DIOCESAN OFFICES

A Special Celebration for Bishop Gregory Parkes
All are invited to join us in celebrating the 25th Anniversary of Bishop Parkes’ 25th ordination to the priesthood. The Anniversary Mass will be held on Wednesday, June 26, 11:00 a.m., at the Cathedral of St. Jude the Apostle, 5815 5th Avenue N., St. Petersburg. If you are unable to attend in person, you may still participate by watching the livestream broadcast (https://www.dosp.org/livestream/) of the Mass or by listening to the broadcast on our radio station, Spirit FM 90.5.  We are truly grateful for Bishop Parkes’ 25 years of service in priestly ministry and for his 12 years of episcopal ministry!

Did You Know?
From the Diocesan Safe Environment Office:  Listen to Your Children
Summer is just around the corner!  When your children are out of school and on different schedules, meeting new people and going to new places, make sure that you talk to them often about their experiences and the people they’ve met.  Listen carefully to your children. If possible, observe and get to know the other children and adults who are part of your children’s summertime fun.  Above all, communicate your safety concerns to your children.

Make sure they know that they can come to you with any concerns they may have about the people they interact with.  And if you hear of or observe behaviors that may be inappropriate, make sure to communicate your feelings to people who are in a position to intervene.  Communication is key to creating and maintaining a safe environment all year round.

For particular help you may call: Michael Craig, Safe Environment Program Manager at (727) 344-1611, ext. 5377.

Source: www.kidsafe.com

Together in Holiness Formation series
Married couples in the Diocese of St. Petersburg, especially those in their early years of marriage or with children in the home, are invited to participate in the Together in Holiness Formation series.  This marriage enrichment series for small communities of couples equips you with the formation, support, and tools to really thrive in your marriage!  Couples gather in homes for 7 sessions throughout the year to enjoy a meal and fellowship, a short video, time for prayer and discussion, along with practical follow-up activities at home.  If you and your spouse are interested in being part of a Together in Holiness small group with other married couples in the Diocese, fill out the form at https://thformation.forlifeandfamily.org/th_formation_inquiry.  Elisa Mazzarolo, our program coordinator, will follow-up with you!

New Parish Resources Available for Effort to Defeat Amendment Four
A new video from Bishop Gregory Parkes titled, “Four Reasons to Vote No on Amendment 4” and other resources to educate Catholics about Amendment 4 are now available on the Diocese of St. Petersburg website. Visit, www.dosp.org/voteno to view these materials and to stay informed about this important issue!

Spanish Pre Cana
The Office of Marriage & Family Life is pleased to announce that an additional date has been added to the 2024 Spanish Pre Cana schedule.  This will take place on Saturday, June 29^th at St. Cecelia Parish, 820 Jasmine Way in Clearwater.  Couples must register in advance and can apply online at https://www.dosp.org/marriage-and-family/pre-cana-espanol/ or by completing and mailing the application found in the current brochure that you can find at this link: https://shorturl.at/33ynO.

If you have any questions, please contact Deb Alexander at deb@dosp.org or 727–341–6847.

PARISHES/ORGANIZATIONS 

Natural Family Planning Introductory Sessions
St Gianna’s Center will be offering introductory sessions in The Creighton Model FertilityCare™ System (CrMS).  Upcoming sessions will be held on June 27 and July 18.  This is a natural family planning model based on standardized observations of the biological markers that are found in every woman’s cycle. These markers help women and couples understand the woman’s fertility and can help a couple naturally avoid or achieve pregnancy.  CrMS can also help women who are experiencing painful periods, irregular cycles, PCOS, repeated miscarriages or infertility.

If you are interested in attending a session via Zoom, please visit https://www.stgiannacenter.com/events/ or call St Gianna’s Center at 813-421-4625.

PILGRIMAGES AROUND THE DIOCESE

If your parish is offering a pilgrimage within the coming months, we invite you to share this information with the Pastoral Bulletin: pastoralbulletin@dosp.org.  This allows readers to view opportunities to participate in an upcoming pilgrimage.  The pilgrimages are posted in the Diocesan website under the Pastoral Bulletin page at this link.