Father Mark Moretti
Father Mark E. Moretti was just 9
years old when he received the first inclination that he should become a priest.
The oldest of three children of John
and Jean Moretti, Father Moretti was born on March 28, 1958, in Washington, D.C. - one of the rare natives of the transient
area. Under the direction of his "devout" parents and grandmother, he attended regular Mass and Holy Hours.
Also assisting in his faith formation was his Catholic education from St. Rita Parish in Alexandria, where
he would later be assigned as a parochial vicar; Bishop Ireton High School in Alexandria; and Allentown College of
St. Francis de Sales (now DeSales University) in Pennsylvania. This exposure to his faith formed him from an early age, especially
the example of the Sisters of St. Joseph at St. Rita, weekly charismatic renewal prayer meetings at Ireton, and the example
of the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales in Allentown.
But though his faith was high in
life priorities, Father Moretti chose a different path after graduating from college in 1980. With a degree in politics,
Father Moretti was recruited by the U.S. Department of State as a special agent for what is now called the Diplomatic Security
Service (DSS), which, according to its Web site, is a "global law enforcement agency."
Since being ordained in 1995, Father Moretti has served as parochial vicar of St. Mark Parish in Vienna (a paving ground
where he began his ministry), St. Rita (a return to his old home and a reconnection with those who had nurtured him) and St.
Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish in Lake Ridge (where he was exposed to a larger parish environment and eventually began his first
tasks as administrator). In 2008, he was appointed pastor of St. Thomas à Becket. In 2011, he was assigned as parochial
vicar of St. John the Evangelist. In 2016 we gladly welcome him to Precious Blood.