The bishops of Florida join with Catholics and others of goodwill in reacting in horror and disgust to the recently passed law in New York State that legalizes abortion essentially for any reason through all nine months of pregnancy?and removes any protection for children born alive after abortion.?Sadly, similar bills were proposed in Virginia and …
Continue reading “Florida Bishops Unite to Rally Pro-Life Floridians”
Click here to view the English PDF. Spanish PDF Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Like many of you, I have been sickened at the legislation that was recently passed in New York, and proposed legislation debated in Virginia. In New York State, The Reproductive Health Act, as it is called, makes it legal …
Sabrina Burton Schultz, Catholic Relief Services’ Diocesan Director for the Diocese of St. Petersburg in Florida is the recipient of the 2019 CRS Rice Bowl award. Schultz is being recognized for her efforts to increase local involvement and generate new funds through CRS Rice Bowl. “This award is actually for the Diocesan Office of Life, …
Continue reading “Diocese of St. Petersburg Receives National Award from Catholic Relief Services”
The Florida Catholic Conference (FCC) was established on February 1, 1969, as an agency of the Catholic bishops of Florida. The five founding bishops served the four dioceses comprising the Province of Miami at the time: Archbishop Coleman F. Carroll of Miami; Bishop Paul F. Tanner of St. Augustine; Bishop William D. Borders of Orlando; …
March 26-27, 2019 Make the Trip to the Capitol and Make a Difference. I hope that you will consider joining us in Tallahassee to participate in Catholic Days at the Capitol. This two-day event provides the opportunity to put into action our faith’s call to political responsibility and allows us to strengthen the presence of …
Each year, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops offers a Creating on the Margins contest to help schools and parishes engage youth in learning about the root causes of poverty and the Church’s response. The theme of this year’s contest, “A Time to Heal Racism,” invites Catholic youth in grades 7-12 to respond to racism …
February 27, 2019 WASHINGTON–Monday night, the Senate failed to advance the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act—legislation that prohibits infanticide by ensuring that a child born alive following an abortion would receive the same degree of care to preserve her life and health as would be given to any other child born alive at the same …
BALTIMORE — The U.S. bishops overwhelmingly approved a pastoral letter against racism Nov. 14 during their fall general meeting at Baltimore.The document, “Open Wide Our Hearts: The Enduring Call to Love — A Pastoral Letter Against Racism,” passed 241-3 with one abstention. It required a two-thirds vote by all bishops, or 183 votes, for passage. …
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Established 75 years ago as a result of the refugee crisis that unfolded during WWII, Catholic Relief Services, the international relief and development agency of the United States Catholic Church, has since grown into one of the largest humanitarian aid agencies in the world while responding to some of the most devastating modern crises of …
Continue reading “Catholic Aid Agency Looks Back on 75 Years of Service”
Sabrina Burton Schultz, director of the Diocese of St. Petersburg Life, Justice and Advocacy Ministry, has been selected by Catholic Relief Services as the recipient of the 2019 National CRS Diocesan Director Award for CRS Rice Bowl! The award is given to a well deserving and hardworking leader who exemplifies the work of solidarity by promoting …
BALTIMORE, MD, September 30, 2018 — A Catholic Relief Services (CRS) emergency response team is en-route to Palu, the city most affected by the tsunami that struck Indonesia on Friday, following a 7.5 earthquake, and has killed at least 800 people and toppled buildings, shopping malls and mosques. Infrastructure has also been badly damaged, and …
Bishop Parkes, per the recommendation of the Seminarian Admission Board, has accepted four new seminarians who will begin their seminary studies at St. John Vianney College Seminary in Miami in August. The new seminarians are as follows: Paul Ciulei – home parish: Our Lady of Lourdes, Dunedin Phillip Dvorak – home parish: St. John Vianney, St. …
Congratulations to our newly ordained priests! Fr. Kyle Bell will begin his first priestly assignment as Parochial Vicar at St. Ignatius of Antioch Parish in Tarpon Springs. Fr. Lou Turcotte will begin his first priestly assignment as Parochial Vicar at St. Timothy Parish in Lutz. Fr. Tim Williford will begin his first priestly assignment as …
On Saturday, April 14, 2018 our seminarians Anthony Astrab and Joshua Hare were ordained transitional deacons for the Diocese of St. Petersburg. Congratulations Deacon Anthony and Deacon Joshua!
The April 2018 edition of the Cast Your Nets newsletter is now available by clicking here
Since 2014 National Catholic Sisters Week has been celebrated from March 8-14. NCSW is a dedicated celebration of Catholic Sisters intended to raise awareness of their vital contributions, both past and present. National Catholic Sisters Week is intended to broaden awareness of Catholic sisters, whose lives and ministries often remain behind the scenes. The hope …
Are you (or someone you know) seeking a life of Prayer & Community? Maybe it’s a call from God. The Benedictine Sisters at Holy Name Monastery in St. Leo, FL offer a TIME FOR SEEKERS –single, Catholic, women in good health, ages of 20 – 50 something, considering a call to religious life. This Time …
Come and See Weekends are held at St. John Vianney College Seminary in Miami twice a year. These weekends serve to provide opportunities for male high school juniors and older to get a first-hand experience of seminary life and the opportunity to interact with other young men who are discerning a vocation. Our next Come …
The January 2018 edition of the Cast Your Nets Newsletter is available by clicking here
Please join us on Saturday, February 3, 2018 for the Annual Vocation Promotion and Awareness Workshop at the Bethany Center in Lutz. The day will begin with mass at 9:00 am in the St. James Chapel, followed by check-in. The day will conclude at 2:00 pm. Our theme this year is “Celebrating 50 Years of Vocations”. …
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The next meeting of the John 21 Discernment group is Saturday, January 13, 2018 beginning with mass at 8:30 am. This group meets at St. Lawrence Parish in Tampa (5225 N. Himes Avenue, Tampa, FL 33614). John 21 is a discernment group for young men who are reflecting on God’s call in their lives and are considering …
Continue reading “John 21 Discernment Group, January 13, 2018”
Our next Holy Hour for Vocations will be on Wednesday, February 28, 2018 at 7:00 pm in the Cathedral of St. Jude the Apostle. Fr. Carl Melchior will preside at this Holy Hour. The February Holy Hour is on Wednesday, March 21, 2018. Thank you to the Serra Club for continuing to host our monthly Holy Hours for Vocations. …
The November edition of the Cast Your Nets newsletter is now available here If you would like to receive the newsletter via email, please contact Heidi Varley at hlv@dosp.org to be added to the distribution list.
John 21 is a discernment group for young men who are reflecting on God’s call in their lives and are considering the possibility of priesthood or religious life. Just as the disciples gained clarity of their call while eating breakfast with the Lord, so too will we. The group is open to anyone high school …
The 2017 Seminarian Vocation Poster has been distributed to all parishes and schools in the Diocese of St. Petersburg. Each school received 10 posters and each parish received 5 posters. The poster is double sided with English on one side and Spanish on the other. Vocation Poster 2017 If you need more posters, or did not …
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National Vocation Awareness Week is November 5-11, 2017. The theme for this year is Building a Vocation Culture in Today’s Church. Here are some resources for parishes to use, more are available online (see link below). Bulletin Blurbs Prayers of the Faithful Homily Notes There are resources available online through Vianney Vocations. Click here for resources. Catechetical …
During the annual seminarian convocation, new pictures were taken of all our seminarians, as well as a group photograph. We have printed pictures available for you to order for your parish. Or, if you prefer, pictures can be sent to you electronically. There is no cost to you for the printed pictures. To order printed …
INVITE for WOMEN 50 SOMETHING Tucked away in the lovely rolling hills of St. Leo, Florida, you will find the Benedictine Sisters of Florida. We are consecrated religious women and are hosting a very special event for Women 50 Something. Please see flyer attached here If you are free to consider a religious vocation, be …
Congratulations to Reverend Elixavier “Xavy” Castro who was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Gregory Parks on Saturday, May 20, 2017. Fr. Castro will begin his first priestly assignment for the Diocese of St. Petersburg as Parochial Vicar at Our Lady of the Rosary Parish in Land O’Lakes, Florida. Please continue to keep Fr. Xavy …
This year we celebrate World Day of Prayer for Vocations on May 7, 2017. The theme for this year is Led by the Spirit for Mission. The purpose of the World Day of Prayer for Vocations is to publically fulfill the Lord’s instruction to, “Pray the Lord of the harvest to send laborers into his …
On Saturday, May 20, 2017 at 11:00 am Bishop Gregory Parkes will ordain Elixavier “Xavy” Castro to the Priesthood. The ordination will take place at the Cathedral of St. Jude the Apostle (5815 5th Avenue North, St. Petersburg) and is open to the public. Following the ordination there will be a reception in the Parish …
Congratulations to our seminarians, Lou Turcotte, Tim Williford and Kyle Bell, who were ordained transitional deacons on April 1, 2017 by Bishop Parkes. God willing, these three men will be ordained priests for the diocese on May 19, 2018 at the Cathedral of St. Jude the Apostle.
Held at St. John Vianney College Seminary in Miami twice a year, these weekends serve to provide opportunities for male high school juniors and older to get a first-hand experience of seminary life and the opportunity to interact with other young men who are discerning a vocation. The Diocese will provide transportation and there is …
Continue reading “Come and See Weekend at St. John Vianney College Seminary”
Our annual Focus 11 Vocations Rally for 6th graders will be on February 15-16, 2017 at St. Lawrence Parish, Higgins Hall. Focus 11 is open to all 6th graders in the diocese whether you attend a Catholic School, public school or are homeschooled. Forms are available for an excused absence if your child wants to …
Information for our annual Altar Server Appreciation Mass will be going out later this month to all Pastors and Altar Server Directors. The mass will be held on Sunday, March 26, 2017 at 3:00pm at the Cathedral of St. Jude the Apostle. A light reception will follow in the Parish Center. All are invited to …
Animae Via is a discernment group for young men high school age and older, who are reflecting on God’s call in their lives and are considering the possibility of priesthood or religious life. Our next meeting is on March 15, 2017 at Cathedral of St. Jude the Apostle (5815 5th Avenue North, St. Petersburg) and …
The Office of Vocations would like to invite all who are interested in promoting vocation awareness to a special workshop on Saturday, January 28, 2017 from 8:00 am until 1:15 pm at the Bethany Center in Lutz. The Church, Mother of Vocations is the theme for this years workshop. Our Keynote speaker will be Rev. Msgr. …
The December Edition of the Cast Your Nets newsletter is now published and ready to view by clicking here If you would like to be included on the email list for the newsletter please let Heidi Varley, Assistant Director, know by emailing her at hlv@dosp.org
National Vocation Awareness Week November 6-12, 2016 We are the Children of God The Thirty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time on the heels of the Feast of All Saints and All Souls marks a moment when Jesus illustrates the limits of our imagination. Jesus proclaims our relationship with God and its possibilities goes beyond our earthly imagination. …
We would like to welcome six new men studying as seminarians for the Diocese of St. Petersburg. All six men began their studies at St. John Vianney College Seminary in Miami in early August after attending the annual seminarian convocation. The convocation gave them the opportunity to meet their brother seminarians over the course of …
The diocesan special collection for our seminarians, “Help Us Continue Forming Men of Mercy,” took place in all parishes and missions of the Diocese of St. Petersburg this past May. Early results are in, and we are pleased to announce the special collection was a huge success with almost $500,000 raised through the generosity of parishioners in our 81 …
Continue reading “Update on Seminarian Special Collection!!”
On Saturday, May 21, 2016 at 11:00 am, Bishop Robert Lynch ordained five men to the priesthood at the Cathedral of St. Jude the Apostle. From left to right: Fr. Jonathan Stephanz; Fr. Felipe Gonzalez; Bishop Lynch; Fr. Alex Padilla; Fr. Brad Reed and Fr. Kevin Yarnell. The newly ordained priests began their first assignments …
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Plans are underway for special collection for our seminarians, which will take place in all parishes and missions of the Diocese of St. Petersburg in May 2016. The theme for the collection is “Help Us Continue Forming Men of Mercy,” which ties into the Extraordinary Year of Mercy and overall theme of our diocesan vocations promotions for this …
World Day of Prayer for Vocations will be held on Sunday, April 17, 2016. The purpose of the World Day of Prayer for Vocations is to publically fulfill the Lord’s instruction to, “Pray the Lord of the harvest to send laborers into his harvest” (Mt 9:38; Lk 10:2). As a climax to a prayer that …
Information for our annual Altar Server Appreciation Mass will be going out this week to all Pastors and Altar Server Directors. The mass will be held on Sunday, April 10, 2016 at 3:00pm at the Cathedral of St. Jude the Apostle. A light reception will follow in the Parish Center. All are invited to attend. …
Check out the latest edition of the Cast Your Nets newsletter here! Please remember to email Heidi Varley at hlv@dosp.org in the Office of Vocations if you would like to be added to the email list for the newsletter, as it will not be mailed out in the future. It will continue to be posted on …
Please mark your calendars for the next Spiritual Motherhood for Priests event on February 20, 2016. It will beheld at Epiphany of Our Lord in Tampa. The event begins with morning Mass at 9am followed by Eucharistic adoration, confession and two talks by our speakers Fr. Edwin Palka and Fr. Paul Peccchie. $10 covers the …
The Carmelite Sisters of the Most Sacred Hear of Los Angeles are hosting a Come and See Weekend on February 19-21, 2016 in Miami, Florida. Please see the informational flyer Come and See Flyer 2015-16 for details and contact information. The Carmelite Sisters community staffs St. Theresa’s Elementary School in Coral Gables and Archbishop Coleman …
The Office of Vocations would like to invite all who are interested in promoting vocation awareness to a special workshop on Saturday, January 23, 2016 from 8:00 am until 1:30 pm at the Bethany Center in Lutz. Creating a Culture of Vocations By Living a Life of Joy and Fulfillment is the theme for this …
Advent is a time of preparation. Are you preparing for the mission in life that God has already entrusted to you? Are you even aware what that mission might be? Maybe God is calling you to serve him as a priest? The 11th Annual Advent Discernment Retreat will be held at St. Timothy Parish in …
Black Friday, Thanksgiving Madness Sales, Cyber Monday – it all points to a huge amount of money spent with a materialistic shopping focus. #GivingTuesday, the first Tuesday after Thanksgiving, works to combat materialism and get people nationwide to do something for the greater good. #GivingTuesday 2015 kicks off the season of giving on December 1st. …
The new seminarian pictures are in for the 2015/2016 year. Please fill out and return this Seminarian Picture Order Form If you have any questions, please contact Heidi Varley, Administrative Assistant at (727) 345-3452 or via hlv@dosp.org
We are happy to announce that we have accepted four new seminarians for the Diocese of St. Petersburg. These four men entered St. John Vianney College Seminary in Miami earlier this month as Pre-Theologians. The seminarians pictured (left to right) are Donald Amodeo (Holy Family Parish); Zachary Brasseur (St. Paul Parish, St. Petersburg); Peter Gonzalez …
Deacon Kevin Yarnell was born in Pennsylvania and, while in the 4th grade, moved to Florida where he attended a Methodist Church and actively participated in their youth program. Following high school Kevin attended Florida Southern College where he earned his BS in Physics and Mathematics. He later received his master’s degree from Shenandoah …
Remember, there is no VACATION from your VOCATION, or from praying for vocations to the priesthood and religious life. Thank you to Liz Hauer for submitting this photograph of your current display promoting vocations at St. Stephen Parish in Valrico!
