On April 16th, USF Catholics gathered for a Mass to commemorate the naming of their chapel in honor of St. Luke the Evangelist.

Seeking a saint to be their intercessor and protector, the students along with their director, Father Kyle Bell, submitted a formal request to Bishop Gregory Parkes to receive a title for the chapel. Mass was first celebrated in the chapel by Archbishop Joseph Hurley of the Diocese of St. Augustine on September 24, 1967.  

The USF Catholic community recommended St. Luke the Evangelist as their patron because of his emphasis on missionary discipleship, the Blessed Virgin Mary’s vocation, and the priority of family life– all of which are important to the Catholic Student’s Center mission.

The students also drew parallels between St. Luke and the USF community,  which esteem both the intellectual life and the virtues of service, strength, and sacrifice that are symbolized by the bull, USF’s mascot. 

Bishop Gregory Parkes granted their request and officially established the title for the chapel through a decree that took effect on April 16th.

“I determine that granting the request will serve the good of souls and the edification of the People of God,” wrote Bishop Parkes in the decree assigning the title of St. Luke the Evangelist to the chapel.

This decree also encourages the community to celebrate St. Luke’s feast day each year as a solemnity on October 18th and place an image of St. Luke in the chapel.

To celebrate this special occasion, a Mass was celebrated in the chapel on April 16, 2024, and included the opportunity to venerate a relic of St. Luke.

The Catholic Student Center community will call upon St. Luke the Evangelist in a special way now that their chapel is named in his honor.

To view photos from the Mass on April 16th, click on the arrow below.