STS. PETER AND PAUL CATHOLIC CHURCH HISTORY

        

           The Catholic Church is one, with the same faith, under the same Pope, and with the same sacraments. Yet at the same time, it is both Eastern and Western, it's two lungs with which it breathes the breath of the Holy Spirit, as Pope John Paul II frequently 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.

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).

 

June 1, 2018 - 

Fr. Fadi Rouhana, Pastoral Administrator of Our Lady of Purgatory, New Bedford, Massachusetts is assigned, Administrator of Saints Peter & Paul as of June 1, 2018.

 

October 1,2014 - May 31, 2018

 

Fr. Paul Damien, pastor of Our Lady of Lebanon Church in Easton, PA is assigned as administrator pastor of Sts, Peter & Paul for the second time

(Fr. Damien was the administrator of our church  from April 3, 2003, until July 23, 2006)

 

January 2014 - September 30, 2014

 

Fr. Antoine Kairouz

(newly ordained priest becomes administrator priest of the mission ......

 

September  2013 - January 2014

 

many Maronite & Roman Catholic priests (Fr. Stephan, Fr. Hough, Fr. Hendry ) volunteered to help celebrate the liturgies and other services until Bishop Gregory temporarily assigned Fr. Gary George to administer to the needs of the parishioners until a permanent priest will become available.

 

June 1, 2009 - August 2013:

Fr. Peter E. Boulos - (passed away: August 2013 in Tampa, FL. May he rest in peace)

Fr. Peter who was pastor of St. Joseph Maronite Church in Atlanta, Georgia for 13 years - is assigned as Mission Administrator on June 1, 2009.
In addition to his current assignment as Administrator of Sts. Peter & Paul Maronite Mission in Tampa, Fr. Peter is appointed by His Excellency Bishop Gregory Mansour as Protopresbyter of the Far South Region of the Eparchy of Saint Maron of Brooklyn for a period of five years.
Theprotopresbyter is a priest who is placed over a particular region of the eparchy, consisting of several parishes or eparchial institutions (CCEO c.276).
The Far South Region includes the parishes and missions in Moore (Greenville), S.C.; Atlanta, Ga.; Jacksonville, Orlando, Melbourne, Tampa, West Palm Beach and Miami, Florida.

The Protopresbyters are ex-officio members of the Eparchial Presbyteral Council. Elections for five members of the Presbyteral Council, divided proportionally by years of ordination, took place at the Clergy Conference held June 29-July 2, in Los Angeles, California.

 

October 2008 – May 31, 2009:

Fr. Anthony J. Salim arrives from working for one year in religious education in Sydney, Australia. He is assigned as Mission Administrator from October until end of May.

 

August - September 2008:

Fr. Hanna Karam is assigned Administrator of our Mission. In October he was assigned to the Maronite parish in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.

 

March 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.

November - December, 2007:
Formal inauguration of the Sheldon Road church is planned with the presence of Bishop Mansour.

 

 

​

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

April 3rd, 2003:

Bishop Doueihi assigned Father Paul Damien - the Parochial Vicar at St. Anthony's Church in Glen Allen, Virginia - as administrator for the Maronite Community. He continued to celebrate the liturgy weekly at St. Mary's.

 

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.

 

Before 2000

the Reverend Monsignor George Sebaali, the Protobresbyter of the region, came and met with the community people upon request of Bishop Stephen Doueihi. He celebrated mass at the Coptic Church at that time. 

The community started to gather info about the Lebanese and Maronites in Tampa. the List was submitted to Bishop's office and Father Zina was appointed as visiting priest.