Embark on the Week of Christmas

Greetings to all of you!

As you read this, we are about to embark on the week of Christmas with all the holiday festivities in full swing!  Thousands of people will visit St. Mark, some for the first time, and I'm praying that their experience here will be a special one which will touch their souls so that they continue to come back on a regular basis.  It's amazing how so many St. Mark stewards will be involved in the planning and setting up for all the Masses and with out them, we would not be able to accomplish it all.  I thank them with all my heart!

Last Saturday we celebrated Breakfast with Santa and it turned out to be a huge success!  Over 135 children came with their parents and visited Santa, Mrs. Claus, and all the elves working their Christmas magic.  They were treated with a nice breakfast cooked by the Knights of Columbus and every one seemed to be happy with all the goings on.  I kind of hung around with Mrs. Claus most of the time and she told me some funny jokes about Santa.  I'll never tell!  I would like to thank MaryAnn Weigel and many of the adults who put on this event, especially many in the youth group who got up early on a Saturday morning to bring joy to the children who came.

As many of you have heard, Christ Renews His Parish (CRHP) retreats for men and women will be coming up in January.  What a wonderful way to start a New Year and I'm told there is no football those weekends so there will be no excuses!  I've seen so many blessed by these retreats and I know you, too, will experience something that will also change your life.  Go ahead and sign up and tell them Fr. David sent you!

In closing, on behalf of the Clergy and Staff of St. Mark, I wish you all a Blessed Christmas and make sure you remember the Reason for it all.

Peace.

Fr. David

St. Mark Christmas Party

Greetings to all of you!

This past Friday I attended our annual St. Mark Christmas party held at Hunters Green and it was an awesome time.  We were visited by the "Village People" who put on an awesome display of singing and dancing which really got the party rocking.  Over 115 people attended and the food was so good especially the desserts which are always a soft spot of mine!  My thanks go to Cyndi Letzeisen, Chuck Savko, and the entire committee for all their efforts in making this such a fun event.  Can't wait to see what they have planned for next year!

Well as the Calendar year comes to a close, I've decided to get back into bicycling to stay in shape and get a jump start on all the other people with the same idea for the new year.  I dusted off the handle bars the other day and brought it to Oliver's Bike Shop for a much needed tune-up!  Of course, the bike has been ready to be picked up for over two days now and I'm a little slow in getting around to it.  This might be one of those Freudian moments unfortunately.

I'm so thrilled that the way has been made easier for our northern parishioners driving on Bruce B Downs as they maneuver the left turn onto Cross Creek Blvd which consists of TWO lanes now.  I know it has been a real sacrifice for you getting to Church and I'm sure God will promptly reward you!  Now if the rest of BBD could finally finish, we might just enjoy for once traveling to and fro on it.  Here's hoping that early in the new year brings that wonderful present upon us.

Well, that is all for now.  May your Advent be full of peace and joy!

Peace,

Fr. David

Hustle and Bustle of Christmas

Greeting to all of you!

 

I'm sure many of you by now are into the hustle and bustle of Christmas yet keeping your stress levels at an all time low, at least I hope!  For Advent I have made a commitment to increase my meditation time every day and do some things I don't get a chance to do that often like visiting jails and prisons when I'm allowed to enter one.  It all kind of takes my mind off of all the commercialism of Christmas and really try to deepen what this time represents.  I've even dusted off my bike and took it for a ride last week listening to the new CD made by our choir!  I felt like I was in heaven as I rode around the trail at Flatwoods and saw the depth of God's wonderful creation.  Now if I could only dust off the golf clubs and maybe hit a ball once in awhile.  

 

As you read this we continue to move forward on the building of our new Church.  We hope to meet with the Diocesan Finance Council sometime before the spring and see if they will allow us to build sooner rather than later.  I realize we are in a tough economy and maybe you are not in a position to give toward the new Church, or maybe you're even tired of hearing me speak about it or feel we really don't need one, but after much prayer and collaboration, the time to build really is NOW!  Now only are interest rates down and costs are at an all time low, but I know it's the right thing to do.  Many times we wish to delay important plans and let future generations will have to face the issue, but if our ancestors thought that, then we would not have the beautiful Churches that we grew up in.  I just don't think that we should have our children and grandchildren pay for something we can do now, especially the uncertainty of what they face in the future.  After all, our parents and grandparents sacrificed for us and so why can't we do this for our own children in return.  As some of you may know, we are very limited to what we can do here at St. Mark because of space.  We are holding back the works of the Kingdom, so to speak, and I'm praying that many of you will find it in your heart to give generously to this important project. The Church we intend to build in New Tampa will be a center of spirituality and outreach and just think of the many who will benefit by our sacrifices.  So as the Calendar year ends, why not make a pledge or a gift to the campaign and make this happen!  I really need your help!

 

Well that is all for now.  Continue to enjoy the gift that God has given us in each other.

 

Peace,

Fr. David

Cruising Around Italy

Greetings to all of you!

Well as many of you may know, I spent almost two weeks cruising around Italy with two of my brothers and sister-in-law a few weeks ago.  What a wonderful trip it was since my oldest brother Joe has never been out of the U.S.A other than Canada.  It was an eye opening experience for him and it was fun as we brothers bonded even more spending all that time together.  Other than the snoring, it was nice sharing a room wherever we went catching up on old stories etc.  We even made a trip to my mother's birthplace Torrice in the province of Frosinone!  We visited her two hundred year old house which is abandoned now and even met up with our cousins for a fun filled Italian feast!  However, it's always great to get home and finally sleep in my own bed without having to listen to the locomotive sleeping in the bed next to me!

This week we have begun the great Season of Advent as we prepare once again for the Christmas celebration.  It seems the older you get, the faster these seasons come and go and most of the time I'm left with the question, "what just happened?"  I'm hoping to do better this season with more time for meditation and prayer and continue to reflect on the significance of this great event in history when God in His Awesomeness took flesh and became a human being.  So with all the hullabaloo that happens during this time of year, TRY to take some moments and reflect on this moving event that changed the course of history a brought light to darkened world.

Last week we visited St. Catherine's Church in Largo (since the Cathedral is closed for renovation) to witness the bestowing of the St. Jude Award Medal to one of our own, Mary Strickland.  This Medal is given to a person in our parish who has given themselves totally in the Stewardship way of life and has been instrumental in helping St. Mark parish in their self-sacrifice. Mary has been working with the RCIA for years now and has helped many people come into the Catholic Faith.  Her energy and devotion has been a model to many of us and we congratulate her on this special award. Mary truly is a disciple of Christ, not a mere follower but one who had taken on the work of ministry in bringing about the Kingdom of God.  Thank you Mary!

If you haven't gotten your tickets yet for this year's Christmas party to be held on December 7th, you better hurry before they get sold out!  We have always had a great time at these events and this year's is sure to be another great one!

Well, that is all for now.  May this Advent Season fill you with God's Peace.

Fr. David

Stewardship Renewal

Greetings to all of you!

I am so thrilled that the weather is finally breaking and getting cooler as the fall goes on! I haven't played golf since

February of this past year and the clubs have been calling out to me to get some sun. I even took my bike out the other day and flew around Flatwoods Park in record time although I could feel the sore muscles the next day! With the cooler

weather, we celebrated our annual Oktoberfest last Saturday night and thanks to the Knights of Columbus, a great time
was had by all. I look forward to the bratwurst every year and this year it was especially tasty! I even had part of a funnel cake that was so addicting I had to walk away from the funnel cake oven so I wouldn't be tempted yet again. Thanks to all who participated in the event and especially those brave enough to get up and dance to the great music provided. Thanks again my brother Knights! Another job well done.

This week we will be kicking off our annual Stewardship renewal beginning with the parade of ministries located out under the big tent! We are so blessed to have so many people take ownership of our parish and become involved with the work of Christ. Many miracles have happened here at St. Mark because of them so why not deepen your faith in Christ by getting involved! Believe me, your life will change!

Speaking of how Stewardship can change a life, we are so honored and proud here at St. Mark with from what I can tell is our FIRST vocation to the Religious Life. Deacon Scott Paine and his wife, Carol, are now the proud parents of SISTER CLARE who accepted her habit a few weeks ago! Congratulations to Sr. Clare and may God bless your ministry!

I hope by now many of you have seen the new video that was sent to your emails regarding the new Church. It was so well done and I think Cyndi Letzeisen, Jeff Cobb, Tammy Peralta at "Bean Productions", and the rest of the marketing committee that put this together! Look for additional videos in the months to come in our quest to raise $3 million by Christmas of 2013! May God bless our effort!

 

As you read this, I will be on my way with my brothers to Italy for a cruise around the Mediterranean! It has been many years since I had the opportunity to go on vacation with more than one brother and so I'm looking forward to the experience. We will be visiting the birthplace of our mother during our visit to Rome which will be a special moment for us. Meeting cousins, uncles, aunts, etc will be also very exciting. I'll see you in a couple of weeks!

Well, that is all for now. May God continue to bless all of us at St. Mark!

Peace,

Fr. Davidd

Invocation and Benediction for one member of our parish family

Greetings to all of you!

 

Last week I had the privilege of giving the Invocation and Benediction for one member of our parish family to the awesome responsibility of Judge here in Hillsborough County.  Jennifer Gabbard who is a team member of the RCIA here at the parish was invested with the robes on Thursday, October 4, on the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi.  The ceremony was filled with heartfelt remarks along with quite a bit of humor as Judge Gabbard was honored by her colleagues and superiors alike.  State attorney Mark Ober was quite the comic as he presented into evidence of the overworked Jennifer in her office of prosecuting attorney mired knee deep in books and papers.  He presented another picture into evidence of JUDGE Gabbard sitting at her desk with absolutely nothing on it!  Funny stuff!  As a real treat, State Attorney General Pam Bondi was also there as a close friend to Judge Gabbard and I had yet another privilege of being allowed to sit right next to her!  She was a delightful lady and although she has gone on to higher realms, she continues to maintain that humble, non-pretentious disposition about her despite the fact that she can be a tough prosecutor when the situation calls for one.  In addition, she was so easy to speak with as we chatted on occasion during the event and I am so glad to have met her OUTSIDE of the courtroom!  I was also taken back by the "fraternity" of the judges here in Hillsborough county as many of them came to the investiture.  It seems that they exhibited a kind of family aura and I was impressed by their care and concern for each other.  But, the day belonged to Jennifer who was an outstanding prosecutor and an exceptional faith-filled woman!  Her entire family was there and I could see the how proud they all were of her and probably a little overwhelmed by the accomplishments of this great lady who is also a humble Catholic Christian,  Jennifer, on behalf of our entire congregation, we all offer you our prayers and support as you begin this awesome path. Congratulations Judge Gabbard!  May God be with you!

 

After the Investiture, I was able to visit those from our parish picketing at a women's center against abortion during these 40 days of prayer.  Despite the heat, parishioners from our parish stood for hours trying to change minds and hearts.  As I stood there with them, some cars came by beeping their horns in support of what they were doing.  It is such an emotional experience for those ladies who decide to have abortions and we are here to let them know that there is another way.  I was so proud of our people for taking the time and effort in promoting life and I hope and pray that more individuals will understand the importance of human life and safeguard it against all those who wish to destroy it.  Let's keep up the effort!

 

Finally, sometimes in this column I feel compelled to speak on matters that might seem simple and inconsequential but I feel are very important when it comes to living a Christian life.  The first matter I would like to bring up is:  WILL PEOPLE USE THEIR BLINKERS WHEN CHANGING LANES AND/OR TURNING INTO ANOTHER STREET!   One of the things that makes someone Holy is being conscientious when it comes to others.  When driving, it's a matter of courtesy and drivers in Florida seem to lack a lot of it!  It's also a matter of safety too.  So please:USE YOUR BLINKERS!   There, I said it!  There will be others, just stay tuned.

 

Well, that is all for now.  May God help us in all we do!

 

Peace,

Fr. David

Exciting Weeks at St. Mark

Greetings to all of you!

These last couple of weeks have been very exciting ones for St. Mark. First we had the International Festival that was an outstanding success! Over 900 people came to experience the various cultures of our great parish and they were treated to wonderful entertainment and mouthwatering foods from the different regions. I'd like to thank everyone who was involved in the planning and execution of this event, especially our chairs, Mike and Barbara Delman for doing such an outstanding job! It was a little congested going from room to room with all those people but the foods from the countries that I tasted were very delicious, even the food from the Irish booth! (A little Italian humor there, please don't take offense). Anyway, I can't wait for next year to see what the committee has planned!

Speaking of relieving some of that congestion, we also celebrated last Sunday the kick-off for our second phase of our building program for a new Church. This truly is an exciting moment for our parish as we are on the way of making this a reality. As you know, the Diocese has given us permission to break ground when we collect $5 million in cash and so far we are just over $2 million with almost $4 million in pledges. We are asking all parishioners to pray and see if we all can make a one year pledge to reach the $5 million figure. Whatever you can sacrifice, even if it's a one time gift, will go a long way to our goal. The excitement is building! Please be a part of St. Mark history!

Well, that is all for now.. Continue to pray for each other and may the Lord Bless your goodness!
　

　

Peace,

Father David

Heading to Chicago

Greetings to all of you!

As I'm writing this article, I will be heading to Chicago for the Annual Conference on Stewardship which promises to be another informative event. I don't usually go to many conferences held around the nation due to cost and time commitments, but I almost always go to this one! Whenever I go to a Stewardship Conference, it energizes and reminds me again and again why I'm a Catholic Christian. The people I meet from all over the country are very giving and full of life and love just and I get so charged up by what Stewardship is accomplishing throughout our land. I've come a long way from my early days as a Priest and now I know so well that everything I have is gift, given by a Divine Creator, who wishes to use these gifts not simply for ourselves, but for others. The conversion to a Stewardship way of living has really changed my life and I hope and pray that it will also change yours. Hopefully next week, I will be able to tell you more about our experiences in Chicago and bring back some great ideas for our parish! This past Wednesday I had the opportunity to head a bible study for some young adults here in the youth room. I truly enjoyed being with them as they begin their young lives and try to connect the teachings of Christ to their everyday experiences. They asked some wonderfully penetrating questions and I hope I was able to leave them with some answers and even more questions! Anyway, this Bible Study for young adults will be held monthly and I hope many of you will take advantage of this opportunity! Simply call Maryann Weigel for more information.

On another note, the re-energizing of our Campaign for a Church will be coming up very soon! As I have said before, I think you're going to like what you see and we have a great opportunity to build sooner than we expected! But we still need your help to make it happen. I simply ask that you take a look at what we have come up with and pray about what you can do to achieve our goal. Again, it's not equal amounts but equal sacrifice. May God Bless your goodness!
 
Well, that is all for now. Keep praying for the success of Stewardship in our parish and see what God has in store for us!
　
　

Peace,
Father David

Summer Sneaking by

Father David’s Travels...

Greetings to all of you!
Wow! The summer us sneaking by us and already school has started in some places to the excitement of students and parents alike!  I was hoping that Bruce B Downs would be mostly completed by the school year but it seems we're just going to have to contend with the traffic a little while longer and more so since school is starting.  Oh well, we are all doing our penances early for Lent so we can be that much more disciplined when the "Serious Season" comes around.  I wonder how those of you who come from the northern part of the parish withstand that left turn onto Cross Creek Blvd every weekend?  You all deserve more jewels in your crown in Heaven!

After watching the PGA championship last weekend on the Ocean course in Kiawah S. Carolina, everyone was saying how difficult the course can be.  It certainly showed itself to be a monster when the wind was blowing but otherwise the tour players tamed it with their great skill.  It was fun to see Rory Mcliroy conquer the field going away and it seems that we have a new young number one golfer in the world!  Being from Northern Ireland I hope he would be a Catholic, but one never knows.  However, I think I'll claim him as one and send him a letter to help us with our building campaign after winning all that money!  I can see it now:  McIiroy Chapel!  It has a nice ring to it!

Speaking of our new Church, we are relaunching the capital campaign in late September and it promises to be very exciting.  Already some donors have had a sneak peek at what is about to be presented and many of them came away very impressed!  Keep checking the bulletin for more details as we approach the date.

Well, that is all for now. Hope your week goes well and know that you are truly loved by the God who created all things!

Peace,
Father David

Olympics in London

Greetings to all of you!

This weekend was the start of the Olympics in London. Held every four years in which people from all around the world compete to win medals, but most of all, give honor and glory to their respective countries for a job well done. After the Olympics, some of the winners go on to do TV commercials and get paid handsomely in promoting products for corporations etc. Yet, in the Diocese of St. Petersburg, every year there are people who are recognized from every parish who have performed outstanding feats all in the name of God. Although they won't be paid handsomely in this life, they are at least recognized by the Bishop and awarded the St. Jude Medal for outstanding Stewardship to their respective parishes. This year the winner of this prestigious award goes to Mary Strickland! If any of you know Mary, she has been working tirelessly with the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) for some years now and has helped in the spiritual journey of countless people looking to come into the Catholic Faith. We congratulate Mary and we thank her for being such a wonderful disciple of Christ! Although the medal will be bronze, it is GOLD to us!
After watching the British Open last week, my heart went out for one of my favorite golfers, Adam Scott, for losing in the final holes to Ernie Els. It must be a devastating experience to lose a major championship as that one with only a few holes to play and I'm sure he must have been crushed. But on the other hand, being good enough to BE at that moment in history means everything! How many of us fear putting ourselves in any position that might fail? That's not what a true Christian is all about. Jesus came to give us life and to live that life to the fullest, and yet, so many times we fear failure so we don't put ourselves in a position to even try. So congratulations to Ernie Els, but an even bigger "atta boy" goes Adam Scott!
Well, that is all for now. Continue to embrace the challenge that life brings, and know despite it all, that God smiles not on the timid, but the strong!

Peace,
Father David

Parish (CRHP) Retreat

July 16, 2012

Greetings to all of you!
This weekend the Men's Christ Renews His Parish (CRHP) retreat is going on here at St. Mark as many of us are reading this column. It always amazes me how so many men's lives are changed by this experience as the Holy Spirit begins to work during this weekend. I've seen marriages strengthened, lives turning around, priorities changing, among many other rich blessings. This is a weekend that recharges our batteries and puts us on the path to holiness. However, it's not magic! Many still have to be open to the Spirit and some times much sacrifice needs to be made. Yet, for those who take in this experience, great things begin to happen in your life. I know for me, it was CRHP that changed my life and led me eventually to seek the Priesthood. So let us pray for these brave men and may their hearts be changed! For the ladies, your weekend starts in two weeks. I'm not sure if there are any open spaces left for this retreat, but it will be repeated again in February. Watch the bulletin for details.
These past few months our staff has been undergoing some strategic planning workshops assisted by Alan Caron & Associates to better serve our parish family. With the input from our staff, Alan has put together some great ideas and strategies to make St. Mark parish one of the best in the country. We are so blessed to have Alan as part of our parish family and he is offering his services free of charge as part of his stewardship to God and our parish community. We all thank Alan for his wonderful gifts and helping us to achieve something that will propel St. Mark to even greater heights in the future! God has so blessed us with so many fine people here at our parish and Alan is one of them. Thank you Alan!
Well that is all for now. I hope you all are enjoying the hot and rainy summer so far and the kids are still loving the fact that there is no school! Anyway, continue to treat each other with kindness and love.
Peace,
　
　
　
Father David

LPMI

Greetings to all of you!

As some of you may know, the Diocese of St. Petersburg has been offering courses in the Lay Pastoral Ministry Institute on Liturgy, Scripture, Morality, etc during these past 12 years or so.  We at St. Mark have had a number of graduates from this institute who are now equipped to work in Parish Ministry and have been doing a great job for the Church of our Diocese. We have recently had two graduates, Noel and Nellie Negron whose ceremony took place a few weeks ago and are now full-fledged Lay Pastoral Ministers.  Another one of our parish family, Mary Strickland, is currently going through the program and has achieved high marks already!  We should all be so proud of these great people who take the time out of their busy schedules to deepen their relationship with Our Lord and I am so happy that many from St. Mark have participated in all or at least some of this training. The Church is VIBRANT and it bodes well for our future!

I'm also pleased to see that many of our parish family have been coming to Church consistently during these hot summer months!  Usually attendance trails off during the summer due to vacations and other activities but it doesn't seem to be happening here at St. Mark.  I'm sure that a lot of it has to do with the deepening relationship with Our Lord among our parish family and the joy that comes with knowing God in a more intimate way!  It just goes to show how deeply blessed we are here at St. Mark with so many devoted members who are on fire with God's love.  Now if only someone could turn down the temperature so I can get a round of golf in!  

Well, that is all for now!  May the Good Lord continue to shine His face upon you and give you His peace!

 Peace,

Fr. David

Summer School for Religion

Greetings to all of you!

I just finished watching the golf tournament at Congressional C.C. in which Tiger Woods won yet another tournament and I found myself pulling for him despite the fact that his personal life has been in chaos and it seems he's really not a nice person overall.  I'm not sure what it is but despite his personal side, Tiger Woods is good for golf.  Ratings sky rocket whenever he's playing and even more so when he is in contention.  Maybe we keep hoping that as his career is getting back on track, that somehow his conversion process would be also.  I also wonder if God sits up there in Heaven and hopes the same thing for us?  It is just amazing to me how somewhere deep down, we are all in this together and as Christians, we hope for the best in everyone.  Oh well, enough philosophizing for now!  I'm heading to the kitchen for a nice peanut butter and jelly sandwich!

Last Friday we finished our first "Summer School for Religion" in which some sixth, seventh, and eighth graders took a two week intensive course in religious education.  It was met with extreme enthusiasm among the parents and participants and we look forward to continuing this for next year.  The junior high students attended Mass everyday during those two weeks and learned a great deal about God and how He fits into our daily lives.  We were blessed with great teachers and I would like to thank Claudia Garcia and her staff for putting together such an outstanding program. For further information for next year, call Claudia or one of her staff at the Faith Formation office.   

As some of you may well know, we will be "kick-starting" our Capital Campaign for our new Church sometime in the next few months.  We have an excellent group of individuals who are working hard to present new options in helping to build our future Church in a short time.  We finally have received the renderings for our new Church and it is absolutely breathtaking!  So keep watching the bulletin and website for information on how we are going to proceed.  Maybe this time next year we can break ground?  It will all be up to you!

Well that is all for now.  May God continue to bless your commitment to His Glory!

Peace,

Fr. David 

Graduation & Father's Day

Greetings to all of you!

As we all know, June is the month for graduation ceremonies, and of course, we also celebrate a special day for Dad's. First of all, I wish to congratulate all those who are either going on to higher education or venturing into the workforce. It's always a bittersweet moment when we leave friends and family to move on to other venues, but it truly is a fact of life and one that helps us to grow in experience and discover the vastness of what the world has to offer. It also helps when faith becomes part of that life's journey because it can really be the impetus for greatness. I just wish I had that faith element when I was going through higher education, it would have been so much easier for me in dealing with the trauma of new beginnings. Encourage your own graduates to follow Christ continuously as they venture on because He brings the foundation and stability we need especially during those unexpected bumps in the road. So again I say, Congratulations to all you graduates! Wait on the Lord and He will give you your hearts desire! Next Sunday, we celebrate all Fathers as we say "thanks Dad" for their wonderful presence in our lives. I have been seeing all the advertisements on television and on the local newspaper about what we can buy your Father on his special

day. I would suggest that you buy me some golf shorts, shirts, and maybe a nice belt to wear with my outfit. After all, I'm a Father too!

Well, that is all for now. As you begin summer vacations, remember to keep

the Lord's Day Holy and continue to be strengthened by His great sacrifice for

us!

Peace,

Father David

Armed Services Dinner

Greetings to all of you!

Last Sunday night I had the honor of attending the Armed Services Dinner held at Hunters Green sponsored

by the 4th Degree of the Knights of Columbus. What a wonderful night it was as we were honored by the presence of 5 young men who were wounded in war and a retired Colonial who gave us a resounding

speech on what it means to be an "Authentic American." I'm so proud of my brother Knights for

continuing to honor these brave men and women who do so much for our country and many times at

great sacrifice! As we celebrate Memorial Day weekend, let us keep in mind those people who gave us

the ultimate gift of themselves so we can all be free. May God bless their souls! As you may have noticed, there is a new Honda Civic Hybrid car sitting in one of the Priest's parking spaces. Yes, it's mine, well at least I'm paying to drive it around. What happened was that I brought my Honda Insight in for service last

Friday and as I was minding my own business working on my homily for the weekend, this Jamaican Angel walked over to me and said that God said I needed a new car. Pffft...I said. "I only came in to have my car serviced and I don't need a new car so go away!" Well, before I knew it he put a magic spell on me

and I woke up later to find that I was driving down I75 behind the wheel of a new car! Don't ask me what happened because I have no idea. But I do know that there is this new car parked in my garage and now I'm thinking that God really wanted me to have this! I love the car so far and I didn't have to spend

anymore money for it. It MUST be God's Will! Anyway, so now you know and I simply ask that you do not approach me trying to sell the Sunshine Skyway bridge. I'm not sure the spell is completely worn off yet and I just might take you up on it.

Well, that is all for now. Let us continue to love each other as Christ has taught

us!

Peace,

Father David

Vacation

Greetings to all of you!

Last week I took a short vacation to Jacksonville to meet up with some friends and just hang out seeing the sights. I also figured that since I was so close to the famous place where they play the Players Championship at Sawgrass every year, I would get there ahead of the players and get a view of this famous golf course. As I parked my car and tried to act like a pro player as I walked the grounds to gain access to the clubhouse, the golf course police caught me wearing my golf knickers and realized that Payne Stewart was no longer alive and I must be an impostor! How dare them! Needless-to-say, I

was put in the golf jail and that was the only part of the course I was able to see. The only way I was released was when an angel appeared in my jail cell and opened up the bars to let me out. I'm so glad there are golf angels to save us all from despair. Now if only they could work on my follow through!

On Saturday after I returned from vacation, I was invited to speak at St. Jerome parish in Largo regarding our efforts at St. Mark when it comes to our practice of Stewardship. They are trying to revive the Stewardship way of life at their parish and they invited a few speakers to come in and speak about their own experience. It seems that St. Mark is getting a reputation among the diocese on what a good Stewardship parish looks like, and although we still have a long way to go, people are noticing. Anyway, the people who attended the seminar were amazed at what we do here already and they bombarded me with so many questions that I had to run for my life! However, it was a fun time to share what we have been doing with other parishes and it's also great to see the people's faces light up as they begin

to understand the true spirit of what Stewardship is all about. I appreciate all the efforts our own Stewardship Commission puts into our own parish to bring God alive in our daily lives. If you're still unsure what the Stewardship way of life is all about, I invite you to call the parish office and speak to Cyndi who will give you an earful. I guarantee that if you embrace the Stewardship way of life, your life will change dramatically. Take a step and see what happens!

In another few weeks (June 16 and 17) we will begin the Season of Ordinary Time and it will be during that time that we will be making a small change at Mass. From then on, there will be no more announcements before Mass since in a spiritual sense, we are trying to prepare people to get into the "mood" of celebrating the Sacred Mysteries, and in a practical sense that very few people really listens to them anyway. The Liturgical Commission has talked about making this move for awhile now and I think

it's a very good idea. If there are any important announcements to be made, the Priest will speak to them toward the end of Mass. I hope this doesn't add more stress to your Mass experience since change is always hard at first. I'm still trying to get used to the New Mass so I know what stress is like. Well, that is all for now. Let us continue to love each other as Christ has taught us!

Peace,

Father David

St. Mark Teenagers

Greetings to all of you!

Last Saturday I had the privilege of spending some time with a group of our St. Mark teenagers on their Confirmation retreat. It was a great time to talk with them and spend some time eating dinner and afterwards celebrating Mass with young men that I normally wouldn't be able to spend quality time with. Needless-to-say I was impressed by their openness and ability to express themselves in a mature way which made me forget for the time being that they were still teenagers. We have a remarkable group of young people in our parish and I give lots of credit to their parents for passing on their faith, wisdom, and love to these young men and women in these difficult times. I know it's not easy raising teenagers with all the distractions that this world brings and you're doing a wonderful job!

After reading in the paper about Tampa, specifically Ybor City, being the home of the Cuban sandwich, I just had to make a trip down there and take a stroll along 7th Ave and visit some of the restaurants and wine and cigar bars that proliferate the city. I did get invited to eat at the Columbia Restaurant on

Sunday night, although it has been many years since I ate there, and found the food to be wonderful. I also had a half glass of their wonderful Sangria, ok, a full glass since it was so good (remember the glasses are small).

Anyway, I had the salad which was a meal in itself and later the Grouper "El Greco" which was absolutely delicious! Ybor continues to be quite a place with it's rich history and its "enigmatic sights." Maybe next time I will go and have one of their great cigars that everybody talks about and watch all the

interesting people go by! As I write this, we are having a nice cool wave sweeping over our area and I

can't wait to get my bike out there on the trails once again! You might call me a "fair weather biker" since I don't like doing anything outside when it's hot when I just feel like I'm melting. As a matter of fact, I think I lost a few inches of height in the last few years and I'm starting to look like Danny DeVito! I'm

just saying......!

Well, that is all for now. Continue to enjoy the gift that God has given us in each other!

Peace,

Fr. David

Easter Season

Greetings to all of you!

As we celebrate the Easter Season, I would just simply like to thank so many stewards who have given so much time and talent to make the Easter Services so special. It takes literally dozens of individuals to make these events happen and without these great stewards, it would not be the first class experience that we all have come to know here at St. Mark. I was overwhelmed by the crowds that attended this year and it just goes to show the potential that exists in New Tampa of Catholics who don't attend on a regular basis. It also shows that we all have so much work to do to evangelize and bring people back to Christ.

Why not ask a friend or a neighbor who is Catholic and has not been to Mass in awhile to come and attend some weekend. And if you're real brave, invite someone who isn't Catholic to come and experience the joy of the Mass and the wonderful sights and sounds of the Catholic faith. The fields are aplenty my brothers and sisters! Let us go out and spread the good news! After Easter Sunday was over, I took a huge nap in the afternoon and upon awakening, I ate an entire chocolate rabbit that was given to me by a sweet little girl. As I looked at that rabbit, I reminded myself that this sweet little girl

would be disappointed if I didn't eat the thing and I also didn't want to lie to her and tell her that I did. So I took a deep breath, ripped out the bunny from the box and devoured the entire thing starting with the ears. I know.....I know.....it was quite a sacrifice on my part but at least one little girl will be happy to read

this! Isn't that what Easter is about?

As you know the Rotary Pig Roast is coming upon us and this year it looks like it's going to be quite a celebration! They have asked us to sell tickets here at St.Mark and for every one that is sold here, St. Mark gets $5! So how about buying a ticket and not only help St. Mark but many of the charities in our area. It's always lots of fun for the entire family, so come on down! Well, that is all for now. Continue to enjoy the gift that God has given us in each other!

Peace,

Fr. David

Happy Easter

Greetings to all of you!

Happy Easter! I've been wanting to say that for over 5 weeks and now I am able to not only say it, but shout it from the rooftops! I'm sure that for many of you Lent was not easy (especially if it's done right). However, I think that the discipline of Lent makes us more aware of the profound freedom that the Resurrection experience gives! It reminds us once again that life really is eternal and that those

things we worry about in this life tend to be not that important in relation to eternity. May this Easter experience bring you joy not only today, but for the rest of the year until we celebrate it again!

Speaking of joy, the last fish fry held here at St. Mark this lent was truly a miracle in that over 670 dinners were sold which is a new record! When they started running out of fish during the latter part of the evening, they came over and begged me to perform a miracle of multiplication. I threw off my cloak and went over to the few remaining fish set out on the table. Looking up to heaven and saying a prayer to the Father, miraculously fish began dropping from the sky! There was so much fish that they began to break the wooden baskets used to catch them all. After cooking these miraculous fish, people commented that this fish was the best they have ever tasted! They wondered why we kept the best tasting fish until now? I simply went back to my tent praising God until they came back once again and said that they had run out of wine. Well, I'm sure you know the rest of the story! Anyway, what a great time these past weeks have been for our parish community and I thank the Knights of Columbus and the Columbiettes for all their hard work and great tasting fish and desserts! Incidentally, in a few short weeks the New Tampa Rotary will once again put on the annual Pig Roast which benefits charities throughout the Tampa area.

One of those charities is the St. Vincent de Paul Society which helps those in dire need in our New Tampa area. St. Mark is also a beneficiary of ticket sales since we are providing the space for this great event. For every ticket sold here from St. Mark, we will receive $5 from the Rotary which will go into

our Capital Campaign fund for a new Church. So make sure you buy your ticket here at St. Mark and help us build our Church! Well, that is all for now. May God continue to bless you in this glorious Easter Season!

Peace,
Fr. David

The Bells

Greetings to all of you!

Since I came here almost 9 years ago, I noticed (and I'm sure many of you did also) that during the elevation of the Holy Eucharist, there were no bells ringing to signify this important event in the Mass. I simply assumed that this was the custom of this parish before I came here so I didn't much think about changing this practice. After all, bells were rung prior to Vatican II to remind and "wake up" the faithful to this important moment especially those who may have been saying their own private prayers such as the Rosary among other religious practices. Bells were needed because most of the Mass was in Latin and the Priests" back was to the congregation, hence it was difficult for the faithful to know when this important event was happening. Since Vatican II when the Mass was changed to the vernacular of the people and the altars were turned around, this practice began to fall by the wayside since people could now see and understand the point at which the elevation occurred. However, people would constantly come to me and express their disappointment that bells weren't rung here at St. Mark and they missed their significance. I often would kid around with them and tell them if they wanted bells, they would have to buy them! Well, one parish family took me up on the offer so after 15 years of St. Mark history, we have restored the bells for Mass beginning today on Palm Sunday! I would like to thank Joe and Ellen Cangi

for their most generous contribution to make this happen for our parish family. I have to admit, they do add some color to the Mass now and I appreciate the Cangi's persistence. Hope you like the "new" sound! Last Saturday I had the privilege to attend an event held by the Columbiettes entitled, "Art in the Afternoon Tea". Over two hundred mostly ladies, attended this star studded gala which included stars from Disney, the Beatles, and of course, the one and only Nat King Cole singing his famous song "Mona Lisa". Of course the ladies just mobbed Nat after his performance and they all wondered if he was singing to each one of them. I can just tell you that OF COURSE he was singing to each individual there and considered them ALL Mona Lisa's! Anyway, what a grand event we had and the ladies worked hard

donating much of the proceeds to our Capital Campaign for a new Church. I would like to thank Darlene Fritz, Nancy Larson, and the whole crew for doing such an outstanding job! I wonder what stars they have in store next year? This week as many of you are aware is Holy Week, the most Sacred time of

the Church year! Please review the website and bulletin for Mass times for the Tridduum and of course that great event on Saturday night, the Easter Vigil which is the highlight of our entire Church year. If you have never attended a vigil, you are in for a real treat! Just be warned, it lasts around two

and a half hours but will seem like two and a half minutes! Come and celebrate with us!

Well, that is all for now. May God continue to bless you in this Most Holy

Time of Year!

Peace,

Fr. David

Lent and Adoration

Greetings to all of you!

I hope this Lenten season is going well for all of you!  It always gives me confidence when I am able to discipline myself and overcome things in my life that keep me from being the best version of myself.  Giving up golf for lent has truly made my stress level decrease immeasurably!  Maybe some of you out there ought to try it.  

The Lenten fish fries have been a wonderful success thus far and the weather has been brilliant!  It's always great to see singles and families come together and enjoy the food and fellowship at our Church and I thank the Knights of Columbus for making this such a successful and fun event. I've had the backbreaking job of being the official taste tester and although it can be unbearable at times, I do wish to make sure our product is suitable to the discriminating tastes of our St. Mark family.  So if you haven't gotten the chance to attend this fun event, I invite you to do so before lent ends.  You will truly enjoy it all!  

Lastly, I have been noticing how many people have either signed up or simply attend the times for adoration and prayer these last few months.  In January we decided to invite individuals to sit before the Blessed Sacrament in our Chapel and pray for the success of Stewardship in our parish.  As you know, Stewardship impacts our faith life to a huge extent and from that practice, many great things begin to happen in our lives and in the lives of our parish family.  So take some time out of your busy week and come to adoration whether it be for a few minutes or an hour.  One can only imagine what the power of prayer can do especially when praying right in front of the true presence of Christ!  

Well, that is all for now.  May God continue to bless your goodness in this most holy season of Lent.

Peace,

Fr. David   

Golf Tournament

Greetings to all of you!

I realize this is a little late in writing about the golf tournament but I just have to say what an incredible day we all had. Despite some quick rainfall, we managed to make this day a joyful event for everyone as more than 136 golfers participated! Not only was there golf, but we also had my favorite food, sausage and peppers, on the "Beat the Priest" hole among hole-in-one contests for everybody who came through. Although I was not eligible for the contest, I did manage to hit the pin on one shot and knocked another shot almost two feet away from the pin. Needless-to-say, the groups certainly didn't "Beat the Priest" after those shots! However, there were some that did though, more than I can bare!

However, we made some money for our new Church, and everybody had great fun. It doesn't get any better than that! Hopefully we will have the total monies raised after some expenses are paid. I would like to express my deep gratitude to Mike Eggeling, Rich Larson, Cyndi Letzeisen, and Tom Bosso for

providing and cooking all the sausages and peppers along with the pretty ladies to serve them! Thank you also to all of those wonderful people who provided baskets and items for our silent auction and raffle. I can't wait for next year!

That delicious odor you smell on Fridays is the annual Lenten fish fry done by the Knights of Columbus. Over 480 dinners were served on the first night and I'm sure they will crack the 500 barrier with ease as Lent goes forward. They have also great homemade desserts done by the Columbiettes in which I have

been nominated as the taste tester! So if you haven't made it to the fish fry yet, come on out and bring your family and see what a fun event it truly is! Well, that is all for now. May Lent continue to be an experience that inspires all of us to greatness!

Peace,

Fr. David

What a year it has been so far!

What a year it has been so far!  First the GIANTS win the Super Bowl and then Matthew Kelly from Dynamic Catholic hits a homerun in his morning workshop here last Saturday!  First of all, my condolences to all you New England Patriot fans out there.  Despite a superior team they have fielded these past years, it just seems the G-Men have their number and thus have bragging rights for the next year!  Of course I am not one who likes to "rub it in" but I can hear that song playing in my mind right now "WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS" and for that I'm grateful.  

Last Saturday Matthew Kelly was outstanding in his presentation on Catholicism and how we can be "better versions of ourselves" as over 800 people gathered together to hear him speak.  It was a wonderful shot in the arm for all of us as he reminded all those attending that we are a phenomenal presence in our country and in the world and we need to remember how our Church had been the innovators of medical care, schools, and universities in our history.  We have simply blended into our secular society and forgotten our past and have given over our power for change in the future by not being the best version of ourselves.  There was so much more but I have limited space here to write about our experience.  You can find much of it in his book "Rediscover Catholicism" that is available in our gift shop.  I'm already seeing great things happening in our parish since this workshop and it makes me excited to see how much more God has in store for us!

Lastly,  as you read this, we are already engaged in our yearly golf tournament at Hunters Green C.C.  This year over 135 golfers will be vying to become the "St. Mark golfers of the Year" award which is a wonderful grace in itself.  This year we also have a food tent on the 7th hole where not only can they eat some great Italian "sausigge" and peppers but also get a chance to win a trip to Hawaii with a hole-in-one!  In addition they will have the opportunity to "Beat the Priest" and win a tee shirt, free confessions for a year, and a sleeve of balls that float on water when you hit it in the lake.  It looks like it's going to be a great day!  All proceeds go to the construction of our new Church.  

Well, that is all for now.  Let's keep each other in prayer and continue to be grateful for the blessings that God has given us in this life!

Peace,

Fr. David

It Has Been Awhile

Greetings to all of you!  Well it has been awhile since I have written an article to you and     finally the powers that be have given me permission to dust off my typing skills and venture back into the realm of amateur “columnist.”  I thank all those who have been sitting in for me these past months writing about their desire for a new Church and I have been very impressed by their heartfelt writings and impressions.  Speaking of which,
I have received very good news on the progress for constructing our new church. We will be able to commence construction when we have cash of five million dollars in our account. To date, 401 families have pledged $3,613, 861 of which we have $1,290, 486 in our account.   Therefore, we have need for an additional $3,709,514 in cash so we can   commence construction.  I am so appreciative of the very good work accomplished by our campaign chairman Monty Weigel and his committee thus far.  So folks, if we want to build our Church in the near future, we need to start making pledges!  I find it amazing that 401 families thus far have made pledges which amount to over a third of the grand total of $10 million.  It is also amazing to me that 2500 families in our parish have YET to make a pledge!   I do realize that economic times are tough, but this is also an opportunity to strengthen our faith in a God who has been so generous to us and who will never be outdone in generosity!  Take a step IN FAITH and make a pledge!  Then sit back and watch how God will work in your life.  We may even start building our Church as early as next year! 

We also have some great plans ahead of us in securing additional funds to bring about much needed cash to our Campaign.  They include fund raising events such as our annual golf tournament, Parish socials, etc, in addition to our continuing second collections, and new parishioner pledges. 

As I have stated before, our current facility is not really an adequate church building [in the traditional sense]. Frequently it is difficult to provide needed space for many of the parish functions we have here. With the new church, the present worship area will become an “all purpose” facility providing needed space for activities, meetings, youth functions, religious education and social hall for the parish and New Tampa community.

So PLEASE make a pledge and help us to make this a real Spiritual Center for New Tampa!  Just think how many others will be touched by your sacrifice as we try to bring more and more people to God!

Peace,
Fr. David

PS: learn more about our new church at: www.stmarktampa.org/NewChurch