Category Archives: Parish News

On the Road | Friar Reflections | 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time

August 9, 2024Friar Reflections, Parish NewsRob Boelke

My Good Friends,

Since returning from my Ignatian Camino back in July, I have been asked by more than a few people if I would share some more of my experience, so others may become aware of what it is to walk a Camino… so here you go…

In a nutshell, embarking on a Camino offers an opportunity for personal reflection and spiritual growth. This ancient practice of journeying on foot toward a sacred destination is rich with lessons and insights. One of the most striking aspects of a Camino is its emphasis on simplicity. Those who participate in any Camino, referred to as pilgrims, carry only what they need, leaving behind unnecessary items which adds weight to their backpacks. This stripping down to essentials allows a sense of freedom and clarity. As we walk, we realize how little we truly need, and this realization brings about a profound shift in our perspective, teaching us to appreciate the basics and to find joy in simplicity.

The physical demands of the Camino mirror the spiritual journey it represents. Long days of walking can be exhausting, and the varied terrain tests your endurance, but these physical challenges are opportunities for growth, teaching resilience and patience. Each step, taken in faith and determination, becomes a metaphor for the spiritual path, where perseverance through difficulties leads to inner strength and awareness of the spirit.

The beauty of the Camino lies in its capacity to reveal the divine in the mundane. The rhythm of walking allows for contemplation and a heightened awareness of one’s surroundings. Nature, your fellow pilgrims, and moments of silence all become channels through which God speaks. This practice of seeing the sacred in everyday experiences fosters a deeper connection with the divine and a more profound sense of gratitude.

The Camino offers a unique blend of community and solitude. Simultaneously, the Camino provides ample time for solitary reflection. These moments of solitude are precious, allowing for introspection, prayer, and a deeper understanding of oneself.

It’s a journey of discernment. The simplicity and routine of the pilgrimage create a space for listening to one’s inner voice and seeking God’s guidance. We set out with questions or uncertainties, and the Camino becomes a time to explore these, seeking clarity and direction. The act of walking itself becomes a prayer, a dialogue with God, and a means of discovering one’s path and a realization of the gift of presence. Each step taken with mindfulness becomes an act of being fully alive in the moment. This presence extends beyond the physical journey, reminding us to live fully and attentively in our everyday lives. The slow pace of walking contrasts sharply with the rush of modern life, inviting us to savor each moment and to be present to ourselves, others, and God.

At the end of the Camino, you do your best to avoid a return to everyday life. The lessons learned, the insights gained, and the spiritual growth experience can, if allowed, continue to shape one’s life long after the pilgrimage ends. Life itself is a journey, a pilgrimage where each step is an opportunity to grow closer to God and to live with greater purpose and love.

So, walking a Camino is a rich and transformative experience that touches the body, mind, and spirit. It offers profound lessons in simplicity, resilience, presence, and community, inviting us to deepen our faith and to embrace the journey of life with renewed vigor and insight. If your are considering a pilgrimage, you might begin by simply walking your neighborhood with a new awareness of your surrounding and sharing your thoughts with God!

Buen Camino!
-Fr. Zack

The Ordinary, Done with Love & Faith | From the Desk of the Pastor | August 2024

August 2, 2024Friar Reflections, From the Desk of the Pastor, Parish NewsRob Boelke

Dear Parishioners,

Pope Francis said “Holiness doesn’t mean doing extraordinary things, but doing ordinary things with love and faith.” This sentiment certainly guides our parish and its ministries. This summer, our Knights of Columbus (Council #12110), Conference of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, and Parish Outreach Committee have all seen transitions in leadership that ensure their continued embodiment of that attitude toward ministry and service within our community. Larry Bevis, formerly the chair of the Outreach Committee, has transferred his title to become Grand Knight of our K.O.C. council. Fran Provenzano, a leading organizer of our Giving from the Heart drives, will now act as chair of the Outreach Committee. SVdP recently held elections for its leadership positions, with longtime parishioner and Vincentian Ralph Stoddard set to become president of our conference. Former SH staff member Angela Erb will serve as vice-president, and Suzanne Collins as secretary and treasurer. Again, it is wonderful to see new people stepping up to help lead our parish in living out the Gospel.

We have also been very fortunate to welcome three new part-time members to our parish staff. Longtime parishioner Judy Staley joined this spring to assist with bookkeeping, an invaluable help to our business manager Larry Cabrera, who has been busy overseeing the building restorations both on the church and at the North Campus. A pair of regular volunteers from the Gift & Book Store, Aprile Black and Esther Holder, have made their way from the store to the the parish office, and will share responsibility over reception and sacramental record keeping. If you need a Mass card they will be there to help you!

This past Friday, August 2, we celebrated an important Franciscan Feast, Our Lady of the Angels of the Portiuncula. The word “Portiuncula” simple refers to a small piece of land that the church was built on. This was the third church in which St. Francis of Assisi rebuilt. It was here that St. Francis said that God sent forth him brothers, and therefore became the birthplace of the Franciscan Order. This is also the place where St. Francis died. He instructed his brothers to bring him here so that he may welcome sister death.

In The Life of St. Francis of Assisi, St. Bonaventure writes:

“The Portiuncula was an old church dedicated to the Virgin Mother of God which was abandoned. Francis had great devotion to the Queen of the world and when he saw that the church was deserted, he began to live there constantly in order to repair it. He heard that the angels often visited it, so that it used to be called St. Mary of the Angels, and he decided to stay there permanently out of reverence for the angels and love for the Mother of Christ. He loved this spot more than any other in the world. It was here that he began his religious life in a very small way; it was here that he came to a happy end. When he was dying, he commended this spot above all others to the friars, because it was most dear to the Blessed Virgin.

This was the place where St Francis founded the Order of Friars Minor by divine inspiration and it was divine providence which led him to repair three churches before he founded the Order and began to preach the Gospel. This meant that he progressed from material things to more spiritual achievements, from lesser to greater, in due order, and it gave a prophetic indication of what he would accomplish later.

As he was living there by the church of our Lady, Francis prayed to her who had conceived the Word, full of grace and truth, begging her insistently and with tears to become his advocate. Then he was granted the true spirit of the Gospel by the intercession of the Mother of Mercy and he brought it to fruition.

He embraced the Mother of our Lord Jesus with indescribable love because, as he said, it was she who made the Lord of majesty our brother, and through her we found mercy. After Christ, he put all his trust in her and took her as his patroness for himself and his friars.”

Peace and All Good,

– Fr. Mike

Following the Leader | Friar Reflections | 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time

July 21, 2024Friar Reflections, Parish NewsRob Boelke

Saints of God, the Lord be with you!

Most of you know how I feel about the image of shepherd (it doesn’t speak to me) that is found in today’s first reading from the Book of the Prophet Jeremiah (23:1-6), the Responsorial Psalm (23), and today’s Gospel according to Mark (6:30-34). As I’ve been reflecting on these readings, I’ve used the word “leader” instead of “shepherd.” If you think about it, whether we are parents or grandparents, big sisters or brothers, teachers or mentors, or even friars, we are all leaders in someway to someone. The questions that these readings invite us to consider are who are our leaders, and what makes a good leader?

As shown above we are all leaders. Recent scholarship has shown that we all learn by following the example of others (mimetic theory). We first learn from our parents and siblings in our family of origin; then teachers and classmates, then friends and those close to us. In today’s world we must also say we learn from “influencers” on social media, from politicians, religious leaders, bosses … you get the picture. As a professor of mine once said, “everything speaks to us” to which I might add, “everyone has some kind of influence on us (or not).” So, the first question you might consider this week is “who at this present time are you MOST led by?” And, to go a step further, “Whom do you lead, and how and to what?”

As to what makes a good leader, I think as Catholic Christians we are called to look to Christ. When I consider Christ, I see that He showed kindness not vengeance, compassion not indifference, mercy not cruelty, and generosity not selfishness, love not animosity. Jesus never tried to force anyone to do anything, rather He subtly called them to remember that they were made in the image and likeness of God and should live as such. He tried to unite and invite others into what He called the Reign of God, or the Kingdom of Heaven. What Jesus began, we who are the church are called to live out for ourselves and continue. May the Lord give us all energy and courage to follow in His footprints.

– Fr. Steve

Our Drive to Address the School Supply Needs of a Neighboring Parish

July 18, 2024Parish NewsRob Boelke

Keep on doing what you have learned and received and heard and seen in me.
Then the God of peace will be with you.” | Philippians 4:9

The average cost of school supplies per student in 2023 totaled $591. The National Education Association estimates that teachers spend between $500 and $750 of their own money annually to stock their classroom with necessities often needed by students, and that number is in addition to the allotments they are provided by their school. Sacred Heart is holding its latest Giving from the Heart drive-through donation event on Saturday, August 10, at the North Campus, from 9 to 11 a.m. to help alleviate some of these burdens for the families, students, and teachers of nearby St. Peter Claver Catholic School.

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!

Volunteers from our Loving Hearts ministry, which regularly collaborates with schools like St. Peter Claver through their “Adopt-a-school” program, will be gathered to receive school supplies ahead of the 2024-25 school year. Members from our Bikes from the Heart ministry will also be on hand with bikes available for purchase that will be donated directly to the school.

Many of you will know that St. Peter Claver School was founded as a mission of the Jesuit Fathers of Sacred Heart in 1893, and is the oldest continuously operating historically black grade school in Florida. The school remains committed to providing a quality education in a safe and nurturing environment, instructing preschoolers through eighth grade.

We want to supply the teachers and students of St. Peter Claver with the materials they need to be successful from day one of this coming school year. As always, your generosity is greatly appreciated.

Blessings from the Journey | Friar Reflections | 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time

July 14, 2024Friar Reflections, Parish NewsRob Boelke

My Good Friends,

I’ve always heard it said from those who have participated in any Camino journey that the experience will change you. Despite being home for more than two weeks now, and while I do believe there has been a shift of some sort, it’s hard to recognize a real change within. Here’s to hoping the change will reveal itself gradually.

The following is a heavily condensed version of the reflection I already shared with my fellow pilgrims at Mass in the Cave of St. Ignatius in Manresa. I shared that for me, during our Camino, I was blessed to be amongst some very holy men. The entire Camino was a mirror of God’s grace where we did not hesitate to open up our lives to each other, both the joys and the heartaches. It was one of tightest bonds among friends I’ve ever experienced. I believe that in our hearts we were all in the presence of something extraordinary. One parishioner on our journey often said that each and every one of us were meant to be there. I am forever grateful having been in this company as we followed the footsteps of St. Ignatius of Loyola.

One of our fellow pilgrims on this Camino journey, John Tempone, has since gone home to God. I’d always recognized John’s holiness. He loved his family. He loved his country. He loved his faith and his church. I felt he loved all of us. Each and every time he received the Eucharist, he would respond with the words of St Thomas, “My Lord and My God.” He took nothing for granted and was in awe of the entire universe around him. It certainly was a blessing for us all to have him amongst us. His enthusiasm and almost childlike love of life, in spite of some terrifying experiences during his career as a highly decorated Marine to which he was exposed, he was, and continues to be, an inspiration for us all.

Members of Sacred Heart Parish alongside Fr. Zack (*center left)*on the Camino of St. Ignatius

His joyfulness was contagious. John’s presence made this world a better place for all whom have had the privilege of knowing him. He courageously took on life allowing desolation and consolation to be his guide, allowing him always to go forward and never in despair. This was indeed my experience of John Tempone, one that will stay with me always, a truly holy man, a devoted husband, an inspiring and wise father, and loving grandfather. A humble mentor to all with a deep sincerity within.

Our Ignatian Camino retreat was meant to be an opportunity for the discovery of the presence of God in our lives. I for one was blessed to not only be walking with men like John, but with all of you. John helped us all to discover that change happens by acknowledgment, participation, and by allowing Him who loves us, to provide us with love and grace as we strive courageously in loving ourselves and each other. Godspeed my friend!

My heartfelt appreciation to you all, especially to those who helped create and organize this experience for us, for it is indeed the journey and not the destination!

-Fr. Zack

Registration for Faith Formation Now Open (2024-25)

July 9, 2024Faith Formation, Parish NewsRob Boelke

Family Faith Formation: Sacred Heart offers a non-traditional approach to assist parents in forming the faith of their children. Family Faith Formation is exactly what it says – families sharing and growing in faith. Registration for Family Faith Formation is now available. Registration is open to all families who have children ages four (4) through high school. Sessions are held twice monthly, September through May, on Wednesday evenings or Sunday mornings, at the North Campus. Registration forms and additional information are available here. For additional information including key dates and the family handbook, click here. Update (9/10/24) | Spaces remain for Wednesday sessions for the 2024/25 Catechetical Year. Sunday sessions are fully registered and unavailable.

Sacrament Registration: If your child will be preparing to receive Reconciliation, Eucharist, or Confirmation this coming year and you were enrolled in Family Faith Formation this past year, families should expect to receive a mailing with registration forms and schedules in the coming days.

If you are new to the parish and have not attended Family Faith Formation at Sacred Heart -OR- your child attends a Catholic School, please contact Maria Giral at 813-229-1595 ext. 214 or Barbara Ferreris 813-229-1595 ext. 204 for registration information and materials. Sacramental preparation takes place in the parish, and is not handled through the Catholic school your child may attend. For more information, click here.

CLOW: Children’s Liturgy of the Word will resume on Sunday, September 8, at the 9 a.m. Mass. Immediately prior to the Liturgy of the Word, children and catechists are dismissed from the church to the St. Clare Room to celebrate a Liturgy of the Word geared towards children. They then rejoin the Mass and their families during the Preparation of the Gifts for the remainder of the liturgy. Registration forms and additional information are available here.

RCIA: The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) is the process by which adults from other faith traditions are received into full communion with the Catholic Church. RCIA is a journey of faith that not-yet baptized adults, as well as baptized adults, complete with the help of a sponsor, the catechists, the discernment team, and above all, on the strength of their own conviction and desire to grow in their faith.

Are you or someone you know interested in the Catholic faith? RCIA sessions will resume in September. Please visit the “Adult Faith Formation” page or call Barbara Ferreris in the parish office at 813-229-1595 ext. 204 for more.

Volunteer In Faith Formation: Our parishioners have faithfully answered their Baptismal call and have responded to our needs for volunteers in our faith formation programs. But, there is still room for a few more! If you are prayerfully considering sharing your time and talent in this ministry, we have many ways you can help.

Sunday morning Family Faith facilitators
Children’s Liturgy of the Word (Sunday 9 a.m. Mass)
Wednesday evening Family Faith facilitators
Sacrament Preparation Catechists

We invite you to become a part of our amazing team — serving God and our Sacred Heart community! To learn how you can help, please contact our Faith Formation department via email or at 813-229-1595, Ext. 204 or 214.

Responding to the Eucharist | From the Desk of the Pastor | July 2024

July 2, 2024Friar Reflections, From the Desk of the Pastor, Parish NewsRob Boelke

Dear Parishioners,

Many of you might have seen on the diocesan website that the National Eucharistic Congress will be held July 17-21, 2024, in Indianapolis. Reflecting on this event, two quotes sprang to mind. The first is from Cardinal Joseph Bernardin’s address at the Eucharistic Congress in Nairobi, Kenya in August of 1985. Entitled “Satisfying the Hungers of the World’s Children: Eucharist: Call to Unity and Peace,” he stated,

“The Eucharist, rightly understood and received, demands that we respond. Having received forgiveness and reconciliation, we are prompted to forgive others, to be reconciled with them. Having experienced the peace and fellowship of the Lord’s Table, we are compelled to work for justice and harmony in the world. Having experienced the unity of the One Table, we are enabled and mobilized to work for peace, harmony, and unity among all God’s children. In fact, in the Beatitudes the title ‘God’s children’ is especially reserved for peacemakers.”

The second quote came from Pope Francis in his book “The Joy of the Gospel” in which he writes, “The Eucharist, although it is the fullness of sacramental life, is not a prize for the perfect but a powerful medicine and nourishment for the weak.”

Cardinal Bernardin reminds us the Eucharist demands that we respond to the Gospel. Pope Francis reminds us that the Eucharist gives us the nourishment we need to respond to the Gospel.

There are many ways we can respond to our faith here at Sacred Heart. Participation in ministries like Hands of Hope, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, or Bikes from the Heart are just a few ways people in our parish live out our faith. There so many opportunities for people to put their faith into action within our parish. The important thing is for us all to live and share our faith to the best of our abilities.

The Friars and I are looking forward to seeing you and your families at our new event coming up on July 12. The Summer Social will be feature a fantastic barbecue dinner provided by Big John’s Alabama BBQ. Believe me, if you like barbecue you will really enjoy the ribs and chicken and great sides from this Tampa staple. There will also be great games like inflatable axe throwing (this is safe!) and inflatable basketball hoops where the high scores will receive fun prizes. Whether or not you think you can dance, be sure to take in one of the several line-dancing classes that will take place several times over the evening. And to cool you down from all the activities, sno-cones will be on offer. Our Knights of Columbus Council #12110 will also be on hand to serve refreshing drinks including adult beverages.

So come and enjoy a nice summer evening and dinner with your fellow parishioners. Tickets to the dinner are $15 for adults and $8 for kids under 12. Information on how to purchase tickets can be found by clicking here.

Peace and All Good,
– Fr. Mike

Growing in His Time | Friar Reflections | 11th SIOT

June 14, 2024Friar Reflections, Parish NewsRob Boelke

Saints of God, the Lord be with you!

My friend Antonio is one of the most patient people I know. Not only does he put up with me, but when we video chat once a week and I see how he interacts with his two-year-old son Augustus, he’s downright saintly. And if this isn’t enough, he is a gardener who starts his garden from seeds growing in pots in early spring.

When I meditate on the first reading from the Book of the Prophet Ezekiel (17: 22-24) “I will take from the crest of the cedar, from its topmost branches tear off a tender shoot…” and then read from the Gospel according to Mark (4: 26-34) the parable of the mustard seed, “the smallest of all the seeds on the earth” I am reminded of God’s patience, and His proclivity to choose small things through which to work.

I suppose God could have chosen a mighty and strong people to be his own, but he chose the Jews. I suppose God could have chosen a rich queen from a large metropolis to become His mother, instead He chose a poor teenage girl, from a town of no importance. I suppose the Word of God could have come into the world fully grown and strong, but He became a small and vulnerable human baby. God has His reasons for choosing the small and weak. Perhaps it’s so His grace will become ever more evident. Who knows?

Most of us, in the eyes of the world are nobodies, destined to be nobodies. But in God’s eyes we are all somebodies. God has begun a good work in us, and God will see that good worked finished. All we need to do is cooperate with Him.

That mustard seed has grown into “the largest of plants and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the sky can dwell in its shade.” A beautiful image of what the Church at large should be (the bush denies no bird a home), and a beautiful image of what Sacred Heart parish is: a place of peace and rest to all in downtown Tampa.

Today, let us continue to grow, in patience toward one another and ourselves and in hospitality to our neighbors. In this way we will continue to cooperate with God and His good work already begun in us will bear fruit.

-Fr. Steve

Believe and Speak | Staff Side Notes | Tenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

June 9, 2024Parish News, Staff Side NotesRob Boelke

*A sneak peak at the new “San Damiano Studio”* *in the parish office.*

Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians is referred to as a more reflective extension his first. Scholars will assert the first letter had some tense moments and stern redirection for the community in Corinth, while the second letter was a bit more positive and wide-ranging. In our reading of the second letter this weekend, Paul hits us with some of that positivity and encouragement in the face of differences and difficulties, to center us all on our faith.

“Since, then, we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, “I believed, therefore I spoke,” we too believe and therefore speak…” (2 Cor 4:13)

Speaking publicly in any fashion can be a difficult or less than desirable activity. That’s partially why communications and public relations staffers exist. We coach clients who are nervous to give speeches at networking events. We ghostwrite presentations and media pieces to ensure the accuracy of the information needing to be delivered. We create talking points for interviews and press conferences to give our colleagues something to fall back on. All that prep, all that work still may not be enough for a polished delivery.

And guess what? That’s O.K.

Prior to this opening line and again throughout our reading, Paul describes the paradox of their ministry. He does so to encourage those who may be afraid of persecution that they are not alone in their mission to spread the Good News. While that persecution is more graphically detailed by Paul as a potential matter of mortality, a life in Christ is heralded as the confidence we should take into an anxious situation. So what if you are tripping over yourself while reading at Mass? So what if you aren’t able to speak as eloquently as you may have rehearsed for that business proposal? If your heart is in it and your belief is there, that will come through, so SPEAK!

That is the intention for our communications here at Sacred Heart as we begin to activate some new tools and channels this year. I am nearly finished with what will be called the “San Damiano Studio,” a space for us to develop content that will feature theology, catechism, and our parish outreach efforts. New ministry features will soon begin, to ensure all parishioners know what groups and communities are available to them within the parish, and how they may participate. In conjunction with the church’s 120th anniversary, we hope to have a revamped website in place. A new committee to advise and assist these efforts volunteers is also in its infancy.

We have such an impactful story to tell from this parish, so we should work confidently together to tell it!

– Rob Boelke
Director of Communications

An Update On Our Work | From the Desk of the Pastor | June 2024

June 2, 2024Friar Reflections, From the Desk of the Pastor, Parish NewsRob Boelke

Dear Parishioners,

It is hard to believe that we are already into the summer months. As we move into this new season, I wish to provide you with an update on our current preservation efforts along the front façade.

Where to begin…? Many of you have asked how long with the scaffolding be up? We originally reported between 12 and 14 weeks, but unfortunately, our contractor, All Trades Historical Restoration, has found additional damage which will now extend that time by about three to four weeks. The timetable now to finish phase one would be the end of August, provided there are no additional repairs needed. The additional work will add about $65,000 to the original estimate of $200,000. A reminder that phase one of this preservation project covers the top two-thirds of the front façade, along with a few other items. Here is a summary of what is being done:

Cross | An engineer is making a plan for a new base for the cross which usually adorns the top of the façade. The cross itself wasn’t damaged but the base had corroded due to the age of the building. The original cross will be repositioned on the new base.

Flashing | When examining the cross, our contractor noticed the roof’s flashing was loose, likely a cause of some of the water damage to the inside of the church. They will be resealing flashing to fix the leaks.

Rose Window | This is where most of the new damage was found. After inspecting the window, our contractor discovered more than 67 fractures of various sizes on the rose window. Each of these will need to be sealed and painted to match. The fractures are simply due to age and the sun beating down on the building.

Sacred Heart of Jesus | I am not sure many of you will have noticed this, but the fingers on the one hand of Jesus are missing. They fell off years ago, though we were able to recover them. Our contractor will be reattaching them to the statue.

Doors | The three remaining sets of doors yet to be restored will be part of this initial phase. It is plain to see the damage due to the sun hitting on them day after day. Our contractor will remove the doors to work on them.

Similarly to the northernmost entryway, the other entryways will be sealed up with plywood during that time. Work will alternate to ensure two entryways will remain available for parishioners and visitors to use. With the handicap doorway along Twiggs Street, a temporary door will be placed to ensure the continued use of the handicap ramp.

Keep in mind that this work does not include what will need to be done to address the water damage on the inside of the church, but it does help stop causes of that damage.

Staff and volunteers are applying for grants from the county and state to provide some additional money for the next phases of work on the outside of the building. The next phase would cost between $200,000 and $300,000 depending on how much we can afford to do at that time.

Regarding the North Campus… staff and committee members have been meeting with the diocese, architects and a kitchen designer to best determine what will need to be done for the kitchen at the North Campus. As we continue assessments, the building’s plumbing is becoming a major issue. The drain pipes in the kitchen have collapsed due to age. All new plumbing will have to be installed, and would include the bathrooms in the auditorium as well. Our team is looking at what we actually would need and will use for the parish regarding the kitchen design. Once we settle on a final design, we will be able to get more of an idea on what the cost would be to renovate the kitchen.

A development committee is being assembled to aid the parish in fundraising, seeking applicable grants, and creating a new parochial legacy program. All money raised through these vehicles will aid the church and the North Campus. Our church turns 120 years old next January. The majority of the North Campus is more than 50 years old. If we ignore any problems we find today, it will cost the parish much more in the future. Luckily, we have many dedicated parishioners who want to help. If you have experience in raising money and would like to help, please reach out.