June 27th Gospel Reflection from Bishop Parkes
Read the Gospel reflection by Bishop Parkes below or click here to listen to it.
Carry your cross with faith
“Daughter, your faith has saved you. Go in peace and be cured of your affliction.” - Mark 5:34
As a priest and bishop, I have encountered many people who are suffering. I’ve celebrated many funerals and witnessed the pain of a parent losing a child, a spouse losing a loved one, and in my own life, the loss of my parents and older brother. Losing a friend or loved one is never easy, but we put our faith, our trust, in God - that He is in control and is holding those loved ones close to Him.
This weekend’s Gospel finds Jesus encountering two different people who are suffering. First, He encounters a temple official, Jairus, urging Jesus to bring healing to his daughter who is at the point of death. It is interesting that the writer mentions the synagogue official four times. He is not a carpenter, a fisherman or other tradesman; He’s a religious leader. Jairus obviously has heard of the miraculous works of Jesus and is desperate to save his daughter, and therefore, turns to Jesus in his time of need. Ironically, it would later be synagogue officials who would persecute Jesus and call for his death. But Jesus goes to the family in their time of desperation and heals the young girl.
On His way there, a woman, suffering from years of hemorrhaging, touches His cloak with the belief that He has the power to heal her. Jesus senses this and asks who touched Him. The woman admits to doing so, and Jesus said to her, “Daughter, your faith has saved you. Go in peace and be cured of your affliction.”
Two healings through faith in Jesus. Suffering and healing can come in many forms - suffering from physical or mental illness, emotional strain, and heartache from a loss, just to name a few. During these trying times, we pray to Jesus to bring healing and peace to our lives. But, sometimes it seems that the prayer goes unanswered. The healing and peace don’t come, at least not in the way that we want or expect them. We must remember that it is the will of God that prevails, not our own. Even our Lord Jesus, God’s only Son, the Savior of the world, had to suffer and die. It wasn’t easy.
Life is not always easy. At times we endure pain to better understand and appreciate the love, peace, joy and hope that comes from the Lord. Pray that you have the strength to keep the faith and ask Jesus to walk with you as you courageously carry your own cross in life.
A Day of Joy
Bishop Gregory Parkes said it was “a day of joy” as Father Pedro Zapata, Father Vijay Polamarasetty and Monsignor Michael Carruthers, who were ordained outside of the Diocese of St. Petersburg, were welcomed as permanent priests of this local Church community. Click here to read more.
Teaching about the Eucharist
U.S. Bishops Approve the Writing of a Document on the Meaning of the Eucharist in the Life of the Church
Bishop Gregory Parkes welcomes the idea to enhance teaching on the Eucharist, especially given that the role of a bishop is to teach the faith. Also, the U.S. Bishops have embarked on a multiyear National Eucharistic Revival initiative titled, “Created Anew by the Body and Blood of Christ: Source of Our Healing and Hope.”
The Catholic Church guards the truth of the Gospel that was handed on by Christ and leads people to seek, receive and share Christ’s love. There is no political party that is aligned to this mission and as a Church, we do not support or endorse any candidates or political parties. Click here to read more.
Congratulations!
On June 22, 2021, Bishop Gregory Parkes presented 13 people with a Certificate in Lay Leadership Ministry during an evening prayer service at the Cathedral of St. Jude the Apostle.The graduating class represented 10 parishes from around our diocese. Graduates completed one year of discernment and three years of academic and spiritual preparation.
Those who were commissioned and their parishes are:
Susan Lynn Arcand, St. Paul (Tampa)
Tom Barrett, Nativity
William L. Brown, III, St. Stephen
Theresa V. McCain Cole, St. Clement
Christine DeLieto, St Vincent DePaul
Ophelia Hinton, St. Frances Xavier Cabrini
Elizabeth L. Huetteman, St. Stephen
Paula M. Hurlock, St. Clement
Dale P. Kennedy, St. Lawrence
Christina Marie Kijanka, Espiritu Santo
Paul J. Laurence RN, Holy Family
Carol J. Ritter, St. Ignatius of Antioch
Scott Samuels, St. Paul (Tampa)
Those who were commissioned and their parishes are:
Susan Lynn Arcand, St. Paul (Tampa)
Tom Barrett, Nativity
William L. Brown, III, St. Stephen
Theresa V. McCain Cole, St. Clement
Christine DeLieto, St Vincent DePaul
Ophelia Hinton, St. Frances Xavier Cabrini
Elizabeth L. Huetteman, St. Stephen
Paula M. Hurlock, St. Clement
Dale P. Kennedy, St. Lawrence
Christina Marie Kijanka, Espiritu Santo
Paul J. Laurence RN, Holy Family
Carol J. Ritter, St. Ignatius of Antioch
Scott Samuels, St. Paul (Tampa)
Three individuals also received certificates from Bishop Parkes for completing Level 1 of the Southeast Pastoral Institute Escuela de Ministerios (SEPI). They are:
Leila Castellanos – Nativity Parish
Theresa Hernandez – Most Holy Redeemer Parish
Felicia Westbrook – Incarnation Parish
See more photos here.
Leila Castellanos – Nativity Parish
Theresa Hernandez – Most Holy Redeemer Parish
Felicia Westbrook – Incarnation Parish
See more photos here.
The Equality Act discriminates against people of faith and threatens unborn life. Tell your U.S. Senators to oppose it.
Everyone deserves to be treated with respect and dignity. The Equality Act, which is coming up for a vote in the U.S. Senate soon, in many ways does the opposite and needs to be opposed. Instead of respecting differences in beliefs about marriage and sexuality, the Equality Act would discriminate against people of faith.
The Equality Act would:
- punish faith-based organizations, such as charities and schools who serve everyone in their communities, simply because of their beliefs;
- force girls and women to compete against boys and men for limited opportunities in sports, and to share locker rooms and shower spaces with biological males who identify as women;
- risk mandating taxpayers to fund abortions;
- force people in everyday life, and especially health care workers, to support gender transition; and
- expand what the government considers a “public” place, forcing even some parish halls to host functions that conflict with Catholic beliefs.
Latest episode of Catholic Planner
Our nation and even our Church can often feel divided. In this episode of Catholic Planner with Father Connor Penn, we see how God seeks to bring people together, even those with opposing viewpoints and personalities! Click here or on the image above to watch.
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