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 1000^th 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.

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 500^th 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.

Each year on the evening of October 3, the Franciscan family throughout the world pauses to celebrate the solemnity of our Holy Father Francis’ Transitus, his passing over from this life to the next. St. Francis was not afraid of what would come at the end of his earthly life, choosing instead to recognize in that experience, not an end, but a transition from one way of living to another was to come.

The Friars of Sacred Heart invite you to join them for a series of Franciscan celebrations, reflecting on that devotion and understanding of creation, as we observe the Transitus and The Feast of St. Francis.

Want to Learn More About the Transitus? Click Here

Transitus of St. Francis | Thursday, October 3 | 6:30 p.m. | Church

Every year, on the third evening of October, Franciscans ritually remember the passing of Francis of Assisi from this life during this liturgy, as a reminder to renew our own commitment to follow Christ in the way of the poor man of Assisi. Join the friars as they continue this tradition, and later for a reception with light refreshments in St. Francis Hall following the liturgy at 7:30 p.m.

The Feast of St. Francis | Friday, October 4 | Church

The Feast of the Father of our Order, St. Francis, will be celebrated at both scheduled daily Masses, at 7 a.m. and 12:10 p.m., with musical accompaniment at the 12:10 p.m. Mass from Director of Music, Philip Jakob.

Blessing of the Animals | Friday, October 4 | 5:30 p.m. | The Franciscan Center

The Franciscan Center (3010 N. Perry Ave.) once again plays host to our Friars blessing the animals of our local community as part of their celebration of the Feast. The event is free to the public and will feature live music, pet-friendly vendors, food trucks, and exhibits along the Franciscan Center’s riverfront grounds. A pet-friendly outdoor Mass will on the lawn of the Franciscan Center will be celebrated at 5:30 p.m., with the Blessing beginning at 6 p.m. Be sure to bring your lawn chairs with you for Mass!

The Franciscan Center (3010 N. Perry Avenue Tampa, FL  33603) is a non- profit, 501(3)(c), private retreat house sponsored by the Franciscan Sisters of Allegany, NY with dedicated laity who are committed in carrying out the mission. More information about the Center, upcoming retreats, and events, and venue bookings, visit: Franciscancentertampa.org. Media outlets are encouraged to be present for this family friendly event.

This page will be updated with additional details for this year’s series of Franciscan Celebrations as they are announced.

From Philip Jakob, Director of Music | This Sunday is the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation. It also marks the start of the annual Season of Creation, which continues until the Feast of St Francis of Assisi in October, with Francis serving as patron of Ecology and founder of the Order of Friars Minor who bless our church of Sacred Heart with their presence.

This year we are called to “to hope and act with creation.” The biblical image pictures the Earth as a Mother, groaning as in childbirth (Rom 8:22). St Francis understood this when he referred to the Earth as our sister and mother in his Canticle of the Creatures. Creation is surely groaning because of our selfishness and our unsustainable actions that harm her. This groaning teaches us that hope is present in the waiting, in the expectation of a better future.

The Season of Creation encourages us this year to be more prophetic in our actions and our words. When we are baptized we are named ‘priest, prophet and king.’ The second of these baptismal responsibilities is not about being able to predict the future, but reading the signs of our present time and speaking out when these indicate a direction which endangers God’s Creation. 

Creator God, you made the world, and it is good. The trees, mountains, rivers and seas. The birds, lions, ants, and bees.  Creator God, you made us to care for the world and for all people. Our planet is hurting. Many people are hurting. Help us to do what we can to bring healing to your creation and your people.

If Creation could send us a personal letter seeking a change in our care for God’s earth, what would the letter say? A good exercise would be to spend time writing that letter on behalf of Creation and addressing it to yourself and the way you live your life.

Having held ourselves to account, perhaps the next task would be to identify the decision-makers whose policies may endanger the earth and to write them a letter too! And where the decision-makers have policies which demonstrate laudable care for creation we might write them a letter of support!

God who is unchanging, God who is the creator of innovation, place our feet on your foundations. Place in us your prophetic imagination, dissatisfaction at the sight of injustice, determination to seek change. Place in us your enduring hope and your unceasing love. Amen.

Whatever we do this year during the Season of Creation, whether it includes planting trees, resisting single-use plastics, conserving biodiversity, seeking green technologies, treating our fellow creatures with compassion, or ensuring climate justice for all in our common home, we do these things not so that we can save the world, but as prophetic acts of worship in the hope that Christ will take our humble offerings and transform them as part of the glorious renewal and restoration of all things.

You can learn more about the Season of Creation by clicking here, or by viewing the live streamed prayer service scheduled for World Day of Prayer for Care of Creation below: