Name: Jamie Cross
Position: Director of Youth Ministry
Parish: St. Mark
Office Phone: (703) 938-5656 x420
Website: https://stmark.org/get-involved

Email: [email protected]

History/Resume

In current position since: June 2024
Active in Youth Ministry since: September 2018

Favorite Food(s): Penne pollo e funghi, broccoli, ice cream, smoothies, pickles!

Favorite Band: Lauren Daigle, Thomas Rhett, Yo-Yo Ma

Favorite Pastime: Swimming, cooking, visiting museums, card games, rosary walks in nature

Favorite Saint: This is SO hard. Mama Mary, St. Pope John Paul II, St. Maximilian Kolbe, St. Josephine Bakhita, Bl. Chiara Luce Badano, and St. Tarcisius have been my besties for the past few years. I could go on and on...

Favorite Scripture: Mark 5:25-42, the healings of the hemorrhaging woman and of Jairus' daughter, have been a massive part of my testimony. I also love Luke 1:46-55, Mary's Magnificat, and Isaiah 26:4-Trust in the Lord forever, for He is an eternal rock.

Favorite Book: Jesus the Bridegroom by Brant Pitre, The Bedford Boys by Alex Kershaw, The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall, Make Your Bed by Admiral William H. McRaven

About Me: Born in New Jersey and mainly raised in Chesapeake, VA, I have been Catholic my whole life, but really claimed our faith for my own when I was 15 and had a particularly powerful encounter with Christ in adoration. I attended Christopher Newport University (go Captains!) where I majored in History and minored in Leadership Studies, and was a member of CNU Swimming. In college, the Catholic Campus Ministry quickly became my home away from home-having a tabernacle with Our Lord and a community of other young people striving for sainthood be just a five-minute walk from my dorm absolutely changed my life. I am a member of Women Youth Apostles, a community of Catholic women dedicated to deep relationship with Jesus and each other, that we might lead young people closer to Christ. I am a huge fan of the New York Yankees, matcha lattes, the beach, any kind of trivia game or karaoke, and the Glorious Mysteries of the rosary.

 
After I was confirmed in 10th grade, I began volunteering in the middle and elementary school religious ed classrooms at my parish. By my junior year at CNU, I realized I was still spending a handful of hours every week doing youth ministry, and that it was one of the highlights of my day and biggest cup-fillers, so I decided it was time to start praying about that. With the guidance of my community and our brother community, Youth Apostles, I accepted a summer gig as the Youth Ministry Missionary at All Saints in Summer 2023, and the Lord blessed me abundantly through it. After graduating from CNU in May 2024, He called me here to St. Mark! I am so grateful that my job is to serve Jesus in His young people and help cultivate a community of disciples that will build up the Kingdom on earth and become Saints one day.