. By the 1920s , most Catholics of European descent had moved away from Harlem. In their place, people from the South of the US and the Caribbean, took their places in Harlem. Most of these new residents of Harlem were Catholics but some were not. Determined to maintain a vital Catholic presence in Harlem, the Archdiocese enlisted the help of the Franciscan Handmaids of the Most Pure Heart of Mary (an Order of Black Nuns), the Congregation of the Holy Spirit (Spiritans), the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament, the Daughters of Charity, the Sisters of St. Francis and a group of diocesan priests. St. Mark the Evangelist Catholic Church found itself in the forefront of welcoming and becoming the first Catholic parish of Harlem to open its doors to the African-American and Caribbean immigrants who moved in Harlem. Today as in the past, St. Mark continues to open its doors to Harlem's newest residents.
Specialties
St. Mark the Evangelist Catholic Church is one of the parishes of the Archdiocese of New York and located in the Central Harlem Vicariate. Founded in 1907, St. Mark Church was the first Catholic parish in Harlem to open its doors to Black immigrants from the Carribean and the southern states of the United States. Staffed by the Spiritans (Holy Ghost Father), a religious prder of missionary priests and brothers founded in France over 300 years ago, this order has served the people of St. Mark for over 100 years. Our parish and school was re-founded by St. Katharine Drexel, founder of the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament and her sisters. Today, St. Mark parish continues to welcome people of every race, language and culture to share in our Catholic heritage and faith. Sunday Mass are at 8:30am & 11:15am Saturday Mass: 5pm Weekday Mass at 12:15pm WELCOME!