Meet Our New Pastor, Fr. Mark Arnzen!

     Happy 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time!  It is also the weekend where we celebrate the 4th of July and the remembrance of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

     My name is Fr. Mark Arnzen and I am your new pastor.  It is with great hope and joy that I return to St. Lawrence.  I was here twenty-one years ago as a sixth-grade teacher (1994-2000) in the Elementary-Middle School before I entered the seminary.  This is my 16th year as a priest after having served at St. Martin of Tours and Holy Spirit Parishes as a parochial vicar and then St. Catherine of Alexandria and St. Lucy as their pastor.  I was a later vocation, spending time after high school in the Marine Corps, then university and teaching both in New Mexico and then back in the Bay Area.

     People always ask me my hobbies: reading, hitting a golf ball and some light hiking are how I spend my days-off and as a way to relax and reenergize to serve God and His Church.

     As we continue to move forward from the many restrictions and limitations placed on us by the needs of the pandemic, we all know that there is much work to do in rebuilding and revitalizing our parish and school community.  This challenge will be met as we come together as a community in prayer, hard work and hope.  My hope for our parish is that we become a vital and life- giving member of the local community where through our ministry and parish school we allow the love of God and blessing of his Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ to shine forth to bring healing and blessing to all those suffering and in need of the peace of Christ.

    I wish to thank Fr. Ernesto, Fr. Angelbert and the parish and school staff for their warm welcome.  Change is very difficult for everyone but with God’s blessing and an open heart we will walk through this time with peace and joy and embrace the new possibilities through our faith in Jesus Christ.

God Bless,
Fr. Mark