Mark Schoomaker

What do you consider the most important issue facing Saint Andrew Catholic Parish and how do you recommend addressing it? The heart of the big church is the parish and its parishioners. One issue facing not just St. Andrews, but many parishes and congregations, is broad participation. Not just in worship attendance, but involvement in the broad range of parish activities that speak to members' everyday lives. The challenge is how to emphasize this relevance and demonstrate the impact of living the faith so that a wider range of parishioners are participating more actively.

What do you like best about Saint Andrew Catholic Parish and why? One cannot help but like how St. Andrews has always excelled in attracting a diverse population which represents the community. When I attend mass, it feels real. We are also very fortunate to have the long, consistent influence of the Franciscans who have served our parish.

What gifts would you bring to the Pastoral Council? I bring an ability to listen, reflect and learn, along with a desire to help and contribute.

Optional Information: I am from a highly mobile military family of four boys, married a Catholic from a family of eight, parented two boys, and joined the Catholic Church as a young father. Both my sons are now grown; one an Air Force pilot, the other an accountant and father-to-be. I am semi-retired from management in the oil and gas industry and business consulting, and still active in the business with a Houston-based partnership. At St. Andrews I have been a Eucharistic Minister, Reader, responsible for preparing older children for Baptism, involved with BSA Troop 97 (when my sons were scouts). My wife, Jane, has taught Sunday School, served on the Finance Committee and assisted in the previous Capital Campaign. The balance of my time is spent volunteering with Catholic Charities of Fort Worth; tutoring adults in Algebra, tutoring young refugees in ESL, and as a member of the CCFW Social Enterprise Advisory Board.