Welcomed with warm smiles from greeters and the beauty of the church itself, it becomes easy for anyone to feel at home and find a place to call their own.

“I moved here four years ago,” said Faustina Habisohn, parishioner at St. Catherine of Siena Parish. “In those four years I feel like I’ve become part of a parish community.”

The parish has undergone a great deal of change, bringing to life the church as it is now.

In 1976, Monsignor John Scully was appointed to develop a new parish in the eastern Largo area. There was no church building yet, so the first Mass took place in the Largo Recreation Center on Highland Avenue. In November of 1977, the community held a groundbreaking and construction work began over the next couple of years with the church’s dedication in January of 1979.

In the years following the opening of the church, as space was needed for religious education and various ministries as well as the need for a space for the priests, construction began on multi-purpose rooms and the parish rectory. Shortly after the arrival of Father Ken Malley as pastor in 2005, the parish embarked on a project to construct a new church building and convert the original church to the Father Michael Finnegan Family Life Center, in honor of the pastor of St. Catherine of Siena Parish from 1983 until 2005.  

This project took four years, and the same beautiful church and center continue to be used by the parish today, providing space for worship and ministry.

The last 50 years have significantly impacted the community through the work of various ministries, but, more importantly, through the sacraments. Parishioners throughout the decades have received grace and continue to, bringing the Lord’s presence not only to the parish community, but all they meet.

“50 years of worship, 50 years of celebrating the sacraments, 50 years of faith lived, shared, and handed on,” said Bishop Gregory Parkes in his homily at the 50th anniversary Mass on April 19, 2026. “It’s not simply a celebration of time that has passed, it's a celebration of grace that has been received, of lives transformed, and the community built on the foundation of faith.”  

The community has grown and continues to be a vibrant and diverse multicultural community. Enriched by the sacraments, the parish is built on the foundation of the faithful, who are empowered to go into the community and live out the tenets of the faith.

“The parish is not merely a building made of brick, stone, and stucco,” said Bishop Parkes. “It's a living, spiritual house built over five decades by countless faithful men and women who said yes to God.”

The patroness of the parish offers an example to live by: she lived in difficult times but remained focused on Christ. She knew, loved, and served God in prayer, action, and word, something mirrored in the parishioners of St. Catherine of Siena Parish. As St. Catherine said in her famous quote, “Be who God meant you to be, and you will set the world on fire.”  

This sentiment is seen in the variety of ministries run by parishioners. From the golf cart ministry to lectors to the Quiet Angels ministry, keeping the church and chapel clean, and so much more, there is truly an opportunity for everyone to contribute to the life of the parish.  

“I can see how dedicated everyone is to the community,” said Habisohn. 

“I really love how everybody contributes their talents, even talents that don’t normally seem like they would be part of parish life.”

It is the commitment and work of countless people that have built and sustained the parish for so long.

“This milestone is a moment of great gratitude,” said Monsignor Robert Morris, pastor of St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church, in the 50th anniversary bulletin. “I am deeply thankful for the many people and ministries whose faith, dedication, and generosity have helped build and sustain our parish community throughout these 50 years,”  

Many lives have been touched in this sacred place, allowing for not only a reflection on gratitude but an excitement looking toward the future.

“In this parish, community means welcoming the stranger, reaching out to the poor, forming our young people in the faith, and deepening our own relationship with Jesus Christ,” said Bishop Parkes. “This parish has been and continues to be a spiritual home, a place where people encounter Christ again, like the disciples on the road to Emmaus. And yet, while we look back with gratitude, we should also look forward with hope, for the question before us today is not only ‘What has God done for us?’, but also ‘What is God asking of us now?’”  

The 50th anniversary marks a new chapter in the life of the community and parish. In the challenges that the world offers, St. Catherine of Siena Parish is nourished by the faith and sacraments that they celebrate and are emboldened to go out and share the Gospel and the love of Christ to the world.

“As we give thanks for the many blessings of the past, we look forward with hope to the future,” said Monsignor Morris in the 50th anniversary bulletin. “May we continue to be inspired by the words of our patroness, St. Catherine of Siena: ‘Be who God meant you to be and you will set the world on fire.’”

At the 50th Anniversary Mass, those who had been parishioners since the founding of the parish were invited to stand or raise their hand. Several men and women stood and were recognized with a round of applause. Their witness reminded all in attendance that the roots of the parish are deep and faithful.  

“Throughout these years, countless priests, deacons, religious sisters, and dedicated lay leaders have revealed the face of Christ within our community,” said Monsignor Morris in the 50th anniversary bulletin. “Through them, we are reminded that the Lord is present in both the joys and the struggles of daily life.”

Parishioners and community members look forward to the next 50 years.

“I’m excited to be there for the hundredth anniversary!” said Habisohn. “I was sitting next to my sister at the Mass, and we just gave each other a fist bump. We’ll be there at the 100 years.”

Concluding his homily, Bishop Parkes offered words of thanksgiving and hope as the parish looks to the future.

“Let us take a moment today, certainly to give thanks to God,” said Bishop Parkes. “First and foremost, for his countless blessings, but also for all those who have served this parish so faithfully over the years: pastors, deacons, religious, staff, volunteers, and parishioners. Your dedication has made a difference, and your legacy will continue. Let us entrust the future of this beautiful parish in the Lord through the intercession of St. Catherine of Siena. May she inspire us to be bold in faith, courageous in love, and steadfast in hope and going forward with hope. By God's grace, may we continue the work, and may St. Catherine of Siena parish always be a place where Christ is known, loved and served. May it be a light to the community and a home for all who seek Him and may the next 50 years bear even greater fruit than the first 50 years.”

For more information about St. Catherine of Siena Parish, click here.

To view photos from the 50th Anniversary Mass, click on the arrows below.