Dedication of St. Mark Church in Argyle
Parishioners, priests, deacons, and faithful from across the diocese joined the community of St. Mark Church in Argyle as Bishop Michael Olson dedicated their new church building and altar on April 13, 2024. (NTC/Juan Guajardo)
ARGYLE — Lucia Correia stepped into St. Mark Church for the first time, and her eyes immediately looked upward to the lofty, Marian blue ceiling with its dusting of stars. Beneath the heavenly image, stained glass windows illuminated the images of saints and, nearby, striking rose windows symbolized the sacraments of Baptism, Eucharist, and Confirmation.
“It reminds me of the churches in Portugal,” the longtime parishioner said wistfully. A native of the country’s Azores region, she moved to Texas 15 years ago.
“It’s beautiful,” Correia exclaimed. “I’m feeling very proud right now and a little emotional.”
Inspiring. Amazing. Reverent. Those are some of the words parishioners used to describe the recently completed St. Mark Church dedicated by Bishop Michael Olson April 13 in Argyle. The mission-style structure, featuring two bell towers and a dome dedicated to the Holy Spirit, is the faith community’s first church building in its almost 30-year history.
“You’ve been on a long journey, but it’s just the beginning,” the bishop assured parishioners who filled the pews for the dedication Mass he concelebrated with Vicar General Father Jonathan Wallis, pastor Father George Pullambrayil, and diocesan priests. “We thank God for the gift He has given us. May this Church stand as a testimony to the unconditional love of God.”
The new church is the culmination of years of discussion and planning, according to Sue Tenny, a member of the building committee.
“It feels like 30 years of wandering in the desert until we got here,” the parishioner said. “This is our first true worship space that isn’t a multipurpose building.”
The entire parish, coming together to achieve a common goal, helped the capital campaign and construction process succeed. When it came to choosing a design, a traditional look that captured the church architecture from previous centuries was chosen. “This didn’t come easily,” she continued. “People put in a lot of ideas.”
Tenny credits Fr. Pullambrayil’s vision for creating the beauty of European churches “without putting in more than is needed of the right art and architecture.”
The 34,000 square-foot church, with a cruciform floor plan, cost $31 million to build and will seat 1,885 worshippers. Statues, the marble baptismal font, and mosaic Stations of the Cross were crafted in Florence, Italy. Above the altar, a commanding wall mural depicts Christ with his apostles. The lower left side of the artwork shows figures from the Old Testament with New Testament saints on the right.
“We love it. It’s beautiful and so incredibly holy,” enthused Ryan Kagay who came to the dedication with his wife Elizabeth and four of his six children. The couple looks forward to seeing their daughter, Grace, make her first Communion at the altar this May.
“Anywhere you celebrate the Eucharist is holy, but God gave us physical senses so we can hear, touch, and see,” he said, referring to the church’s aesthetics. “It helps me connect to the holiness of this place even more.”
During the dedication rite, Bishop Olson sprinkled holy water on the congregation, the walls, and altar which contains a relic of St. Mark.
With the words, “May the Lord by His power sanctify this altar and this house, which by our ministry we anoint, so that as visible signs, they may express the mystery of Christ and the Church,” the bishop anointed the altar with holy chrism, setting it apart for sacred use. The walls of the church were also anointed with the Sign of the Cross.
Incense, burned in a brazier on the top of the altar, symbolized prayers rising to God. When the incensation was complete, the altar was dressed in a white cloth by St. Mark parishioners Kim Harbert, Joy Medley, and Tammy Miller before lit candles and flowers were placed in the sanctuary for the first time.
“Faith has brought us to this building, not simply our values. Faith tells us that Christ will transform this building to become a Church,” Bishop Olson said in his homily. “Today, by God’s grace alone, given through our prayers and through the anointing with chrism, does this table become an altar and this building become a church.”
Dan Kulle witnessed St. Mark Parish grow from a mission community with 400 families in the 1990s to 2,700 families today. The father of seven describes his fellow parishioners as welcoming, loving, and supportive.
“With the new church building, we knew it was important to keep that presence,” he said, noting St. Mark is known as a parish with a smile. “We’re the Body of Christ, and we’re here for each other.”
Parishioners, priests, deacons, and faithful from across the diocese joined the community of St. Mark Church in Argyle as Bishop Michael Olson dedicated their new church building and altar on April 13, 2024. (NTC/Juan Guajardo)