Happy New Year

Greetings to all of you!

 

Happy New Year! It always seems this time of year from Thanksgiving to New Year simply flies by and we barely catch our breath. However, now is a time to reflect on new beginnings and I pray that God will give us all the strength to carry out what we promised for the new year.

 

As you can see our new Church is coming along! However, due to the summer rains our dedication date had to be set back from March 28th to June 6th, 2015. This may seem to be disappointing but believe me, it will be beneficial in the long run. The Church will be amazing and I wanted you to see it completed to experience its full affect. Check the bulletin for more details as we get closer to the dedication date. Thanks again to all of you who have made this such a great reality in our short history!

 

This week we begin the Year of Study and I hope that many of you will partake of the various activities planned to learn more about our faith. We will be starting with the Gospel of Mark so if you haven't signed up, please do. Other courses will be offered throughout the year. Take advantage of this great opportunity.

 

Well, that is all for now. May God bless you in this New Year and always.

Peace,

Fr. David  


 

Moment of the Incarnation is upon us!

Greetings to all of you!  

 

As I write this, the awesome moment of the Incarnation is upon us! This week we will once again celebrate the time in which the "Word made flesh" would dwell among us.  I pray that the joy of Christmas is an everyday experience for all of you and not just a once a year event. I'm always enthused during this time of year since it is a continuous reminder to me of God's great love.  Merry Christmas to all of you!

 

You may have noticed (or not) some banners being brought in at the start of Mass. These are being used to bring about a more celebratory experience in Liturgy as we begin this extraordinary event in our week. Hopefully it brings more attention to what is about to happen and I know it will be even more powerful when we move into the new Church. Thanks to those of you who asked what this was all about!  

 

Speaking of the new Church, as you can see it's coming along nicely. So many decisions still have to be made regarding fabrics, colors, etc., etc., etc., and I can't even decide what i'm going to have for breakfast in the morning! However, a majority of the details have been worked out so I can breathe a little easier for the time being. Now I know more about what people go through when they build a house! 

 

Lastly, I finally got out on the golf course two weeks ago.  The clubs were pretty rusty and the golf balls must have been old since they didn't go quite as far as they used to.  However, it was a great day to be out there with some really great people!  Isn't that really what it's all about?!

 

Well, that is all for now.  May God's blessings be upon you during this Holy Time!

 

Peace,

 

Fr. David

Thank All the brave families

 

Greetings to all of you!

 

First of all, I wish to thank all of those brave families who have decided to participate in our Stewardship Renewal by filling out a pledge card. I realize it's not easy to commit to anyone, let alone God Himself, but I do know that God will never be outdone in generosity! So for all of you who decided to take that step in faith, congratulations! Be prepared to enjoy what God has to offer! To those who still are somewhat hesitant, let go! Deepen that faith for it will be your salvation!

 

I made the trip to Ocala again this year for Thanksgiving and as always I ate too much and my sweet tooth got the best of me! How does one resist homemade apple pie with a dollop of whipped cream on top! Anyway, it is always a treasure to be with family especially when we celebrate a new addition to the household with the birth of a great nephew. Wait until he sees what Christmas is like!

I did try to play golf these past two Tuesdays but the golf gods were preventing me from finally taking the clubs out on the course. One Tuesday was biting cold and the other was a raging monsoon! Maybe I should take the hint and stay away!

Well, I hope Advent is going well thus far for you! May this Peaceful Season be one for a deepening of God's love in our hearts.

Peace,

Fr. David

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thank You St. Mark Stewards

Greetings to all of you!

Last week the staff and I put on a "Thank You" to all our stewards at St. Mark who give so much of their Time, Talent, and Treasure in making our parish a light to the New Tampa/Wesley Chapel community.  I realize that they are in no need of our thanks and simply do it for the love of God, but I feel it is always nice to at least get together and have a party!  Over 250 people came and what a nice celebration we experienced!  Just seeing all those stewards together in once place brought joy to my heart and the staff had lots of fun serving all of them. (I would like to thank Sun Kropp and her committee, Barbara Delman for helping us with the skit which was lots of fun and Gina Savko for assisting Sun with the hospitality.)  I would also like to thank our great St. Mark staff for their continuous dedication and desire to make St. Mark a wonderful place to serve God.

In a little over a week, I will be heading to the "old sod" once again to visit with Pope Francis at the Vatican.  I realize our schedules are pretty tight so we may not be able to meet up but at least I will enjoy a Mass at St. Peter's Basilica for the Ordination of St. Petersburg seminarian, Brian Boyle, to the Diaconate.  A number of seminarians from around the country who have been studying at the North American College in Rome will be ordained Deacons for their home diocese.  I'm thrilled that I will be able to see Brian ordained while I'm there.  I also can't wait to sit outside the various restaurants in Rome enjoying the wonderful pasta and Italian wines.  I wish you all were going with me!

Well, that is all for now.  I'm hoping that by the time I get back, the roof on our new church will be up!  It's really looking great so far!

Peace,

Fr. David

St. Mark has been selected to host a graduate student from Notre Dame

Greetings to all of you!

I am happy to announce that St. Mark has been selected to host a graduate student from Notre Dame who will be learning the ins and outs of parish life. Beginning in August, this person will be under contract for two years and he/she will be working with our staff in the various departments of our parish. This is truly an honor for us as we work in conjunction with the College of Notre Dame to equip their students in parish ministry to the future benefit of the Universal Church. However, there is a small salary we must provide to meet the needs of the student while he/she is with us. I am asking all those in our parish who have graduated from Notre Dame if they would be interested in helping us meet this small salary. Anything you can give would be greatly appreciated and of course is tax deductible. If you are interested, please email me at frdavid@stmarktampa.org or call me at the office. I will be able to provide more information on the person in a later bulletin. Thanks again for anyone who can help.

 

As we all know, July is usually a very slow month when it comes to doing anything worthwhile in the Church. Between the heat and family vacations, we see less of our St Mark parish family during the week and on weekends. Just remember to bring God on vacation too in whatever capacity you can. Hope you all enjoy this time of rest!

 

Well, that's it for now. I think I'll take a nap!

Peace,

Fr. David

Back to Ordinary Time

Greetings to all of you!

Now that the Easter Season and the various Feasts and Solemnities that follow it are almost over (Feast of St. Peter and Paul this weekend), we can now get back to Ordinary Time and take a small breather!  We are back to the Gospel of Matthew as we continue the Cycle A readings. Matthew is written primarily to a Jewish audience hoping that they will follow and learn from the true Messiah.  We will be reading from Matthew until the season of Advent begins on November 30th.  It's hard to believe that it is less than six months before Christmas!  Maybe I will get my shopping done early this year!

As you can see, our building is going up quickly. I am told we are right on schedule (Easter 2015) despite the rains, and when the walls go up the real exciting part begins!  Keep praying for the safety of the workers and the success of our building campaign.

As an added benefit, the 4th of July is on a Friday this year so it makes for a long weekend!  Just be careful, we need you here in one piece on Sunday morning! 

Well, that is all for now.  Enjoy the holiday and be good to one another.

Peace,

Fr. David

     

Congratulations!

Greetings to all of you!

First of all, I would like to congratulate our very own Mary Strickland for graduating from the Lay Pastoral Ministry Institute held at the Cathedral this past week.  The LPMI is an accredited course of studies in theology that prepares students for teaching and working in parish ministry.  It takes four years to achieve this degree and we are so thrilled that Mary was able to accomplish this feat!  Looks like we will all have to genuflect in front of her next time we are in her presence.  I hope she doesn't ask for a raise just yet! Congratulations Mary!

I am also happy to announce two new staff members to our St. Mark family. The first is Yoceline Rincon who will be managing the staff in the front office. Yoceline is a parishioner here and attends the 12:30pm  Mass in Spanish. She also helped with the many decorations in our Sanctuary as a member of the Liturgical Art and Environment committee.  She will be starting on June 18th.

Our other new staff member is Dr. Valarie Mainguy, who will be the Director of Development, Communications, and Marketing for St. Mark Church.  Dr. Valarie is also a parishioner of St. Mark and comes to us with many years of experience in the corporate world.  She will begin her assignment on July 1st.  I'm sure they will make a wonderful addition to our staff as we continue to grow more in the future.  I'm sure you will get a chance to meet them sometime soon and see what great individuals these are. 

As I write this, I've been told that the walls of our new Church might be going up very soon.  It is all so very exciting and I simply ask for your continued financial support to make this a Church for the generations.  If you haven't pledged or you are behind in your payments, I ask that you reach down deep and join the many others who have made this happen. Building a house of God is a privilege and I know He will bless you greatly for your sacrifice.

Well, that is all for now.  May God bless your Stewardship!

Peace,

Fr. David

Welcome Bishop Lynch

Greetings to all of you!

This weekend we welcome Bishop Lynch at the 5:30 pm Sunday Mass as we celebrate the Rite of Confirmation to over 90 young men and women of our parish. This will be the first time that the Bishop will have seen the beginnings of construction of our new Church. I'm sure I will hear an earful!
Speaking of the Church, I didn't realize there would be so many meetings regarding this construction! I am slowly becoming a small expert on roofing, plumbing, wall construction, sound, air conditioning, etc. etc. etc. There are so many acronyms being thrown around that I thought I was also in the military. Of course, sometimes I sit there wondering where God fits in to all this. I guess someday I will know!

Some times during my day off I enjoy sitting in a coffee shop reading and sipping on my favorite beverage. The other day I realized that as I get older, the more "stuff" I have to take in with me. First, the book itself. Then the sunglasses to keep the sun out of my eyes; then reading glasses because they print the sentences so small these days; and finally my cell phone so I can stay connected with the world. I'm running out of pockets! I just hope my knees hold out so I won’t need crutches too.

 

Well, that is all for now. May God bless you as we begin another summer!

 

Peace,

 

Fr. David

 

Summer in Florida

Greetings to all of you!
Now that summer is unofficially here in Florida, with it comes the hot weather and makes it not my most favorite time of year. I always envy those who love the hot weather but it seems God made me with more of a cold blooded nature so I will just have to grin and bare it. Yes, you can call me "wimpy" and I would have to agree with you! I say, "Bring on the Fall!" We are now heading into the sixth month of our "Year of Prayer" and I hope all of you are taking the time to pray during our busy days. Just taking a minute to be in God's presence every day will certainly change your life! As they say in the commercial, "I guarantee it!"
During this busy time I have been involved with meetings, meetings, and more meetings! Much of it has to do with our new Church and the Family Life Center. I have been working with some outstanding men and women with great ideas regarding the future of our parish. More information will be forthcoming. Next week is Pentecost! We will have the privilege of having Bishop Lynch here to Confirm over 90 young men and women at the 5:30 pm Sunday Mass. This is always a huge celebration in our parish and if you can wear red that day, all the more festive. If you normally go to the 5:30 pm Sunday Mass, expect a packed house and a longer service than usual. 
Peace,

　
Fr. David   


 

Thank you MaryAnn Weigel and Lorraine Green

Greetings to all of you!

 

It has been awhile since I last wrote an article and so much happened!  As you can see, we are progressing on our new building.  Although it looks just like a lot of dirt being tossed around, the contractors have been busy doing the work we usually don't see. like the foundation and plumbing.  Hopefully soon we will have the new parking lot finished which will give us more room and eliminate the hassle of finding a spot.  Thank you so much for your patience during this hectic time!  Better times are coming.

 

As many of you know, MaryAnn Weigel, our Youth Minister is moving to Alabama in the next few weeks.  After 8 years at St.Mark we will miss her greatly and we offer our love and prayers to her and Monty as they venture into a new life.  We thank you MaryAnn for all your wonderful work these past years and please know that you will always be a large part of our St. Mark family.

 

On a similar note, Lorraine Greene, the leader of our front office staff, will be retiring at the end of June.  She has been a member of our staff here at St. Mark for over 6 years and we will miss her greatly.  It is well known that when God ends one journey, He takes us on another.  We thank Lorraine for her work here these past years and we look forward to see what God has in store for her in retirement.  Well done good and faithful servant!

 

We also welcome back all our college students, especially our graduates!  It is great seeing them and hearing all about their experiences.  Hope to see you all at Church while you are home.

 

Well, that is all for now. Enjoy the gift that God has given us in each other.

 

Peace,

Fr. David

Fourth Week of Lent

Greetings to all of you!

I can't believe as you read this that it's the 4th week of Lent already!  Thus far, my lent has been a good one although I've stumbled a few times. However, I'm making progress so that's what Lent is really all about.  Hope your Lent is going as well.  Just a few short weeks to go until the big day! Make Easter a meaningful one for you! 

As you can see, the dirt is all spread around for the construction of our new church!  We received notice last week that the building permit has also been issued so I'm looking forward to seeing a wall or two up by Easter! We have been deeply blessed at the swiftness of these permits and I look forward to seeing the Church going up soon.  

I was also moved by the responses of those who attended our 3-day mission with Fr. DiSianno.  He presented some wonderful insights on prayer and also the prayers of the Mass.  Although it was an incredible presentation, I just wish that more people were able to attend.  These are opportunities to experience our faith in a deeper way and be more educated in our richness and history.  Try not to let these moments go by.

Well, that is all for now.  May God continue to give you His strength and fortitude during this most holy time.

Peace,

Fr. David 

Lent Has Begun

Greetings to all of you!

 

As you read this, Lent has begun!  When I was younger, I really wasn't a real fan of lent because it simply meant that I had to "give up" something that I enjoyed and I always wondered why God would want me to do that!?  Of course, as I grew older I realized differently.  Now I always look forward to this time of year when I am reminded once again of the more important things in life.  Here's hoping that we can get to a deeper meaning of Lent this year.  Why not make a better effort at prayer this lent in our "Year of Prayer."  Believe me, it will change your life!

 

Last Saturday I participated in the "Academy Awards" ceremony put on by the Columbiettes!  Stars from all over the stage and screen from Liberace to Honey Boo Boo were on hand to sign autographs and perform for the people attending.  It was a wild ride and one that was enjoyed by all.  I thank Barbara Delman and her many helpers for putting on such a great show to help in the building of our new Church!  I can't wait to see what they have planned for next year!

 

This weekend we will be traveling to the newly renovated Cathedral for the Rite of Election!  This is always a highlight in our year when the unbaptized (Catecumens) and Candidates (those baptized in other faiths) are greeted by Bishop Lynch and "Elected" to move forward to the Easter Vigil where they will be made Catholics!  It's such an exciting time not only for them, but for us too!

 

Well, that is all for now.  May God bless you abundantly during this Holy Time.

 

Peace,

Fr. David

Golf Tournament a Success

Greetings to all of you!  

As you know, our annual golf tournament, played two weeks ago, was a tremendous success!  We raised over $25,000 for the building fund, but even more important, everyone had a great time participating in it.  We had brilliant sunshine after 3 days of rain which goes to show that God was smiling down on us!  I would like to thank our Chairman, Joe Cangi and his committee for all the hard work they put in to make this so successful.  Kudos also go to Tom Bosso for his "Taco Italiano's" which were awesome, Mark Menandez for providing the sausage,  Mike Wallace for all the wine and bruschetta along with many prizes he obtained, and Brian Kenny with Jersey Mike's Subs for providing lunch.  It truly was a community effort and my thanks go out to all of our sponsors and players.  This year I actually hit the ball well although I had an attack of the "lefts" which caused me great grief. Please ignore those people who come to Mass wearing "I beat Fr. David shirt."  They just want to rub it in!

On Valentine's day this past week we celebrated Latin Nights here in the Family Life Center.  What a wonderful evening of music!  We had great food and they danced until dawn! (Well not quite but you get the drift.)  I would like to thank Julio Dones and his committee for putting on such a first class event.  We even had a famous person from Puerto Rico grace our stage!  

Believe it or not, Lent is approaching very soon on March 5th!  As you know, we are undergoing a year of prayer following Matthew Kelly's book in which I hope all of you read.  What a great time to reinforce our prayer life!  Just saying!

Well, that is all for now.  May the Lord continue to bless you with His Love!

Peace,

Fr. David

Closed on our new Loan

Greetings to all of you!

 

Last week we took another step to the building of our new Church as we closed on the loan for the New Church in the amount of $5.75 million dollars! I know it sounds like a lot of money and, of course, it is. However, I do have tremendous faith that we will be able to pay it off in sufficient time so we will be able to celebrate with another mortgage burning party in the near future. I will have more information on the terms of the loan shortly. Thank you all once again for the sacrifices you have made and are making to make all of this a reality. Wait until you see what amazing things will come out of our great St. Mark Community!

 

As you have probably experienced, our new Construction has blocked off much of our parking area and we hope to have the rectified very soon. We will have some temporary solutions until the new planned grass parking lot is finished on the other side of the paved parking. So I ask for your continued patience as we slowly make our way. Thank you!

As you read this, I'm probably struggling on the 7th hole at Hunters Green getting the ball on the green! Say a prayer for me! I will let you know how I transpired the next time we get together. 

Well, that is all for now. May God bless you all with His great love!

Peace,

Fr. David

Ground Breaking Ceremony

Greetings to all of you!

Last Saturday was one of the most important days in our short history as we celebrated the ground breaking ceremony for our new Church!  Over 600 people came to witness this historic event and everyone was overwhelmed by the joyful atmosphere arranged by Chairperson Nancy Larson and her very creative and hard working committee.  We had a trumpets, drum players, a parade, singers from the Latin and Anglo communities, and children ambassadors who were on hand to encase special rocks into our foundation.  Priests and laity from here and afar who have had some history with St. Mark were on hand to witness this event.  Hopefully we will get the pictures up on our website for all of you to see very soon.  Now we begin!  Keep praying for our new building and all those who will be working on it.  In 12-14 months, we hope to have the dedication!

Next weekend is our Annual St. Mark Golf tournament and if you haven't signed up yet, please do! We hope to do very well so we can add to our Building Fund account for the new Church.  I'm starting to sharpen up my skills so I can at least swing the club on the "Beat the Priest" hole. Hopefully, I won't be giving away too many balls and tee shirts!

On February 2nd another important event will be happening regarding our parish.  Sr. Clare (formerly known as Deanna Paine, daughter of Deacon Scott and Carol Paine) will be taking her simple vows in the Community of the Epiphany in Myakka City, Florida. With these vows she leaves the novitiate and takes the next step in becoming a fully professed member of her community.  We congratulate Sr. Clare on this important event in her life!  

Last but not least, you may have noticed individuals carrying signs on St. Mark property asking for money.  Please, DO NOT give them anything since these are professional beggars who simply wish to take advantage of the goodness of people from St. Mark and elsewhere, especially on Mass weekends.   We have a St. Vincent de Paul society that can help them if they wish to take advantage of this opportunity.  However, they never do!  So please, don't feel guilty passing them by and if you give them money, they will keep coming back with more beggars.  

That's all for now.  May God bless us as we move forward to our new Church!

Peace,

Fr. David

Golf for Charity Event

Greetings to all of you!

Well, I finally got the golf clubs out last week and played in a charity event for the University of Tampa baseball team who recently made a trip to Cuba for some exhibition games. My nephew used to play for them which is the reason why I went, plus my brother was paying! Anyway, I saw this gentleman at the registration desk who had an athletic build and looked the part of a former athlete. I joked to him that he must have played some baseball in his lifetime. I asked, "did you play baseball when you were in college?" He said he did. I then asked if he got a chance to play in the minor leagues to which he responded, "yes." I asked him did he ever play in the major leagues? He responded laughingly that he did. "Oh", I said, "what team did you play for?" A big smile came across his face and told me he played for the Tampa Bay Rays. "Oh", I said, getting a little more embarrassed as the questioning went on. Then I asked him what his name was and he said, "Fred McGriff" I immediately excused myself and walked away as I heard laughter coming from behind me. My brother yelled at me for not realizing that this is one of the great players the Rays ever had! At least my golf game was somewhat respectable!

Speaking of which, our golf tournament is coming upon us and if you haven't gotten your name in or your foresome picked out, you will be missing out on a great day! Not only will you be able to "Beat the Priest" on the seventh hole, but you will be able to enjoy a sumptuous sausage and pepper sandwich along with a glass of great red wine taken directly from my wine cellar! I had to give away too many "I beat Fr. David" tee shirts last year so I'm practicing a little harder, so you better bring your "A" game! I guarantee that you will have lots of fun so sign up before it fills up.

Last week was another opportunity to meet some of the women who participated in Christ Renews His Parish (CRHP). It never ceases to amaze me how blessed we are to have people of such caliber in our parish. This week is the men's retreat which I'm anxious to write about next week.

Well, that is all for now. May God bless you in this Year of Prayer!

 
Peace,

　

 
 Fr. David

We should be in for a great year!

Greetings to all of you!

As you read this it is the new year 2014 and if it begins the way 2013 ended, we should be in for a great year! We experienced another outstanding Christmas with over six thousand people attending Masses during this Holy Time. It sure felt very festive and I am so thankful to all those people who played a large part in making this all happen. The Liturgy Committee was flawless in planning and executing all these events. Without these unsung heroes, none of this would have ever gotten off the ground.

On another note, I wish to thank all of you for the ways you acknowledged the passing of my brother Joseph. My family was deeply moved by your concern and especially those who were able to make the long trek to Lecanto to be present for his funeral. My deepest gratitude goes out to all of you from St. Mark. It just goes to show what a true family we really are!

 

Another exciting event will be happening in January as we break ground on our new Church! This is truly going to be an interesting year as the structure begins to go up and we hope to have it finished in 12-14 months. Watch the bulletin for details as we celebrate this historic event.

 

Well, that is all for now. The golf clubs are looking at me wondering when I'm going to take them out and I promised it will be soon! On another note, the Annual St. Mark Golf tournament is coming up in February so I better get in shape to play. Now if I only can remember how to hit the ball!

Peace,

Fr. David