During the middle of the Civil War, in 1862, one of the Northern leaders asked president Abraham Lincoln for prayer that God would be on their side. Lincoln responded, “Sir, my concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God’s side.” How often do we try to make God be on our side, with our own agendas and desires? Instead, our efforts should be in service of trying to be on God’s side, following the Gospel in our own lives.
We’ve all heard and likely used the phrase, “What would Jesus do?” WWJD ask us to apply Jesus’s teaching to our everyday life. When faced with difficult situation how do we respond? Do we respond with our own agenda or do we try to respond to the way God is calling us to? How would Jesus respond to the homeless, the immigrant or other people who may be different because of their faith, race, sexual orientation, or gender? Jesus’ response would be one of compassion and healing. As we get closer to the election I would like to repeat a quote that echoes this sentiment of thinking:
“On these often complex matters, it is the laity’s responsibility to form their consciences and grow in the virtue of prudence to approach the many and varied issues of the day with the mind of Christ. Conscience is “a judgment of reason” by which one determines whether an action is right or wrong (see Catechism of the Catholic Church, no. 1778). It does not allow us to justify doing whatever we want, nor is it a mere “feeling.” Conscience—properly formed according to God’s revelation and the teaching of the Church—is a means by which one listens to God and discerns how to act in accordance with the truth. The truth is something we receive, not something we make. We can only judge using the conscience we have, but our judgments do not make things true.“
St Francis of Assisi would pray “Most high, glorious God, enlighten the darkness of myheart and give me, Lord, a correct faith, a certain hope, a perfect charity, insight and wisdom, so that I may carry out Your holy and true command.”
November, with the feast of All Souls, is a time to remember all of our loved ones. This year, remembrance cards will be available for parishioners, where you may write down the names of your loved ones and we will remember all of the people during the ordinary time Masses throughout the month. Once filled, we simply ask that you place the card in the basket in the back of the church. At weekend Masses, we will bring the basket of cards up with the collection. During the week, we will have the cards on the altar at each Mass. We will also have cards available at the Gift Store. There is no need to e-mail or call the parish office to add your names. We ask that you do it when you come to Mass. We will have the Remembrance Cards available the last week of October. This new, month-long remembrance will take the place of this year’s Candle Lighting Service.
*This page will be updated as additional information is received.
Thursday, October 17 Update | Following the passing of Hurricanes Helene and Milton, the Friars and staff made the difficult decision to cancel this year’s Fall Festival, out of respect for the time and availability of our volunteers and donors. We appreciate your understanding.
A special fall-themed Coffee & Donuts session will take its place, available in St. Francis Hall after all morning Masses on Sunday, October 27. Details can be viewed here.
Friday, October 11 Update | A reminder that all ministry activities are currently paused until power is restored to the North Campus. Our standard Mass and Reconciliation schedule has resumed following the passing of the storm, including all weekend Masses for the 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time. Our OneBlood Big Red Bus visit on Sunday, October 13, will also move forward as planned.
Please click here to view a video update from Fr. Mike Jones, OFM.
Thursday, October 10 Update | Following a cursory inspection by our pastor, Fr. Mike Jones, OFM, of the church, friary, parish office, and neighboring gift store, Sacred Heart Catholic Church’s downtown campus is safe following the passing of Hurricane Milton. Minor leaks were observed within the church and parish office, but no structural damage is visible at this time, and power remains available. The scaffold in place along the front façade of the church for ongoing preservation projects remains intact.
The church will remain closed to the public today, Thursday, October 10, 2024.
The daily Mass and confession schedule will resume on Friday, October 11, 2024. Masses will be celebrated at 7 a.m. and 12:10 p.m. Reconciliation will be held at 11:30 a.m.
Weekend Masses will begin with the 5:30 p.m. Vigil on Saturday, October 12, 2024. Reconciliation will be held from 4:15 p.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday evening.
Sunday Masses for October 13, 2024, will be celebrated along the standard schedule, at 7:30 a.m., 9 a.m., 10:30 a.m., Noon, and 5:30 p.m.
Caretakers for Sacred Heart’s North Campus (formerly Sacred Heart Academy, 3515 N. Florida Avenue), observed windowpanes broken or missing along the northern and eastern walls of the kitchen and auditorium, as well as the second story of the former convent. It is also assumed the auditorium, kitchen, and library air conditioning units have sustained minor damage.
The campus is currently without power, and unable to host ministry activities.
The North Campus kitchen is home to Sacred Heart’s Hands of Hope homeless outreach, which provides weekly meals and supply kits to the unhoused in Downtown Tampa. The former convent is home to Bikes from the Heart, our parish ministry dedicated to refurbishing used and broken bicycles to donate to those with transportation needs.
Additional updates will be posted as they become available.
The friars of Sacred Heart are keeping all neighbors, both within their parish community and across the region, in their prayers as the process of recovery and healing begins.
Tuesday, October 8 Update |Following the 7 a.m. Mass on Tuesday, October 8, our church, North Campus, parish office, and the S.H. Gift & Book Store WILL BE CLOSED due to weather impacts related to Hurricane Milton. All parish activities, including daily Mass, confessions, and parish group meetings have been cancelled or adjustedthrough theevening of Thursday, October 10.
The following parish activities have been adjusted or cancelled due to potential impacts from Hurricane Milton. This includes:
Daily Mass | Tuesday at 12:10 p.m., Wednesday & Thursday at 7 a.m., 12:10 p.m. | Cancelled
The Diocese of Saint Petersburg Pastoral Center will be closed until it can be deemed safe to reopen. The building sustained damage as high winds caused windows to shatter. There is also no power and no utilities. The area surrounding the offices also suffered damage such as home and business flooding, trees down, and property damage.
All DOSP Catholic Schools and Early Childhood Centers will be closed on through at least Friday, October 11.
Prayer against Storms | from the Pieta Prayer Book Make the sign of the cross when you see the (+) symbol.
Jesus Christ a King of Glory has come in Peace. + God became man, + and the Word was made flesh. + Christ was born of a virgin. + Christ suffered. + Christ was crucified. + Christ died. + Christ rose from the dead. + Christ ascended into Heaven. + Christ conquers. + Christ reigns. + Christ orders. + May Christ protect us from all storms and lightning. + Christ went through their midst in Peace, + and the Word was made Flesh. + Christ is with us with Mary. + Flee you enemy spirits because the Lion of the Generation of Juda, the Root of David, was won. + Holy God! + Holy Powerful God ! + Holy Immortal God! + Have mercy on us.
Amen!
Friday, September 27 Update (Helene | The church and North Campus sustained no visible damage during Hurricane Helene. The church, parish office, and the S.H. Gift & Book Store are open. Masses for this weekend (26th Sunday in Ordinary Time) will move forward as scheduled.
On the heels of an incredible inaugural campaign in 2023, Sacred Heart, alongside the Knights of Columbus Council #12110, is excited to announce the return of the popular “Socktober” sock drive, benefitting the many of the homeless initiatives with which our parish is associated.
Each night in Hillsborough County, a now estimated 1,893 unsheltered homeless are forced to live on the streets. Many unsheltered people rarely take their shoes off. They walk often and don’t always have laundry facilities at close reach. Clean socks are a reliably top-requested item at homeless shelters.
Located in both the Sacred Heart Gift and Book Store as well as the church, will be a pair of donation bins to address this critical need. Socktober donations may be made at all weekend Masses, or at the Gift and Book Store during weekday store hours throughout the month of October. Packages of new socks in adult sizes will be accepted. Our goal is to reach 2000 pairs, with the socks being distributed to the Tampa Hope homeless shelter, our Hands of Hope ministry, and Catholic Charities, among others.
Event this small act of love, donating a pair of socks, can make a big difference in the lives of our homeless neighbors. The Knights and friars thank you for your participation!
*This page will be updated with status updates from our drive as the month progresses. Thank you for your generosity in donating, and Happy Socktober!
Socktober is an international campaign that was started in 2011 when creator Brad Montague realized there was a large homeless population in his hometown, and he wanted to do something about it. While researching the needs of the homeless community, he learned that socks are the items least donated to homeless shelters. Since then, Socktober has exploded! Kids and adults around the world have started their own sock drives to benefit their local homeless shelters.
In this Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus predicts, for a second time, the high price He will have to pay in order to be faithful to the mission that the Father sent Him to do. What strikes me about this excerpt from Mark is the stark contrast between Jesus and his disciples. Jesus was trying to prepare them for the suffering He would endure while they were preoccupied with which of them was the greatest. They didn’t understand what Jesus was trying to tell them. The narrative here reveals key aspects of Jesus’ teaching on discipleship and the values of the Kingdom of God. This passage provides important lessons on humility and service, while redefining “greatness.”
The passage begins with Jesus and His disciples traveling through Galilee. Jesus, once again, takes this opportunity to foretell His impending suffering, Death, and Resurrection. He says, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise.” This prediction is central to Jesus’ mission and the suffering that awaits Him. However, the disciples do not fully grasp the meaning of His words. Mark notes that they were afraid to ask Him about it. This moment also highlights the disciples’ lack of comprehension to the nature of Jesus’ mission and the concept of a suffering Messiah, which contrasts with their expectations of a triumphant earthly king.
Upon arriving in Capernaum, Jesus asks his disciples what they were arguing about on the way. Jesus turns to those who are left out of the circle and pulls them to the center. He teaches his disciples that the one who appears most vulnerable and seems to need the greatest amount of care can also be the one who has the most to teach us about what it is to be Christlike and Godlike.
This passage reminds me a lot of my dad. He was low key and humble. He was one of eight children, and I guess one could get lost in that crowd. I remember the conversations I heard while I was growing up from his siblings about how unskilled and reserved they thought he was. They thought only they knew the way to happiness and success. This never bothered my dad. He just pressed on and lived his best life. He didn’t seem to care that they undervalued his gifts and his vulnerability. My dad would work two or three jobs just to give us a better life than what he had. I’ve never seen anyone work as hard as he did. My dad was the example of being a “servant for all.” No matter what someone else needs, it came before his own.
When I became a teenager and I was able to work, I would ride the train afterschool and meet my dad at his second job to eat dinner together. One day, his boss was working late and asked if I would like to work at night alongside my dad. I agreed and it was amazing to see the skills my dad had on the massive machinery he worked with. He never shared his work with his family and friends, because he felt they didn’t need to know, since they already had their own ideas of him. Another time, I visited him at his day job and it was much the same thing. He knew how to handle everything that was put in front of him. He was using his God-given natural skills. He didn’t have to brag to his family and friends he just did the work that God put in front of him, and he did it well.
That wasn’t even his greatest gift. His greatest gift was the love he gave me, my sister, and my mother. I was with him at the Hospice the day he passed. The last words he spoke, in Spanish, were telling me “Take care of her for me.” I was blown away that my mom was on his mind till his last breath. My dad was Christlike to me. I can only strive to be half the man he was.
Jesus moves on to address His disciples, responding to their debate by teaching them a radical lesson about greatness. He says, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.” This teaching turns their understanding of greatness on its head. In Jesus’ view, true greatness is not about power or prestige, but about humility and service.
This passage has some profound implications for how we understand leadership or greatness today. Jesus’ teaching challenges us to rethink our values and priorities. In a world where success is often measured by power, influence, and recognition, Jesus invites us to consider greatness in terms of humility and service. The message is clear: true leadership in the Kingdom of God is characterized by a servant heart and a willingness to embrace those who are marginalized or in need. It’s about putting others before ourselves and finding value in the seemingly insignificant.
As we strive to follow Jesus’ example, we are invited to redefine our understanding of what it means to be truly great. As St. Teresa of Calcutta said, “We are not called to be successful, but to be faithful.”
Bikes from the Heart, Sacred Heart Catholic Church’s outreach devoted to refurbishing and redistributing bicycles to those in need has reached yet another milestone, one that will be the benchmark for their ministry as it continues to develop in the coming years. Volunteers from the ministry joined members of Gracepoint Homeless Services to deliver the 1000th refurbished bicycle to Aileen Jones, a member of Gracepoint’s wellness team, on Wednesday, September 4.
Bikes from the Heart is a volunteer program founded by Sacred Heart parishioners Tim Eves and Tom Henry that operates out of the former convent on the church’s “North Campus” property, formerly Sacred Heart Academy (3515 N Florida Avenue). Used bicycles and parts are donated to Bikes from the Heart by individuals, parishioners of Sacred Heart and other area churches, apartment and condominium complexes, and partners like WellBuilt Bikes or local law enforcement. Those bikes are then refurbished into working order to be given to recipients across Tampa Bay that are struggling with access to reliable transportation. Ministry volunteers came to know Aileen and her story through their partnership with Gracepoint.
“It was about a year ago, we met some folks from Gracepoint when they needed help with some renovations, and so our ministry came and helped,” recalled Henry. “We helped them install some tile and build a small lounge for their clients, and that’s where it started.” For nearly 75 years, Gracepoint has worked with individuals (children and adults) seeking mental health, addiction, and medical services. Gracepoint also serves as the behavioral health emergency room for Hillsborough County. Bikes from the Heart has donated 18 bikes to Gracepoint clients to date.
View Our Feature on Fox 13 Tampa Bay…
Aileen, a behavioral health specialist at Gracepoint’s Homeless Services location in Seminole Heights (6220 N Nebraska Ave), says the bicycle will work wonders for her mobility. “Right now, I live two miles away from work, and so having the bike will take away some of the stress of my day, knowing I can get to work that much more easily.” Jones stated that post-traumatic stress from being involved in automotive accidents as an adolescent is in part the reason for her challenge with transportation. Aileen is set to complete her Registered Behavior Technician certification before the end of the year and hopes to work with children in the future.
“When we gave out the 500th bike, we said our next goal was 1000,” said Henry. “Now our goal is to make 1000 a sustainable annual goal, and help other parishes, churches, and organizations potentially do the same for their communities.” Founders Tim Eves and Tom Henry began work on the project in May of 2023. The growth of the ministry has been meteoric, from the swell of volunteers who believed in the mission of the ministry, to receiving grants from the Catholic Foundation of the Diocese of St. Petersburg and earning civic recognitions like the 2024 Urban Excellence Award for best Downtown collaboration.
The ministry regularly works with Catholic Charities’ homeless shelter, Tampa Hope; Love INC of Metro Tampa, an ecumenical collective of intercity churches addressing community needs; Metropolitan Ministries; Hyde Park United Methodist Church, The Portico, the Agency for Community Treatment Services, and the Tampa Downtown Partnership on distribution of the restored bikes. Some bicycles are also given to recipients through direct request or referral.
To learn more about the ministry, volunteer, or donate, visit shfla.org/bikes.
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Sacred Heart Catholic Church offers special thanks for the Community Impact Grant program from the Catholic Foundation of the Diocese of St. Petersburg for their support of the Bikes from the Heart.
My favorite Broadway musical of all time is A Chorus Line (I only saw it seventimes during its original run). What I most loved about it was its immediacy, I really felt like I was watching an audition NOW, in the present, as the book and lyrics made timely references. I think the newest Broadway revival somewhat failed since neither the book nor the lyrics were updated, thus losing the show’s immediacy and making it a “period piece.” Today’s Gospel according to Mark (8:27-35) could be read in the same light. It’s a period piece since the question of Jesus, “who do people say that I am?” has been answered. Jesus is the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity, the Word of God made flesh, both fully human and fully divine and is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, the Savior of the Universe….I could go on, but you get the point.
Even the more personal question Jesus asks of his disciples, “But who do YOU say that I am?”, has been answered by each of us or none of us, would be here in Church this weekend. What speaks to my heart is that Jesus, while being all of the above and more, is also the Son of Man (one of us) who has suffered, and been rejected. And who of us hasn’t suffered or been rejected? Jesus, His reputation in tatters, His hopes dashed, yet clinging to hope was “crucified, died and was buried”. And for what? Well, back to A Chorus Line and to paraphrase its most popular song: what He did He did for love: love of the Father and love for each one of us.
In its big opening number, the question asked by the character Paul is “Who am I anyway, am I my resume?” The answer to that question is a “resounding, NO!” We are more than our resume, our bank account, our marital status, our gender identity, our sexual orientation; we are the beloved children of God the Father, brothers and sisters of Christ, baptized into the love of the Holy Trinity, so that the life and mission of Jesus Christ might continue through us. We are the ones whom God invites to clothe those with nothing to wear, to give food, to give the necessities of the body (James 2:14-18) to those in need. In other words, we are called to give flesh to our faith. This is the cross that Christ invites us to carry in our daily lives; our charity begins in our homes but shouldn’t end there.
Perhaps this weekend we should ask, “Who does Christ say that I am? Who does Christ say the parish of Sacred Heart is?” May I suggest that our charity towards one another, our visitors, and the homeless men and women at our door speaks volumes of who we are. And why do we do it? We do it out of love.
