Dec 18, 2024 ORLANDO | Walande Casseus traveled to central Florida from Haiti two years ago seeking a safe haven, a new life and better opportunities. Though the challenges have been many, with the help of Catholic Charities of Central Florida, her hopes are still alive. Casseus sought Catholic Charities' help when she was pregnant with her daughter…

Dec 12, 2024 CASSELBERRY | Damein Mitchell spent much of his 50 years doing time. In and out of prison for some 20 years, St. Vincent de Paul’s St. Peter Claver Prison Ministry and their partnership with Promising People changed the course of his life. Carlos Benitez, director of St. Peter Claver Ministry, said Promising People is a…

Nov 27, 2024 LONGWOOD  |  If you are a practicing Catholic, you most likely have or know children who have strayed from the faith.  “Nones,” or the religiously unaffiliated, are said to be the largest population in the United States  — 28%. But one parish is finding strength in prayer through Millions of Monicas. With St. Monica as a model of…

Nov 27, 2024 ORLANDO  |  For the past several decades, the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) in  the United States is often described how a non-Catholic became Catholic.  However, a new translation has been released and what once was RCIA is now OCIA, the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults. The transition is an opportunity to review how the…

Nov 22, 2023 ORLANDO | After retirement, Tom Gawronski sought a ministry to serve. He found the newly formed Lazarus Ministry at his parish, St. Margaret Mary in Winter Park. The ministry cares for residents of extended-stay hotels on Lee Rd. “I kind of viewed it as a to do list,” he said. “If I wanted to improve…

Nov 22, 2023 CLERMONT | Selene Squitieri has a passion for American Sign Language, especially if it helps her niece find a deeper love of the Eucharist. With a cousin who is deaf, Squitieri often found herself making friends in the deaf community. When her niece, Cassidy, was born deaf, she felt motivated to learn ASL. And as…