St. Brendan's Catholic Church

05/30/2026

Father Mike's weekly message:

As good stewards of our parish facilities, we want to keep you informed about an important infrastructure project currently underway at Msgr. Mulligan Hall. We are grateful for your continued support and trust, and we hope this update gives you a clear picture of where things stand and what lies ahead.

We are currently in the process of replacing the air conditioning system in Msgr. Mulligan Hall following a major failure of the existing unit. Both compressors were found to be completely shorted internally, rendering them beyond repair. Compounding the issue, the system relies on R-22 refrigerant, which has been phased out and is now difficult and costly to source.

While replacement compressors remain available, repairs would require the use of an interim refrigerant blend and were estimated to exceed $25,000 ~ and even then, the parish would be left with an aging 30-ton system with older coils and refrigerant lines, requiring further costly investment down the road. The Diocesan Construction Office reviewed the situation and agreed that a full system replacement is the most prudent course of action.

By selecting an alternate manufacturer, we have been able to educe the projected timeline from approximately 15~16 weeks to around 12 weeks, allowing for a mid-summer installation.

We are grateful to report that donations have already been received toward the new unit, reducing the amount we will need to draw from parish savings. A heartfelt thank you to all who have given so generously. If you are also in a position to help, your contribution would be deeply appreciated.

It is worth noting that the two units serving the church are of comparable age, and their eventual replacement will also need to be planned for in the years ahead.

05/29/2026

St. Brendan’s Summer Event
“Take Me Out To The Ball Game”
Clearwater Threshers vs. Jupiter Hammerheads
Saturday, June 27th ~ Cost is $35 per person
A/C Threshers Club ~ Food and Drink included
Sign up in the Parish Office
First Pitch at 6:30pm
Fireworks after the game!

05/25/2026

05/23/2026

Father Mike's Weekly message:

Here is a poem I came across for the first time just a few weeks ago.
It is called “The Unknown God” by Alice Meynell (1847–1922), a convert to Catholicism who had a remarkable gift for finding the infinite in the ordinary. I invite you to take your time and read it slowly.

Meynell is describing a stranger who receives Holy Communion beside her at the altar. She finds herself marveling at the depth of his unseen faith, and in a gesture of beautiful reverence and humility, prays that through his faith, God might bless her too. It is a gentle reminder that when we receive the Lord in Holy Communion, we do so together, and that we are called to pray for one another in those sacred moments, even for those whose names we may never know.

ONE of the crowd went up,
And knelt before the Paten and the Cup,
Received the Lord, returned in peace,
and prayed Close to my side; then in my heart I said:

O Christ, in this man's life ~
This stranger who is Thine ~ in all his strife,
All his felicity, his good and ill,
In the assaulted stronghold of his will,

I do confess Thee here,
Alive within this life; I know Thee near
Within this lonely conscience, closed away
Within this brother's solitary day

Christ in his unknown heart,
His intellect unknown ~ this love, this art,
This battle and this peace, this destiny
That I shall never know, look upon me!

Christ in his numbered breath,
Christ in his beating heart and in his death,
Christ in his mystery! From that secret place
And from that separate dwelling, give me grace.

05/22/2026

Memorial Day Mass
Join us on Monday, May 25, 2026, at 10:00 a.m.,
Memorial Day Mass at Calvary Catholic Cemetery
11801 US Highway 19 North, Clearwater
Bishop Gregory Parkes will be the main celebrant.
Please join us for this special Mass, as we remember those who gave their lives in service to our country and all the souls of the faithful departed.
All are welcome!

05/16/2026

St. Brendan, the Navigator’s Feast Day
Tour of Our Stained Glass Window
by parishioner John Grant
Sunday, May 17th
Following the 11:00am Mass

05/16/2026

Father Mike's weekly message:

As the Easter season draws to a close next Sunday with the Feast of Pentecost, I would like to share a thoughtful, prophetic poem a parishioner gave me during Holy Week. Its lines yearn for that part of the Easter message which we, as a whole, still struggle to believe and live.

Will we hear Him this Easter above the sound of bombs and drones exploding? Will we hear Him from inside this tomb of death where 2,000 years later we remain somehow still insisting only more death can save us from death?

The stone has been rolled back. And Jesus out there beyond it is calling by name, first Mary, then you, then me, calling beyond nation, beyond time or race, all God‘s children to the new life, the Resurrection He invites us to today.

Separation is the illusion holding us back in that tomb of death, that God died and rose for some, not all, not for them, not for the other.

And Jesus there outside the tomb still waiting, “Father, that they may be one as you and I are one.”

And Jesus there still offering another path. He took our human evil upon himself, did not pass it on, suffered with every human pain, wept with every human tear, loved first without condition, forgave, blessed. Lead us, Lord, our Easter prayer this day, a little step at least along your path from death to life. Amen.

05/09/2026

Father Mike's weekly message

I am delighted to share some wonderful news with all of you. We have surpassed our goal for the Catholic Ministry Appeal for 2026! These funds will be used throughout our diocese to promote vocations to the priesthood and religious life, to support Catholic Charities and its many programs serving the homeless and those in need, and to advance youth ministry endeavors and faith education. Thank you so much for your extraordinary generosity.

We have exceeded our goal by 124%. These additional funds help parishes with fewer resources that struggle to reach their individual goals — yet another beautiful example of us working together as brothers and sisters in the Diocese of St. Petersburg.

I continue to be deeply impressed by the many ways this faith community reaches out to others locally. Our ministry of meals at Pinellas Hope, our Lend a Hand Ministry, the assistance offered by our CCW to more than 18 organizations in our area, and the many ways the Navigators foster community while serving those in need — all of these reflect the generous spirit that defines us. And the Virginia Tree, while highlighted at Christmas, which con- tinues to assist those with special needs throughout the entire year.

It makes me truly proud to be part of a community whose heart is in the right place. As Jesus reminds us in the story of the Last Judgment in Matthew 25: “When I was hungry, you gave me food; when I was thirsty, you gave me drink.” Thank you for hearing His call and responding in so many meaningful ways.

May God continue to bless us and draw us ever closer to Him, so that His grace and love may shine through all that we do.

With a grateful heart,
Fr. Mike Muhr Pastor

05/04/2026

Father Mike's weekly message:

The Simple Path

10 years ago Mother Teresa was canonized a saint. Called to serve and see Jesus in the poorest of the poor, she touched and inspired millions. Even during her lifetime, we clearly knew we were living with a saint. She was a humble woman though who never would have considered this title.

People often think of saints as men and women so holy they do not sin or if they do, their offenses must be infinitesimally small. She disagreed with this interpretation and explained that a saint was not someone who was perfect but one who after falling rises immediately, turning back to the mercy of Jesus. Saints have a burning desire to follow the words of Jesus who said, “Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God.”

Much has been written of her “dark night of the soul,” a spiritual desolation that many of the Church’s mystics throughout history also experienced. This period of spiritual purification can be quite intense and uniquely for her lasted much of her adult life. What marks this time as distinct is the continuing longing for God and the urge to love in spite of it. On this point Fr. Brian Kolodiejchuk the Canadian priest who advocated her cause for canonization says, "You can be joyful even if you're suffering because you are accepting, and you are working and acting with love that gives meaning to the suffering."

The life and example of Mother Teresa gives us so much to reflect upon. I encourage you to consider reading her book A Simple Path or to see the documentary Mother Teresa, by Ann & Jeannette Petrie which was filmed on the run for a period of 5 years in 10 countries on 4 continents. Her inspiring example lives on.

St. Teresa of Calcutta, pray for us!