Our efforts to meet the needs of the Tampa/Hillsborough County community continue on Saturday, February 14 at the North Campus with our next Giving from the Heart drive-through donation event. Volunteers from the Knights of Columbus and the Society of St. Vincent de Paul will be gathered from 9 to 11 a.m. to receive items assisting SVdP and the Tampa Hope homeless shelter.
Can’t make it to the North Campus on the day of the drive?
Click the image to access our Amazon Wishlist, and have your donation shipped directly to the parish office!
With our next drive, the emphasis is on stocking the shelves for a pair of partnered frontline ministries addressing the needs of the financially unstable, hungry, and unhoused of our community ahead during what has been an unseasonably cold winter.
Catholic Charities and the City of Tampa opened Tampa Hope in December of 2021 along E. 3rd Avenue. in east Ybor. Today, the homeless shelter has a capacity of 235 beds: 125 tents and 99 cottages. In partnership with Catholic Charities, Tampa Hope is now nationally recognized. The site not only offers a place to live, but also Case Management, Financial Literacy Classes, AA Meetings, Bible Study, a USF Mobile Bus and Catholic Charities Mental Health Counseling.
Click to View the Tampa Hope Needs List:
Men’s and women’s underwear
Blankets, sheets and towels
Shower shoes/flip flops
Men’s and women’s shoes
Laundry detergent
Four-person tents
Non-perishable snacks and foods
Toilet paper
Deodorant
Bars of soap
Brooms/dust pans
Women’s hair products
Reusable water bottles
Cooling towels
Rechargeable or solar fans
The Society of St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry provides emergency groceries to those in need from nine locations across Hillsborough County, as well as two thrift stores, which provide low cost clothing and supplies.
Click to View the Society of St. Vincent de Paul’s Needs List
Peanut butter
Crackers, cookies
Cereal or Oatmeal (individual or boxed)
Dried pasta, or boxed pasta dinners
Pasta sauce
Rice or boxed rice dinners
Dried or canned beans
Tuna, or other canned proteins
Canned soups, stews, pastas, or other canned meals
Non-perishable, single-serving snack or food items of any kind
Juice boxes, shelf-stable milk boxes
Additional information and needs list updates will be available on this page as they are received. As always, the church appreciates your attentiveness and generosity for these drives.
…for they will take your old bike, and make it new again, both in function and in purpose!
As Bikes from the Heart approaches its third anniversary as a ministry of our parish in 2026, you can no longer consider this outreach as fledgling. They are flying. Gone are the days at the North Campus Convent when founders Tim Eves and Tom Henry would toil away on just a bike or two at a time. Support from parishioners and an active volunteer network of more than 25 quickly amassed, so it’s honestly hard to say there ever were times when it was only just a bike or two. To date, the ministry states they have refurbished over 2,500 bikes, including more than 1.100 in 2025 alone.
For those who may not know, BFTH collects used bikes, refurbishes them to working order, and distributes them to the transportation disadvantaged across our area, which can be anyone from the unhoused and homeless, to those who cannot drive and need a connection to work or local services, and even students who need a reliable way to get to school. The ministry retrofitted the first floor of the convent on the property formerly known as Sacred Heart Academy into a full scale bike shop, with storage for donated bikes, multiple repair stations, and rooms for parts and completed rebuilds.
“Community makes everything possible,” said Eves, when thinking back to what the ministry was able to achieve over the last year. That statement is indicative of both the collaborative nature of their ministry,which relies on volunteers, as well as partnerships with public agencies for disused and forgotten bikes, and and local businesses for necessary parts, and also the way in which it was conceived. Both Eves and Henry collaborated to create the ministry through the knowledge they gained from volunteering with other outreach ministries. For Tim, an avid cyclist, he cites his time volunteering with the bike ministry at nearby Hyde Park United Methodist as part of the inspiration. For Tom, he has worked with several ministries catering to those in need, especially Tampa Hope. Pair those two experiences, and…BOOM…you’ve got Bikes from the Heart!
“When Tom and I had the idea to start Bikes from the Heart, we were both freshly retired and looking for something to do,” Tim stated. “We started this thinking we were just going to repair a few bikes a month and give them away. But our ministry has grown way beyond our expectations – we are blessed with active volunteers. I have come to realize that we are not just fixing bikes – but that every aspect of what we do is a ministry.” Both Eves and Henry often refer to the bike ministry as “one knot in a very large net,” referring to their mission as being a small aspect of the larger network of ministries, both internal and external to our parish, that help address the potential gaps in the lives of the poor or homeless. The ministry, though, has taken on life of its own, opening pathways for donors, volunteers, beneficiaries, and recipients alike.
Volunteers regularly welcome in those who have recently received a bike from the ministry to come and volunteer in the shop, if nothing more than to learn how to properly maintain their new ride. More often than not, the recipients wish to pay forward the kindness afforded to them by helping with builds for future giveaways. In 2025, BFTH developed a program to welcome local businesses as volunteers at the shop, with several notable organizations, from the parish’s next door neighbors at Le Méridien, to members of the Tampa Bay Rays front office and facilities staffs, for team-building events or to fulfill employee volunteering requirements. To keep things simple, they have those groups work on stripping bikes not suitable for repair for their functioning parts.
That is not to say you are limited to that experience as a volunteer. Volunteers are always happy to teach anyone who wishes to get their hands greasy every aspect of maintenance and repair, and no prior experience is necessary to participate. The ministry is currently developing a program alongside several local bike shops to instruct volunteer technicians enough that they might be able to seek employment at one of the partnering shops once fully trained.
Volunteers don’t limit their work to the convent-turned-bike shop, either. Each Sunday, a crew gathers at the Portico to distribute bikes to those who have applied in recent weeks, and to assist with repairs for anyone who needs some help. During Advent and Christmas, the ministry supported On-Bikes’ annual Santa’s Workshop event, sending 19 volunteers to help build bikes given away as presents to children. They even were able to deliver some of their own stock, 51 in total, to three different charity initiatives in both Hillsborough and Pinellas Counties providing children gifts for the holidays.
BFTH 2025 Year in Photos
View an assortment of photos from our Bikes from the Heart ministry activities from 2025!
At each Mass this weekend (3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, January 25, 2026), you will hear from Tim and Tom directly about the impact this ministry has had as a “knot in the net, and how important support from parishioners and visitors alike has been to their success. Below is a summary of their 2025 successes:
Annual Christmas Sale resulted in 30 bikes sold, raising funds for future builds
Gave away 51 children’s bikes at Christmas to the following:
Hillsborough County Commissioner Myers’ Annual Event – 24 bikes
Movement of God Church – Pinellas Park – 12 bikes
It’s Better to Give than Receive charity – 15 bikes
More than 500 bikes donated through partnership with The Portico on Sunday mornings during available repair hours
Purchased new signage for the Bikes from the Heart trailer
To learn how you can support Bikes from the Heart, please visit shfla.org/bikes. If you wish to make a financial contribution to the ministry, you can place a check in the weekly offertory made out to “Sacred Heart Catholic Church” with “Bikes from the Heart” on the memo line, or drop it off in person at the bike shop, and maybe stick around for a tour!
If you are clearing bikes from your garage, consider donating them to BFTH. They can be dropped off at the shop during their operational hours of Tuesday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.Bikes from the Heart obviously appreciates the power of prayer, and are always seeking additional prayers for their ministry and volunteers, and asks you to keep them in your prayers throughout the coming year.
Today begins the week of prayer for Christian Unity. In the opening prayer for today’s Mass we prayed, “…hear the pleading of your people and bestow peace in our times.” Given the division going on is our world, our country, and our church, I can’t think of any more urgent prayer: “Peace in our times.” But what would this peace look like.
First, peace is NOT defined as the absence of war or conflict. Peace (in the Biblical sense) is that we live in RIGHT RELATIONSHIP with God, one another, creation, and ourselves. It seems to me that this notion of right relationship is the reason why the Church has selected the Gospel according to John’s account of the Baptism of Jesus only one week after we celebrated the Solemnity of the Baptism of the Lord.
Baptism is a defining event in most, if not all Christian denominations. If a person seeks full communion with the Catholic Church, we more often than not do not rebaptize as long as the baptism was done with water and the words “in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and the Holy Spirit” were said. But what exactly does Baptism do, and why did Jesus need to be baptized if He was/is sinless?
I like to say that Jesus entered the waters of the Jordan river clean and symbolically took upon Himself the sins of humanity. His was not a baptism of repentance (since He had no sin to repent of) but rather was a Baptism of solidarity with sinners which all of us are. We are baptized into Christ’s baptism of solidarity, and at the same time cleansed of original sin. As we say in the Creed, “…one baptism for the forgiveness of SINS.” Sin divides us; the grace of Christ heals and unites us.
All of us need the healing, forgiving grace of Christ. And with that healing and forgiving comes the mandate to live as a healed forgiven person in the world. Our primary identity is Christ…not following any particular political leader or party; not defining ourselves through the lens of gender or sexual identity. As St. Augustine wrote, “Rejoice O Christian, for by your baptism YOU are more than a Christian, YOU are CHRIST Himself.”
This week let’s look on all the people we encounter as other Christ’s. If we begin to look at one another differently then maybe we will begin to treat each other differently. This week, when we plead for the unity of all who call themselves Christian, let’s ACT like Christ Himself.
Today we celebrate the Baptism of the Lord, and it’s worth starting with the obvious question people have been asking for centuries: Why does Jesus get baptized at all?
John’s baptism was about repentance. It was for people who needed to turn their lives around. So why does the sinless Son of God step into that same muddy Jordan River? And the answer is simple—but not shallow. Jesus doesn’t enter the water because He needs to be cleansed. He enters the water because we do. This moment is not about Jesus changing. It’s about the water changing.
By stepping into the Jordan, Christ sanctifies the waters of the world. From that point on, water is no longer just water. It becomes a place of encounter—where heaven touches earth, where God chooses to act.
And notice what happens. The heavens open. The Spirit descends. The Father speaks.
This is one of the clearest moments in the Gospels where the Trinity reveals itself—not in theory, not in a creed, but in an event. God shows us who He is by what He does. And what does the Father say? “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” Not after Jesus has performed a miracle. Not after He’s preached a sermon. Not after the Cross. Before all of it.
Which tells us something important: Jesus is loved not forwhat He does, but for who He is.
And here’s where this feast turns toward us. Because in our baptism, something very similar happens—whether we remember it or not. The heavens are opened. The Spirit is given. And the Father claims us. You may not have heard a voice from the clouds. Most of us were infants, after all. But the Church dares to say that the same truth spoken over Jesus is spoken over you: You are my beloved child. I delight in you. Not because you’ve earned it. Not because you’ve gotten everything right. But because you belong to Christ.
The Baptism of the Lord marks the end of Christmas, but it also marks the beginning of mission. Jesus comes up out of the water and immediately moves toward the desert, toward ministry, toward the world as it actually is.
Which reminds us: baptism is not a private comfort—it’s a public calling. We are baptized not just from something—sin, death—but for something: to live as sons and daughters who know they are loved and therefore are free to love in return.
So today, as Christmas fades and ordinary time begins, the Church quietly asks us one question: Do you remember who you are? Not your job. Not your failures. Not your worries. But this: You are baptized. You are claimed. You are beloved. And that is where the Christian life always begins.
I would like to share with you a reflection someone has sent me on the World Day of Peace.
Established by Pope Paul VI in 1967, the World Day of Peace is celebrated annually on January 1st, coinciding with the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God. It was inspired by the encyclicals Pacem in Terris (John XXIII) and Populorum Progressio (Paul VI), the first observance was held on January 1, 1968.
Each year, the Pope publishes a formal message addressed not just to Catholics, but to “all men of good will” and heads of state. This message serves as a magisterial declaration on social doctrine, covering issues like human rights, economic justice, and international diplomacy.
The theme for the 59th World Day of Peace (January 1, 2026) is “Peace Be With You All: Towards an ‘Unarmed and Disarming’ Peace.” It emphasizes that peace should not be rooted in fear or weapons (“unarmed”) and must have the power to open hearts and resolve conflict (“disarming”).
The “Spirit of Assisi” is a landmark concept in Catholic interreligious dialogue, born from the World Day of Prayer for Peace held on October 27, 1986. Initiated by Pope John Paul II, it brought together 160 religious leaders—including Hindus, Buddhists, Muslims, Jews, and traditional African religions—to the birthplace of St. Francis to pray for peace during the Cold War.
The original 1986 gathering was a bold response to the Cold War’s height. For the first time in history, the Catholic Church did not invite other faiths to convert or debate, but to stand side-by-side.
John Paul II was careful with his language to avoid the charge of “syncretism”—the blurring of distinct religious identities into a vague, single faith. He famously stated that they had not come to “pray together,” but to “be together to pray.” Each tradition was given its own space to offer prayers according to its own rites, after which they walked in silence together toward the Basilica of St. Francis.
While the event was hosted by the Vatican, its success depended on how non-Christian traditions viewed the invitation. For many, it was a move from being “objects of mission” to “partners in peace.”
For the Muslim delegations, the Spirit of Assisi resonated with the Quranic injunction that God created different nations and tribes “that you may know one another” (49:13). Many Muslim leaders viewed the event through the historical lens of St. Francis’s 1219
meeting with Sultan al-Malik al-Kamil during the Crusades—a rare moment of medieval respect. Islamic representatives saw the gathering as a platform to declare that “genuine religious belief is a source of harmony” and that the use of religion for violence is a “terrible abuse.”
The Spirit of Assisi is built on several core convictions articulated by successive Popes:
Universal Brotherhood: The belief that all humans share a common origin and destiny, making peace a universal duty.
The Power of Prayer: A conviction that peace is not merely the result of political negotiations but a gift from God that must be sought through humble prayer.
The Rejection of Violence: A solemn declaration that “whoever uses religion to foment violence contradicts religion’s deepest and truest inspiration.”
Identity and Alterity: Encouraging believers to be “pilgrims” who are firm in their own faith while remaining open to the “other” as a brother or sister.
Assisi is often called a “Prophecy of Peace.” In an era where religion is frequently weaponized to fuel conflict, the Spirit of Assisi offers an alternative narrative. It posits that the more deeply one enters into their own faith, the more they find a common human longing for the Transcendent and for the peace that “surpasses all understanding.”
Today, the “Spirit of Assisi” has evolved from a single historical event into a practical framework for addressing modern global crises. In our current context of deep political polarization and digital echo chambers, it offers several vital lessons for the 21st century:
A Counter-Narrative to the “Clash of Civilizations”: In a world where religion is often blamed for conflict, the Spirit of Assisi provides a “prophecy of peace.” It demonstrates that religious identity can be a bridge rather than a barrier, offering a direct rebuttal to the idea that different cultures are destined for inevitable conflict.
The “Theology of the Neighbor”: It shifts the focus from abstract theological debate (which often divides) to shared ethical action (which unites). Today, this means interfaith cooperation on global issues like climate change, migration, and poverty. It suggests that “saving our common home” is a spiritual duty shared by all traditions.
Human Fraternity over Uniformity: It teaches us how to coexist without erasing our differences. By emphasizing the “gift of peace,” it encourages a “culture of encounter” where we don’t just tolerate the “other” but recognize their inherent dignity. This is particularly relevant in multicultural societies struggling with social cohesion.
The Role of Silence and Prayer in Diplomacy: In an era of “loud” social media and aggressive rhetoric, Assisi’s emphasis on silence, pilgrimage, and prayer reminds us that peace requires internal work. It suggests that political solutions are more sustainable when backed by a shared moral and spiritual commitment.
In short, for us today, the Spirit of Assisi means active, collaborative hope. It is the belief that when people of faith (and no faith) stand together, they become a more powerful force for good than any political or military power.
The Spirit of Assisi remains a “prophetic gesture.” It suggests that in a fragmented world, the path to peace requires not just treaties, but a spiritual “workshop” where leaders of different faiths can offer a counter-narrative to violence through silence, pilgrimage, and mutual respect.
