As the crowds watched, Bishop Gregory Parkes sprinkled holy water upon the exterior and interior of the building that will be staffed with caring professional who will provide help and hope to those who are struggling.

“It is my great honor today to bless this new Service Center, to bless all the clients that will come here, and to bless the staff and the volunteers who will serve them,” said Bishop Gregory Parkes during a ceremony to commemorate the grand opening.

Initially, the Service Center will provide mental health counseling, financial assistance, empowerment classes, and immigration services. Then, it will grow to include basic pregnancy services. As clientele builds, so too will the breadth of services provided to people, regardless of their faith background.

“We don't ask somebody if they're Catholic before we serve them. It doesn't matter. We do what we do because that's part of our faith and because of our mission as a Catholic church,” said Bishop Parkes in his remarks.

The new service center in Crystal River is located next to Daystar Life Center, an outreach ministry of St. Benedict Parish that includes a food pantry, thrift store, social services assistance, as well as hot meals and showers for the homeless. St. Benedict Low-Income Housing, a ministry of Catholic Charities, is also located next door.

“This is a perfect place for us to expand our services,” said Maggie Rogers, Executive Director of Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Saint Petersburg.

Josh Wooten, president and CEO of the Citrus County Chamber of Commerce, called the new Service Center, a vital part of the community.

“We're proud to stand with the Catholic Church and the Diocese of Saint Petersburg,” he added.

Deacon Mark Manko, with St. Thomas the Apostle Parish, in Homosassa attended the opening ceremony. He is hopeful that the new Center will positively impact many lives.

“I love to see the interaction with Daystar and all the other community helpers, and to see the footprint here from Catholic Charities of the Diocese of St Petersburg in Citrus County. This is going to help a lot, especially with all the different services they're going to offer here,” said Deacon Manko.

To view photos from the Blessing and Ribbon Cutting Ceremony, click on the arrow below.