Roman Catholic Diocese of St. Petersburg

Holy Water As you enter a church for Mass, you will probably encounter a font or bowl near the door.  Most of the time it contains holy water, which has been blessed by a priest or deacon.  It is there to remind us of our baptism, the first Sacrament of the Church, where we became children of God and members of the Church.  This holy water also reminds us that it was through baptism we were cleans...

Prayer Before Mass The celebration of Mass is a joyful time for Catholics.  It is an obligation, but also a cherished opportunity to be in the presence of our Savior in the Eucharist.  After arriving at church, it’s always nice to smile and acknowledge our friends and neighbors.  Then, if possible, spend time in silence with our Lord before the start of Mass. This is a wonderful time to pray and t...

Receiving the Lord’s Forgiveness  At the beginning of every Mass, the priest invites us to recall our sins and enter into a prayerful reflection of those sins, trusting that God is always ready to forgive.  We confess to one another as a congregation that we have sinned and ask those in the congregation, as well as Mary and all the saints, to pray for us that we will be reconciled to God.  Followi...

Reverence for the Lord When meeting someone for the first time, we generally smile, shake hands, or give a polite nod as a sign of respect and greeting.  How do we greet Jesus when we arrive at church or approach the altar?  Before we find a place to sit in church, we typically bow in reverence to the altar.  The same reverence is shown at the end of Mass, before we leave the church.  When we come...

Sign of the Cross Catholic worship involves using motions or gestures so that we can express our love for the Lord with our whole selves, mind, spirit and body.  One gesture is making the Sign of the Cross when entering the church and at the beginning and end of prayers.  This sign has been used since the early years of the Church.  We believe that God is three persons, but one God: Father, Son, a...

Sitting, Standing and Kneeling Imagine what visitors to the Catholic Church must think when they attend Mass for the first time. They probably notice there are times when we sit, stand, and kneel.  The most reverent part is during the Liturgy of the Eucharist, when we kneel in awe at Jesus’s presence in the Eucharist.  After receiving Christ in the Eucharist is it appropriate to return to our seat...

The Entrance Hymn All Masses begin with an entrance hymn or a chant, which sets the tone and spirit of the celebration that is about to take place.  It is sometimes known as the “gathering hymn,” because we gather as a community by first lifting up our voices in song to the Lord.  The entrance hymn can be upbeat, or it might be more mediative.  Either way, it is meant to help us enter into the pro...

Are You A Fisher Of Men January 24 Reflection by Office of Communications

Come And See January 17th Reflection by Office of Communications

Coach Peter J. Mulry shares his stories of being a long time coach at Tampa CatholicPart2: Author and Speaker Brant Menswar shares the inspiration behind his book "Black Sheep"2020

Becoming Closer To God Through Baptism, Sunday, January 10th Reflection by Office of Communications

Being Like The Magi, Sunday, January 3rd Reflection by Office of Communications

God's Will Be Done, Sunday, December 27th Reflection by Office of Communications

Have The Faith And Trust To Follow In God's Will, Sunday, December 20th Reflection by Office of Communications

Courageously Living The Gospel Through Our Lives, Sunday, December 13th Reflection by Office of Communications

Have The Courage To Be The Voice, Sunday, December 6th Reflection by Office of Communications

Prepare, Sunday, November 29th Reflection by Office of Communications

Each Day Is A New Opportunity, Sunday, November 22nd Reflection by Office of Communications

Are You Using Your Talents For God's Glory, Sunday, November 15th Reflection by Office of Communications

Preparing To Enter The Kingdom Of Heaven, Sunday, November 8th Reflection by Office of Communications

Remembering The Saints, Sunday, November 1st Reflection by Office of Communications

Love Your Neighbor, Sunday, October 25th Reflection by Office of Communications

Give God What Is His, Sunday, October 18th Reflection by Office of Communications

The Courage To Give Ourselves To God, Sunday, October 11th Reflection by Office of Communications