The Franciscan Way – Our 2026 Gala

The celebration will directly benefit Sacred Heart Church’s four vital outreach ministries: St. Vincent de Paul, Bikes from the Heart, Loving Hearts, and Hands of Hope, each dedicated to serving those in need with dignity and love. Throughout the evening, guests will enjoy engaging activities, with proceeds supporting these ministries and their impactful work.

A thoughtfully curated auction will highlight sustainable, locally sourced, and artisan goods, reflecting the Franciscan commitment to environmental stewardship and ethical living.

While the gala is certainly a time for our parishioners to gather in celebration, we know that this year’s event will have a lasting impact long after the band has struck it’s last chord, or the gavel falls to close our auctions. The friars and staff of Sacred Heart hope you have the opportunity to join us this fall, as we continue this important work.

Check back soon for details on auction items, the trip chance drawing, the ever-popular wine pull, and the full schedule of events.

The parish Event Planning Committee is already meeting for this year’s gala and would be happy to add you as a volunteer in advance of the event, assisting with sponsorships, acquiring auction items, or preparing elements of the event.

Sponsorships are currently available, with options available to fit any business’s budget. Be sure to visit or share our sponsorship page with the decision makers at your business.

Sponsor an element at the gala! | Our goal is to operate the event as close to net-zero as possible, to ensure all revenue from ticket sales, sponsorships, auctions, and donations directly aid the needed preservation of our church dome. Consider sponsoring an event element for to feature your business.

• • Trip Chance Drawing | $5,000
  • Ministry Feature Video Sponsor | $5,000
  • Décor Sponsor | $1,200
  • Print Sponsor | $1,200
  • Gifts & Favors Sponsor | $1,000

More than 235 parishioners and friends of Sacred Heart gathered to both celebrate this Franciscan Jubilee year and support our parish’s outreach ministries at our annual gala on Saturday, September 19, at Feeding Tampa Bay’s Causeway Hall. Entitled “The Franciscan Way,“ this year’s event was themed to coincide with the Jubilee Year signifying the 800th Anniversary of the Transitus of St. Francis of Assisi. Much of the evening was thoughtfully curated by volunteers, staff, and the friars to highlight the Franciscan commitment to environmental stewardship and ethical living, as well as caring for the poor and promoting peace.

Fun was front and center for the night, with jazz musicians from Jesuit High School kicking things off and entertaining guests as they entered for the cocktail hour and participated in our silent auctions or wine pull.

Dinner, which was provided by the staff of Feeding Tampa Bay, gave attendees an opportunity to learn more about the ministries they were supporting from Outreach Committee chairperson Fran Provenzano and parish Event and Outreach Manager Vicky McCarthy. Guests enjoyed a 6-minute mini-documentary showcasing the work done by Hands of Hope, Loving Hearts, Bikes from the Heart, and our parish conference of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, as told by their volunteers. “I want someone to take away (from the gala) that everything we do is because of parishioners,” said SVdP volunteer Angela Erb. “All of our funding is directly from collections at Mass and functions like this, and it is the only way we can do what we do in the community.”

• The event was hosted at the Feeding Tampa Bay Causeway Center, in their Causeway Hall ballroom. Our rental payment for the evening will be directed in part toward their mission of trailblazing, people-focused solutions that, when everyday struggles, crises, and disasters test our region, allows this non-profit to come together to solve problems not only to provide food but to break the cycle of hunger.
• Parishioners were encouraged to bring non-perishable food items to donate to FTB during the gala, with attendees donating more than 550 pounds of food, enough for an estimated 461 meals to be provided to neighbors in need.

• • Coffee Vendor Hofi & Hann, which served coffee, lattes, and espressos throughout the evening, composted more than 6 puonds of grounds and waste from the event, in their efforts to promote local regenerative agriculture.

• The event netted more than $65,000 for our outreach ministries, Hands of Hope, Loving Hearts, Bikes from the Heart, and our parish conference of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul.
• • This total includes more than $10,000 raised from our five live auction lots featuring experiences with the friars, including a dinner in the friary, and an indoor sky-diving experience with Fr. Steve!

• • More than a dozen parish ministries supplied their own lots for the pick-a-prize drawing, with winners receiving gift baskets themed to the participating ministries!