St. John the Evangelist Catholic Community

Weekday Masses
Monday - Friday: 8:00 am

Celebration of Sunday Eucharist
Saturday: 9:00am (1st Sat of Month) & 4:30pm (Vigil)
Sunday: 7:15am, 9:00am, 11:00am, and 4:30pm.
(11:00am is Live Streamed on our website & YouTube Channel.)

Reconciliation
Saturday: 3:00pm - 4:00pm
Wednesday: 8:30am - 9:00am
or by appointment.

Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament Chapel is open:
Monday-Friday: 8:30am to 4:00pm
Saturday: 2pm to 4:00pm
Sunday: 12:30pm to 4:00pm

Dear Friends,

As we enter into the glorious month of May, we rejoice for the many blessings and graces this month will bring for all of us.

First, we are so grateful to God for the Grotto, the beautiful and serene open space offering plentiful opportunities to pray and meditate. Here is what Florida Catholic said about our Grotto: “Approaching Our Lady of Lourdes grotto, one can hear pilgrims murmuring in wonder, “magnificent,” “gorgeous,” “inspiring.” Those words fall short for the new grotto at St. John the Evangelist Parish. The grotto is embraced by breathtaking Stations of the Cross, the massive stations bring to life Christ's Via Dolorosa and the fulfillment of the Virgin Mary's fiat.” Come, bring your friends and family and enjoy this oasis of prayer and peace.

The month of May is dedicated to the Virgin Mary. And so, we are also grateful that we begin and end the month of May with great feasts related to Mary, during which we may experience how she fills us with her graces.

Here is something that I just came to know about Mary: even our own bodies have something to remind us of her. Look at the palms of your hands: you may find an "M" there in the major lines. This is so wonderful! During this month and even after, please remember to look at this “Monogram of Mary.” Let it remind you that our Mother Mary is always willing to guide us to her Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ.

Perhaps you will join me in praying the Memorare often this month, asking Mother Mary to reveal her Son to us:

Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to your protection, implored your help, or sought your intercession was left unaided. Inspired by this confidence, I fly to you, O Virgin of virgins, my Mother. To you do I come, before you I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word incarnate, despise not my petitions, but, in your mercy, hear and answer me. Amen.

You have heard me speak of the National Eucharistic Revival. This is a three-year initiative sponsored by the Bishops of the United States. It began last year at the Diocesan level. We are now preparing for Year Two – the Parish level. The Year of the Eucharistic Parish Revival will begin on June 10, 2023 with a Eucharistic Pilgrimage at the Basilica of the National Shrine of Mary, Queen of the Universe in Orlando.

At St. John's, we are planning many opportunities for everyone to fall in love with Jesus in the Eucharist. It is our prayer that, through this year-long journey, we will come also to love Jesus in one another.

Please know that our Adoration Chapel is now open every day from 8.30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thanks to Brad Christy who is dedicated to this daily ministry of opening and closing the doors of the church and the Adoration Chapel. Please pass on to your friends the messages about the availability of our Grotto, our Church, and our Adoration Chapel so that many can receive the blessings they offer.

Registration for our Religious Education Program, Classes K – 12, is available on line. Please hurry and register so that our lovely team of Catechists will find it easier to prepare the materials needed.

Let us now go through some important dates in the life of our parish during May:

1st May: The month of May begins with a wonderful Feast: St. Joseph the Worker. What a privilege to begin the month of May with this feast of the spouse of Mary, who, as his wife, certainly shared in St. Joseph's labor, as did Jesus. She sustained them with love, care, and food. In honor of St. Joseph and our Mother, we will have our first Mass at the Grotto on Monday, May 1, 2023 at 5.30 p.m. Please bring your beach chairs, as our benches will take a few more weeks to come.

Also on Monday, May 1, Fr. Arul Raj Gali, C.S.C., will give a talk on the “Challenges Facing the Families Today,” at 6 p.m. in Holy Cross Hall. Please come and benefit from his presentation.

That same evening, in honor of St. Joseph, the movie “A Father's Heart: The Miracles of St. Joseph” will be shown at the Viera Avenue theaters at 7 p.m. It will be preceded by a short film produced by The Knights of Columbus entitled “Our Liberator: St. Joseph and the Priests of Dachau.”

May 1st is also observed as Religious Brothers' Day. Let us pray for our Holy Cross Brothers. Please celebrate their life and vocation by giving thanks to God for the important role they play in the life of the Catholic Church.

3rd May, Wednesday: The Feast of Saints Philip and James. These two were faithful Apostles of Jesus. They gave their lives to preaching the Good News of Jesus Christ and were willing to die for HIM. Please stop by the church for Mass or the Adoration Chapel to pray.

6th May, Saturday: a day to remember! 84 of our children will receive Our Lord Jesus in the Eucharist for the First Time. What a wonderful gift it is not only for the families of these children but for all of us as a community. Let us rejoice and give thanks to our Lord. Let us keep our children in our prayer. Congratulations to the parents, the Catechists, and to Dawn and Kelli, all of whom have sacrificed much to ensure that these children would receive their First Communion.

7th May, Sunday: The May Crowning. This will take place at the 9 a.m. Mass. In addition to the Crowning, Our Blessed Mother will be honored by the children who have just received their First Communion. Accompanied by CCW members as a sign of our role and responsibility of handing down the faith, they will process to the statue of Our Lady next to the altar. Each child will place before her a carnation flower and pray. This has always been a moving part of the crowning ceremony.

13th May, Saturday: The Feast of Our Lady of Fatima. We will celebrate her with the Holy Eucharist at the Grotto at 9 a.m.

14th May, Sunday: Mother's Day. What a blessing to have a day to honor our mothers, both living and deceased. Thank you to all of our mothers who do so much for us. You are special to us, as this saying proves: “A mother is the only person to have felt your heartbeat from inside, who has a love that is unbreakable, and who is your friend for life.” Let us pray in gratitude for all of our mothers. Pray especially for those mothers who are neglected and unappreciated and ignored by their children.

At the 4.30 p.m. Mass on this day, we will also celebrate the achievements of our graduates with a Baccalaureate Mass.   Come and celebrate with the graduates. We will have a cake and punch reception in the Holy Cross Hall for graduates and their families following Mass.

From the 15th through 20th May, a group of our parishioners will be going on a pilgrimage to Guadalupe in Mexico. Please know that we will be praying for all of you.

May 21st, Sunday, The Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord. Forty days after the Resurrection, Jesus ascends to His Father. This is one of the Fundamental Beliefs of our faith which we profess every time we pray our CREED.

Also, on this Sunday of 21 May, from 8 a.m. – 1 p.m., St John the Evangelist is hosting a Blood Drive. We are known for our charitable works: what higher donation can there be than donating one's own blood! Please consider signing up for this important event. Thanks! Here is the link:

https://donor.oneblood.org/donor/schedules/drive_schedule/1362204 .

Thanks to our brother Knight Hank Poletto for coordinating this ministry for the Knights of Columbus.

28th May, Pentecost Sunday: What a joy to celebrate the Birthday of the Church. Descending as fire upon the cold and timid hearts of the Apostles, the Holy Spirit enflames them, transforming them into bold, fearless proclaimers of the Gospel. This brings us to the end of Easter Season.

29th May, Monday – Ordinary Time (Week 8) resumes. This day is also the Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church.

29th May is also Memorial Day, when we remember and pray for all the brave men and women who fought for our country and are no more with us. It is a day when many visit their loved ones' graves in cemeteries throughout the country.

31st May, The Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. What a way to conclude the month of May with this great feast remembering how Mary went in haste to share the mission entrusted to her. Bearing Christ in her womb, she immediately makes a long and difficult journey to be at the service of her kinswoman Elizabeth, who is pregnant with John the Baptist. We will honor this feast with a Mass at the Grotto at 6 p.m. Please bring your beach chairs.

Please remember that we will have Masses at the Grotto on the following days in the month of May:

1st May, Monday, Solemnity of St. Joseph the worker, Mass at 5.30 p.m.

13th May, Saturday, Feast of Our Lady of Fatima, Mass at 9:00 a.m.

31st May, Wednesday, The Feast of the Visitation of Mary, Mass at 6:00 p.m.

Have a Blessed Month of May!

With love,

Fr. John

click here to get reading plan and listen to the introduction

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Weekly Offertory

Thank you for your continued support of our Parish. Without your help we wouldn't be up and running. If you have not made your weekly donation you have the following options:

1. Online at stjohnviera.weshareonline.org 

2. Offertory can be sent by mail.

3. Offertory can be dropped off at the Parish.

Thank you to those who have already made their donation. You are all in our thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.

Office Hours

Monday - Friday
8:30am - 5:00pm

Church Address

5655 Stadium Parkway

Viera, FL  32940

Contact Us

Email: [email protected]
Phone: (321) 637 9650
Fax: (321) 637 9651