WE ARE A FAMILY!

Sixty-five years ago, in 1958, twelve acres of Buddington Farm were purchased by the Archdiocese of Washington. Near the intersection of two rough roads, Colesville Road (now known as Adelphi Road), and University Blvd., then under construction, ground was broken for the future St. Mark’s. In the summer of 1958, Father Louis W. Albert was appointed founding pastor. Officially, on September 1, 1958, St. Mark’s became a parish. The first Mass was celebrated on the first Sunday in October. The school opened September 15, 1958, with grades one through four, staffed by the Religious of Jesus and Mary. These nuns had to travel daily from Regina High School on Riggs Road. In 1961 additional classrooms were constructed and the rectory was enlarged.

We now had classrooms for kindergarten through eighth grade and room for four priests. In 1968 the convent was completed, enabling the Religious of Jesus and Mary to have a home within the parish complex. By November of 1970 the parishioners of St. Mark’s had constructed and paid for in full a total of $1,230,000, the Parish of St. Mark’s.

After twelve years, Father Albert was reassigned, and Father Richard A. Hughes became the second pastor of St. Mark’s. In the years between 1970 and 1973 the construction of a permanent church building was debated, and funding began. However, with construction costs and all, the consideration of constructing a social hall and the refurbishing of Albert Hall (the old school auditorium), to a church became our alternative. Ground was broken on March 31, 1974, for the social hall. In February 1975, the social hall, the Carnelian Room, was ready for basketball, bingo, wedding receptions, school functions, etc., and Albert Hall became our new church.

In April 1975, we had a tragic fire that almost destroyed our church, but with a lot of hard work and God’s help the damage was repaired. In 1976, the altar of the Blessed Sacrament was added to conform with new liturgical directions. Also, a new garage was added for storage facilities.