St. James the Apostle Catholic Church Port Richey

10/15/2026

St. Teresa of Avila pray for us 🙏
Born to the Spanish nobility, the daughter of Don Alonso Sanchez de Cepeda and Doña Beatriz. She grew up reading the lives of the saints, and playing at "hermit" in the garden. Crippled by disease in her youth, which led to her being well educated at home, she was cured after prayer to Saint Joseph. Her mother died when Teresa was 12, and she prayed to Our Lady to be her replacement. Her father opposed her entry to religious life, so she left home without telling anyone, and entered a Carmelite house at 17. Seeing her conviction to her call, her father and family consented.

Soon after taking her vows, Teresa became gravely ill, and her condition was aggravated by the inadequate medical help she received; she never fully recovered her health. She began receiving visions, and was examined by Dominicans and Jesuits, including Saint Francis Borgia, who pronounced the visions to be holy and true.

She considered her original house too lax in its rule, so she founded a reformed convent of Saint John of Avila. Teresa founded several houses, often against fierce opposition from local authorities. Mystical writer. Proclaimed a Doctor of the Church on 27 September 1970 by Pope Paul VI.

10/14/2026

Friday, November 6th at 4:00pm, we will hold the annual Mass of Remembrance in the main church. Those who had funerals at St. James will automatically be remembered. If you would like to add a name of a loved one, please call the office. We invite you to join us as we remember our deceased loved ones. 🥰

10/12/2026

Join us in praying for Pope Leo XIV.

The Holy Father has announced that he will undergo surgery in the coming days to remove a small nodule detected in his lung.

May Our Lord guide the medical team and grant Pope Leo a successful operation, a swift recovery and peace.

Our Lady, Health of the Sick, pray for him. 🙏

10/12/2026

St. Carlo Acutis pray for us 🙏

10/12/2026

This Friday! Get your tickets at the church office! They will also be available at the door in Friday!

Join the Knights of Columbus for an evening of fun, fellowship and BUNCO! Don't know how to play? No worries! They'll teach you! It's easy and fun!!

10/07/2026

Our Lady of the Rosary pray for us 🙏

10/06/2026

Pray for our Bishop and all our priests, as they are away at convocation this week. 🙏

10/05/2026

St. Faustina pray for us 🙏

10/04/2026

St. Francis of Assisi pray for us 🙏
Son of Pietro Bernadone, a rich cloth merchant. Though he had a good education and became part of his father's business, he also had a somewhat misspent youth. Street brawler and some-time soldier. Captured during a conflict between Assisi and Perugia, Italy, he spent over a year as a prisoner of war. During this time he had a conversion experience, including a reported message from Christ calling him to leave this worldly life. Upon release, Francis began taking his faith seriously.

He took the Gospels as the rule of his life, Jesus Christ as his literal example. He dressed in rough clothes, begged for his sustenance, and preached purity and peace. His family disapproved, and his father disinherited him; Francis formally renounced his wealth and inheritance. He visited hospitals, served the sick, preached in the streets, and took all men and women as siblings. He began to attract followers in 1209, and with papal blessing, founded the Franciscans based on a simple statment by Jesus: "Leave all and follow me." In 1212 Clare of Assisi became his spiritual student, which led to the founding of the Poor Clares. Visited and preached to the Saracens. Composed songs and hymns to God and nature. Lived with animals, worked with his hands, cared for lepers, cleaned churches, and sent food to thieves. In 1221 he resigned direction of the Franciscans.

While in meditation on Mount Alvernia in the Apennines in September 1224, Francis received the stigmata, which periodically bled during the remaining two years of his life. This miracle has a separate memorial on 17 September.

In the Middle Ages people who believed to be possessed by Beelzebub especially called upon the intercession of Saint Francis, the theory being that he was the demon's opposite number in heaven.

10/02/2026

Angel of God, my guardian dear,
To whom God's love commits me here,
Ever this day [or night], be at my side,
To light and guard, to rule and guide.
Amen.