| Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Church History |
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| The Catholic Church is one, with the same one faith, under the same Pope, and with the same sacraments.
Yet at the same time it is both Eastern and Western, its two lungs with which it breathes the breath of the Holy Spirit, as Pope John Paul II
freqently reminded us. Between East and West, the Catholic Church has twenty-two different Rites in which the Mass and other sacraments
are celebrated. The Western Catholic Church mainly celebrates in the Roman Rite, which is one of these twenty-two Rites. The Eastern Catholic
Church, on the other hand, celebrates the liturgy in several Rites such as the Byzantine, the Armenian, the Melkite and the Maronite,
among others. |
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| Sts. Peter and Paul Church in Tampa is an Eastern Catholic Church of the Maronite Rite. The Maronite
Church originated in Antioch, when St. Peter founded the Church there. Eventually this group of Middle Eastern Catholics, mainly from Lebanon,
became known as "Maronite," the name deriving from the holy Syrian monk St. Maron (died 410 AD). |
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May 30, 2008:
The Most Reverend Gregory J. Mansour, present bishop of the Eparchy of St. Maron of Brooklyn,
consecrated the completed Saints Peter and Paul Maronite Catholic church
on Sheldon Road. |
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November - December, 2007:
Formal inauguration of the Sheldon Road church is planned with the presence of Bishop Mansour. |
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May, 2007:
The first event was held at the Sheldon Road church with a baptism and the first Mass was celebrated with
First Communion for 9 children. |
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July 23, 2006:
Bishop Gregory assigned Father Paul Damien to St. Sharbel's Mission in Raleigh, NC and assigned Father Jorge Perales,
a priest from the Archdiocese of Miami presently on loan to the Eparchy of St. Maron, as administrator of Sts. Peter and Paul. |
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Easter Sunday, April 16th, 2006:
The Vicar General of the Eparchy, Chorbishop Michael G. Thomas, announced to the community, during the midnight Liturgy
of the Resurrection, the approval of Bishop Gregory J. Mansour to purchase the Sheldon Road church. |
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April 9th, 2006:
An offer was made to purchase a church building on 6201 North Sheldon Road at an asking price of $575,000.00.
The building is approximately 3600 square feet. The Church has 200 seats (theater type), a nursery (crying room), one office,
an entrance lobby and restrooms. The parking lot fits approximately 60 cars. |
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January 16th, 2005:
The Most Reverend Gregory J. Mansour, present bishop of the Eparchy of St. Maron of Brooklyn, during his pastoral visit to
the Maronite Community of Tampa, granted them Mission status under the patronage of Sts. Peter and Paul. |
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October 31st, 2004:
At the invitation of the Most Reverend Robert N. Lynch, Bishop of St. Petersburg, the Community moved to Our Lady of the
Rosary Parish Center in Land O' Lakes where it grew and prospered. |
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April 3rd, 2003:
Bishop Doueihi assigned Father Paul Damien, until the Paroichial Vicar at St. Anthony's Church in Glen Allen, Virgina, as
administrator for the Maronite Community. He continued to celebrate the liturgy weekly at St. Mary's. |
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January 2000:
The Most Reverend Stephen H. Doueihi, then bishop of the Eparchy (Diocese) of St. Maron of Brooklyn, established "The Maronite
Community of Tampa." Father George Zina, pastor of St. Jude's Maronite Catholic Church in Orlando, would come every other Saturday to
celebrate the Liturgy in the Maronite Rite for the community. The Liturgy was celebrated at St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church in Tampa, where
Father Robert Morris was the Pastor. |
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