Category Archives: Parish News

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

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

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.

Peace and All Good,

– Fr. Mike

Upcoming Drive Benefits Tampa Hope, SVdP Following Feast of the Sacred Heart

St. John Paul II said, “The Sacred Heart has given us everything — redemption, salvation, sanctification.” The Sacred Heart is the actual heart of Christ and also indicates His love for humanity. We each have the chance to exemplify that love within our community at our next Giving from the Heart drive-through donation drive, scheduled for Saturday, June 8, from 10 a.m. to noon at the North Campus. Volunteers from our parish’s Knights of Columbus and St. Vincent de Paul councils will be gathered the day after our parish feast day to greet donors as they drop off needed supplies for our beneficiaries which include both St. Vincent de Paul 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!


Opened in 2021, Tampa Hope houses dozens of local homeless in semi-permanent shelters while providing food, clothing, transportation, education, employment and benefits assistance, substance abuse and mental health counseling, basic medical care, and case management services in an effort to help reestablish permanent housing. The shelter recently opened the first of their Hope Cottages, 64-square-foot, climate-controlled micro-homes which offer their clients privacy and security as they continue on their recovery paths. Sacred Heart is an original partner of the facility, which is located in East Tampa.

Items of greatest need include: bed sheets (twin), blankets (twin), men’s and women’s underwear (new, all sizes), bath and hand towels, laundry bags, shower shoes (men’s and women’s), deodorant, single-use paper products (plates, napkins, towels) single-use silverware, cleaning products, travel-size toiletries, bug-spray, sunscreen, storage containers

Following Christ’s call to serve the poor, the suffering, and the deprived, St. Vincent de Paul works to ease an individual or family’s initial emergency, then shepherd them into programs that can bring lasting change. Many will know Sacred Heart’s group of SVdP volunteers as one of the 13 conferences for the non-profit within Hillsborough County. SVdP has operated in Hillsborough County since 1932.

Items of greatest need include: new and used clothing, including men’s jeans, socks, shoes, and underwear, non-perishable and single-serving food items and dinners

As always, your generosity is greatly appreciated.

Embracing the Great Commission | Deacon Reflections | Trinity Sunday

Dear Friends,

Trinity Sunday is a significant feast in the liturgical calendar of the Roman Catholic Church, as well as other Christian denominations. It is celebrated on the Sunday after Pentecost. Trinity Sunday is a special occasion that is dedicated to celebrating the central mystery of the Christian faith—the Holy Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. On this day, believers around the world reflect on the nature of God as revealed in Scripture and affirmed by tradition. One of the key passages often read and meditated upon is in todays Gospel, Matthew 28:16-20, commonly known as the “Great Commission.”

In Matthew’s Gospel, we encounter Jesus giving His final instructions to His disciples before ascending to heaven. Gathered on a mountain in Galilee, the disciples receive the profound commission from their Master: “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” This command creates the essence of the Christian mission and underscores the triune nature of God’s identity and it’s called the Trinitarian formula. This command is present at every Christian baptism, the pouring of water and the words, “I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.”

This formula affirms the Christian belief in the triune God, three distinct persons existing in perfect unity and harmony. It emphasizes the inseparable relationship between the Father, who creates and sustains all things; the Son, who redeems humanity through His sacrificial death and resurrection; and the Holy Spirit, who empowers believers and guides them in their journey of faith.

As we observe Holy Trinity Sunday and reflect on the Great Commission, let us be reminded of the richness of our faith and the privilege of participating in God’s mission. May we be strengthened by the unity of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and may our lives bear witness to the transformative power of the gospel.

In obedience to Christ’s command, let us go forth with confidence, knowing that He is with us always, guiding and sustaining us in His mission of love and reconciliation, just as the Gospel of Matthew concludes with the following words “And know that I am with you always, until the end of the world…”

– Deacon Ray

To learn more about the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity, click here.

Standing In Our Midst | Friar Reflections | Pentecost

Saints of God, the Lord be with you!

On the evening of the first day of the week, when the doors were locked, where the disciples were, for fear…” this is the opening phrase of today’s Gospel according to St. John. In John’s Gospel, the Ascension and Pentecost happen on Easter Sunday. (In Luke these feasts are spread out over time; forty days after Easter for the Ascension, and another ten days for Pentecost.) I’ve always liked the Lukan chronology, since it gives us the gift of time to better ponder the fulness of the Easter mystery: the bodily resurrection of Jesus, his return to the Father in heaven (taking his now glorified body and human nature with him), and his sending the Holy Spirit to abide forever with us, the Church.)

But this year, it’s that first line in the Gospel that captured my heart. “On the evening of the first day of the week, when the doors were locked, where the disciples were, for fear…” The disciples at that point were afraid that they too would be handed over to the Romans by the Jews. I hope none of us in today’s world are afraid of the Jews, since we would then be afraid of Jesus who was, is and always will be Jewish. But all of us have locked places in our hearts. All of us have a fear of someone or something. Today’s Gospel is an invitation for us to name that which causes us fear and then to trust that the risen Christ is already there, standing in our midst and saying to us, “Peace be with you.” Peace, the Shalom of God, which is the promise of right relationship with not only God, not only with our neighbors and creation, but right and healed relationship with ourselves.

The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Christ’s Peace, Healing, and Forgiveness. The Holy Spirit is our Advocate, not only with God, but sometimes we need an advocate on behalf of those wounded parts of us that we long to be healed, restored, forgiven. God is quick to forgive.

Our friends and neighbors, those we have hurt, might forgive in time and up to a point. I find that too often we can’t forgive ourselves. We don’t think we can or ought to open those memories of the hurt we have caused others; we think if we pretend to forget, then those words or actions, those things that “I have done or have failed to do” have no real hold on us. But we are wrong; those are the locked doors behind which is not condemnation, but the Holy Spirit of Christ’s forgiveness.

Today, on this wonderful expression of Easter, the gifting of the Holy Spirit to a wounded and too often wounding Church, let us remember that the Healing Spirit is given to us who not because we have somehow earned the gift, but because in our pain we need the gift. Today, let us celebrate the giving of the Holy Spirit by living not in fear but in faith. “The antidote to fear is Faith, and the fruit of faith is Charity.”

-Fr. Steve

Ministry Donates 500th Bike Ahead of Anniversary

Bikes from the Heart, Sacred Heart Catholic Church’s outreach devoted to refurbishing and redistributing bicycles to those in need has reached a milestone just ahead of the ministry’s first anniversary. Volunteers from the ministry joined members of Tampa’s Downtown Partnership to deliver the 500th refurbished bicycle to Billy Shane Warren, a member of the Downtown Partnership’s Clean Team, on Friday, April 26.

“I’ve had issues with parts in the past, and then the theft of an old bike, so this is truly a blessing,” said Warren, who received the donation in front of the “Downtown” mural at the Partnership’s outpost on Ashley Street, just south of I-275. When receiving the bicycle, Warren recounted stories of a bike he had owned since age 9 that was stolen nearly two years ago, and the trouble he has had since in maintaining others he had attempted to salvage.

“It’s going to make getting to work so much easier, that’s for sure,” Warren continued, speaking with ministry leaders and his TDP colleagues. His current commute from east Ybor is nearly five miles, a daily journey he would often make on foot, in addition to his daily rounds that cover the western and southern portions of the downtown streets.

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, partners like WellBuilt Bikes, as well as law enforcement. Those bikes are then refurbished into working order to be given recipients across Tampa Bay that are struggling with access to reliable transportation.

“We’re excited to be here with our friend, Billy Shane, the friars, and our friends from the Downtown Partnership to celebrate this moment in our ministry,” said Henry. “Over the first nine or so months of this ministry, while getting established, we were able to produce a little over 200 bikes. In the last three months, we’ve done nearly 300, and our hope for next year is produce over 1000.”

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.

– – – – – – –

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.

Why do we celebrate the Ascension on a Sunday?

On May 12, 2024, we celebrate the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord. In the days following His resurrection until the Ascension, Jesus appeared to His apostles in several different ways to affirm for them that He had been raised from the dead and truly lives. They were filled with the theological virtue of faith, indicating that with God all things are possible. Soon He would leave them again, this time to sit at His Father’s Right Hand.

Did you know? |  We see His Ascension depicted in the triptych of windows along the south side of the church, adjacent to the choir area, with His disciples losing sight of Him among the clouds as He was lifted. These windows were donated to the parish in 1904 by the Knights of Columbus and dedicated “to the greater honor and glory of God.”

I always thought it was “Ascension Thursday.” What Changed? | The Solemnity of the Ascension is a Holy Day of Obligation, occurring on the Thursday that coincides with the 40-day mark following Easter, and is celebrated as such in many regions of the country, while other regions transfer the celebration to the following Sunday. Transferring the Ascension to Sunday is actually not that new, and part of a larger trend to transfer holy days of obligation and other solemnities to the following Sunday. Doing so allows greater exposure and more solemn celebration of the holy day among the faithful.

For the Ascension in the United States, this trend started on the West Coast in the late 1990s, and eventually spread. Other parts of the world have also transferred this solemnity to Sunday including Australia, Canada, and some countries in Europe. With the approval of the Holy See, the episcopal conference (the body of bishops in a country) can transfer solemnities and change some of the holy days of obligation (Canon 1246). In the U.S., each ecclesiastical province, or the metropolitan archdiocese and its suffragan dioceses, was permitted to decide whether to transfer the Ascension or not. (Portions of this article are attributed to the Paul Christopher Lim’s “From the Back of the Church”)

A Busy and Holy Time | From the Desk of the Pastor | May, 2024

Sisters and brothers,

So far we have had a very busy Easter Season. We held our latest Giving from the Heart drive, which collected more than $7,000 worth of items for Foundations of Life pregnancy center, as well as needed items for Hands of Hope. We welcomed Abbot Isaac Camacho, O.S.B., from St Leo’s, who confirmed 30 of our parish youth. Our annual parish gala was a success, with the event raising more than $78,000 for the renovation of the kitchen at the North Campus. Let’s not forget we celebrated Fr Zack’s birthday as well!

That high level of activity continues this weekend across many of our Masses, with 28 of our parish’s children receiving their First Communion. Over this past year, it has been a pleasure working with the children and their families as they prepared for their sacraments. We should be proud of all of our children. All of this activity certainly shows the parish is thriving and growing.

Conversely, this last month has also seen a decision made by our  Sacred Heart Catholic Conference of Women for their group to disband. Their membership, comprised of several selfless and active parishioners, has seen a decline in recent years that has been mirrored on the state and national level. I will be meeting with their current council to develop a Mass/prayer service and social to celebrate the past and current women of the SHCCW, and recognize their years of service to Sacred Heart. The mission of the Sacred Heart Council of Catholic Women has been to assist the pastor and the parish community in charitable, educational, social and spiritual undertakings. Throughout the 55 years of their ministry, the SHCCW certainly have been a key part of our parish life. The majority of their works have gone undetected as these women volunteered and worked for the betterment of the parish and not their own glory, always helping when and where there were needs, for events large and small. They have served in many additional roles in our parish, including leadership.

Our thanks and gratitude go out to all of the past and current members of the SHCCW. In Mark and Matthew’s Gospels, we hear, “For the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve.” For me, the SHCCW did not exist to be served, but to serve our parish. Truly, these women are a wonderful example of how we can live out our faith. Over the next month I would ask that each of us say this prayer for the transition of their group:

Loving God, you are the Alpha and Omega,
the beginning and the end.

Our endings and our beginnings are rooted in your love.
Whether near or far, we are held close by your love, and kept safe from any lasting loss.

We praise you for the gift of the Catholic Conference of Women, who have served Sacred Heart Church for 55 years, as they served to assist the Pastor and the Parish community in charitable, educational, social and spiritual undertakings.

As the ministerial service of the Catholic Conference of Women concludes, let these endings and new beginnings be filled with your blessing.

Touch all the faithful and the CCW members with your grace and your peace. Help us to live with courage and gladness as we prepare for the future you present us.

We ask all this through your Son, Jesus Christ,
our life and our hope,
who lives and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, forever and ever.

Amen.

Peace and All Good,
Fr. Mike

Bearing Fruit in Abiding Faith | Deacon Reflections | Fifth Sunday of Easter

Dear Friends,

In the heart of the Gospel of John lies a profound parable that speaks volumes about the basis of our Christian journey. John 15:1-8 beautifully portrays Jesus as the true vine and His followers as the branches, illustrating the intimate connection and dependency we have on Him for spiritual strength and fruitfulness.

As Jesus begins his talk, He declares, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower.” In these simple yet profound words, He establishes Himself as the source of our spiritual life, the very essence from which our faith and growth spring forth. Here, Jesus unveils a fundamental truth: apart from Him, we can do nothing. The symbolism of the vine and branches evokes powerful imagery deeply rooted in the agricultural practices of Jesus’ time. In ancient Israel, the vineyard was a familiar sight, and the vine dresser’s care for the vine and its branches was essential for a fruitful harvest. Likewise, Jesus portrays God the Father as the vine dresser, meticulously tending to His vineyard—the Church—and ensuring its health and productivity.

Yet, the key message lies in the relationship between the vine and the branches. Jesus points out the vital importance of abiding in Him: He says, “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.”  Abiding in Christ involves a continual relationship of dependence and trust. It’s about remaining connected to Him through prayer, Scripture, and obedience. Abiding in Christ calls for a deepening of our relationship with Him through prayer, Scripture, the Sacraments, and acts of love and service toward one another. It requires humility to acknowledge our dependency on Him and a willingness to submit to His guidance and direction in our lives. Just as branches draw their sustenance from the vine, so too do we draw our spiritual nourishment from Christ, allowing His grace to flow through us and bear fruit in abundance.

What, then, is the fruit that Jesus speaks of? The fruits of the Spirit detailed in Galatians 5:22-23—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control—are the natural outgrowths of a life deeply rooted in Christ; they are the results, the fruits, of the Gifts. When we abide in Him, His life becomes manifested in ours, transforming us from within and enabling us to reflect His love and presence to the world.  An example is when we go out to help those in need. Hopefully, we are using our nourishment from Christ to help in any way we can, by being kind, loving, patient, and gentle, sharing peace and joy and being faithful to Christ’s guidance and direction in our lives.

However, Jesus also issues a warning: “Whoever does not abide in me is thrown away like a branch and withers; such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.” This solemn reminder underscores the grave consequence of neglecting our relationship with Christ. When we disconnect ourselves from the source of life, we become spiritually barren, unable to bear fruit and susceptible to spiritual decay.

In a world marked by distractions, busyness, and the allure of self-sufficiency, the message of John 15:1-8 rings as relevant and compelling as ever. It calls us to reexamine our priorities and to prioritize our relationship with Christ above all else. It challenges us to cultivate a vibrant, abiding faith—one that is deeply rooted in Him and bears fruit that endures.

As we continue our journey through the Easter season, may we heed the words of Jesus and abide in Him, drawing strength and sustenance from the true vine. May our lives be personified by an ever-deepening intimacy with Christ, resulting in lives that bear fruit in abundance, to the glory of God the Father.

Peace of Christ,
Deacon Ray Ferreris

Nudging to Nourishment | Friar Reflections | Fourth Sunday of Easter

Dear Parishioners,

Saints of God, the Lord be with you!

As I’ve said before, Good Shepherd Sunday (John 10:11-18) is not easy for me to preach on. I’ve had no experience with sheep, nor have I ever met a shepherd of sheep. But in the “Sourcebook for Sundays, Seasons, and Weekdays” the author of the reflection on this text reminds us that, “a good shepherd knows that it is best to lead from the back, gently nudging the flock toward nourishment and keeping out of harm’s way” (p. 182).

This reminded me of my time teaching English in Santurce, Spain during summer vacation. (I did this for three summers before I reentered the friars, and though the days were long, the pay was wonderful.) I knew no Spanish and was told that’s why I got the job. I did have a wonderful Spanish aid, Susanna, who assisted in class, and at the local tapas bar the English teachers and aides frequented every night. Every Wednesday, we’d take my class of 20 children on an outing by bus to the sea, or another town. She was the leader, and I with a big, tall walking stick in hand, followed behind, making sure no one wandered away. It was very stressful, but the kids seemed to enjoy this time away from a full day of classroom instruction. I never lost anyone. I don’t know if they were afraid of me or afraid of the stick.

This idea of “nudging” people to nourishment, to faith, fidelity, and forgiveness, is to my mind exactly how Jesus ministered to people and lived His life. While in homilies I’ve never used the word “nudged”, I have used the word “invited”. The Greek word for “good” can also be translated as “beautiful” or “exemplary”.  Jesus was a beautiful and exemplary shepherd in that He never beat His followers over the head, never scolded nor scared them, but by word and deed showed them how much they were loved. He was a good shepherd since, in the end, He even laid down His life for them. Who Jesus was then He is even more so now. He invites and nudges us. He doesn’t beat nor scold us. He laid down his life for us and rose from the dead for us.

All of us should be shepherds for one another. Parents, you are the shepherds of your children. Grandparents, you too are shepherds for adult children, guiding them by example; caring, praying with and for your grandchildren. My prayer for us all who are the Church is that we lead one another to nourishment by gently guiding one another. My prayer for all of us is that we also have the humility to be guided especially when we find ourselves in difficult situations. My prayer for all of us is that we let ourselves by nudged by Jesus, the Good Shepherd, so that we who are God’s children now may come to realize who we shall be when all has been revealed (1 John 3:1-2).

– Fr. Steve Kluge, OFM