DIOCESAN OFFICES

Do You Have Courageous Faith?
Living our faith is counter-cultural and we need inspiration from others who are on the same journey. That’s what Courageous Faith, the e-newsletter from the Diocese of St. Petersburg, seeks to provide. If you are a ministry leader who is searching for ways to evangelize the culture or if you are someone trying to understand where you fit in to the Catholic faith or any faith, Courageous Faith is for you. See what people can accomplish when they have Courageous Faith!

Visit dosp.org/CourageousFaith to subscribe.

Safe Environments: Not Our Compliance, but Our Calling
When you think about Safe Environment efforts in our Church you probably think about compliance with policies and procedures designed to keep children safe from harm and compliance with the USCCB Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People. From the perspective of our faith environment, the focus is not on compliance, but on our calling. As Catholics we are called to respect the life and dignity of every human person from conception to natural death. The Charter guides us in action to our calling. Our calling furthers the Gospel message of Christ.  Source: Diocese of Grand Island, Nebraska.

For more information on how you can help create and promote a safe environment in your community, please contact Michael Craig, in our diocesan Safe Environment Program Office: (727) 344-1611, ext. 5377.

Catholic Lawyers Guild’s Annual Red Mass
Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 509 N Florida Ave, Tampa, FL 33602
November 20, 2019, at 12:10 p.m.

The Mass will be celebrated by the Most Reverend Gregory L. Parkes, Bishop of the Diocese of St. Petersburg. Deacons Edward LaRose, Judge of the Second District Court of Appeal, and John Schaefer, Sixth Judicial Circuit Judge (Retired) will assist.  Attorneys will have an opportunity to renew their Oath of Office at the Mass.
Flyer at this link.

Annual White Mass to be Celebrated on October 26, 2019
The Catholic Medical Association (CMA) “Tampa Bay Guild of St. Philomena” invites all physicians, medical students and other healthcare professionals to the Annual White Mass and Dinner on Saturday, October 26, 2019 at Christ the King Parish in Tampa.

The Vigil Mass will be celebrated by Bishop Parkes at 4:00 p.m. in the Chapel. Dinner will follow with speaker Dr. Robert Motley, a Family Medicine physician and Clinical Professor in PA  who is active in the CMA. His topic is “Witness In An Age of Conflict”.

Dinner is $58.00 per person. All healthcare provider participants must register to attend by October 16 here.

Questions? Contact Rob at tampawhitemass19@gmail.com or 727-785-3445.
Download the Event Flyer.

PARISHES AND ORGANIZATIONS

Sacred Heart Council of Catholic Women Annual Retreat
Join us for a day of prayer and reflection. Saturday, November 16, 2019, 8:30 to 3 pm. At Sacred Heart North Campus, 3515 North Florida Ave., Tampa, FL 33603.

Includes: Light Breakfast • Presentation by Sean FitzSimmons Brown, The Church and Music • Lunch • Rosary • Time for Reflection • Confession • Mass

DEADLINE for Registration: November 8, 2019. The cost is $26.00

Register online at https://sacred_heart_annual_womens_retreat.eventbrite.com or more information contact us at (813) 586-1595.

Night of Praise and Adoration
All are invited to St. Patrick Catholic Church, 4520 S. Manhattan Ave., Tampa, for a Night of Praise and Adoration on November 9, 2019.  It is presented by the Freedom to Worship Ministry.  At a night of praise and adoration you can expect live praise and worship, a faith-building teaching or witness, Eucharist Adoration, and prayer ministry. Follow this ministry on Instagram @freedomtoworship, Facebook at Night of Praise and Adoration, or online at www.freedom2worship.net.

For more information please contact Monica at (813) 368-3866. 
Flyer at this link.

From the Cause for the Canonization of the Florida Martyrs
As was recently featured in a story in the Tampa Bay Times, the Cause for the Canonization of the Florida Martyrs, including the Servant of God, Father Luis Cancer, is moving forward.  If you would like to learn more about these heroic men and women of faith as well as promote devotion to them, please consider the following resources for your parish, school, or organization:

• Official Florida Martyrs Website:  martyrsoflafloridamissions.org (includes lots of information as well as resources such as the EWTN DVD They Might be Saints: The Martyrs of La Florida [$15])
• The soon to be published graphic novel:  The Martyrs of La Florida: A Heroic Story of Faith by Editions du Signe (representatives have reached out for ordering copies [projected shipment should be by years end])
• Schedule Fr. Len Plazewski, Vice-Postulator for the Cause of the Florida Martyrs, to come speak about the martyrs.  Contact Christ the King, Tampa 813-876-5841 to set up.

St. Raphael Parish Festival
St. Raphael Parish, 1376 Snell Isle Blvd NE, St. Petersburg, invites you to our Parish Festival from November 8 ~ 10, 2019.  Come by for great food, awesome rides, live music, Bingo, games, and so much more at our beautiful waterfront fairground!  Admission is free.  Hours are 12 Noon – 11 pm, Friday and Saturday, and 12 Noon – 7 pm on Sunday.  Tickets for rides, food, beverages and games are available at the event or in advance.  All proceeds benefit St. Raphael Catholic School. 
For information, sponsorship opportunities and pre-sale tickets, visit the website at www.srcfallfest.com.

Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School, Choir and Violin Students Performance
Anything can happen when children set out to animate the Diocesan goal of “Courageously Living the Gospel”.
The choir and violin students of Our Lady of Lourdes school will be performing at  Disney Springs, Market Place stage near the Wait Disney World store, on Thursday, October 24th at 1:30 pm.

The group will be performing their core repertoire which includes songs such as Amazing Grace, Hold Onto Love and Bluebells of Scotland.  All are invited to come out to encourage and empower our children to live the mission of Jesus at the “happiest place on Earth”.

Donate, Save and Have Fun!!!
What: Watch Bucs play Arizona Cardinals, save on your ticket price, and donate $4 to help those served by your Catholic Charities. 
When: November 10, 2019 at 1:00 pm
Where: Raymond James Stadium
How:  Visit: https://offer.fevo.com/catholic-charities-09aa25f
• Your cost (incl. fees): Adult $50 / Youth $28 (includes $4 donation)
• Regular Cost: Adult and Youth: $58 – $63
For more information: Contact Lou Ricardo: lricardo@ccdosp.org or (727) 893-1313 Ext.104

All Are Invited to Holy Spirit Explosion at the Cathedral on November 2, 2019
Daylong Praise and Worship event featuring prayer, music, liturgy and nationally renowned speakers Sister Briege KcKenna, Johnnette Benkovic-Williams, Lloyd and Nancy Greenhaw and Father Peter Mitchell will be held Saturday, November 2nd at the Cathedral of St. Jude the Apostle.  Registration at 8:00 a.m. for the free event, which ends with a Mass at 4:00 p.m.  Box lunch reservations must be made by October 19th by sending a check for $10 to: Holy Spirit Explosion, Cathedral of St. Jude the Apostle, 5815 Fifth Ave. N., St. Petersburg, FL 33710.

For more information contact Frank Esposito, Jr., at 727-866-8930 or Carol Marquardt at 727-742-4187.

PILGRIMAGES AROUND THE DIOCESE
The pilgrimages are posted in the Diocesan website under Pilgrimages–bottom of the homepage under FAQ or by following this  link: https://www.dosp.org/pastoralbulletin/pilgrimages/.