Florida Catholic | Diocesan Roundup

Published: 02.01.08

Parish officials bet their hair on meeting appeal goal

PHOTO | CHRIS THOMAS
Barry Caskey, director of the stewardship office for St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Seffner, holds up barber's clippers during a recent Mass to challenge parishioners to reach 100-percent of its goal for the diocesan Annual Pastoral Appeal. If the parish either reaches or surpasses its goal of $113,686, Caskey promised the parishioners that he and Father Chris Fitzgerald, the pastor of the parish, would receive crewcuts.

SEFFNER | Sometimes I get the most interesting phone calls.

The other day, I got a message on my voice mail from Barry Caskey, a parishioner at St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Seffner, who also happens to be the director of the parish’s stewardship office.

He said the parish has come up with an unusual way of trying to get people interested in donating to the diocese’s Annual Pastoral Appeal — and, more importantly, meeting its goal, which is set by the diocese. The goals vary from parish to parish and are based on several factors, such as congregation size. St. Francis of Assisi’s goal this year is $113,686, Caskey said.

To inspire parishioners to dig deep into their wallets, the pastor, Father Chris Fitzgerald, and Caskey have agreed to shave their heads into crew cuts if — and only if — the parish reaches its targeted goal or goes beyond it, Caskey said.

The idea was hatched during a lunchtime discussion between Father Fitzgerald, Caskey and Deacon Jerry Thomas, who used to cut hair when he was younger. They talked about previous fundraisers they have heard about or participated in. One involved a priest who is a gourmet chef and auctioned off his talents to the highest bidder to raise money for his parish. Another was a fundraiser at St. Francis of Assisi during which the clergy were “roasted.”

Someone at the table came up with the idea of crew cuts, and, if all goes according to plan, Father Fitzgerald and Caskey will get their crew cuts in several months’ time — if the parish exceeds its goal, Caskey said. They plan to have their hair cut in the parish’s social hall after an 11 a.m. Sunday Mass

For the record, Caskey has a full head of hair, while Father Fitzgerald’s hair is thinning.

“I guess the best way to describe how we feel about this is that we really don’t want to get a crew cut,” Caskey said. “But our desire to reach 100 percent of our (Annual Pastoral Appeal) goal is greater than our fear of getting all of our hair cut off.”

Just in case you were wondering, the parish last year was $8,000 short of its goal. So the challenge is not unrealistic, Caskey said.

He was asked why it was so important to do the challenge — especially if neither man is particularly gung-ho about getting a crew cut if the challenge is met.

“I think it really shows the commitment that we’re making,” he said. “We really believe in this. This is the extent we’re willing to do to reach 100 percent in the parish. One hundred percent is important to us and important to the diocese and important to the parish.”

GUADALUPE REPLICA ON WAY

A 4-by-6-foot digital replica of the original miraculous image left on St. Juan Diego’s cloak is going to make a visit to St. Petersburg. The replica has been blessed at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico by the rector to bring conversions, reverence for life, sanctity of the family and solidarity of the church in America.

For the past three to four years, Bill and Donna Condon, parishioners at St. Raphael Parish in St. Petersburg, have tried to get the replica to come to their parish, but had no success because it was always booked elsewhere. The image has toured throughout the country in more than 1,000 parishes and has been venerated by hundreds of thousands of people, according to apostolate of the Missionary Image of Our Lady of Guadalupe’s Web site.

With a concert coming up at the parish Friday, Feb. 15, from 5:30 to 10 p.m. — Catholic recording artists Tom Booth and Matt Maher will perform — Donna Condon decided to see if the image was available. And, as it turned out, it was.

It will be shown for public veneration with liturgical or devotional services at the parish the following dates and times:

• Friday, Feb. 15, during the concert, which will cost $10-$15, plus $5 parking. (See www.straphaelevents.com for more information)

• Saturday, Feb. 16, 4-7 p.m. (Mass at 5:30 p.m. and confession at 4:30 p.m.)

• Sunday, Feb. 17, before and after all Masses (8 a.m., 9:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m.).

Baskets for petitions and donations will be available during all visitation times. All donations are sent to the national office of the Missionary Image of Our Lady of Guadalupe for the operating expenses of the apostolate and furthering its efforts to expand the blessings of Our Lady of Guadalupe throughout the Americas.

More information about the image can be found at www.JKMI.com. You can contact the Condons at 727-822-8284 or at infaithhopelove@aol.com for more information. St. Raphael Parish is at 1376 Snell Isle Blvd. N.E., St. Petersburg.

DAILY MASS FOR LENT

I got a call recently from Father Thomas Tobin, a parochial vicar at Sacred Heart Parish in Pinellas Park. He shared with me a great idea. He said people should consider going to daily Mass during Lent, and that people who work in the morning should consider going to the earliest Mass at their parish. For instance, he pointed out the early Mass at his parish is at 7 a.m. He said parishioners should check their local parishes to see what times their earliest Masses are during the weekdays of Lent. Or, if their local parish doesn’t have an early Mass that is convenient to make before work, to check out the times at parishes along their way to work.

Great idea, Father Tobin!

PARISH HAS NEW NAME

Good Shepherd Parish in Tampa has changed its name as of Jan. 1. The parish at 6400 E. Chelsea St. used to be on Hillsborough Avenue, but moved to its present location about seven years ago, said Father Bruce Craig, a Salesian of Don Bosco and the pastor of the parish.

The present location is on the grounds of Mary Help of Christian Center, which the Salesians have operated for years. Because the present church location has many statues and mosaics devoted to Mary Help of Christians, and because the center is there, it just seemed practical to rename the parish from Good Shepherd to Mary Help of Christians, he said.

The name change received the approval of the parish council and the presbyteral council of the diocese. Bishop Robert N. Lynch also agreed to the petition by the parish. So it’s official.

Return to Diocese of St. Petersburg Front Page

Parish officials bet their hair on meeting appeal goal

GUADALUPE REPLICA ON WAY

DAILY MASS FOR LENT

PARISH HAS NEW NAME

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