Parking Update Regarding the Use of Madison Garage
Beginning Jan. 30, access to the Madison Building Garage (located next door to the church) on Saturday evenings and Sunday mornings for regular weekend parish Masseswill now require payment. Previously, parishioners attending Mass were allowed to park in the garage without charge for the duration of the Mass they attended.
Those who wish to continue parking in the Madison Building Garage while attending Mass will be able to do so at the discounted daily rate of $3.00 for the first hour, and $2.00 for any subsequent hours. Parishioners should take a ticket upon entry to the garage, then bring their ticket with them to Mass. At the end of the liturgy, our ushers will validate your ticket with a sticker, denoting the discounted rate when presented to the parking attendant at the garage exit. Failure to collect a ticket or validation will require those parking in the garage to pay the posted weekend rate of $20.00 per day.
On-street parking without charge remains available to parishioners within the City of Tampa’s “church zone” metered spaces for Sunday Masses. The zone is typically “north of E. Kennedy Blvd. and south of E. Cass St., east of N. Franklin St. and west of N. Morgan St.” Street spaces are enforced from the hours of 8 a.m. to midnight, Monday-Saturday and Sunday 2 p.m. to midnight. These spaces are enforced on nights, weekends, and holidays. This zone only applies during the special hours on Sunday and not during the week or other special liturgical celebrations such as Ash Wednesday or Holy Thursday.
We are grateful to the Madison Building’s property management for the years of generosity to our parishioners.
**Sacred Heart is not responsible for any charges related to parking for Mass attendance or related events.**
On Saturday, Jan.15, Sacred Heart Church celebrates the 117th anniversary of its dedication. On the same date in 1905, Papal Legate (representative/missionary of the Pope) Archbishop Diomede Falconio, along with a consortium of traveling bishops and priests attended the 10 a.m. dedication. This would be among the first services held in the newly completed church, a ticketed event led by the Bishop of St. Augustine, Rev. William J. Kenny.
As written for the Tampa Morning Tribune’s Sunday edition on Jan 15., 1905, “the completion of this magnificent structure marks an important epoch in the history of Tampa, and its dedication today will be an event to always be remembered by the Catholics throughout America.” If the event that day was not remembered by all Catholics throughout the country, surely then by our many longstanding parishioners with ancestors that settled in our relatively young city.
Sacred Heart still serves as one of the oldest churches in Florida, and also as one of the oldest structures in our rapidly changing and expanding downtown core. We see five-star hotels and world-class office buildings raised in a matter of months as our city continues to grow, but like all good things, Sacred Heart’s construction took a longer period of time. Seven years in fact, from the date the foundation was poured in 1898 to the eventual completion in 1905. The reported cost was between $200,000 and $300,000. Adjusted for inflation, that is between $6.3 and $9.4 million today.
Discover more about the history of Sacred Heart by clicking here.
As announced at all Masses on Dec. 12, 2021, our Pastor, Fr. Stephen Mimnaugh, OFM, has been assigned by the Franciscan Friars of Holy Name Province to a new post at St. Bonaventure University in Allegany, New York.
In lieu of any large gatherings ahead of his departure, Fr. Stephen will meet with parishioners outside the church following all Masses on Sunday, Jan. 16. Fr. Stephen will also preside over three Masses on Sunday, at 9 a.m., 10:30 a.m., and 5:30 p.m. We hope you take a moment to wish Fr. Stephen well as you leave Mass.
The friars, Deacon Ray, and parish staff of Sacred Heart wish Fr. Stephen well on this new assignment.
Fr. Stephen’s final letter to Sacred Heart parishioners:
(Printed for 1/16/21 Parish Bulletin)
Dear Sacred Heart parishioners,
Nothing makes a change in liturgical season more present for me than putting on vestments of a color that I have not worn recently. Violet announces Advent and Lent. White arrives at the end of each preparatory season with the excitement and activity of Christmas or Easter. When the calendar calls for a return to green, I feel a sense of comfort pulling a green chasuble over my head after those vestments hung untouched. Ordinary Time announces that things will return to normal. I chose “normal” intentionally recognizing how our shared understanding of its meaning has evolved over the past two years. Was “new normal” ever a turn of phrase so commonly used as it is now?
I write this — my final bulletin note — while the church is still decorated for Christmas, anticipating that when I put on green vestments for the Second Sunday of Ordinary Time it will be to bid you farewell. As I mentioned earlier, this change is occurring sooner than we had anticipated, and so I am feeling mixed emotions. I am saddened to know there are things I will not get to see firsthand. However, I am eager and excited to see my brothers, led by Fr. Mike as Pastor, continuing in their ministry here. I am also grateful for the many wonderful things I have witnessed in the 16 months that I have been privileged to serve at Sacred Heart. Your accomplishments as a community of faith have been truly uplifting.
When the new friars arrived in September 2020, things were very different than they are now. Half the pews were roped off; Mass attendance was a fraction of what it is now; live streaming required a camera and monitor in front of the sanctuary making Mass look like a TV set. All of us felt less connected than we do now. Even the anxiety of life before vaccines seems like a distant memory despite less than a year having elapsed. The world is seeing another wave of illness but one that is less anxiety producing than earlier waves. We have learned how to be members of the Living Body of Christ serving others while protecting the wellbeing of all.
Together we have created new ways of service through Giving from the Heart and discovered that in giving we truly do receive. Sacred Heart has been honored for its commitment to serving the community. After many years of effort, Catholic Charities opened Tampa Hope to serve the homeless and Sacred Heart will be a part of its future success. There are great things happening in Tampa and at Sacred Heart. Although I may observe these great things from 1,200 miles away, I am confident that great things will happen.
You have likely noticed that each friar has his own style of presiding and preaching. Some of you may have noticed that I have a fondness for one of the lesser-used options for dismissal at Mass. The Roman Missal give four options:
Go forth, the Mass is ended.
Go in peace, glorifying the Lord by your life.
Go in peace.
Go and announce the Gospel of the Lord.
I typically use the fourth option. The Rule of the Franciscans begins with these words, “The rule and life of the lesser brothers is this: To observe the holy gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ…” The Gospel is not uniquely the Franciscan rule. It is the rule for all Christians. In John 13:34, Jesus gave us a simple commandment, love one another. Sacred Heart — so aptly and providentially named — truly follows this commandment. Thank you for teaching me how to do so better.
Peace and all good,
Fr. Stephen
Our own Fr. Mike Jones, OFM will assume the role of pastor on January 17, 2022, as described in a letter from Fr. Kevin Mullen, OFM, the Provincial Minister for Holy Name Province, regarding Fr. Stephen’s upcoming transfer. You can read both Fr. Kevin’s letter, and the announcement from Fr. Stephen by clicking the tabs below:
Letter from Fr. Kevin Mullen, OFM, Provincial Minister for Holy Name Province
Letter from Fr. Stephen Mimnaugh, OFM, Pastor of Sacred Heart Catholic Church
A heartfelt and humble thank you goes out to all of our dedicated partners, vendors, volunteers, donors, and staff who made Sacred Heart’s 2022 Homeless Outreach Event at the North Campus such a huge success.
Held Jan. 11, this was just the second event of its kind hosted by Sacred Heart, and the first since 2019. Originally scheduled for Sept. 2021, the event was postponed due to COVID concerns, similarly to why the event was unable to be held in 2020. Despite those challenges, organizers remained in contact and mobilized in droves last week to help address the needs of the most vulnerable members of our community.
Eighteen attendees were placed into housing directly from the event, with three others qualifying for conviction expungements, and dozens more linked to mental health, substance abuse, health and veteran services.
From shower trucks and haircuts, to health screenings and legal assistance, more than 100 attendees were assisted by the more than 25 service providers on hand, which included:
ACTS
Seace Law
Heights Dental
Tampa Police Department
Hillsborough Area Regional Transit (HART)
Hillsborough Co. Sheriff’s Office
SVDP CARES
Hillsborough Co. Government
Early Learning Coalition
2 The Next Chapter
Florida Blue
Cove Behavioral Health
AA
Tampa Crossroads
Hillsborough Co. Veteran Services
Brandon Elks Lodge 2383
Bikes 4 Christ
Hunter Law Group
Created Women
Tampa Hope
Catholic Charities
Nzema Community Development
Metropolitan Ministries
Community Pet Project
Family Health Care Foundation
Unbroken Dreams
Guided Path Foundation
Special thanks to organizers Felix Vega, Michael Fabianski, Don Murray, and all of our parishioners who volunteered!
View a gallery of photos from the 2022 Homeless Outreach Event Below:
In 2021, resilience, philanthropy, and determination were well and truly on display within the Sacred Heart parish community. As we continue to struggle with the unknowns that clouded much of these last two years, paths were forged by the parishioners, friars, ministries and staff of Sacred Heart throughout 2021, evidenced by dozens of successful outreach & donation campaigns and fellowship events.
2021 saw the continuation of our “Giving From the Heart” donation drives, with six separate events taking place throughout the year, and goods being collected for charities like Love INC, St. Vincent de Paul, the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay, and many more.
Assisting our partners at Catholic Charities, the Diocese of St. Petersburg and the City of Tampa, we saw Tampa Hope, a new homeless rehabilitation facility, open its doors.
Catholic Charities recognized the parish with its annual Angel Award, in part from efforts like those just described.
We relaunched our choir, docent tours, and fellowship activities, providing a more familiar environment for our parishioners and visitors.
Service awards were presented by the Diocese of St. Petersburg to parishioner Kathy Palmer (St. Jude Medal) and faith formation staffer Maria Giral (20th anniversary with DOSP) for their continued service to Sacred Heart and the broader Catholic Community of Tampa Bay.
A new historical marker was placed in downtown Tampa by Hillsborough County and the City of Tampa recognizing one of Sacred Heart’s founding families and their role in the establishment of our parish.
We are blessed to have a parish filled with kindness, compassion, and generosity, as well as dedicated volunteers who exemplify those traits in their time, effort and dedication to the church and our community. We look forward to many more blessings in 2022.
Take a look through the blessings from 2021 in the gallery below. (Photos will load slowly)
The flowers displayed in our sanctuary for the Christmas Season have been given in remembrance or honor of loved ones whose names are listed on the following pages.
Click here for a complete list of names and tributes.
In an announcement made at all Masses on the weekend of 12/19/2021, pastor Fr. Stephen Mimnaugh, OFM notified the parishioners of Sacred Heart of his transfer to the friar fraternity at St. Bonaventure University in Olean, New York, effective in January, 2022.
Fr. Stephen’s new assignment will see him working alongside those at the 163-year-old Catholic university, learning the connections between higher education and social service agencies, and setting him on a path toward further service in post-secondary education administration for the Franciscan Friars of Holy Name Province.
Our own Fr. Mike Jones, OFM will assume the role of pastor on January 17, 2022, as described in a letter from Fr. Kevin Mullen, OFM, the Provincial Minister for Holy Name Province, regarding Fr. Stephen’s upcoming transfer.
Coming to Sacred Heart in 2020, Fr. Stephen worked diligently to help guide the parish through the trials of the COVID-19 pandemic over the last year and a half. In a companion letter, Fr. Stephen stated his admiration for the “exemplary Christian discipleship” displayed by the parishioners of Sacred Heart, as well as his excitement for a new beginning.
The friars, deacon, and staff of Sacred Heart wish Fr. Stephen well on this new assignment.
Read the letters from both Fr. Kevin Mullen & Fr. Stephen below:
Letter from Fr. Kevin Mullen, OFM, Provincial Minister for Holy Name Province
Letter from Fr. Stephen Mimnaugh, OFM, Pastor of Sacred Heart Catholic Church
Make Your Plans to Celebrate Christmas With Us We have been working hard to provide you and your family with as many options as possible to celebrate the birth of our Savior while keeping everyone safe and healthy. Take a look at the many opportunities we have and learn more about each below:
Join us in person at the church
Watch three of our Masses online in the comfort and safety of your home
Will attending Mass require a reservation this Christmas?
Masses at Sacred Heart this Christmas (2021) will not require a reservation.
Planning to Watch Online? We know many of you remain hesitant to attend Mass in person for the safety of yourself and others. We will be live streaming on our Vimeo channel for the Christmas Eve 4 p.m., 11 p.m., and Christmas Day 9:00 a.m. Masses should you plan to view in the safety of your own home.
If you can’t join at these specific times, the livestream videos should be available to view 15-30 minutes after each Mass has ended. Watch here.
Safety Guidelines While we all closely monitor the changes in our area regarding COVID-19, Sacred Heart will have the following items/protocols in place for the 2021 Christmas Season:
Sanitizing stations will be available at every entrance/exit of the church.
Protective masks are recommended while inside the church building, North Campus, or any area where crowds have the potential to gather, except when receiving Communion.
Masks will be available for those who would like them in the back of the church.
Receiving Communion via hand.
Bishop Parkes has removed the General Dispensation from attending Mass beginning May 22-23, 2021.
To read his letter, click here.
Christmas Eve and Day Parking 2021 Update:
717 Parking has graciously donated the use of their two lots adjacent to our church for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day 2021:
Additionally, parking in the adjacent Madison Building Garage will remain free during all Mass times on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, similar to the usual Sunday Mass agreement. Be advised that attendants will charge any vehicle remaining in the garage after 1:30 p.m. on Christmas Day.
We would like to thank our friends at 717 Parking and the Madison Building for their gift of convenience and accessibility for our parishioners and visitors this Christmas.
Normal use of the 717 lots will resume on Sunday Dec. 26, requiring payment of the posted parking fee.
#GivingTuesday is a global day of giving centered on the power of radical generosity and how it can transform communities around the world. Celebrated on Nov. 30, 2021, and created in 2012, #GivingTuesday is a simple idea that encourages people to do good amid the holiday shopping frenzy that follows Thanksgiving. It has turned into a movement that has seen hundreds of millions donate financially or with their time and talents over the last nine years.
Sacred Heart has a number of ministries that already benefit from the time, talent, and generosity of its parishioners. From our Giving from the Heart donation drives to our Hands of Hope meal service, both are shining examples of your generosity in action. This #GivingTuesday, we encourage those who are able to consider giving toward the parish’s current 2021 Annual Pastoral Appeal shortfall or to participate in our upcoming Giving from the Heart December Donation Drive.
Sacred Heart PayPal QR Code
How to give toward Sacred Heart’s 2021 APA Assessment:
– APA Envelopes: You can pick one up in the back of the church and drop into the collection basket at Mass.
– Online Giving: Simply select the option of “Ongoing Diocesan Support (APA)” and enter your contribution amount.
– PayPal: Click on or scan this QR code with your device.
Thank you to our faithful parishioners who have already participated in the Annual Pastoral Appeal this year. As of Nov. 19, 175 of our nearly 1500 registered families have been able to pledge or donate toward the campaign meant to help thousands in need across our diocese. Your gift is an enormous help to our parish in strengthening our own ministries, allowing us to be advocates for those who have no voice and servants of hope for those in need physically and spiritually.
In our continued effort to meet the growing needs of the Tampa/Hillsborough County community, Sacred Heart is holding its latest Giving from the Heart drive-through donation drop-off on Saturday, Dec. 11,at the North Campus from 10 a.m.-noon. The December event is a collaborative effort of three ministries who have identified three beneficiaries with specific needs ahead of the Christmas season.
For a full list of the items requested by each ministry, or to learn how you can volunteer, click here.
As always, we are astonished by and grateful for the generosity of our parishioners and their willingness to step up for their parish community and beyond.
In our continued effort to meet the growing needs of the Tampa/Hillsborough County community, Sacred Heart is holding its latest Giving from the Heart drive-through donation drop-off on Saturday, Dec. 11,at the North Campus (3515 N Florida Ave.) from 10 a.m.-noon. The December event is a collaborative effort of three ministries who have identified three beneficiaries with specific needs ahead of the Christmas season.
