"Our hearts are restless, until they rest in you Lord."

Come nourish your marriage for a fun night of marriage formation, food, drinks & games! Follow our link in bio to register for this Saturday’s, August 10, couples date night!

Save the date! 📆 Join us August 19 for a presentaion to be help us be informed as Catholics as to an extremely grave amendment has been placed on the November ballot. #miamicatholic

In this Sunday’s Gospel, we continue with John Chapter 6, known as the Theology of the Eucharist. John observes that people followed Jesus because he fed them. And He knew it. They were satisfied physically and came seeking more. But Jesus told them not to work for food that perishes, but for the food that gives eternal life: this is the ultimate satisfaction, which only He can give. Jesus is speaking of eternal happiness and everlasting satisfaction. And He is the ONLY source of that GIFT. The Saints offered us examples of people who learned Jesus’ lessons well and lived them out. For example, we consider Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury. King Henry thought that placing his best friend in that position would give him control and influence over the church. But when Thomas was ordained, God’s grace touched his heart and transformed him - leading him to want to serve God and not King Henry. King Henry ultimately had Thomas killed. But Thomas learned the lesson: to work for an eternity with God, serving Him in Heaven as he ultimately did here on earth. This should be our ultimate goal, too. It’s ok to enjoy the earthly gifts our Father graces us with here on earth. It’s not wrong to appreciate and enjoy them. But our desire to serve God and our attachment to Him and His promises must be greater. This week, ponder Jesus’ invitation to each one of us: Do not work for food that perishes. But work for the food that gives eternal life - which only Jesus offers us, in the Eucharist which is offered daily in every Mass across the world. #sundayhomilynotes #miamicatholic

Repost from @frvigoa 🙌🏻 Our 3 Seminarians came to yesterday’s 5pm mass to pray with us! Please continue to pray for them and for vocations. #miamicatholic

Throwback to last Saturday’s Grandparent’s day! We loved hosting our grandparents and their grandchildren with a day of good food and fun! @frvigoa #miamicatholic

Gladys Martinez takes home the vocations chalice! Thank you for your prayers to our community! #miamicatholic

In this Sunday’s Gospel, we begin what will be known as the Theology of the Eucharist (John Chapter 6), with the account of the multiplication of the fish and loaves. Through this account, John demonstrates to us that the Eucharist is our FOOD and sustenance for life - it is what feeds us and gives us life in Jesus, so that He can act in and through us. During these turbulent times where it is clear that Christianity and the Church are under attack, Father Vigoa reminds us in his Homily that the Eucharist is the salvation of the faithful, and Mary is the helper of Christians. As long as we remain close to the Blessed Mother and close to Jesus in the Holy Eucharist, the Church will be safe. For the next 5 weeks, we’ll focus on John Chapter 6 and on the most precious possession of the church: the Holy Eucharist. To prepare, Father Vigoa assigned us John Chapter 6 as “homework.” Our invitation on how to grow in devotion can be found in two simple but impactful actions: sit before the Eucharist in adoration (even if it’s 10-30 minutes) and attend Daily Mass. Go spend time with Jesus, and draw your life from Him. Our faith is under attack, but we can find our strength in these two pillars: the Blessed Mary and her Son Jesus in the Eucharist. “From the Eucharist comes strength to live the Christian life and zeal to share that life with others.” - Pope John Paul II #miamicatholic #sundayhomilynotes

Saint of the week: St. Joaquin and St. Anne 🙏🏻 Parents of Virgin Mary, patron saints of grandparents, families, and #infertility. “The couple’s faith and perseverance brought them through the sorrow of childlessness, to the joy of conceiving and raising the immaculate and sinless woman who would give brith to Christ. (Source @catholicnewsagency ). “

Parishioner Spotlight ✨Hi everyone! My name is Lissi Hernandez and I received all my Sacraments of Initiation, Baptism, Confirmation and Communion on Easter Vigil this year. My favorite thing about the community at St. Augustine is how friendly and inspiring everyone is. As a newer catholic I was nervous and had so many questions that I was scared to ask. At St. Augustine i’ve always felt comfortable to ask every questions I can think of and have it answered in a way that i’m able to understand. I’ve been able to build life long friendships here at St. Augustine and i’m eternally grateful for this community that helps make me a better person everyday. The most impactful thing that’s happened to me in RCIA was being able to have a personal relationship with God. Before RCIA I knew God existed but I didn’t know WHO He was/is. Now I know how to communicate with God and have a deeper relationship and understanding of Him. My favorite quote is “Remember that nothing is small in the eyes of God. Do all that you do with love.” by Saint Therese of Lisieux. I love this quote because it reminds me to look at every moment and action with a bit more purpose. It reminds me that even the most minuscule action can have a big impact. My best advice for anyone considering RCIA is this year is to do it! Come into this program with an open heart and God will work within you. He will change your life for the better if you just let Him. #miamicatholic

Thank you, Lisa Rodriguez, for taking home the vocation chalice this week and praying for our community 🤍 #miamicatholic

Parishioner highlight: The Rohaidys ✨ Hello! We’re the Rohaidy’s: Jose, Angela, Eloise, and Abigail. Jose has been a parishioner at St. A’s since high school, when he started attending the old high school youth group, and Angela started attending when she moved to Miami from Los Angeles. Our favorite thing about the St. A’s community is just that: the community. We feel at home here, are raising our daughters in this parish, and we’ve been fortunate to have so many prayer partners within this community to help us weather life’s many storms. If there’s one ministry that has touched our hearts, it’s the Young Adults Group. YAG was where we first met in 2015, where we’ve made great Catholic friends (many of whom also have young families now), and in large part why we’ve grown closer to Christ. #miamicatholic

Throwback to last week’s date night 🙌🏻 Join us next time for a night of fun, formation and good friends! #miamicatholic

Alison and Sarah Lopez received the vocations chalice this week! 🙏🏻 Thank you for your prayers and service to our community!

Sunday’s Gospel reminds us we are best served by radical trust in Jesus. Reading that Jesus sent His disciples off, with instructions to take nothing along with them, reminds us to trust in God and not in men. God chose us before the foundation of the world. He sent His Son to rescue us from sin and death because He loves us this much. He sent the Holy Spirit to know His will and His plan for us - so we can encounter Him as a living God. But how do we respond to the will of God? Do we think the commandments don’t apply to our situation, so we go forward with our will, regardless? Do we respond out of force, or out of fear? The Lord wants us to respond to Him and obey purely out of love. We can’t do this on our own. We need wisdom to discern our sin and how to amend our lives. We need His strength to respond to His will. And we need joy in surrendering to it. To have this, we need the Holy Spirit. This week, try building a new habit of invoking the Holy Spirit, when you need His wisdom and guidance in decision making. It may not happen immediately, but in time, you will get the clarity you’re asking Him for. #homilynotes

Saints of the week: Saints Louis Martin and Zélie Guérin ✨ We celebrated their feast day yesterday, July 12! Born into a military family in Bordeaux, Louis trained to become a watchmaker. His desire to join a religious community went unfulfilled because he didn’t know Latin. Moving to Normandy, he met the highly-skilled lace maker, Zélie Guérin, who had also tried unsuccessfully to enter religious life. They married in 1858, and over the years were blessed with nine children, though two sons and two daughters died in infancy. The five daughters that remained alive all were part of the religious life, St. Therese of Lisseux being one of them. In life, Louis and Zélie knew great joy and excruciating sorrow. They firmly believed that God was with them throughout every challenge that married life, parenting, and their occupations presented. Their story speaks to what marriage calls couple to do: help each other get to heaven and be open to children, raising them in a home that encourages relationship with Christ and stewardship of His love to others. #miamicatholic

The Buell Family received the vocations chalice this week! 🙏🏻 Thank you for your prayers! #miamicatholic

Calling all grandparents! Join us alongside your grandchildren for a night of fun celebrating you! Registration can be found on our webpage 🤍 #miamicatholic

The Navarro Family took home the vocations chalice this week! Thank you for your prayers! #miamicatholic #miamicatholicvovations

Welcome, Father Mario!! 🤍 This weekend, we welcome Fr. Mario Avila Vivero to St Augustine’s as our new associate pastor and Chaplain to UCatholic Campus Ministry at the University of Miami. Father Mario, the St. Augustine faithful receive you with gratitude to God and with great joy! We pray that your ministry among us will be joyful and fruitful. May it bring glory to God, build up His Kingdom, and win souls for Christ. Recall that the priest is ordained and empowered with a three-fold office: to teach, to lead and to sanctify. As you enter into the service of this faithful flock, teach us about Christ through your words; lead us to Christ through your example; and sanctify us in Christ through the Sacraments and your prayers for us. We welcome you and look forward to your ministry among us!

In Sunday’s Gospel, we find two suffering individuals, each approaching Jesus with their anxieties and fears in different ways. Jarius’ love for his daughter overrode the fear of ridicule and retribution his reputation risked for putting his faith in Jesus. Jesus of course responded to his request for healing and to Jarius’ trust compassionately. Upon his daughter’s incredible healing, we can imagine Jarius committed to following Jesus that same day. Unlike Jarius’ public request, the woman tried to approach Jesus anonymously. She was desperate - a woman considered “unclean” and marginalized by her disease - but she had faith she could be cured if she but touched Jesus’ clothes. Jesus knew this - and wanted to speak with her personally, because it was her faith that saved her. This teaches us about how to trust Jesus to heal our anxieties and fears. But what do we do with our fears? Do we believe the enemy when he suggests we’re not worth healing, or too far gone? Do we self medicate with alcohol, shopping or social media? Or do we approach Jesus directly with our fears? One of our biggest roadblocks in approaching Jesus is an unholy fear that paralyzes us, thinking Jesus won’t hear us because we’re caught up in sin, because we’re not worthy or too far gone. But this is simply not true - Jesus wants to hear from us. The way to Him is to reject fear. Because the opposite of faith is not questioning - it is fear. Jesus wants us to approach Him with faith that is both humble and strong. Our problems may not disappear instantly - but Jesus gives us the wisdom and strength to tackle them directly. We do not give in to the enemy’s self sabotage. We do not stay away because of fear. And we do not succumb to self medication. “Let nothing disturb you, nothing frighten you, all things are passing, God is unchanging. Patience gains all; nothing is lacking to those who have God: God alone is sufficient.”

Saints of the week: St Peter & Paul ✨”St. Peter was one of the Twelve and the chief of the Apostles, the Rock upon which Christ built His Church, and St. Paul was “called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God” (Romans 1:1) and Apostle to the Gentiles. Together they are honored as founders of the Church of Rome, having been separately martyred there during the reign of Emperor Nero.” (source @ewtnmedia ) Read more in our stories! #miamicatholic

Parishioner Spotlight ✨ Kevin Marti My name is Kevin Marti and at Easter Sunday this year I received my Confirmation and First Communion My favorite thing about St. Augustine is its true sense of community. There are several activities and focus groups for all members of the parish to participate in. Also, St. Augustine has a great connection with the University of Miami, allowing students like me to build community through faith while attending school. One of the most impactful things about being in RCIA was learning the “why” of the faith. Through my time in the program, I gained a deeper understanding of what it means to be Catholic and the ways in which we are each called to serve a greater mission. My favorite scripture is Romans 8:28: “We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.” This scripture reveals that we are all part of a bigger plan, the plan of God and of salvation. As we walk through life, we can rest assured that each part of the journey is an opportunity to build a relationship with God, even when we don’t notice it at first. My advice to someone considering the program this year is to keep an open mind and an open heart. This program is a great opportunity to build a foundation of faith,

Last week’s mom & baby drive donation was a total success! Thank you parishioners for your continued love and support towards our community ❤️‍🔥 Swipe for thank you letter to you, our parishioners! #miamicatholic

Thank you to the Riesgo-Rios family for taking home the vocation chalice this week! #Miamicatholic

This Sunday’s Gospel reminds of how we’re invited to respond to life’s difficulties. If we look at the lives of great men and women, we see that they overcame difficulties and used it to excel, to come out better. What do we do when life’s storms beat down on us? Doubt, disappointment, disillusionment, depression, defeat, etc. - these are all temptations when we’re going through major difficulties, and they’re all temptations from the enemy. They’re all rooted in fear. But we can take encouragement from the fact that Jesus tells us 365 times in the Bible: be not afraid! We can look at Job as an example of how to handle tragedy and difficulties in our lives. Job wasn’t patient, he complained and he asked God why he allowed his suffering. He was confused and disappointed and weary - But Job remained faithful. He trusted God in His infinite wisdom and power. The lesson God wants us to learn today is peace and security in His providence - even when life beats down on us (Jesus was beaten down on, too, and still is). Don’t jump to the conclusion that God is punishing you - that’s the enemy’s lies - God is closer than we think. God is asking us to have more faith. He’s not asleep - He’s asking you and me: “Why are you terrified? Do you not yet have faith?” When we’re facing difficulties as when we’re overjoyed, may our response be, “Yes, Lord - I trust in you.” #sundayhomilynotes #miamicatholic

Thank you all so much for your generosity! Food pantry Drive today was a total success! @frvigoa

Hermanos outreach yesterday was a total success!! Thank you for your service to our community ✨ #miamicatholic

Saint of the week: St Thomas Moore “His belief that no lay ruler has jurisdiction over the Church of Christ cost Thomas More his life. Beheaded on Tower Hill, London, on July 6, 1535, More steadfastly refused to approve King Henry VIII’s divorce and remarriage and establishment of the Church of England. Described as “a man for all seasons,” More was a literary scholar, eminent lawyer, gentleman, father of four children, and chancellor of England. An intensely spiritual man, he would not support the king’s divorce from Catherine of Aragon in order to marry Anne Boleyn. Nor would he acknowledge Henry as supreme head of the Church in England, breaking with Rome, and denying the pope as head. More was committed to the Tower of London to await trial for treason: not swearing to the Act of Succession and the Oath of Supremacy. Upon conviction, More declared he had all the councils of Christendom and not just the council of one realm to support him in the decision of his conscience.” (Source @franciscanmedia )

Parishioner Highlight ✨ My name is Holly Lopez and at this past Easter Vigil I received all my sacraments of initiation: Baptism, Communion, Confirmation My favorite thing about our St A community is how welcoming people are, especially to someone new to religion. I never felt uncomfortable or bad that I didn’t know something. Two most impactful things during RCIA was I developed a new relationship with God, starting with looking at him as a friend… I thought that was cool and relatable, especially since I had no religious upbringing and didn’t know how to pray or what to say or even how to start. Also, I truly connected with my table of awesome women – all strangers when we first met. Day 1 I went into this thinking, “I have nothing in common with these people”, but I wanted to be open-minded so I stuck it out. It didn’t take long to truly feel kindness, compassion and empathy from each one of them. Pretty cool. I can see several us remaining lifelong friends. I love that. A favorite scripture of mine is Proverbs 3:5-6 – Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. This is a favorite because I struggle so much with wanting to understand things; i.e., why did this thing happen to me, what does this thing mean, what did this person think of me, etc. This scripture reminds me to stop, breathe, and let it go. And let God take over. For anyone who thinks about joining the RCIA Program… there is a reason you are drawn to even considering it. Trust that “thing” inside you and do it. I can pretty much guarantee it will be worth it.

Repost from @frvigoa “Parish Mission Update: today is Alvaro Silva’s 88 birthday. He’s a beast. Showing us all up. What a blessing to have him with us. 88 and on mission. Get inspired! God is so good. Happy Birthday, Alvaro! We are surprising him with a big cake tonight after “

Grieving with Hope workshop’s last meeting. What a beautiful journey towards hope together! May the souls of the faithful departed, rest in peace. And pray for our community as we pray for you! #miamicatholic

St Augustine @bluemissions project update! Follow along @frvigoa and team while they help secure access to clean water to the community of Las Canoas 💧 #bluemissions #waterproyect

The Almirall Family Takes home the vocations chalice this week! Thank you for your prayers! #miamicatholic

In Sunday’s Gospel, we read about the desire to have faith the size of even just a mustard seed - and of that being enough to grow. But we are invited to go deeper. What does Jesus mean when He says “The Kingdom of God is at hand”? And what does “The Kingdom of God is among us” mean? The Kingdom Of God comes about in a person or community when God is placed at the center. Where love of God and neighbor reigns supreme, where self is forgotten. In contrast, the kingdom of the world is where human appetite reigns supreme. Eat, drink and be merry because tomorrow we die, and this is the only chance. The kingdom of the world is where man is king. We don’t have to bring the Kingdom of God to bear in grandiose, overwhelming ways. We get to do it in small ways. Actively seeking out the will of God, forgetting oneself and making God the King of our lives. Putting love of God and neighbor first. That is the mustard seed - seemingly small acts, being faithful to God, grow exponentially through each soul we touch. People will feel the difference between the Kingdom of God and the kingdom of man through your actions. Just be a mustard seed. When you’re faithful, God can take care of the rest. #sundayhomilynotes

Parishioner Highlight ✨ My name is Henry T Wasserman-Teitlebaum and during this past Easter Vigil, I was fortunate to be baptized, to receive my First Communion and, also, finally to receive Confirmation. There are many, many things to like about the Saint Augustine community to which my family has belonged for quite a few years now (even while I was not back in the USA and, also, not yet a Catholic.) Everyone is very friendly and it is for me a particular delight to attend Sunday Mass with my daughter Stephanie , her husband Hodari and their children as well as with my beloved Maria del Carmen (whom many of you may know as Gigi). Stephanie as well as one  of our boys (Joseph or Joey) both attended University of Miami for their schooling quite a few years ago and the university environment is (for me, anyway) an added attraction of Saint Augustine. The Sunday Mass with the chorus and the beautiful music that one can enjoy during it, is something that particularly delights me every single Sunday morning although I have been as well attempting to attend Mass as often as I can during the week. I would recommend to whoever is considering enrolling in the St Augustine Parish RCIA course to take advantage of all the multiple and varied educational opportunities as well as the diverse activities offered during the course; bring an open and inquisitive mind; ask a lot of questions and I am certain that the experience will be (as it was for me, an “old geezer” as I am known by my grandchildren) a stimulating, inspiring and wonderful one. #miamicatholic

Thank you Al & Jeanette for taking home the vocations chalice this week! #miamicatholic

This Sunday’s first reading comes from the book of Genesis, and recaps the fall of the son of man, and original sin. The first sin was pride and disobedience. In the Garden of Eden, there was perfect harmony - Adam and Eve had full access to paradise, and were only to conform themselves to God’s will. The power to decide good and evil rested in God - not in people. The consequence of breaking this balance was alienation from God on their part (God never abandoned them). The first thing Adam and Eve after breaking the bond was hide themselves-reflecting the first consequence of sin. Suffering and death then entered into humanity - and it’s this state that Jesus comes into. Jesus’ humility and obedience counteract the effects of original sin. Jesus humbled himself - not grasping for equality with God. Through His obedience and humility, the chasm between humanity and God was healed. Returning us to life through salvation. What we can take away from this reading is that our conscience should never lead us to sin and separation. To join our will and obedience to God’s is our biggest challenge, but the one we’re called to engage in daily. Because harmony with God in heaven is the fruit we should all be grasping for. #sundayjomilynotes

Congratulations to the newest member of church, Emilia ✨#miamicatholic

#RomeingWithVigoa Semester 1 recap 🇮🇹 @frvigoa Will be back this week but here’s a recap of his stay in Rome since December! #miamicatholic

Parishioner highlight: Joel Nickels ✨ My favorite thing about our RCIA community is the way the men at my table would stay after the meeting to discuss Catholic teachings and share their victories and struggles in the life of faith. The bonds of friendship that we formed in those discussions mean a lot to me, and so does the example of men doing their best to live lives of virtue and accountability. What impacted me most was standing before the altar of God, my sponsor’s hand on my shoulder, to receive the mark of Christ on my forehead. The power of the sacrament of Confirmation was unmistakable in that moment—a living seal imparted by the living God. One of my favorite Bible verses is 2 Corinthians 5:17: “If any one is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, behold, the new has come.” This reminds me that our identity as Christians is not defined by our accomplishments, our opinions or our mistakes. It’s to be found in the living presence of Christ, who dwells in me, nourishes me, and re-creates me continually. My advice to someone considering doing the program this year would be this: Ready yourself, my friend! The gifts of the Holy Spirit are real. If you’re not yet sure what your mission in life is, or what steps to take next to accomplish it, get confirmed—and prepare yourself to be taught these things by the awesome power of the Holy Spirit.

Take note of our summer hours

This week’s RoamingwithFrVigoa is off site in Medugorje. Check out the video !

It’s Friday and you know what that means! #RoamingWithVigoa Today he’s giving us a tour of Gesu church in Rome @frvigoa rously

Saint of the week: St Rita of Cascia✨”St. Rita of Cascia (1381-1457) is a patron saint of the impossible, difficult, and hopeless causes, distinctly in the realm of marriage, abuse, fertility, parenthood, and disease. Like St. Jude, many turn to St. Rita for her intercession in times of desperation, heartbreak, and disease. (Source: @hallowapp)” St Rita lead a life full of faith in Christ, despite the many challenges she had or things endured. We invite you to look more into her life. On the centenary of her canonization, St. Pope John Paul II called us to consider the message of St. Rita of Cascia: to live humbly and conform our lives to Christ. “But what is the message that this saint passes on to us? It is a message that flows from her life: humility and obedience were the path that Rita took to be ever more perfectly conformed to the Crucified One. The mark which shines on her forehead is the verification of her Christian maturity. On the Cross with Jesus, she is crowned in a certain way with the love that she knew and heroically expressed within her home and by her participation in the events of her town.” St Rita, pray for us! #miamicatholic #saintoftheweek

#tbt to last week’s couple’s date night ✨ We love hosting date night for our parishioners! #miamicatholic

Attention all parishioners!! Come celebrate & give thanks to Fr Louis after Masses this Sunday, May 26 at 12pm, 5pm or 6:30pm See you there! #miamicatholic

Thank you, Rose for taking the vocations chalice home this week! We’re so grateful for your prayers and service to our community! #miamicatholic

This Sunday, we celebrated Pentecost - celebrating the acknowledgement of the Holy Spirit and the birth of the Catholic Church. But how do we receive and encounter the Holy Spirit? Here are 10 steps: 1) Believe in the Trinity, in a gesture of total surrender. To believe in God, believe God - listen to His words. 2) Trust in the providence of God. 3) Wait on God. Depend on Him. Unite your will to His and accept that God’s timing is not ours - but it is endlessly wiser than ours. 4) Bend the knees before God in a gesture of adoration. Recognize the Lordship of God and his Son. Be humble before God. 5) Empty the mind and the heart to God, freed of anything that isn’t God’s - including vanity, pride and selfishness. 6) Bow your head before God - allowing Him to direct your life. Humility is an act of acceptance and respect. 7) Let God do His will in you. Without conditions. We don’t belong to ourselves - we belong to God. 8) Insist on fulfilling God’s will. 9) Persist in resisting temptation. When you fall (which we all will), dust off and try again. Don’t get tired - take one more step. 10) Resist evil and temptation out of love for God. Don’t wallow in discouragement. Pray for the Holy Spirit to give you strength and courage to try again and continue. And remember - the world belongs to God. There is NOTHING that is outside of His reach, or outside of His ability to heal. He can even take our mistakes and sins and redeem them into something that Glorifies His name - and draws us nearer to Him.

Month of Mary 🤍 Our Lady of Guadalupe: “A poor Indian named Cuauhtlatohuac was baptized and given the name Juan Diego. He was a 57-year-old widower, and lived in a small village near Mexico City. On Saturday morning December 9, 1531, he was on his way to a nearby barrio to attend Mass in honor of Our Lady. Juan was walking by a hill called Tepeyac when he heard beautiful music like the warbling of birds. A radiant cloud appeared, and within it stood an Indian maiden dressed like an Aztec princess. The lady spoke to him in his own language and sent him to the bishop of Mexico, a Franciscan named Juan de Zumarraga. The bishop was to build a chapel in the place where the lady appeared. Eventually the bishop told Juan to have the lady give him a sign. About this same time Juan’s uncle became seriously ill. This led poor Juan to try to avoid the lady. Nevertheless the lady found Juan, assured him that his uncle would recover, and provided roses for Juan to carry to the bishop in his cape or tilma. On December 12, when Juan Diego opened his tilma in the bishop’s presence, the roses fell to the ground, and the bishop sank to his knees. On the tilma where the roses had been appeared an image of Mary exactly as she had appeared at the hill of Tepeyac.” (source @franciscanmedia )

A few photos of last week’s Date Night ✨🤍 #miamicatholic #miamicatholicdatenight

Parishioner Spotlight: Richard & Natalie Gonzalez ✨ We really enjoyed the activities and the sense of community from other parishioners at St. Augustine! We did our marriage retreat and the biggest takeaway was learning how deep and important the sacrament of marriage is within the church. We’re grateful for you, Gonzalez family! #miamicatholic

Thank you to the Roig-Ramos family for taking home the vocations chalice 🙏🏻 #miamicatholic

Month of Mary: Our Lady of Fatima 🤍 Her feast day is this Monday, May 13th! “in 1917 at Fatima, a little village in Portugal, our Lady came there to warn us of the harm we would inflict upon ourselves as a result of our sins: wars, famines, plagues, persecution of the Church and the loss of many souls in Hell. God, in His great mercy, wished to save us from these miseries through the Immaculate Heart of His Mother. Our Heavenly Mother revealed at Fatima a plan of hope for this world which continues to plunge headlong toward its own destruction. (source: @ewtnmedia)”

Catalina Jacobs-Fernández receives the Vocations Chalice this week! Thank you for your service and prayers to our community, Catalina!

Sunday Homily Notes: This past Sunday we celebrated the sixth Sunday of Easter. We celebrate Easter for a total of 40 days, with the final day of Easter culminating with the Ascension of the Lord. As you know, the 40 days of Easter are proceeded by the 40 days of Lent. Lent symbolizes our current life, the trials and tribulations that we face; the hardships that can overcome us. The Easter season symbolizes life in heaven. It symbolizes our life exactly how God intended it to be: a life marked by hope and peace. God time and time again reminds us that the peace that he gives is not the same peace that the world can give us. Therefore, the peace that he gives us is a peace that cannot be taken away; it’s an everlasting peace. @frvigoa reminds us this Sunday about the Faustian bargain. The story starts were Faust, tired of where he was in life, traded his soul to the devil in return for earthly goods and pleasures. He traded his soul for earthly happiness and peace. It’s to no surprise that the story ends with Faust fully deceived by the devil, living with even less peace than he had when he first started. The story, though fictional, makes us consider what type of bargain are we making today, where are we seeking peace and from whom? As we continue to live out the 40 days of Easter, we are reminded of the freedom that God gives us to seek him for peace. Though burdensome, freedom is what allows us to live in his love more fully. God doesn’t want slaves, he wants friendship with us. It is in this friendship that we fully come to understand where true peace comes from. This week we invite you to consider where your peace is coming from. How can you remove yourself and unite your will to Christ’s will? His peace is everlasting, and this one that could never be taken away from us. #sundayhomilynotes

May is the month of Mary ✨ This week, Our Lady of Charity, or La Virgen de Caridad del Cobre, comes to our hearts. “Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary under this title stretches back more than four centuries, to when the original statue of Our Lady of Charity was discovered off the coast of Cuba, near the village of El Cobre. Found by two indigenous laborers and a slave boy around the year 1600, the small wooden statue of the Virgin Mary appeared after a storm that hit while the three were out at sea in an old boat looking for salt. The men prayed for the protection of Mary from the storm. They then spotted what first appeared to be a bird floating on the water but turned out to be an image of the Virgin Mary carrying the Child Jesus on her right arm, while holding a gold cross in her left hand. The statue had been fastened to a board with the inscription: “I am the Virgin of Charity,” and, despite being found in the water after a storm, the white material the statue was clothed in was completely dry. Devotion to Our Lady of Charity spread throughout the country. In 1916, she was officially named Patroness of Cuba by Benedict XV, at the request of war veterans.” Source: @catholicnewsagency Her feast day is September 8

This week’s Saint: St Joseph the Worker ✨ We celebrate St Joseph twice a year, the first feast day being on May 1. St Joseph lived his vocation of father with full trust in Christ. He lead his family to God through his work, his love and dedication to them. As we enter Mary’s month, let’s take a moment to reflect and pray with her husband, who held her hand as they both helped raise Jesus. #saintoftheweek

#RomeingWithVigoa ✨ Today he is at the Chiesa Nouva! @frvigoa

We are the Carbonell Family: Cary, Javier, Daniela, and EJ. St. Augustine holds a special place in my heart. It’s where our journey as a family began – where I served as a youth group leader during my teenage years, where I attended the revered 8:00 PM student masses, and where I found solace in prayer while my husband pursued his graduate studies at UM. It’s also where we joyfully celebrated our daughter’s baptism. While I have only recently returned to the parish, my absence was filled with meaningful experiences. I had the privilege of teaching at an incredible Catholic school for many years, where I was able to share my faith with my children and numerous beautiful souls within the school community. A few years ago, my return journey to St. Augustine began when a dear friend invited me to join a Lenten book club series. Stepping into that initial meeting, I immediately felt a profound connection. Not only did I form unbreakable bonds with these remarkable women, who quickly became like spiritual sisters to me, but I also experienced a significant deepening of my faith. What started as a Lenten series soon evolved into an ongoing book club, exploring texts like Matthew Kelly’s “Life is Messy.” Now, it’s expanded to include Advent, Lent, and Bible study groups catering to men, women, and couples. The growth has been incredible! Additionally, I find the monthly Women of the Parish Nights to be incredibly refreshing. It’s a wonderful opportunity to connect with like-minded women while listening to inspiring guest speakers who share our beliefs and values. I feel genuinely blessed to be on this spiritual journey of growth, deepening my understanding of our Christian faith and practices, and actively participating in God’s work. Everything we do is for the greater glory of God!

#SundayHomily: Nobody can love that which they don’t know. That’s why we need to know HIM to know our faith and to love Him. Paul changed his entire life upon meeting Jesus. He went from persecutor, to disciple of Christ once he was conquered by Him. This is why Paul was so willing to die: his encounter with Jesus was so powerful that it changed his heart, soul and life, to the point where he valued eternity with Jesus more than his life on earth. Jesus is the tree of life - the source of our life and of our super natural life, but we must be united with Jesus; we can do nothing separately from Him. Love is the surest sign of His presence. Love unites us. We must hold onto it and reject everything that isn’t love and unity. Jesus tells us the secret to experiencing His miracles is to stay with and in Him - because with Christ, ALL things are possible. Without Him, there is nothing. Talk to Jesus. Make Him part of your life!

Thank you, Bradley family for taking home the vocations chalice this week! 🫶🏻 #miamicatholic

Join us every Sunday at 3pm for an hour of adoration! #miamicatholic

Another Friday, another #RomeingWithVigoa! @frvigoa

Interested in becoming Catholic or getting your sacrament(s)? Join us in RCIA this August! Register using the link in bio ✨ #miamicatholic

Tomas y Pucci Hoffman received the Vocations Chalice this week ✨ Thank YOU for your prayers and service to our community! #miamicatholic

This Sunday, we celebrated Jesus as the Good Shepherd. As the Good Shepherd, Jesus places our needs first - sacrificing His own life in order to save and care for ours. He will never abandon us at the sight of trouble (as the “bad” shepherd would - there is no fear in Him, for He has control over all things). He is the ultimate shepherd of our souls, and will only ever steer us to what is good for our souls, our salvation and our ultimate joy. This week, we are invited to ask Jesus to shepherd and guide our souls - and to give our full selves to Him. “Good Shepherd, you know us by our name and our identity is not hidden from you. Gather us to yourself as a shepherd gathers the sheep, that we might know your Name. Lord in your mercy, Hear our prayer. Amen.”

Father Fernando today embracing Good Shepherd Sunday! #miamicatholic

A few photos from last week’s couples date night! ✨We meet every month, come join us next time! #miamicatholic

Saint of the week: St Bernadette ✨ Some may know of her already, but this young Saint at the age of 14 Mary appeared to her near Lourdes, France on February 11, 1858. She was instructed by our Lady to build a chapel on the place of the apparitions - a task that proved to be harder than imagined as many skeptics doubted of Bernadette. She led a faithful life, become a nun and died at the age of 35 due to a long history of illness. How can you pray with St. Bernadette today? #miamicatholic

@frvigoa already making new friends in his new community! #romeingwithvigoa

#RomeingWithVigoa @frvigoa Where’s he off to today?

Thank you Adriana for taking the vocations chalice home!! #miamicatholic

Today our prayer & care team are celebrating one year in ministry! ✨ Thank you Betty and team for taking care of our community through thoughtful prayers and so much love.

This Sunday’s readings invite us to explore the notion of free will, which is a gift from God. It is a gift that we can use for good and to glorify Him - but it’s also a gift that is oftentimes used for sin. The double edged sword of free will is what comes into question when bad things happen to good people, when we sin, and when others sins against us leave us pained. But the Bible reminds us that “All things work together for good to those who love God.” This means EVERY THING ultimately is used in God’s perfectly designed plan to get us closer to Him - if we trust Him and let Him lead us. Yes, even our sins, failings and mistakes. Even life’s most severe difficulties. Even sins committed against us. NOTHING is wasted by God in transforming us to glorify Him. God’s plan is so perfect that He even knows the sins we’ll commit - and He’s already waiting for us, using even our sins and reconciliation to bring us closer to Him. This week, we invite you to think of the times that God’s grace has led you through difficult times, and brought about good from them - the good is often a transformed “you”. And remember that God is fully in control of the world - Jesus is King of the universe, after all. Choose to trust Him and His ways, over fear: “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

Basilica Papale di Santa María Maggiore ✨ @frvigoa is back in Rome with another #RomeingWithVigoa Friday video! #miamicatholic

Saint of the week ✨ St Gemma Galgani (April 11 Feast Day) “(St.) Gemma desired only to love Christ with her entire heart and submit herself wholly to His will for her. She prayed, “You Jesus…are the flame of my heart. My Jesus I want to love you with my whole soul…all Saints of Heaven, all of you, loan me your hearts.” Source @giveninstitute Her life could be labeled as tragic; however, her disposition and faith in Christ makes her life as that of a true saint. St. Gemma Galgani suffered more than she could have hoped, yet she used her journey for good by caring for her siblings when they became orphaned, all while suffering herself of tuberculosis. She surrendered her desire to become a nun to take care of her family. Her life ending at 25 years old reminds us that our sufferings do not label us as victims, rather, if we allow it, help us grow closer to Christ and understanding his will for us. What areas in your life is Christ asking you to surrender lovingly to Him?

UPDATED: 2024-2025 CCD classes are now accepting enrollment. Use link in our stories to register or visit our webpage! #miamicatholic #ccdmiami #ccdmiamicatholic

Just a few photos from last Saturday’s Divine Mercy Retreat ✨ We enjoyed being able to share the day with and today you are still seeing the graces received! #miamicatholic

Thank you Bernardo, Raquel and Javier Gutierrez for taking the vocations chalice home this week! 🕊️ Grateful for your service and love towards our community! #miamicatholic #miamivocations

In your 20-30s? Make Tuesday nights your favorite nights ✨ We will be staring our Alpha series! Spend time with us as we discuss life’s simple yet big questions. Come with us as we seek God in our everyday. Interest for will be linked! #miamiYAG #catholicyoungadult

On Sunday we celebrated the mercy of God towards His people during Divine Mercy Sunday. Forgiveness isn’t always easy - to request or to give. But Jesus asks us to practice it, if we want to share in His kingdom. He asks us to do two specific things: 1) Rediscover the depth of God’s love and mercy for us and 2) Recognize that it’s challenging to accept God’s mercy because it means we and our lives must change. Our sins - like those of the paralytic and others he healed throughout the New Testament - are forgiven first and freely by God - when we are truly contrite of heart. But upon receiving forgiveness - we must amend our lives. What does it mean to accept the ocean of God’s mercy in our lives? It means we are given a new beginning in which to amend our actions and behaviors - and we extend the same new beginning to others when they hurt us. Our sins separate us from God, but He is always ready to heal the breach. We need to open our hearts to His gift of mercy through Reconciliation. And so that we do not grow weary, thinking that any of our sins are “too big” for God to forgive, we are offered the words Jesus shared with Sister Faustina: “Let the greatest sinners place their trust in My mercy. They have the right before others to trust in the abyss of My mercy. My daughter, write about My mercy towards tormented souls. Souls that make an appeal to My mercy delight Me. To such souls I grant even more graces than they ask. I cannot punish even the greatest sinner if he makes an appeal to My compassion, but on the contrary, I justify him in My unfathomable and inscrutable mercy. Write: before I come as a just judge, I first open wide the door of My mercy. He who refuses to pass through the door of My mercy must pass through the door of My justice…” As we close the octave of Easter, let’s thank God for every act of love and mercy He has given us through His life. Give thanks to the Lord for He is good - His mercy endures forever.

Adoration on Sundays continues! Join us every Sunday at 3pm with the sisters of our Lady of Mercy #miamicatholic #miamicatholicadoration

Join us this Saturday before tickets are sold out! Divine Mercy retreat this Saturday from 9 to 4pm. Tickets can be purchased using the link in bio! #miamicatholic

Our catechumen after receiving the gift of baptism, confirmation & communion! #miamicatholic

Young Adults (20s & 30s) & graduate students are invited to register for our new series called Alpha that starts this week! Alpha is all about looking at life’s biggest and most important questions…. And see where God plays a part in all of it! Come experience community and a reawakening of faith. Meetings are 2-3 times a month, on a Tuesday at 8pm in the parish hall. Our regular Young Adult Nights will continue each week, on the off weeks as normal. Refreshments are provided for Alpha Series. Sign up in our linktree

“We are an Easter People and Alleluia is our song!” – Pope St. John Paul II

“Unless there is a Good Friday in your life, there can be no Easter Sunday.” – Ven. Fulton Sheen Good Friday, why do we call it that way? “It is called “Good” because through the horrific Passion and Death of Our Lord, He brought about mankind’s greatest good—our redemption and the possibility of eternal life with the Holy Trinity.” Via @ewtnmedia

Holy Thursday. What happened and what services do we have today? 👉🏽 swipe to learn #lent2024

Wednesday of Holy Week! Read about what Christ did today and the services we will have tonight at our parish! 🥖 🍲 #lent2024 #miamicatholic

Our Frontline Ministey visited the WOW center, a special place for adults with disabilities. They loved hearing about the life of a firefighter! @wowcentermiami @frontlineministry_miami #miamicatholic

What happened of Tuesday of Holy Week? Source via @ewtnmedia #lent2024

What did Jesus do on Monday of Holy Week? #lent2024 Source: @ewtnmedia

“Palm Sunday tells us that ... it is the cross that is the true tree of life.” - Pope Benedict XVI What do we celebrate today, Palm Sunday ✨ Source: @ewtnmedia #miamicatholic #lent2024

TGIF! Exploring Rome with @frvigoa continues this week 🇮🇹 #RomeingWithVigoa #miamicatgolic