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Fr. Mark Bentz
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Pastormbentzarchdpdx.orgDid you know that Fr. Mark was born in Indiana? He is the second of six children and grew up learning the work of the family farm near Scio, Oregon. He studied for two years at Franciscan University of Steubenville, and received his bachelor’s in philosophy and religious studies at Mt. Angel Abbey. He earned an STB (Pontifical Bachelor in Theology) from Katholieke Universiteit Leuven in Belgium and an STL (Licentiate - Pontifical Masters degree) from Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome. Fr. Mark speaks four languages!
After receiving his call to the priesthood at age 16 and before entering seminary, Fr. Mark worked as a combine driver for Doerfler farm, as an actor at the Enchanted Forest, and as an intern for the Optical Society of America. He loves traveling and hanging out with friends, playing the piano and guitar, and he is a gifted juggler! In fact, he once did magic and juggling shows for children under the stage name “The Great Bentzini!”
Fr. Mark was ordained in 2013, and served as parochial vicar at St. Pius X in Cedar Mills, and at St. Cecilia in Beaverton before coming to St. Alice. He considers the church his spouse, and within it, he says that he has “more children than I can count!”