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'It's just blessings, man.' - Former inmate finds hope at Joseph House
As a young boy growing up in Brevard County, Florida, and Syracuse, New York, Taparree "Pre" Shelton didn't always make good choices. At 15, Pre moved with his mother to Northwest Florida but chose to live on the streets. After three years of a life lived in darkness, he was sentenced to 22 years in prison.
“I wanted to leave prison the minute I arrived, but what happens is when you get locked up, your brain can’t comprehend being in there as long as your sentence, so you get into everything that is bad, and you do all the wrong things because you’re trying to take your mind off doing all this time in prison. It hurts so bad knowing that you can’t see your family. It’s the darkest place I have ever been in my life,” he said. Read more
For God and country - Eagle Scout gives back to parish community
When you discover that someone you know has attained the esteemed rank of Eagle Scout, your perception of them immediately changes, and rightfully so. Eagle Scout is the highest rank in the Boy Scouts of America program. Since its inception in 1911, only 4 percent of all scouts have been able to achieve this rank. Eagle Scouts stand among some of the greatest leaders and achievers our country has ever seen.
Neil Armstrong, the first man on the moon, was an Eagle Scout. Baseball legend Hank Aaron and famous filmmaker Steven Spielberg, also achieved this illustrious rank. Read more
Transforming Lives - Bringing hope to Nicaragua
At age 14, Olivia Hepworth, daughter of Kim and Randy, was intrigued by a story her father shared with her when he returned from a surf trip to Nicaragua in 2014. While visiting Aserradores, a small fishing village, he learned that residents there desperately needed reliable sources of safe, clean, life-giving water.
During Randy’s trip, he met a well-connected, trusted community leader in the area, Yerling Tercerro-Ramos. He explained that he had always wanted to help his community but it would be difficult to establish any form of infrastructure due to the poverty level. Read more
Joy and laughter never age
This summer, Christ Our Redeemer’s oldest parishioner, Lillian, “Lil,” Fowler, celebrated her 102nd birthday in style. Wearing an elegant, sleeveless plum dress with a pearl necklace and her favorite three-inch heels, she insisted it was not a birthday party but rather sharing a piece of cake with 75 friends. The event, held at the church in Niceville, was hosted by her friends Min Kim and Bob Baggerman. Read more
'Lifemark' movie celebrates the gift of life
Perhaps it is, as some critics have labeled, a “clinical train-wreck.” It is certainly not in a social worker’s handbook, nor does it comprehensively cover its deep and important subject matter. Its plot minimizes many of the complexities surrounding unplanned pregnancy, life choices and the realities of domestic adoption. Yes, those determined to view the Kendrick Brothers’ most recent movie production, “Lifemark,” through a purely institutional lens will likely feel short-changed and will surely miss out on the beauty, inspiration and restoration that the faith-based drama offers its viewers. Read more
A story of adoption - Richly blessed by faith and family
Stories of adoption reflect empathy, compassion, sacrifice and love. Each story is inspiring and unique in its own way. Mary Rosella, “Rosie,” had no recollection of her biological mother when she was a child because Rosie was placed for adoption through Catholic Charities in Pensacola the day she was born.
When Rosemary, Rosie’s biological mother, discovered she was pregnant at age 35, she was working at Sacred Heart Hospital. Read more
Life Teen - 'Leading teens closer to Christ'
This summer, teens and chaperones from St. Ann Parish in Gulf Breeze experienced an incredible week growing in their faith while participating in fun activities with friends, including whitewater rafting, messy games, obstacle courses, prayer, adoration and Mass. For more than ten years, parishes, schools and groups from around the country have traveled to the north Georgia mountains, where they have encountered Christ at Life Teen’s Covecrest Camp. Read more
Evangelization today - Do not be afraid to share the love of the Lord
The Holy Spirit is alive and active, renewing the church in every age. That is not what one might expect to hear in light of the challenges, divisions and vitriol that are so evident in our world and in the Catholic Church. But I am convinced that God is leading us back into the heart of the Gospel. Though it is hardly novel to God, it may feel radical to us. Read more
Retired priest - Celebrating a life of sacraments and service
The life of a priest doesn't end at retirement. As the saying goes, once a priest, always a priest. The oldest priest ordained in the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee, Msgr. Stephen Bosso has been an active priest for nearly four decades, serving as a seminary professor, administrator, formation advisor, rector and spiritual director. Read more
A homeschool mother - Years of guiding with love and grace
In May 2022, Santiago, “Santi,” the youngest of Mario and Cathy Nunez’s seven children, completed his K-8 homeschool education. As is a family tradition, he recently entered the brick-and-mortar classroom for the first time. This marks the first year in more than 20 that Cathy won’t bear the title “teacher.” While becoming a high school freshman is a new beginning for Santi, the Nunez family all agreed their mom, wife and lifelong educator is the true cause for celebration.
This past spring, dozens of Sacred Heart Home Educators
(SHHE) families in Tallahassee attended a special Mass at Good Shepherd Parish to recognize Cathy for her service and dedication to homeschooling. Read more
UWF's Catholic Campus Ministry - The road to Emmaus
This past spring, the University of West Florida’s (UWF) Catholic Campus Ministry (CCM), “Catholic Argos,” held its annual fundraiser at the Pensacola Yacht Club. University students, alumni and the community at large attended the event. UWF junior and graphic design major Rachel Howard revealed
the new logo design she created for CCM during
the fundraiser. Read more
Abound in love times two
Margaret Rogers and her husband Ryan were delighted when they found out their family was growing with their fourth child on the way. However, they didn't anticipate it would happen so quickly, as the other children were all under the age of four.
“We were open to having another baby, but we were quite surprised when it happened immediately,” Margaret said.
To their shock, the ultrasound revealed two babies. One was sucking its thumb and the other was looking straight at them, waving excitedly. Ryan was thrilled. Read more
Open to the great adventure
The office of Seminarians and Vocations recently hosted its annual priesthood discernment retreat held at St. John Neumann Retreat Center in Tallahassee. It was the largest group of men in attendance in nearly 20 years.
The men participated in daily Mass, adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and listened to talks from diocesan priests. Read more
Priestly vocation - a gift and mystery
“The priestly vocation is a mystery. It is a mystery of a wondrous exchange — admirable commercium — between God and man … Unless we grasp the mystery of this ‘exchange’ we will not understand how it can be that a young man, hearing the words ‘Follow me!’ can give up everything for Christ, in the certainty that if he follows this path he will find complete personal fulfillment.” Read more
Friday abstinence throughout the year?
It has been a longstanding custom in Catholic spirituality to connect the ebb and flow of weekdays
with the Sunday celebration of the Lord Jesus’ bodily resurrection from the dead. In this light,
then, if Sunday is principally focused on the Lord’s resurrection, then Friday ought to be focused on
the Lord’s passion and death on the cross.
Read more
"How lovely is your dwelling place ..." (Ps 84:2)
The story behind the Co-Cathedral of St. Thomas
More’s recent dedication includes elements that
would inspire our secular world: rising from the
ashes, tragedy to triumph, death to new life.
But how much more so when considering the sacred. Wednesday evening, January 19, a crowd of faithful gathered outside the church doors in Tallahassee for the ceremonial opening. There were Franciscan Sisters T.O.R. and Brotherhood of Hope religious in their habits; young men and women from the Catholic Student Union at Florida State University; families with toddlers; and retired university personnel. It was a beautiful blend of the body of Christ. Read more
Weathering the storm - this too shall pass
Everyone has gone through difficulties and setbacks in life. Depending on the situation at hand, it can be hard to bounce back and move forward. To say that Zac McCay has overcome adversity in life is an understatement. Since childhood, the obstacles Zac has encountered are something you are more likely to read in a book about the saints.
Zac was sexually abused as a child. He started experimenting with drugs and alcohol in his teens to mask the pain. In high school, he found out that his girlfriend was pregnant. The two teens discussed the possibility of getting an abortion, but Zac felt that his conscience was telling him to keep the baby. Read more
Within the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee there are six major military installations: Naval Air Station Pensacola, Naval Air Station Whiting Field, Hurlburt Field, Eglin Air Force Base, Naval Support Activity Panama City and Tyndall Air Force Base. Read more
Military women of faith
A spiritual awakening - facing the unknown
For more than two decades, Dale and Susan Recinella have been involved in Prison Ministry in Florida. Dale, a Catholic Lay Chaplain on Florida's Death Row, and Susan, who offers ministry support to families awaiting the execution of a loved one, have brought the light of Christ to those who live in darkness.
On Sept. 28, 2021, Dale was honored by the Pontifical Academy for Life at the academy's general assembly in Rome, where he was awarded the first Guardian of Life Award.
Dale, who holds a juris doctor degree from ... Read More