Make your donations to The Catholic Faith Appeal online here:
Learn more about The Catholic Faith Appeal and how to make paper donations here.
You can make donations to St. James parish here:
Thank you for your support! It is appreciated!
As members of the Body of Christ, the parish of St. James, Lake Placid, Florida proclaims our belief in the message and mission of Jesus Christ.
"Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age." (Matt 28:19-20)With God's Grace, the example of Jesus, and the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we seek to live out that belief as a community of worship, of shared faith and of service where each member shares with others the gifts and talents received from God.
Like us on Facebook
Pastor, Fr. Vincent Clemente
Father Vincent came to the United States from Italy at the age of 15, where his family settled in the Cleveland, OH area. He has one sister. Father was ordained to the priesthood on May 8, 1976 and has previously served at St. Martha’s in Sarasota, FL and as pastor of St. Michael in Wauchula and St. Paul in Arcadia.
WELCOME, FATHER! We look forward to continued spiritual growth with you here at St. James!
Parochial vicar Fr. Felix Gonzalez
Fr. Felix Gonzalez, our newest parochial vicar, was born in Venezuela on September 18, 1953. He studied philosophy in Trinidad & Tobago, West Indies and theology at the Seminary “Santa Rosa de Lima,” Caracas, Venezuela. He was ordained on July 18th, 1981 at the .Archdiocese of Barquisimeto. He came to the United States 20 years ago and studied monastic spirituality in Worcester, MA and worked in different parishes in the Archdiocese of New York— Manhattan and the Bronx. During those years he studied in IONA College and graduated with a Masters in Science, majoring in pastoral counseling. After serving St. Leo for almost two and a half years, he is happy to embark on this new part of his spiritual journey.
Our commitment to a Safe Environment
As Christian adults, we have a moral and legal responsibility and are entrusted by God with the spiritual, emotional and physical well-being of minors and vulnerable adults. St. James adheres to the Diocese of Venice's Safe Environment program. To learn more, visit: https://dioceseofvenice.org/offices/programs/safeenvironment/
Pope Francis' Letter to the People of God, regarding sexual abuse in light of the outcome of the Pennsylvania Grand Jury.
My Dear People,
Jesus the Good Shepherd allows his apostles to take time for prayer, rest, and refreshment. This is an important reminder for those who work in some form of pastoral or religious ministry because there can be a tendency toward burnout. We need to be reminded that Jesus also loves us and doesn’t will our self-destruction. We, too, need time for rest, prayer, and renewal. We, too, need to experience Jesus as our Good Shepherd before we can be good shepherd for others.
In the second part of this Gospel, we see Jesus disembarking and feeling pity for the people who were “like sheep without a shepherd.” These were descendants of Israel, who were without a shepherd in many senses. For example, there was no Son of David, no legitimate king reigning over them. A Roman governor and a half-Jew named Herod were their leaders. Even the religious leaders were corrupt: the high priesthood was from an illegitimate line of descent and was more interested in maintaining its own wealth and privilege by collaborating with the Romans than it was in leading the people to God through the liturgy. The Pharisees tried to fill the gap by providing religious instruction for the people, but their interpretations of the law were so demanding that common people could never live up to their standards of “cleanliness” and “holiness.”
So, Jesus begins to teach them “many things,” which reminds us that his role as Good Shepherd encompasses the role of Teacher. He teaches them not simple Gospel messages (“accept me as your Lord and personal savior!”)—as important as that may be. The Christian life is an entire lifestyle, an entire way of living and being. It includes “many things” because following Jesus has implications for how we shop, for what we do in the bedroom, how we act at our jobs, the way we raise our kids, and so on. For this reason, Jesus did not commission the Apostles simply to “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, teaching them all a few simple principles,” but “Go, therefore, and make disciples. . . teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you” (Matt 28:19-20). So, this Sunday’s Gospel reminds us of the teaching ministry of the Church and gives encouragement to everyone involved in Catholic education. In a time when so many Church institutions of learning have abandoned their mission to communicate the teachings of Christ, let’s pray fervently at this Mass for those that remain faithful, that our efforts will be effective in communicating the Good Shepherd’s teaching to the next generation. The Catechism is a priceless resource in communicating Christ’s teaching, since it synthesizes and explains the content of Divine Revelation for the modern day. If we help in spreading knowledge of the Catechism—including and especially those parts that are “unpopular”—we will be faithful under-shepherds, transmitting the care of the Good Shepherd to all his flock.
Yours in Christ,
Fr. Vincent Clemente
JULY 16th— Tuesday. Child. of Our Lady, 10AM, Social Hall.
JULY 17th— Wednesday. Bible Study, 10AM, Social Hall. Spirit & Light, 7-9PM, Social Hall.
JULY 18th— Thursday. St Vincent de Paul, 11AM, Social Hall. Bible Study, 7PM, Social Hall.
JULY 19th— Friday. Kraft Korner,10AM-12PM, Social Hall.
JULY 23rd— Tuesday. Child. of Our Lady, 10AM, Social Hall. KOC Meeting, 7PM, Social Hall.
JULY 24th— Wednesday. Bible Study, 10AM, Social Hall. Prayer Group, 7-8:30PM, Social Hall.
JULY 25th— Thursday. Bible Study, 7PM, Social Hall.
JULY 30th— Tuesday. Child. of Our Lady, 10AM, Social Hall.
JULY 31st— Wednesday. Bible Study, 10AM, Social Hall. Prayer Group, 7-8:30PM, Social Hall.
AUGUST 1st— Thursday. Bible Study, 7PM, Social Hall.
AUGUST 2nd— Friday. Kraft Korner,10AM-12PM, Social Hall.
AUGUST 5th— Monday. St. Vincent de Paul, 3PM, Social Hall.
AUGUST 6th— Tuesday. Child. of Our Lady, 10AM, Social Hall
