Meet the Director of St. Gregory’s Hall

“Being able to run a center like this in my home parish, it’s just unbelievable. It doesn’t feel like a job; it feels like a vocation.”
​- Director Mark Franzen

​Mark Franzen is the founding director of St. Gregory’s Hall, which is the Catholic Cultural Center serving Mary, Mother of God Parish. Founded in 2022, the Hall promotes Catholic culture and social teaching through sacred art and music, education, community, and prayer. 

Hopefully, you have seen posters for choral Masses or bulletin articles about artist workshops which are just a few of the Hall’s many offerings.

These activities are meant to nourish the faith of parishioners and invite neighbors to experience Jesus Christ through beauty, goodness, and truth. 
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“Pope Francis talked about being a missionary church, and how the church everywhere is in a missionary situation,” said Mark, who himself came back to the Church as an adult. “I think it’s an opportunity for lay people to step up in the Church and think creatively and proactively about how we can create these communities.”

Mark reflected that a cultural center is a “great opportunity” to initiate new people into the faith and deepen the faith life of Catholics. St. Gregory’s Hall fits into the fabric of Mary, Mother of God Parish by supporting its mission of catechesis (education) and evangelization (outreach).

“As Catholics we’re called to a life of contemplation and action,” Mark said. “I hope the center can be a practical training ground of the complementarity of those two things.”

If you would like to learn more about St. Gregory’s Hall or get involved, you are encouraged to email Mark or call him 773-561-3546 x 208.

Director Mark Franzen with Composer-in-residence Kevin Allen (April 2024).