St. Mark Church will hold an Advent parish mission entitled “Life is Christ: A Journey to Conversion” Dec. 9 to 15.

The mission is open to the public and Catholics who have been away from the practice of their faith are especially invited.

The presenter will be Doug Gonzales, director of faith formation and youth ministry at St. Philomena Church in Des Moines, Wash. A convert to Catholicism, Gonzales grew up heavily influenced by anti-Catholicism in a fundamentalist church. Feeling a call to pastoral ministry, he was eventually ordained an elder in the Church of the Nazarene in 1994.

Through a series of mystical experiences, Gonzales felt called to convert to Catholicism, but through great personal sacrifice, including his marriage.

He has shared his story on EWTN and is in the final stages of publishing his first book.

Gonzales will give mission presentations at St. Mark Church on Dec. 10, 11 and 12 at 6:30 p.m. and on Dec. 13 he will give a mission talk to the youth of the parish. On Dec. 14 participants in the mission are encouraged to take the night off to stay at home for personal reflection in preparation for a parish reconciliation service to be held on Dec. 15 at 7 p.m. Priests will be available to hear confessions after the service.

In addition to the main mission talks, Gonzales will lead informal sessions on Dec. 11 and 12 at 10 a.m.

Refreshments and time for fellowship will follow all talks.

For more information about the mission, call the St. Mark parish office at (706) 754-4518.

The church is located at 5410 Highway 197 South in Clarkesville.