SACRED HEART KNANAYA CATHOLIC PARISH, TAMPA
3920 S. Kings Ave., Brandon, FL 33511, USA
Pastor / Vicar: Fr. Mathew Meledath
3920 S. Kings Ave., Brandon, FL 33511, USA
1-248-820-1190
frmeledath@yahoo.com
MASS SCHEDULE
Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday at 6:00 P.M.
Saturday and Sunday at 10:00 A.M.
NOVENAS
St. Jude on Fridays
Our Lady of Perpetual Help on Saturdays
Sacred Heart Novena on Sundays
ADORATION
Night Vigil on Third Fridays of the month
KOODARA YOGAMS - 13
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION SCHOOL
DRE: Jolly Mathew Vettuparappurathu, 813-300-4107, jollyraju62@hotmail.com
Number of Students: 150
No. of staff: 30
OTHER ACTIVITIES: Main Feast, Annual Retreat.
HISTORY
Mar Jacob Angadiath established this mission was on January 25, 2009 with Fr. Abraham Mutholath as the mission director. Rev. Fr. Abey Vadakkekara was appointed as the director of this mission on March 9, 2009. Bishop Mar Jacob Angadiath appointed Fr. Bins Chethalil as the mission director with effect from July 1, 2010. He became the first pastor of this parish when the mission was elevated as a parish.
The mission bought a church building on March 16, 2010 from the City Church of Tampa under the leadership of Fr. Abey Vadakkekara. The consecration of the church and the elevation of the mission as a parish with Rev. Fr. Bins Chethalil as its first pastor, was held on August 1, 2010 by His Excellency Bishop Mar Jacob Angadiath. His Grace Mar Mathew Moolakkatt, Archbishop of Kottayam was the main celebrant of the First Mass offered in this Church immediately after the consecration. His Excellency Mar Joseph Pandarasseril, the Auxiliary Bishop of Kottayam was concelebrant and gave homily during the Holy Mass.
This parish established a Knanaya Cemetery in the name of Sacred Heart Knanaya Gardens in February 2012. It has 150 cemetery plots in Hillsborough Memorial Cemetery in Brandon about five miles from the church.
Fr. Pathrose Champakkara was appointed as the pastor of this parish from May 11, 2011. Fr. Dominic Madathilkalathil
was pastor from October 18, 2014. Fr. Joseph Sauriamakil served the parish as
pastor in charge from November 6, 2017 to April 30, 2018. Fr. Mathew Meledath is
the present pastor from May 1, 2018.
This parish was declared as a Forane Parish of the St. Thomas Syro-Malabar Catholic Diocese of Chicago on February 18, 2015 by Bishop Mar Jacob Angadiath. The official establishment of the forane was held on April 12, 2015 by Bishop Mar Jacob Angadiath and inaugurated by Vicar General Msgr. Thomas Mulavanal on April 12, 2015 at Sacred Heart Knanaya Catholic Church Tampa.
This parish serves around 250 Knanaya Catholics families living in the central and northern region of state of Florida.