Mark Evevard, 64, a longtime youth minister in parishes across Northern Colorado, passed away on Tuesday, January 28, leaving behind a legacy of prayerful service and encouragement for those he encountered in his nearly 40 years of ministry.
A funeral Mass will be held on Friday, February 7, at 2:00 p.m. at Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish in Boulder, where he served as youth minister for several years.
Having served in youth ministry at Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish in Boulder, Immaculate Conception Parish in Lafayette, Sacred Heart of Mary Parish in Boulder and All Souls Parish in Englewood, as well as on various archdiocesan youth ministry programs and committees, including the BASIC program, Evevard’s passing is a significant loss for the local Catholic community.
Beyond — and more notable than — his work, Evevard’s deep prayer life, profound generosity and joy-filled way of serving those around him continue to impact those who knew, loved and served alongside him.
“My dad had a deep love for the Lord. You saw it in the way he would pray and the way he would talk to people about the Lord,” Pat Evevard, Mark’s son and a fellow youth minister, told the Denver Catholic. “He believed that no matter what you teach, what you speak about, relationships are the epitome of youth ministry. He connected with kids and pushed them to connect with one another. He was infectious with his joy, and people were just drawn to the love he shared. When you have a place you feel heard, loved and wanted, nothing can beat that.
“Since I can remember, he was teaching people about how to evangelize and how to pray with or over people,” he continued. “We don’t see that as often as we should. I have to thank him for showing me the way to run my own youth programs.”
When news of his passing spread through the Denver Catholic community, tributes poured in across social media, with countless individuals reflecting on the great blessing of Mark’s friendship.
“Goodbye, Mark. I wouldn’t have been a priest had you not introduced me to Jesus and taught me friendship with him. Thank you for being my Andrew,” wrote Father Daniel Ciucci, pastor of Most Precious Blood in Denver and a former member of a youth group led by Mark, referencing St. Andrew the Apostle, who introduced his brother, St. Peter, to Jesus in the Scriptures.
On social media and offline, many who knew and loved Mark commented that they wished they could pray with him one more time. Among all the memories shared of a life well lived, Mark’s relationship with the Trinity continues to stick in people’s minds.
“He had a very special relationship with the Holy Spirit and had a humble and profound gift of discernment. Mark would stop and talk to anyone, and he also had a beautiful gift of spontaneous prayer. At the same time, he loved Mary and the Rosary and truly lived through and in the Sacraments,” said Father Rick Nakvasil, pastor of All Souls Parish in Englewood, where Mark was serving as youth minister at the time of his passing.
“Professionally, he was a youth minister, but he was somebody who emulated Christ in everything he did. He was willing to meet people where they were and to share Christ with them,” said Michelle Peters, who worked with Mark for over 20 years in her capacity as archdiocesan director of youth and campus ministry. “His relationship with God was probably the closest relationship I’ve ever seen somebody have with God. He was attuned. He knew his faith; he knew to be faithful; he knew how to pray and how to make people feel at ease when he prayed. He was always the first person to raise his hand and say, ‘We need to pray.’”
For Pat, that openness to prayer and to relationship with the Trinity is one of the many lessons he’s learned from his dad.
“Don’t wait to pray later. Pray right then and there, whether they believe in what you believe or not. Offer the time to pray with the person and listen to what the Lord has to say. I can’t tell you how many times I’d call my dad in times of trouble, and he’d jump right into prayer with me,” he said.
Just as active as he was prayerful, Mark’s relationship with the Trinity poured outwards in his relationships with others. In addition to the biggest lesson he’d learned from his dad, Pat identified two other evangelization lessons: “Love, you never know where people are at, and love the Lord with all your heart” and “Give of time, money or whatever you can offer to someone.”
“Mark would do anything for his friends. If I needed anything, he was always one of the first people I would call,” Peters shared. “He was always somebody who would find the answer if he didn’t have it. And if he didn’t have the resources himself, he would find some way to help anybody. He would do anything for the people that he knew and for his friends.”
“My dad always wanted people to have the best time, no matter what it was. Whether he was the DJ for their wedding, running a youth group night, or taking them to lunch, he wanted to bring joy to others. He lived his life with the mindset that it was all about the relationships we make, and I had been witness to that for a very long time,” Pat shared, remembering his dad’s sense of humor, good example and commitment to justice. “He never wanted to go to bed without asking for forgiveness, saying he’s sorry, or telling us how much he loved us.”
A man who loved others and God well, Mark served as an example to authentic Christian joy, and brought Jesus’ presence with him wherever he went.
In short, Pat said, “My dad was my hero, he showed me what a man truly should be like.
“Thousands of people have been moved in some way by my dad, and we truly are grateful for your love,” he wrote in an earlier Facebook post. “My dad was truly the best role model in my life and I’m going to miss him more than I can ever express in words. Please say a prayer for all of us today, and for the repose of my dad’s soul.”
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