About Blessed Sacrament · Tallahassee, Florida
Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church is a historic Roman Catholic parish in Tallahassee, Florida, situated at 624 Miccosukee Road. It belongs to the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee and traces its roots to the earliest Catholic worship in the region — when, according to the parish's own history, twelve priests traveling with Spanish explorer Hernando DeSoto celebrated what scholars believe was the first Christmas Mass in what would become the United States in 1539, near present-day Tallahassee. The parish is the mother church of Catholicism in Florida's capital: until the 1960s it was the only Catholic parish in the city, and it helped spawn the three other Tallahassee parishes. Today it serves roughly 1,400 families with a rich offering of Masses, faith formation, a K-8 Catholic school, youth ministry (Life Teen and Edge), perpetual Eucharistic Adoration, RCIA, and a full calendar of ministries and devotions.
- Established
- 1845
- Patron
- The Blessed Sacrament (the Real Presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist)
- Rector
- Reverend Peter L. Zalewski (Fr. Pete Zalewski)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee
Why belong here
Blessed Sacrament is the historic mother parish of Catholic Tallahassee, and parishioners today benefit from that legacy: a deeply rooted liturgical life with eight weekend Masses including a student-oriented Life Teen Mass, daily morning and evening Masses, Saturday confessions, and a perpetual Adoration chapel coordinated by Jean Nixon. Families can enroll children in Faith Formation / Sacramental Preparation (First Communion and Confirmation), send their children to the parish's own Rosminian-tradition Catholic school (bscschool.com), and engage youth through the Life Teen, Edge, and Confirmation programs run out of bscyouth.com. The parish also runs RCIA for adults, a Respect Life Committee, the Magnificat women's ministry, a Books & Gifts store, a choir, and an active volunteer corps of drivers, counters, and refreshment servers — making it easy to plug in regardless of age or stage of life.
Mass times at Blessed Sacrament
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 12:00–1:00 PM
- After Mass by appointment (call the parish office at (850) 222-1321)
Adoration times
- Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration — adoration chapel; for questions contact Adoration Coordinator Jean Nixon at (850) 445-3793
History of the Parish
The parish traces its origins to 1845, when Bishop Portier of Mobile purchased the first Catholic property in Tallahassee at the corner of Park Avenue (Gadsden) and McCarty and built a chapel dedicated to Mater Dolorosa. A second chapel, St. Mary's, was built on the site in 1853 after the first burned. By 1865 the parish had 63 adults and 42 children and was launching missions to surrounding towns. The first church called Blessed Sacrament was dedicated in 1898 at North Monroe and Carolina streets. In 1952/53 the parish moved to its current 624 Miccosukee Road campus with a 500-seat church and an associated elementary school. The present church was built in 1982 (consecrated May 19, 1983), and the 1952 church became today's Parish Hall.
- 1539 — Twelve priests with DeSoto celebrate what scholars believe was the first Christmas Mass in what became the U.S., near Tallahassee.
- 1845 — First Catholic chapel in Tallahassee (Mater Dolorosa) on Park Ave / Gadsden St.
- 1853 — St. Mary's Church replaces the burned chapel.
- 1854 — Sisters of the Holy Name of Jesus and Mary open a convent and school.
- 1865 — Parish (then St. Mary) has 63 adults and 42 children; missions extend to Lake City, Madison, Monticello, St. Marks, Newport, Quincy, and Chattahoochee.
- 1898 — First Blessed Sacrament Church built at N. Monroe and Carolina streets.
- 1952/53 — Parish relocates to 624 Miccosukee Rd with a 500-seat church and starts Blessed Sacrament Catholic Elementary School.
- 1982/83 — Present church built; consecrated May 19, 1983. 1952 church repurposed as Parish Hall.
Clergy & Staff
Blessed Sacrament is staffed by a pastor, two parochial vicars, a retired priest in residence, a Monsignor in residence, three deacons, and a full administrative and ministry team — appropriate to a parish of roughly 1,400 families.
- Pastor — Rev. Peter L. Zalewski
- Parochial Vicar — Rev. Dustin Feddon
- Parochial Vicar — Rev. Sean Knox
- Priest-in-residence — Rev. Bernie Jakubco (retired pastor)
- Retired pastor in residence — Msgr. John O'Sullivan
- Deacons — Pat Dallet, Michael Nixon, C. Louis Feté (RCIA)
- Pastoral Coordinator — Rita Feté
- Office Manager — Michelle Sproul
- Parish Administrator — Joe McCann
- Building Project Administrator — Mary Rose DiMarco
- Director of Life Teen — Misha Eaton
- Religious Education (CCD) — Rosie Beasley
- Choir Director — Diane Whitney
Faith Formation & Sacramental Preparation
The Faith Formation / Sacramental Preparation program presents the fundamental beliefs and practices of the Catholic Church to children and youth in a curriculum that builds cumulative knowledge of Catholic life in the family. Second-grade children prepare for the Sacraments of Reconciliation and Eucharist, and additional liturgical events such as Stations of the Cross, Sacramental Gifts, and the Christmas Mass all reinforce the curriculum.
- First Communion preparation (grade 2 and up)
- Confirmation preparation (Faith Formation track and separate Confirmation Program)
- Stations of the Cross during Lent
Youth Ministry — Life Teen, Edge & Confirmation
Operating out of bscyouth.com and led by Director of Life Teen Misha Eaton, the youth ministry arm of Blessed Sacrament runs Life Teen (high school), Edge (middle school), the parish's own Sunday 5:00 PM Life Teen Mass, and the Confirmation Program.
- Life Teen — high school youth ministry
- Edge — middle school youth ministry
- Life Teen Mass — Sundays at 5:00 PM
- Confirmation Program — youth Confirmation preparation
- CORE Team — adult leaders for the youth programs
RCIA
The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults is led by Deacon C. Louis Feté. The parish also recruits RCIA sponsors — practicing Catholics in good standing, at least 16 years old, who accompany inquirers on the journey into the Church.
Blessed Sacrament Catholic School
Founded alongside the parish's move to Miccosukee Road in 1952, Blessed Sacrament Catholic School (bscschool.com) educates students in the Rosminian tradition. The school's mission: 'Guided by the Rosminian tradition, Blessed Sacrament Catholic School empowers students to glorify God through academics, faith, and service.' Faith is treated as a core value — prayer, reflection, and service to others are woven into the academic program.
- Rosminian-inspired mission and curriculum
- Faith-centered academic environment
- Service learning as a core value
Parish Ministries & Groups
Beyond sacraments and formation, Blessed Sacrament sustains a wide network of devotional, service, and fellowship groups.
- Respect Life Committee — raises awareness on pro-life issues in the community (contact Joyce Newell, 850-322-4189)
- Magnificat (Tallahassee chapter) — women's ministry fostering openness to the Holy Spirit; quarterly prayer meals with testimony and praise; [email protected]
- Men of Blessed Sacrament (MOBS) — hosts the first-Friday 7:00 AM Mass open to all men
- Choir — directed by Diane Whitney
- Books & Gifts Store — parish-run; volunteers welcome ([email protected])
- Marriage Preparation
- Funeral ministry
Volunteer & Service Opportunities
The parish keeps a rolling list of ways to get involved; many roles welcome teens earning service hours for Confirmation, NJHS, Boy Scouts, St. John Paul II, or Bright Future Scholarship requirements.
- Count Team — every-other-Monday offertory counters, 9:30–11:30 AM
- Books & Gifts Store volunteers
- Nursery volunteers (children ages 1–3) — contact Rita Feté ([email protected])
- RCIA Sponsors — contact Deacon Louis Feté ([email protected])
- Refreshments Committee — coffee/doughnuts after 8:00, 10:30, 12:15 Sunday Masses
- Life Teen / Edge CORE Team — contact Misha Eaton ([email protected])
- Drivers — transports for elderly/parishioner appointments (contact Carol Sunderhaus, 850-877-8775)
- Slide Operators Team — runs the projected slides at Mass
Become a Parishioner
Online registration is available via the parish website. Paper forms can be picked up in the church lobby, outside the Books & Gifts store, or at the parish office. Newcomers or those with questions are encouraged to call (850) 222-1321 or email [email protected].
Diocese & Wider Catholic Family
Blessed Sacrament is part of the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee, a 'dual see' diocese founded November 6, 1975, with cathedrals in both cities (the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Pensacola and the Co-Cathedral of St. Thomas More in Tallahassee). Its primary patron is St. Michael the Archangel, with St. Thomas More and St. Elizabeth Ann Seton as additional patrons. Blessed Sacrament sits in the Eastern Deanery and historically helped found the other parishes now serving the Tallahassee area.
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Bernie Jakubco
Listed as retired pastor (priest-in-residence) on current staff page.
- Msgr. John O'Sullivan
Listed as retired pastor on current staff page.