City: Tampa Bay, FL

Category: Worship

Telephone: (727) 347-9702

Description: The Catholic Diocese of St. Petersburg, encompassing 11 counties and ranging from Crystal River in the north to Fort Myers in the south, was established in June 1968. In 1984, the southern portion of the Diocese became the Diocese of Venice, leaving Pinellas, Hillsborough, Pasco, Hernando, and Citrus Counties in the Diocese of St. Petersburg. Today, the Diocese of St. Petersburg, part of the Archdiocese of Miami, serves approximately 425,000 Roman Catholics through 74 parishes and seven missions. The Office of Catholic Schools and Centers lists 16 early childhood education centers, 28 elementary schools, 6 high schools, and 2 special education schools. Catholic Charities (www.ccdosp.org) provides a number of social services under two basic headings: Life Ministry (counseling, immigration issues, adoption, etc.) and Shelter Ministry (farm worker housing, HIV/AIDS housing, single-parent family housing, etc.). The Diocese of St. Petersburg operates WBVM 90.5 SpiritFM radio station, broadcasting to central Florida, and publishes a Diocesan magazine called Gathered, Nourished, Sent. Bishop Robert Lynch was consecrated bishop of the Diocese of St. Petersburg in January 1996 at the Cathedral of St. Jude the Apostle in St. Petersburg. Bishop Lynch even has a blog, For His Friends (http://bishopsblog.dosp.org).