Nothing stops Sister Sara Proctor from providing medical care to the poor of our community in the rural areas of Hillsborough and Pasco Counties. As the Program Coordinator for Catholic Charities Free Medical Clinics, she oversees four clinics that are focused on serving agricultural and seasonal workers who have severe challenges in obtaining the health …
Continue reading “Catholic Charities Courageously Cares for People with Nowhere Else to Turn”
Dolores Mottle was moved to tears when she saw the new Holy Family statue at St. Thomas the Apostle Parish in Homosassa. The five-foot fiberglass statue arrived on January 7th as a shipment from Italy. It was donated by Dolores as a gift to the parish in loving memory of her husband Edward who passed …
Continue reading “Holy Family’s Example Inspires Families Today”
In a large ballroom at the Hilton Downtown Tampa, 500 of the faithful of the Diocese of St. Petersburg gathered to bring ministry to life with their presence, prayers and generosity. Long viewed as the signature event of the Diocese of St. Petersburg, the 16th Annual Catholic Foundation Gala on February 1, 2020 inspired attendees …
Continue reading “Bishop Parkes: “Let’s stretch the limits of what we can accomplish.””
A new group in St. Petersburg is providing opportunities for local young adults to stay connected to the Church and each other. In the past few months, they have hosted an All Saint’s Day bonfire, an Advent Young Adult Mission, Meals After Mass, and other monthly events where young people gather in fellowship and prayer. …
Continue reading “New Young Adult Ministry in St. Petersburg Mixes Faith and Friendship”
When Liv, a freshman at Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School, attended the National March for Life in Washington D.C. last year, she saw something that she will never forget. “At the March, people were showing images of babies after a failed abortion and that really opened my eyes,” said Liv. “It showed me what world …
College Freshman Eric Bright has only been Catholic about a month but he’s already showing others what it means to have courageous faith. He is currently serving as president of the newly established Catholic Bulls Club at USF’s St. Pete Campus. USF in Tampa has had a Catholic Campus Ministry for over 50 years and …
Thousands of children in Pinellas County go to bed hungry each night. One St. Petersburg parish is on a mission to change that. In their efforts to Courageously Live the Gospel, parishioners and staff have identified food insecurity for teens and children as a need that has to be addressed. A local government agency, the …
On December 21, 2019, Catholic Charities of the Diocese of St. Petersburg partnered with St. Mary Catholic Church, Tampa, St. Mark the Evangelist Catholic Church, Tampa, Our Lady of The Rosary Catholic Church, Land O’ Lakes and St. Timothy Catholic Church, Lutz to bring gifts, food and joy to over 200 families and nearly 500 …
Five years ago, Kristine Johnson returned to the Catholic Church after close to thirty years away. After taking classes to refresh her memory on Church teaching, she became a volunteer catechist. Now, she’s volunteering to lead Youth Ministry at St. Rita Parish in Dade City, which is a brand new initiative. In her work with …
Continue reading “New Youth Ministry is Helping Teens and Leaders Stay Grounded in Faith”
When Oscar and Ximena Calabi moved to Clearwater in 2010, they found a spiritual home at Light of Christ Parish in Clearwater. Today, the Calabis are involved in ten ministries at their parish strengthened by amazing grace! They are answering the call to Courageously Live the Gospel by using their gifts to serve as missionary …
Continue reading “Husband and Wife Volunteer with Ten Ministries, Guided by the Holy Spirit”
Our Lady Queen of Peace Parish in New Port Richey has been a part of Richard Bekesh’s life for as long as he can remember. He grew up attending Sunday Mass there with his parents, played baseball on the field where the educational center stands today and attended religious education classes as a young boy. …
Janice Metz of St. Cecelia Parish in Clearwater is leading by example. She believes that the Church must proactively invite all to encounter the love and mercy of Jesus Christ and offer a warm welcome. “It is so important to look for opportunities to invite people to our Church and really make them welcome,” said …
Continue reading “Retired Principal Impacts Many Lives with Her Generosity and Faith”
Equipping parishioners as missionary disciples is a major goal of Courageously Living the Gospel. To support this effort, St. Anne Parish in Ruskin launched a pilot program in the Fall of 2019 to teach people about sharing their personal faith stories, the type of encounter that moves hearts and leads people to Christ. The program …
Continue reading “Local Parish is Equipping Missionary Disciples – One Faith Story at a Time”
In recognition of those who work tirelessly to end poverty, hunger and homelessness, Bishop Gregory Parkes of the Diocese of St. Petersburg shared a meal with the homeless residents of Pinellas Hope while honoring the volunteers who prepare and serve them meals. He also blessed 20 new Hope Cottages™ that will provide shelter and security …
Continue reading “Pinellas Hope Celebrates New Hope Cottages and Hunger Heroes”
Richard Quinton believes strongly in the power of personal invitation. When he arrived at St. Vincent de Paul Parish in Holiday eight years ago, another parishioner approached him about becoming an extraordinary minister of Holy Communion. Quinton agreed and has been serving in that role ever since. For the last year and a half, Quinton …
Continue reading “Personal Invitation Leads to Transformational Faith”
In less than a year, the youth ministry at St. Michael the Archangel Parish in Hudson has grown five times larger, going from an average of five teens each week to twenty-five. This is thanks in part to the efforts of youth minister Vincent Washburn who took over the program in December 2018. Washburn has …
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For more than 40 years, the Sacred Heart Fall Festival in Pinellas Park has been a local tradition enjoyed by residents near and far. This year, Father Kevin Yarnell also wanted to share the Catholic faith with festgoers. “Thousands from Pinellas Park and the surrounding area attend one or more days of the Festival to …
Continue reading “Local Church Launches Unique Evangelization Efforts”
As parishes throughout the Diocese of St. Petersburg seek to fulfill the goal of equipping individuals as missionary disciples, the Office of Evangelization held a workshop to train parish leaders on the “Call and Steps of Evangelization.” “We are all called to be evangelizers and we all know people we can reach,” said Jim Kissane, …
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After many years away from the Church, Angie Ducker returned to the faith renewed and eager to be a more faithful, dedicated follower of Jesus. What she didn’t expect was the invitation to become a leader. Initially hesitant, Ducker answered the call to head up Sacred Heart Parish’s Eucharistic Ministry at Tampa General Hospital. She …
Continue reading “Tampa Women Steps Outside Her Comfort Zone to Live the Gospel Courageously”
Pam Popson trains hospitality ministers at Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Dunedin and she views her volunteer “work” as essential to the mission of the Church. “Everyone wants to feel loved and accepted. It’s the greeter’s job to welcome people so they can come to know God’s love and share it with others,” said …
If you are reading this article, you are probably one of the 7%! This is the number of Catholics who are highly engaged in the Church today. Research conducted by Dynamic Catholic and its founder Matthew Kelly, show that 7% of Catholics do 80% of the work to build up and grow the Church, which …
From starting a refugee ministry to welcoming back Catholics who have been separated from the Church, Claudia McIvor is living the priorities of Courageously Living the Gospel, to proclaim, invite and encounter. “God does not always show me exactly where I’m going in ministry,” said Claudia McIvor. “God points a direction and sends me, and …
Bishop Gregory Parkes will honor and thank parish representatives for distinguished and outstanding service to their church and community by presenting them the St. Jude the Apostle Medal Award on November 24, 2019 at 3:00 p.m. at the Cathedral of St. Jude the Apostle in St. Petersburg. The prayer service will be live video streamed …
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The Youth and Family Ministries of Our Lady of Fatima Parish in Inverness aligned their missions for the launch of a dynamic family-centered program designed to connect Catholics of all ages through inter-generational events and family activities that build community and strengthen personal Catholic identity. Missionary Disciples, Youth and Family Ministries hosted the first “Bring …
When Bishop Gregory Parkes asked Father Stephan Brown to serve as pastor of St. Joseph Parish in St. Petersburg, he asked him not to see the parish as it was, but as it could become. Since that day in 2017, Father Brown has been envisioning a bold new future for St. Joseph that includes embracing …
When it came to planning a Catholic Impact Initiative for Courageously Living the Gospel, the parishes of the North Central Deanery decided to think outside the box, or actually just outside. They chose to start an inter-parish sports league with the hope of attracting families and instilling values of faith on the field. Their first …
Continue reading “Parishes Team Up for New Youth Sports Program”
The largest ministry at All Saints Parish in Clearwater involves outreach to the sick as parishioners and clergy seek to meet an urgent need that surrounds them. Mease Countryside Hospital is only about 10 minutes away. Plus, within the parish boundaries there are six nursing homes and more than 100 assisted-living facilities. “Our research shows …
For the past three years, Hispanic leaders in the Diocese of St. Petersburg have been volunteering to serve on parish committees to bring the joy of the Gospel to the peripheries of our community. This process of encountering people in our families, neighborhoods and work places who don’t have a relationship with Jesus and taking …
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To welcome new students and their families to a new school year at the USF main campus, the Catholic Student Union (CSU) and the Catholic Bulls Alumni Society hosted “Welcome Home Weekend” on August 24-25, 2019. This two-day event focused on food, fun, faith and hospitality! After the 5:00 p.m. Mass on Saturday evening, students, …
Father Jim Johnson became a camp counselor at Our Lady of Good Counsel Camp in Floral City at the age of 18. Nine years later he was ordained a Catholic priest. “The camp definitely had a role in my vocation to the priesthood,” said Father Johnson. This Catholic youth camp, that is owned by the …
Day of Prayer and Reflection on Saturday, November 9, 2019 Many of the saints who came before us courageously lived the Gospel and they can inspire us to do the same! That’s why the Diocese of St. Petersburg is presenting a Day of Reflection that will focus on the lives of six American candidates for …
Continue reading “Courageously Living the Gospel: The Road to Sainthood”
“Grown in Love, Strengthened by Faith and Protected by the Loving Hands of Jesus Christ” is how St. Stephen Parish in Riverview is describing their new Family Ministry that started as a response to the diocesan vision, Courageously Living the Gospel. Anthony & Cindy Basilicato, parents of two young children, are leading the initiative and have …
Continue reading “New Family Ministry at St. Stephen is a Success”
In The Joy of the Gospel, Pope Francis refers to a parish as a “center of constant missionary outreach.” St. Patrick Parish & School in Largo demonstrated one way to do missionary outreach by co-sponsoring a block party with the City of Largo on Saturday, July 20th to celebrate the reopening of Trotter Road. The …
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Our parishes are called to equip parishioners as missionary disciples and in order to do this, leaders need insight into how the Catholic faith and identity are connected to culture. That’s why the Diocese of St. Petersburg has introduced an initiative to help parishes improve how they welcome, receive, and encourage diverse cultures and invite …
Continue reading “Diocese Introduces Guidelines for Building Intercultural Competencies”
What started as a Lenten devotional opportunity has become a daily practice at the Cathedral of St. Jude the Apostle. The Cathedral now offers Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament weekdays from 9:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. and it has brought new blessings and graces upon the parish community. The bold leap of faith to introduce …
Continue reading “Cathedral of St. Jude the Apostle Taps into the Power of Prayer”
Recently Rev. Stephan Brown, Pastor of St. Joseph parish in St. Petersburg, Florida, came by the Pastoral Center to show off their new parish van. The van, completely wrapped, displays the parish name and motto. It also displays on the front hood and back window, the diocesan vision theme, “Courageously Living the Gospel”.
Over 19,000 donors from all 80 parishes and missions have committed to more than $6,726,953 to the 2019 Annual Pastoral Appeal (APA). Together we have achieved 57% of the shared diocesan goal of $11.8 million to date, which supports the vitality, strength and growth of our parishes, missions, schools and local Church. This generosity displays …
Continue reading “We are Courageously Living the Gospel through the Annual Pastoral Appeal!”
Our mutually-shared vision of Courageously Living the Gospel calls us to think outside the walls of our churches in pursuit of ministering to families and young people and serving those in need. That’s why Bishop Gregory Parkes has asked parishes to address local community issues and mobilize cross-parish creativity to make a difference! These projects …
Continue reading “Parishes Share New Plans for Catholic Impact Initiatives”
Saint Leo University is helping youth and young adults to courageously live the Gospel. They have produced a video called “Day-to-Day Tips for Living Your Faith.” Sarah Bermudez, a graduate of St. Petersburg Catholic High School and an Education Major at Saint Leo is featured in the video. This is the first time she has …
One out of every six adults in the U.S. experiences some form of mental illness each year and Florida ranks 44th in the nation for access to mental health treatment, according to the Florida Behavioral Health Association. In light of these and other sobering statistics, ten parishes in Pinellas County are joining forces to increase …
Rebecca Lorenzen said she was Catholic for 20 years before she became a missionary disciple. “I sort of lived my faith by checking the boxes but Christ was pulling me deeper,” she said. In 2011, she consecrated herself to Jesus through Mary. Soon after that, she attended a workshop presentation by Sherry Weddell on the …
Continue reading “St. John Vianney Parish is Blessed with Missionary Disciples”
You are invited to sign up to receive daily Scripture reflections on Courageously Living the Gospel that will provide suggestions and prayers for more boldly living your faith! You can choose to receive the reflections via email or text starting on Wednesday, March 13. Sign up to be courageous, visit www.dosp.org/be-courageous-daily-reflection.
On February 13, 2019, volunteers from St. Anne Parish in Ruskin packed up their refrigerated trailer and headed to nearby Hillsborough Community College (HCC) to offer free food for the first time, serving a population that is sometimes overlooked. There is a need among students and staff who are “barely getting by,” according to Paul …
Continue reading “St. Anne Food Pantry Begins New Outreach to College Students”
Parish leaders are meeting throughout the month of February to review the results of a survey that provides insight into how they are fulfilling the mission of the Church that Jesus proclaimed in Matthew 28:19, “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations.” Last Fall, 30 parishes in the Diocese of St. Petersburg participated in …
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More than 100 representatives from parishes across the Diocese of St. Petersburg gathered for training workshops on January 15 & 16 to gain more insight into developing Parish Action Plans that align to Courageously Living the Gospel. “The workshop was a helpful experience – especially hearing about other parish’s challenges and how they are brainstorming …
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Baptism calls us to lead others to new or increased faith in Jesus Christ and often this takes courage. This is true for all people and especially our catechists, those parishioners who have a desire in their heart to teach the Catholic faith to young people enrolled in a parish faith formation program. The Diocese …
Continue reading “Faith Formation Office Seeks to Align with Courageously Living the Gospel”
A major focus of our mutually-shared vision is to accompany youth and young adults to help them be courageous in their faith. Ryan Phelan, the Diocesan Director of Youth and Young Adult Ministry is tasked with helping parishes understand this process of accompaniment that is highlighted in the Vision. Pope Francis has often spoken about …
In an effort to align with the Diocese of St. Petersburg’s Vision of Courageously Living the Gospel, a re-structured Office of Marriage and Family Life has been established to help parishes provide more effective evangelization and family ministry strategies, one of the goals set forth by the vision’s action plan. This new emphasis on marriage …
It has been nearly six months since Bishop Gregory Parkes announced the mutually-shared vision of the Diocese of St. Petersburg, Courageously Living the Gospel. Parish, schools and diocesan leaders have been learning about the priorities and goals of the vision and prayerfully discerning how they can contribute to the vision, renew their faith and boldly …
Continue reading “New Year, New Training Opportunities for Parish Leaders”
Father Justin Paskert is often seen on the campus of USF sitting on a bench waiting to hear confessions and offer God’s healing Sacrament of Reconciliation. When “business” is slow, he passes the time by praying for the students who are strolling the campus. This idea of praying for random students led him to spearhead …
Continue reading ““Pray for USF Students” Campaign Garners Thousands of Prayers”
Espiritu Santo Parish in Safety Harbor has started offering Family Counseling as part of their effort to align with the diocesan vision of Courageously Living the Gospel. This counseling is intended to provide spiritual and emotional healing for families experiencing difficulties within family and marital relationships, including the trauma of divorce. The parish is also …
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The sacred purpose of the mission of the Diocese of St. Petersburg calls us to proclaim the Good News and invite all people to encounter the love and mercy of Jesus Christ. One way the Diocese of St. Petersburg is living out that call is through a :30 second Christmas commercial that has been produced …
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Thousands of people from across the United States who work with young people gathered for the National Conference on Catholic Youth Ministry (NCCYM) from December 6 – 8 at the Tampa Convention Center. The conference was planned in part by the Diocese of St. Petersburg Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministry, headed by Ryan …
Continue reading “National Conference in Tampa Fires Up Youth Ministers”
More than 400 priests, deacons, religious sisters and ministry leaders attended five training sessions facilitated by Catholic Leadership Institute during September and October. They learned about Courageously Living the Gospel and how each person is needed to make the Vision a reality. They also learned about PIE, the acronym for the Vision’s three priorities: Proclaiming – knowing and sharing …
Continue reading “Parishes Start Aligning with Vision and PIE”
Parishes in the southeast part of Hillsborough County are seeking to expand food distribution to families who are in great need. This is one example of how they are Courageously Living the Gospel. “This is the dream for our deanery-wide Catholic Impact Initiative, that we can make a difference in the lives of people in …
Continue reading “Parishes Explore Building a Food Bank in Southeast Hillsborough”