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Welcome
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.
Covid-19 Guidelines
If you have a fever or flu like symptoms, please do not enter Church
You can read updates from the Diocese of Venice as they become available here.
You are invited to share in the Mass celebrated by Bishop Frank J. Dewane from the Catholic Center each day at 9:15 a.m. at: https://www.facebook.com/DioceseofVenice/. (Note, you do not need a Facebook account to view the Mass.) Also, the Mass is accessible on the homepage of the Diocese website at www.dioceseofvenice.org.
Pope Francis on Twitter
Mass Times
Weekends
Summer Mass Schedule (June - September)
Saturday Vigil 4 PM
Sunday 9 AM
Winter Mass Schedule (October - May)
Saturday Vigil 4 PM
Sunday 8 AM and 10 AM
Weekdays (M - F) - 9:00 AM
First Saturday of Every Month
9:00 AM (with Anointing of the Sick)
Holy Days
7:00 PM Vigil, 9:00 AM Morning
Office Hours - For emergencies call 863-465-3215
9:00 am to 12 noon
12:30 pm to 3:00 pm
Wednesday
9:00 am to 12:00 noon
3380 Placid View Dr.
Lake Placid, FL 33852
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,
In today’s Gospel, according to John, we read of one of the more dramatic “signs”—the raising of Lazarus from the dead. Why is this sign so different from the others? Unlike other signs whereby Jesus would raise someone immediately or within a day after they died, this time Lazarus had been buried for four days. This meant the body was beginning to decompose and it would be impossible to resurrect the whole body. Because of this miracle and seeing Lazarus alive and whole, many changed and believed in Jesus. The gospel passage concludes with: “Now many of the Jews who had come….. and seen what He had done began to believe in Him.”
Jesus was in Galilee when He received the news that Lazarus (the one Jesus loved) was ill. Jesus knew He would not make it to Bethany in time. It would take Him at least two days to walk to Bethany. In other words, if Jesus had left immediately after receiving the message that Lazarus was ill, He might have arrived there as Lazarus was dying.
Jesus did not do miracles just for the sake of miracles. He performed miracles so people would have greater faith as the result of the miracle. This case was no exception. By waiting the extra days, the resurrecting of Lazarus would be more dramatic, and therefore more people would believe in Him. This, in fact, is exactly what happened, and what John recounts in his gospel.
As many have pointed out, the Jewish understanding was that the first three days after death was an immediate state, in which the soul stayed close to the body. But, after three days, death was final. Lazarus, then, was considered to be finally dead.
The responses of Martha and Mary are very different. Martha is the one who processes emotion by talking. Martha first responds with faith in Jesus and says: “Even now I know that whatever you ask of God, God will give you.” She fervently wanted to believe Jesus could raise Lazarus from the dead, and she hoped it would happen; but, it was later on that she said to Jesus: “Yes, lord. I have come to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, the one who is coming into the world!” Martha’s final response is with strong faith-- a great example of faith.
Now notice the response of Jesus when Mary comes. Mary expresses emotion by weeping. In response to Mary’s weeping and that of other mourners, Jesus, too, becomes “distraught.” In verse 33 and also 38, it is often said the Gospel of John portrays Jesus as most “clearly divine.” And, at the same time, John portrays Jesus in some of the most deeply human moments of His ministry. He states: “Jesus wept.”
The Lord commands the stone to be removed from Lazarus’s tomb. The calling forth of Lazarus, as dramatic as it is, remains only a miracle in the physical order. The greater miracles are in the realm of the spirit. Though it may not seem so to us, the redemption of the world is a greater act than its creation.
The raising of Lazarus, like the previous Lenten Gospels from John (Ch. 4,9) points to Baptism. Paul says, “we were indeed buried with Him through baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might live in newness of life” (Rom. 6:4). “For if we have been united with Him in a death like His, we shall certainly be united with Him in a resurrection like His.”
Yours in Christ,
Fr. Vincent Clemente
Upcoming Events
MARCH 20th— Monday. RCIA, 6PM, Social Hall.
MARCH 21st— Tuesday. Child. of Our Lady, 10AM, Social Hall.
MARCH 22nd— Wednesday. Bible Study, 10AM, Social Hall. Confirmation Class, 6PM, Social Hall.
MARCH 23rd— Thursday. Legion of Mary, 1PM, Social Hall. Bible Study, 7PM, Social Hall.
MARCH 24th— Friday. Video Stations of the Cross and Soup Supper hosted by Women’s & Men’s Emmaus, 5:30PM, Social Hall. Free! All Welcome!
MARCH 25th— Saturday. RCIA Retreat.
MARCH 26th— Sunday. Faith Formation, 11AM-Noon, Hall.
MARCH 27th— Monday. RCIA, 6PM, Social Hall.
MARCH 28th— Tuesday. Child. of Our Lady, 10AM, Social Hall. Knights of Columbus, Social Hall, 7PM.
MARCH 29th— Wednesday. Bible Study, 10AM, Social Hall. Confirmation Class, 6PM, Social Hall.
MARCH 30th— Thursday. Legion of Mary, 1PM, Social Hall. Bible Study, 7PM, Social Hall.
MARCH 31st— Friday. Video Stations of the Cross and Soup Supper hosted by Faith Formation & Confirmation Classes, 5:30PM, Social Hall. Free! All Welcome!
APRIL 2nd— Palm Sunday. Procession, 9:45AM from the Social Hall to Church for 10AM Mass. Faith Formation, 11AM-Noon, Hall.