We are pleased to announce that Deacon Stephen Gross has accepted the important position of Director of Faith Formation and Evangelization. His position will oversee our Religious Education Program, adult faith formation, sacrament preparation, inter-denominational faith outreach, and other essential roles in our parish and community.

As the Director of Faith Formation and Evangelization, Deacon Stephen’s work will be part of a new parish initiative called, “Know, Love, and Serve.” All of our current and future parish ministries will fall under the umbrella of this new structure of knowing God (religious education, Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, bible study, etc.), loving God (prayer groups, liturgy committee, music ministry, etc.), and serving God (St. Vincent de Paul outreach program, Knights of Columbus, Bereavement Committee, ushers, church and grounds maintenance, etc.). The goal is for Sacred Heart and St. Gerard to be a welcoming community, discerning the needs of both our Catholic membership and the community at large.

If you have a suggestion to help us achieve this goal of inclusion and interaction, please share it with our parish office staff. We are in this together. The Holy Spirit works through all of us!

Sincerely,   Fr. Kevin MacDonald, C.Ss.R.

https://www.facebook.com/1234418980/videos/10219977330803658/

Mass of Christian Burial for the repose of the soul of William (Bill) Hortsing, Edgewater, Fl. who died Sunday, October 18, 2020, will be at 10 AM Thursday , November 12, 2020 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church. Click on link to view.

Click on link to view

https://www.facebook.com/1234418980/videos/10219912002850500/

“Annual Commemoration of the Deceased members of our Parish” Monday , November 2, 2020  At 7:00 P.M.  live streamed here on parish website and Sacred Heart Facebook page.  Pictures of your loved ones who have passed away will be displayed by the OLPH Icon. All are welcome!

https://youtu.be/MLILnlC_Swc

Click on link to view

The annual mission office appeal is the only opportunity available to the Mission Office to attend to the needs of our brothers and sisters in the Dominican Republic while at the same time offering to the people of the Diocese of Orlando, a missionary experience that is safe, affordable and above all spiritually engaging. We continue to believe that what we do in the Mission Office is still a valuable service to the Diocese of Orlando and an important hand up for our friends and families in the mountains of the Dominican Republic.

The video we have prepared speaks to the successes and life transforming opportunities that the Mission Office has been able to facilitate.  It is a story of evangelization and growth and of love and generosity.

Please read letter and click on link to view.

This has been a challenging year as the coronavirus pandemic has caused illness, loneliness, social disruption and job loss for many of our brothers and sisters in Christ, increasing the needs of our faith community. Fortunately, thousands of faithful Catholics in Central Florida have remained connected to their faith despite the historic challenges that the pandemic has created.

However, challenges remain, so I am writing to ask for your help as our Church continues to adapt to serve the increased needs of our parish community. Our church is livestreaming Mass, using new technology such as video calling to share the Lord’s message of love and hope, and our ministries are adapting to social-distancing guidelines to continue to educate, feed, house and minister to God’s people. Our Church requires support to sustain ministries.

If you have been impacted by the pandemic, please know that I am praying for you and encourage you to reach out to me for support. If you have not been impacted and are able, I ask that you prayerfully consider making a gift to the 2020 Our Catholic Appeal (OCA), which supports every parish, school and ministry in our diocese. Our parish has not yet reached its goal for 2020 and it is my prayer that you will help us achieve it as we continue adapting to challenges caused by the pandemic. Please click on link above to see a video message from Bishop John Noonan explaining how our diocese is adapting to serve parishioners like you.

You may have recently received a letter from The Catholic Foundation of Central Florida, which included an OCA pledge card and reply envelope. Please use that to make your gift today, if possible. You may also choose to make automatic payments with a credit or debit card. If you wish, you may visit the Appeal’s secure website at http://www.cfocf.org/oca/give to make your gift online. For your convenience, pledges may be paid over three or six months.

Thank you for your faithfulness and generosity. May all that we do bear witness to God’s goodness and glory.

Gratefully yours in Christ,

Fr. Kevin MacDonald C.Ss.R.

A member of the Saint Alphonsus Villa community, New Smyrna Beach, died on September 17, 2020 in hospice care in Palm Coast, Florida. Father Aschmann was born September 4, 1923 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The son of Alois and Theresa (Rudolph), he was baptized at Sts. Peter and Paul (September 23, 1923) and confirmed at St. Philomena (May 21, 1937) in Pittsburgh.
He attended St. Mary’s College, North East, PA (1938-1944) and made his profession as a Redemptorist on August 2, 1945, in Ilchester, MD. His final vows were at Mt. St. Alphonsus Seminary, Esopus, New York (September 2, 1948), which he attended from 1945 to 1951.  He was ordained on June 18, 1850 at Mt. St. Alphonsus. He made his second novitiate at St. Mary’s, Annapolis (1951-1952). He began his Redemptorist career as a missionary in Paraguay and served there for 35 years, during which he built three churches, two in the city of Asuncion and one in Bella Vista. In Asuncion he also built a parish center and a High School.
He first was assigned to Pedro Juan Caballero (1952-1957); Asunçion (1957-1959; 1959-1961, rector); Bella Vista (rector, 1961-1967); Asunçion I (rector, 1967-1972); Asunçion II (rector, 1972-1978); Asunçion I (rector, 1978-1980; 1980-1986).
He took a study sabbatical at Marianella in Ireland, 1986. In the Vice-Province of Richmond his ministry focused on the Spanish apostolate. He served at St. Joseph’s, Tampa (pastor, 1986-1996); St. Joseph’s, Kannapolis, NC (with residence at St. James, Concord, NC; pastor, 1996-2005; built the new Church of St. Joseph). He ministered at St. Ann, Sumpter, SC (2002-2005).
He ministered from St. Alphonsus Villa, New Smyrna Beach, Fl from 2005 until his death.
Please keep his friends and family in your prayers.