About St. John of the Cross Catholic Church

St. John of the Cross in Vero Beach celebrates Our Lord’s glory, love, and mercy in a beautiful new church where its’ priests and parishioners provide an inviting atmosphere to young families and retirees who are seeking solid ground in these difficult times.

Upon entering the church and seeing the beautiful sanctuary and the Catholic appointments throughout, one immediately gets the sense they are on holy ground. A certain stillness permeates the air, a stillness that is conducive to prayer, a place where Jesus can speak to our heart. You don't help people to pray with a bare church. A place of worship has to inspire you. It has to speak to you. It has to invite people to pray. One can join in the praying of the rosary being led before many Masses. If the rosary is not being recited, quiet prevails. You can kneel or sit with minimal distraction allowing you to absorb the moments while you pray and converse from your heart with Our Lord present: body, blood, soul, and divinity in the tabernacle.

At St. John of the Cross you participate in the celebration of the Mass to its fullest. Why not?  The Mass is the greatest event on earth. Yes, the greatest, hands down. The greatest event is not the Super Bowl, the World Series, the World Cup soccer match, The Masters golf tournament or NASCAR. It’s the Mass in all its majesty! The once-for-all salvific event that opened the gates of heaven to us, the event that gives us hope for eternal life, is made present at the Mass. It is the event that gives reason to our very being. Pope John Paul II called it a “cosmic” event where heaven and earth become one. What could be more gratifying than to participate in the cosmic prayer of the Mass? What can be more important to our salvation than to hear the Word proclaimed? What earthly thing can be more important than the grace we receive from the Eucharist, the Word made flesh which our Lord commanded we partake?

At St. John of the Cross this “cosmic” event is represented to us in a most beautiful way at every Mass as our priests, altar servers, acolytes, lectors, cantors, and music ministry all work together with deep reverence and respect to lovingly and obediently allow us to participate in this great event every single day of the year! And the fullness of truth on both faith and morals is provided in the preaching and related to our lives.

To better prepare you for Mass, our priests are available to hear your confession before the weekend Masses (except the 7:30 a.m.) beginning in November 2007 and at any time during the week by appointment. They are also available on Saturdays 11:00 a.m. to 12 noon. They help in every way they can to provide ways to receive the grace Jesus has made available to you through His Catholic Church which has a limitless repository of grace. Their offices are located in the lobby area of the church.

Eucharistic adoration is available on Friday’s during season. A novena to Our Blessed Mother takes place after every 8:30 a.m. Mass on Monday’s. Divine Mercy prayers take place after the novena on Mondays, before Benediction on Friday’s in season and on Divine Mercy Sunday.

If you are moving to our area and are seeking a local Catholic church, or if you wish to return to your Catholic roots after a long absence, or if you are of another Christian faith and have an interest in the Catholic Church, or if you, like many, are asking where is the solid ground these days, we warmly invite you to check us out. Peruse the content of our web site. For the lapsed Catholic, there is the Rediscovering the Church page among others, of course. For those with a possible interest in becoming a Catholic, there is the Exploring the Church page. For these and especially those seeking solid ground in these times of secularism, relativism and all the other “ism’s” and contradictions, there are the What We Believe and  FAQ’s (Frequently Asked Questions) pages. Of course, you can come to our church on a weekday or Sunday and experience the Mass and have a look at our debt-free new church. We welcome your questions and you can submit them through the Question Box at this web site. You can also e-mail or phone the parish with your question. Remember, with God, all things are possible!

Thank you for visiting us and may the Lord Jesus Christ bless you and your entire family abundantly.

Fr. John A. Crowley, Pastor Emeritus, Retired (August 1, 2007)

Before retiring, Fr. Crowley served the Diocese of Palm Beach for 40 years, seventeen of those as our beloved pastor and founder of St. John of the Cross parish in Vero Beach, FL.

Fr. Crowley spent sixteen years in formation before becoming a priest; 4 1/2 years in minor seminary at St. Vianney in Miami and 11 1/2 years at St. Vincent De Paul Seminary in Boynton Beach. Fr. Crowley also spent 4 1/2 years doing missionary work in Panama and Costa Rico before returning to the Palm Beach diocese. Fr. Crowley taught Spanish in minor seminary.

After serving at several parishes in the diocese, Fr. Crowley was assigned by the Bishop to start a new parish in Vero Beach in 1989. His first Mass was held on Oct. 7, 1989, the Feast of the Holy Rosary, at the Knights of Columbus Hall on Oslo Road. At that Mass, Fr. Crowley consecrated all parishioners of the new parish to the Immaculate Heart of Mary and mandated that a rosary would be prayed before all weekend Masses for the intention of funding and building the church.

Later in 1989, Fr. Crowley negotiated with Buddy Tipton for the use of the Assembly of God Church for the celebration of weekend Mass. In February of 1992 the current Parish Center was completed and the first Mass was celebrated on the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes on Feb. 11, 1992. Mass and parish activities continued in this building and in 2002 ground was broken for the new church. Our parish center building is now named the Rev. John A. Crowley Parish Center.

On March 25, 2004, our beautiful new church was dedicated. It was the Feast of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Once again, Fr. Crowley consecrated the entire parish to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. The rosary before all weekend Masses and many daily Masses continued with the intention of reducing the mortgage and completing our building projects. In February of 2007, the mortgage was completely paid off to the outstanding credit of all our parishioners participating and especially those making large bequeaths. The parish is now debt free as we begin to pursue our next building project. Fr. Crowley sites this fabulous accomplishment as clear indication of the work of our Blessed Mother.

The entire parish feels a tremendous debt of gratitude to Fr. Crowley for his spiritual and temporal leadership. We pray his retirement will be blessed with good health and a peace of mind of a job well done.

Fr. Crowley's current address as of May 6, 2009 is: 3902 Sherwood Blvd., Delray Beach, FL 33445. Fr. Crowley is not well. Please pray for him.

Deacon Charles is with us seasonally and assists at the parish during Holy Communion and makes visits to the sick.

Ministry Leaders

Bible Study - Larry Gerrior - 388-5285

Building Committee - Bill Valyo 770-0598

Building Maintenance - Fred Volk - 360-8264

Bulletin - Mary Martin - 563-0057

Charismatic Prayer Group - Phylis Shearn - 567-5265

Director of Religious Education - Frances DeSano - 563-0057

Finance Committee - Josie Holtzclaw - 567-6297

Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion - Pat Dimesa - 778-2926

Lectors - Donna Haro - 299-0010

Legion of Mary - Eileen Kelley - 567-6297

Liturgy Committee/Sacristans - Gerry Martin - 563-0537

Music Ministry - Jack Galvin - 778-8291

Parish Council - Gwen Ripp - 778-4912

Respect Life Ministry - Ginny Frederick - 567-6131

Ushers - Deacon Gene Hock - 778-1476

Web Site - Tom Frederick - 567-6131

Wellness Ministry - Pat Dimesa - (772) 713-9435

Women's Guild - Tina Klingaman - 778-9763

NOTE: Please go to the Parish Ministries page for a description of the above ministries, their meeting times, and volunteering information. You can get to the Parish Ministries page by going to the top of this page and clicking on the button to the left labeled Parish Ministries. You can also get to that page from our web site Home Page.

Our Patron Saint

St. John of the Cross was a Doctor of the Church, founder of the Discalced Carmelites, and one of the greatest mystical theologians in the history of the Church. Born Juan de Ypes de Alvarez in Fontiveros, Castile, Spain, he was raised by his mother Catalina Alvarez after his father died when John was still an infant. He studied at the Jesuit school of Medina and was apprenticed at the age of fifteen in the hospital of Our Lady of Conception. I 1563, he entered the Carmelites at their monastery of Medina del Campo. and after profession, was sent to the monastery of the Carmelites near the University of Salamanca. He studied there from 1564 - 1568 and received ordination in 1567.

As John found the Carmelites to be suffering from excessive laxity, he considered joining the more strict Carthusians, but was dissuaded from this by St. Teresa of Avila, who was then launching her famed reforms within the Carmelite Order. The two became close friends, and within a short time he had established the first Discalced monastery at Duruelo, adopting at the same time the name John of the Cross. The rest of his life was devoted to the promotion of reforms and to writings.

Throughout the years from 1571 to 1582, John was deeply troubled by trials and severe opposition to his reforms within the order, especially from friars who refused to acknowledge the validity of the Discalced Carmelites and schemed against both Teresa and John. In 1577, for example, he was imprisoned in a cell in a monastery in Toledo, escaping after nine months by making a makeshift rope and climbing to freedom on the Feast of the Assumption.John died on December 14, 1591, at a monastery in Ubeda.

Knows as the Doctor of Mystical Theology, John was a mystic, theologian, and poet who composed a rich body of works which found their deepest expression in mystical treatises in the form of poems with theological commentaries. These renowned poems include: the Spiritual Canticle, the Ascent of Mt. Carmel, the Living Flame of Love, and the Dark Night of the Soul. Through these, John presented the development of the human soul through purgation, illumination, and transforming union. He remains one of the most expressive and profound mystical theologians in the long history of the Church. Beatified in 1675, he was canonized in 1726 by Pope Benedict XIII and declared a Doctor of the Church in 1926 by Pope Pius XI. His feast day is December 14.

Rosary Times

The rosary is prayed before each weekend Mass starting 1/2 hour before the scheduled start time of each Mass. The rosary is sometimes prayed before the 8:30 a.m. daily Masses, starting about 20 minutes before. The rosaries and prayers following are always led and are prayed in a specific format.

Baptism Arrangements

Baptisms are not regularly scheduled on a certain day of the month. Arrangements are made by contacting our office. Please call the office at 563-0057 to discuss your request. Be aware that there is preparatory education required prior to the celebration of this beautiful Sacrament. Our clergy will explain that to you and work with you. It is suggested that you purchase a Catechism of the Catholic Church and read the Church's teaching on Baptism. You can also go to the "Sacraments" page on this web site to get a partial amount of teaching on the Sacrament of Baptism.

Anointing of the Sick

Please call the parish office at (772) 563-0057 to arrange for the administering of the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick to you or a loved one. This Sacrament is administered only by a priest or deacon. Please refer to the Sacraments page on this web site for a partial teaching on the Sacrament.

If you are alone and have a distant relative that would be serving your spiritual interests in case of emergency, it is a good idea to let them know the address of this web site so they can use it as a reference.

Marriage Preparation and Scheduling

For those contemplating marriage, God bless you! Please call the parish office to arrange a meeting with Fr. John Pasquini to discuss your intention. You will be required to complete very helpful and meaningful class work prior to the wedding. Due to the present absence of a Director of Religious Education at St. John of the Cross, it may be necessary to complete the preparatory class work for marriage at another location within the diocese. Fr. John will discuss this with you. Usually, you should plan on a minimum period of six months from the time you make your intentions known to that of the planned date of the wedding.

Funeral Arrangements

A family member or designate should call the parish office at (772) 567-0057 to advise the name of the deceased and the date of death. Usually, the funeral home handling the arrangements, after collaboration with the family, will call the parish and request a specific date and time for the funeral Mass at the church.

If a cremation is planned, you must talk to Fr. John Pasquini. The US Conference of Catholic Bishops recently published guidelines on cremation. These guidelines are posted on the Education page of this web site. It is highly preferred that the body be present at the funeral Mass and that the cremation occur prior to burial. The guidelines referenced include proper burial of cremated remains.

Gospel and Scripture passages used for the funeral Mass are usually selected by the attending priest. However, if the family members wish to participate in the selection of the readings, or if the deceased specified a request prior to death, the presiding priest must be consulted prior to the Mass. There is a book containing approved funeral liturgy readings and Psalms in the sacristy for reference. Please check with father if family members are interested in doing the readings.

All music requests should be directed to Jack Galvin at 778-8291. Jack will arrange for an organist and cantor/soloist if desired. Jack will also advise on the selection of music if the family desires. Only suitable, Catholic music and song is permitted.

Check with the funeral home handling the arrangements if they also handle the honorariums to the priest and others. Usually they do this as part of their service. Naturally, this expense will be included on their invoice.

Family members or friends who wish to eulogize during or after the funeral service performed at the church MUST discuss this with Fr. John Pasquini in seeking approval.

Adding a Name to the Prayer List for the Sick

Merely call the Parish Office at 563-0057 to register the ill person's name on the list. If the illness persists for more than 30 days, call again to renew the petition.

How to Arrange for the Eucharist to be Brought to You at Your Home, the Hospital, or a nursing home

If you are ill at home and can't get to Mass, call the Parish Office at 563-0057 to make arrangements for the Eucharist to be brought to you. A specific day may be assigned. The Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion will ask you if you wish to see a priest for the Sacrament of Reconciliation. If so, they can arrange that.

If you are in a nursing home, again, call the Parish Office to make arrangements for the Eucharist to be brought to you.

If your location is or will be Indian River Memorial Hospital, make sure when registering that you are specifically listed as being Catholic and that you are a member of St. John of the Cross Catholic Church. Further, confirm with the registration attendant that you want this information displayed on the daily census printed by the hospital. This step is necessary due to privacy laws recently enacted. The hospital is in the territory of St. Helen Catholic Church and, by agreement, it is their responsibility to bring communion to you. Their Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion make their rounds on Wednesday and Sunday and they are trained to consult the daily census before doing so. Of course, circumstances as they may be, if you wish to see one of our priests, call the Parish Office at 563-0057 and make this request. NOTE: The registration process cannot be over emphasized.

Mass Cards

Mass cards are obtainable from the Parish Office. The date for the Mass will be assigned by the office person. There is a $10.00 honorarium for each Mass card. The Parish Office is located at the church.

Televised Mass

Our 4:00 p.m. vigil Mass is being video taped for broadcast to our local community. It airs at 9:00 a.m. on Sunday mornings on TV channel 10 or 11. If your local TV feed is out of Sebastian, which applies for some Vero Beach customers, it is Ch. 10; if the feed is from Comcast in Vero Beach, it is Ch. 11. The airing clearly indicates the Mass is coming from St. John of the Cross Catholic Church. The intent of this broadcast is to make the Mass available to those unable to physically get to Mass like those in hospitals, assisted living arrangements, nursing homes, Hospice or those at home and not feeling well enough to go out. If you know people in these situations, please let them know the availability of this televised Mass regardless of their parish affiliation. Note: St. Helen no longer airs their vigil Mass. Usually the management of the aforementioned facilities are very cooperative in having patients access this type programming, either in their room or in public places.

During the 1 hour time slot we have, we also air three, short segment, videos extolling the virtues of the Catholic faith that were provided to us by CatholicComeHome.org. They are awesome, professionally made videos that reach out to lapsed and fallen-away Catholics. One video starts the one hour segment at 9:00 a.m. sharp and the other two follow the broadcast of the Mass. Fr. John also has a short introduction to the Mass. So, St. John of the Cross is both helping those in need of hearing and witnessing the Mass as well as reaching out and encouraging those to come back to the faith if they are watching the programming. Tune in and have a look!

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