Father Tim's Homily: What is visible will disappear

Father Tim Sherwood's homily for the 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time at St. Raphael Catholic Church in St. Petersburg, Florida, delivered on November 13, 2016. Video by T. Allan Smith. Additional video by Niki Smith and Jane Winstead. Audio by Jeff Keller. Theme music: Deliberate Thoughts by Kevin MacLeod.

St. Raphael Festival features midway, rides, food, music, and fun! Here's proof.

 The annual St. Raphael Festival was presented on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, October 28, 29, and 30.  The yearly fund-raiser provides additional funds for St. Raphael Catholic Church activities. Here are photographs by Jane Winstead from Friday and Sunday. 

Fr. Kevin's Homily: The art of living well in Jesus' image

Homily for the 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time, given by Fr. Kevin Mackin, OFM, on Sunday, October 23, 2016 at St. Raphael Catholic Church in St. Petersburg, Florida. Fr. Mackin serves as parochial vicar at St. Raphael Catholic Church. He is former president of Mount Saint Mary College in Newburgh, New York, and is president emeritus of Siena College in Loudonville, New York. Video by T. Allan Smith and Niki Smith. Audio by Jeff Keller.

Father Tim's Homily: Persistence in our faith

Father Tim Sherwood's homily for the 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time at St. Raphael Catholic Church in St. Petersburg, Florida, delivered on October 16, 2016. Video by T. Allan Smith. Additional video by Niki Smith and Jane Winstead. Audio by Jeff Keller. Theme music: Deliberate Thoughts by Kevin MacLeod.

Father Tim's Homily: Squander our love as God does

Father Tim Sherwood's homily for the 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time at St. Raphael Catholic Church in St. Petersburg, Florida, delivered on September 18, 2016. Video by Jane Winstead. Audio by Jeff Keller. Theme music: Deliberate Thoughts by Kevin MacLeod.

Fr. Kevin's Homily: A message for the Labor Day Weekend

Homily for the Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time, given by Fr. Kevin Mackin, OFM, on Sunday, September 4, 2016 at St. Raphael Catholic Church in St. Petersburg, Florida.

Father Tim's Homily: Strive to enter the narrow gate

Father Tim Sherwood's homily for the 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time at St. Raphael Catholic Church in St. Petersburg, Florida, delivered on August 21, 2016. Video by T. Allan Smith. Additional video by Niki Smith. Still photography by Jane Winstead. Audio by Eric Foreman . Theme music: Deliberate Thoughts by Kevin MacLeod.

Father Tim's Homily: Learning to look at the edge

Father Tim Sherwood's homily for the 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time at St. Raphael Catholic Church in St. Petersburg, Florida, delivered on July 24, 2016. Video by T. Allan Smith. Additional video by Niki Smith. Audio by Jeff Keller. Theme music: Deliberate Thoughts by Kevin MacLeod.

Father Tim's Homily: Asking the right question

Father Tim Sherwood's homily for the 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time at St. Raphael Catholic Church in St. Petersburg, Florida, delivered on July 10, 2016. Video by T. Allan Smith. Additional video by Niki Smith. Stills by Jane Winstead. Audio by Jeff Keller. Theme music: Deliberate Thoughts by Kevin MacLeod.

Father Tim's Homily: The invitation of The Great Inviter

Father Tim Sherwood's homily for the 11th Sunday in Ordinary Time at St. Raphael Catholic Church in St. Petersburg, Florida, delivered on June 12, 2016. Video by T. Allan Smith. Audio by Eric Foreman. Theme music: Deliberate Thoughts by Kevin MacLeod.

Father Tim's Homily: Jesus has given us this mission

Father Tim Sherwood's homily for the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord at St. Raphael Catholic Church in St. Petersburg, Florida, delivered on May 8, 2016. Video by T. Allan Smith. Audio by Jeff Keller. Theme music: Deliberate Thoughts by Kevin MacLeod. 

Father Tim's Homily for the Third Sunday of Easter: Fear not! I am always with you

Father Tim Sherwood's homily for the third Sunday of Easter at St. Raphael Catholic Church in St. Petersburg, Florida, delivered on April 10, 2016. Video by T. Allan Smith. Additional video by Niki Smith. Audio by Jeff Keller. Theme music: Deliberate Thoughts by Kevin MacLeod. 

Bishop blesses Hope Cottages project converting shipping containers to bedrooms

Photos by T. Allan Smith

Grand Knight Jerry Sirgey sprinkles holy water during Ceremonial Blessing. Behind him is Bishop Lynch.

Bishop Lynch speaks during the Ceremonial Blessing.

Bishop Robert Lynch blessed the new Hope Cottages at Pinellas Hope on Thursday, assisted by Jerry Sirgey, Grand Knight of the St. Raphael Council 10157. The project to build emergency homeless shelters from discarded steel shipping containers originated with the council and has been spearheaded by Brother Kevin Greeno.

Four recently completed containers were installed at Pinellas Hope in the last couple of weeks, and are now ready to be occupied by homeless residents at the Diocese of St. Petersburg’s homeless shelter off 49th Street near Ulmerton Road.

Knights from St. Raphael parish represented the council, as did Fr. Tim Sherwood and Fr. Kevin Mackin, OFM, who gave the opening prayer for the Ceremonial Blessing. Speakers included Grand Knight Jerry, Mark Dufva, executive director of Catholic Charities, Pam Long, director of homeless services at Catholic Charities and head of Pinellas Hope, Cliff Smith, manager of veteran, social and homeless services for St. Petersburg, and Millicent Perry, a Pinellas Hope resident and one of the first to occupy a Hope Cottage.

Fr. Kevin offers an opening prayer.

Millicent Perry told those who attended about living in a tent at Pinellas Hope and having to leave it because of illness. She was offered residence in the first container unit installed, the prototype. She said when the door opened she saw a bed, a light, and a window. After the stay in the tent, this was a welcome sight but she was still a little incredulous. 

“I just didn’t believe it at first,” she told the audience. Later in the evening, as she rested in her new room, she regarded the cross on the wall. “I said, ‘Jesus, am I worthy of this blessing?’ I sat down on the bed that night and I cried so hard because I couldn’t believe where I was. I couldn’t believe that I was being so blessed.”

She said she felt bad for the fellow residents who are still living in tents “but I knew I needed to keep my head up.” Soon other residents were occupying the other two rooms in the prototype.

The four units opened on Thursday provide another 12 rooms for Pinellas Hope residents, and the project is under way to raise $1.25 million to pay for purchasing and converting 50 shipping containers into Hope Cottages. The shipping container rooms are far more efficient and cost effective than the tents, which do not weather well with continuous use and must be replaced each year. Plus, the shipping container rooms are sturdy and built to withstand storms.

From left, Fr.Tim, Fr. Kevin, Mark Dufva, Cliff Smith, and Millicent Perry listen to Bishop Lynch.

Fr. Kevin's homily for Easter Sunday 2016

Homily for Easter Sunday given by Fr. Kevin Mackin, OFM, on Sunday, March 27, 2016 at St. Raphael Catholic Church in St. Petersburg, Florida.

Living Stations of the Cross at St. Raphael Catholic Church

Photos by Jane Winstead 

Youth of St. Raphael Parish take part in the Living Stations of the Cross during Holy Week. Below is the schedule for the rest of the Easter observance.

Father Tim's Homily: The already but not yet

Father Tim Sherwood's homily for the Fourth Sunday of Lent at St. Raphael Catholic Church in St. Petersburg, Florida, delivered on Sunday, March 6, 2016. Video by T. Allan Smith. Additional video by Jane Winstead and Niki Smith. Audio by Jeff Keller. Theme music: Deliberate Thoughts by Kevin MacLeod.

Fr. Albert Haase leads the St. Raphael parish mission

Photos by Jane Winstead 

Franciscan friar Albert Haase is leading the St. Raphael parish mission this week. Here are photos from 9:30 a.m. Mass on Sunday, during which Fr. Albert gave highlights of his upcoming talks. The mission conclude on Wednesday.

St. Raphael Lenten Fish Fry

Photos by Jane Winstead

St. Raphael Parish Mission: Signed and Sealed with the Cross

Fr. Albert Haase will lead the St. Raphael Parish Mission Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday evenings from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. His theme: Signed and Sealed with the Cross. This video from Sunday's 9:30 a.m. Mass gives a preview.

Father Tim's Homily: We are the property of God

Father Tim Sherwood's homily for the First Sunday Lent at St. Raphael Catholic Church in St. Petersburg, Florida, delivered on Sunday, February 14, 2016. Video by T. Allan Smith. Additional video by Jane Winstead and Niki Smith. Audio by Jeff Keller. Theme music: Deliberate Thoughts by Kevin MacLeod.

First Lenten Fish Fry of the season at St. Raphael Catholic Church

Photos by Jane Winstead

The sign tells you everything you need to know

Photo by Jane Winstead

Father Tim's Homily: You are the one chosen by God

Father Tim Sherwood's homily for the Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time at St. Raphael Catholic Church in St. Petersburg, Florida, delivered on Sunday, January 31, 2016. Video by T. Allan Smith. Additional video by Jane Winstead and Niki Smith. Theme music: Deliberate Thoughts by Kevin MacLeod.

Father Tim's Homily: What are you seeking?

Father Tim Sherwood's homily for the Epiphany of the Lord at St. Raphael Catholic Church in St. Petersburg, Florida, delivered on Sunday, January 3, 2016. Video by T. Allan Smith. Additional video by Jane Winstead and Niki Smith. Audio recording by Jeff Keller. Theme music: Deliberate Thoughts by Kevin MacLeod.