School News!

Most Holy Redeemer School
Most Holy Redeemer Inter-Parochial School is currently accepting applications and reservations for tours for the 2008-09 school year. If you are interested in a tour or would like to receive an application please contact the registrar, Mrs. Beverly DeMeza, at registrar@mhr-tampa.org or by calling 933-4750 x30.

Morning Star School
Morning Star School is a diocesan school for students with learning difficulties. Each student has his/her own educational plan and works at his/her own pace in classes of 10-12 students. Additionally, Morning Star emphasizes Catholic values and social responsibility. Morning Star is located at 210 East Linebaugh Ave. For more information please call 925-0232.

St. Paul Child Enrichment
St. Paul Early Childhood Enrichment Center
Open registration for the new school year will be on Thursday, March 6th. Currently enrolled students have priority. All 3 and 4-year olds must be that age by 9/1/08. Call 264-3324 for more information.

St. Paul Child Enrichment, a Catholic preschool located in Carrollwood, is now registering children for the 2007-08 school year. There are limited openings in the three-year-old program for the fall. Children need to be three by September 1, 2007. A copy of the child’s birth certificate, as well as a $135.00 non-refundable registration/supply fee will be required at this time. Children who attend St. Paul as three-year olds have priority in registering for the four-year-old state funded VPK program the following year. For further information please call 264-3314.

Our Mision Santa Maria is located at 14004 N. 15th Street in Tampa, an area referred to as the University Community. You are always welcome to stop by to attend Mass or anytime on a weekday. Mass on Sunday is at 10:00 a.m. (please note time change).
Next Sunday, May 4th, St. Mary Parish community will conduct its once a month food collection for the Mision (first Sunday of every month). On the back of this page is a list of needed items. We will appreciate your generosity.

On March 22, 2008, at the Holy Saturday Easter Vigil at the Mision, eight people who had come through the RCIA program were brought into the Church: Rolando Hernandez, Victor Salas, Magda Y. Perez, Maria Moreno, Rosa Diaz, Josue Rivera, Maximo Perez, and Soraya Rivera.

The Rosales sisters received their First Communion at the Holy Saturday Easter Vigil at the Mision.

Maria Moreno, one of the RCIA participants, gets the altar ready for the Easter Vigil celebration.


FOOD COLLECTION 1ST WEEKEND OF EVERY MONTH

ITEMS NEEDED:
Boxed Pasta Meals
Dry Pasta
(include jar of tomato sauce)
Canned Fruit
Cereals
Canned Meats Especially Tuna & Chicken
Canned Pasta Meals
Canned Vegetables ALL TYPES
(including baked beans, black beans, white beans, red beans,
kidney beans, cannelli beans, stewed and diced tomatoes, chili)
Rice
Dry Beans
Soups
(Preferred Ready-to-eat requiring no additional water)
Cereal
Peanut butter
Powdered milk & carton liquid milk
(not refrigerated type)
Diapers
(all sizes and pull-ups)
Remember: Pop top cans are great for the homeless so please include


VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!
If you have some free time we are in great need of extra hands,
Whether at the Mision itself OR at St. Mary’s sorting donations.
Please call the Parish Office to volunteer.

The Mision is always in need of clothing and furniture. We request that these items be in good, usable condition. The clothing may be left in the Screen Room behind the Parish Office building. HOWEVER, please do not put furniture in the screen room but CALL ONDINA at the Mision, 910-3575, OR leave a message at the Parish Office, 961-1061, and transportation will be arranged. ALSO, please do not leave computer equipment in the Screen Room.

AROUND THE DIOCESE

• Professional Counseling Services:
  Available to individuals, couples, families and children experiencing a broad range of personal, relationship and family problems. Sessions are provided on a sliding fee scale to ensure that mental health services are available to those in need. We offer daytime and evening appointments in Tampa. Bi-lingual counseling is also available. Please call Chris at Catholic Charities, (800) 242-9012, ext. 23, to schedule an appointment.
  
   v      Franciscan Center: (Ph: 229-2695)  Click here for their calendar.
  
  •Contemplative Prayer Group
  “Be still and know that I am God” Psalm 46. Come and experience the Contemplative Prayer Practice Mondays at 7 PM in the Grotto Room in the Parish Center. Everyone is welcome. Prayer, video, discussion. Call Camille 810-5792.

Diocese of St. Petersburg Policy for the Protection of Children and Vulnerable Adults
All Diocesan employees (clergy, religious, laity), Eucharistic Ministers to the sick and shut-in, pastoral care providers, volunteers and those individuals who have the care, responsibility, or supervision of children, youth or unsupervised access to vulnerable adults MUST UNDERGO Level 2 (FBI) criminal history background screen AND must attend Diocesan Safe Environment Program Training (SEP) Sessions. If you have not complied with the above policies, please contact the Parish Office for more information.

Furniture Donations Needed For St. Vincent de Paul
The St. Vincent DePaul Thrift Store at 12310 N. Nebraska Ave. in Tampa is in need of donations of furniture. If you have beds, tables, chairs, sofas or other household furniture you could donate, please call 977-3597 to schedule a pickup by the SVDP truck. Sale of these items helps to support our food pantries, and also permits the Society to give clothing and furniture to those in need. (Such donations are tax deductible). Furniture must be in good condition; donations of clothing and other household items are not included in the pickup schedule. So, call now if you can help.

Volunteers are needed at the St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store. Can you spare a few hours a week? The Store and pantry, located at 12310 N. Nebraska Ave., needs your help in feeding the poor, distributing free clothing, sorting, logging, displaying donations, testing appliances, helping customers, and answering telephones. Training available, along with fellowship, support, and an opportunity to serve the poor, as we are commanded by Jesus. Call St. Mary's, 961-1061, ext. 311, leave your name and phone number, and we will call you with more details.

St. Vincent de Paul Society Offers Free Medication:
The St. Vincent de Paul Society assists people of all ages, on long term medications. The program helps those with limited income and limited or no prescription insurance coverage. It also makes available health care resources in the community. Medications are obtained directly from the pharmaceutical companies at no cost. For additional information call 727-868-8160.

For ongoing scheduled calendar events at St. Mary's, please click here.