About Corpus Christi Catholic Church · Celebration, Florida
Corpus Christi Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish located in Celebration, Florida — the master-planned community originally founded by Disney near Walt Disney World Resort. Established in 2005 by Bishop Thomas Wenski of the Diocese of Orlando, the parish has grown from about 100 families to more than 1,000, and today serves both residents and the many tourists who visit Central Florida. The parish's mission centers on the Eucharist and being good stewards of God's gifts; it offers daily Mass, a robust weekend schedule, OCIA, religious education, youth ministry, and active outreach including a St. Vincent de Paul conference.
- Established
- 2005
- Patron
- Corpus Christi (Body and Blood of Christ)
- Rector
- Reverend Charles Viviano
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Orlando
Why belong here
Corpus Christi offers a full sacramental life for parishioners of every age — daily and weekend Masses, Reconciliation, Eucharistic Adoration, the Rosary after weekday Mass, OCIA for those becoming Catholic, religious education from PK4 through Confirmation, and an active youth ministry. A St. Vincent de Paul conference and Culture of Life Ministry reach outward to those in need, while a music ministry, hospitality team, and men's and women's groups give parishioners concrete ways to serve. Many families — both residents of Celebration and visitors to the Disney area — find here a warm, Eucharist-centered community grounded in good stewardship of God's gifts.
Mass times at Corpus Christi Catholic Church
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 2:30 PM – 3:30 PM (in the chapel, before the 4:00 PM Vigil Mass)
- Good Friday (Passion of the Lord) — Confessions at 4:00 PM (after the 3:00 PM liturgy)
- Holy Thursday — Confessions follow the 7:00 PM Lord's Supper liturgy with Adoration
Adoration times
- Holy Thursday — Adoration follows the 7:00 PM Mass of the Lord's Supper
About Corpus Christi Catholic Church
Corpus Christi Catholic Church is a parish of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orlando, located at 1050 Celebration Avenue in Celebration, Florida — the master-planned community originally founded by Disney near Walt Disney World Resort. Bishop Thomas Wenski established the parish in 2005 to serve the growing Catholic community in and around Celebration and the many tourists frequenting Central Florida. The parish's mission is to be a welcoming, Eucharist-centered faith community guided by the Holy Spirit, sharing the Gospel through good stewardship of God's gifts.
- Mission: "As a welcoming faith community, centered in the Eucharist and guided by the Holy Spirit to do God's will, we seek to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ by being good stewards of God's gifts and blessings, thus giving glory and praise to Him."
- Part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orlando, Central Deanery South
History of the Parish
Founded in 2005 during Pope John Paul II's proclaimed Year of the Eucharist, the parish was named Corpus Christi to highlight devotion to the Body and Blood of Christ. Its first Mass was celebrated on May 21, 2005, with 350 faithful in the cafeteria of Celebration School (K-8), and within two years the congregation had outgrown that space and moved to the cafeteria of Celebration High School. A campaign of prayer and stewardship entitled "Celebrating our Faith, Building on Solid Ground" then launched the effort to build a permanent home. The church, designed by Cooper Johnson Smith Architects & Town Planners in a Caribbean Romanesque style sympathetic to Celebration's traditional architecture, broke ground in November 2008 and was built by Brasfield & Gorrie. Founding pastor Fr. Gregory Parkes celebrated the first Mass in the new building on Christmas Eve morning, 2009; Bishop Wenski formally consecrated it on January 16, 2010.
- 2005 — Parish established by Bishop Thomas Wenski; first Mass on May 21, 2005 in the cafeteria of Celebration School.
- c. 2007 — Moved to the cafeteria of Celebration High School.
- "Celebrating our Faith, Building on Solid Ground" — capital campaign to build the permanent church.
- November 2008 — Groundbreaking on Celebration Avenue.
- December 24, 2009 — First Mass in the new sanctuary (Christmas Eve morning).
- January 16, 2010 — Consecration by Bishop Thomas Wenski.
- Roughly $7.4 million project, designed in phases; later phases remain to be built.
Clergy & Staff
Trout, Jr., who also serves the Diocese of Orlando as Vicar Forane of Central Deanery South and on the Presbyteral Council and Diocesan Finance Council. He is assisted by Associate Pastor Fr. John Paul Avila (a priest extern) and a team of permanent deacons. Beyond the clergy, a dedicated lay staff runs faith formation, music, operations, facilities, administration, and the marriage and wedding ministry.
- Fr. John Paul Avila — Associate Pastor / Parochial Vicar
- Deacon Bobby Gaudioso
- Deacon Ron Searls
- Deacon Stephen Knych
- Deacon Larry Migliorato
- Mary Prevosk — Director of Religious Education
- Audrey Knych — Director of Faith Formation
- Beth Vandorpe — Youth Minister
- Maria Mesaros / Brad Fischetti — Director of Music
- Mark Minotti — Director of Operations
- Karen Norcross — Marriage & Wedding Ministry Coordinator
- Julie Schneider, Mary Kulinski, Melissa Dempster-Daly — Administrative staff
- German Rodriguez, Sandra Rodriguez — Facilities
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Religious Education and Sacramental Preparation are run fully in person, walking families from PK4 all the way through Confirmation. Parents are invited to fulfill the promise they made at their child's Baptism to raise them in the Catholic faith.
- Programs for children from PK4 through teenage Confirmation.
- Sacramental prep for First Reconciliation, First Holy Communion, and Confirmation.
- Director of Religious Education: Mary Prevosk — (321) 939-1491.
OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults)
For adults interested in becoming Catholic or completing the sacraments of initiation, the parish hosts an OCIA process in a welcoming, inquiry-friendly environment. Inquiries go through the church office.
- Inquiry through the parish office at (321) 939-1491.
Youth Ministry
The parish's Youth Ministry is open to all students in Grades 9–12 and meets regularly; meeting details are listed in the bulletin. A dedicated youth building was part of the master plan for the campus.
- Youth Minister: Beth Vandorpe — [email protected]
- Open to Grades 9–12; meetings announced in the bulletin.
Music Ministry
A Music Ministry supports the sung liturgy of the parish, drawing singers and instrumentalists from across the congregation to lead worship at Mass and special liturgies.
- Director of Music: Maria Mesaros / Brad Fischetti
- Open to anyone interested in singing or playing.
Outreach & Service
Corpus Christi has a strong outward-facing arm through its St. Vincent de Paul Conference, Culture of Life Ministry, and Hospitality team, supporting neighbors in need and welcoming visitors to the parish. A Wedding & Marriage Ministry supports couples preparing for marriage and supports the parish's marriage-prep process.
- St. Vincent de Paul Conference — contact through the parish office.
- Culture of Life Ministry — contact Leslie & Jim Welter through the church office.
- Hospitality Ministry — welcomes worshippers at Mass and parish events.
- Wedding & Marriage Ministry — Coordinator: Karen Norcross ([email protected]).
Sacraments
The parish celebrates a full sacramental life for parishioners of all ages — Baptism, First Reconciliation, First Holy Communion, Confirmation, Marriage preparation, Anointing of the Sick, and funeral liturgies, as well as OCIA for those becoming Catholic.
- Baptism — preparation and celebration coordinated through the parish.
- First Reconciliation & First Holy Communion — through the Religious Education program.
- Confirmation — culminating the PK4–Confirmation faith formation path.
- Marriage preparation — through Karen Norcross in the Marriage & Wedding Ministry.
- Anointing of the Sick and funeral liturgies — coordinated through the parish office.
Building & Campus
The four-acre campus along Celebration Avenue was designed to harmonize with the traditional architecture of the Disney-founded town, in Caribbean Romanesque style. Roughly half the site is parking — screened from the street by the church complex and a neighboring nature conservatory. The campus was designed and is being completed in phases, like a historic cathedral.
- Sanctuary with central nave flanked by side aisles, on a Latin-cross plan.
- Solid Douglas fir heavy timber trusses by Universal Timber Structures (Auburndale, FL).
- Liturgical woodwork and crucifix by Granda Liturgical Arts (Chicago).
- Bell tower with shuttered belfry and electronic carillon.
- Phase-one (completed 2009–2010): sanctuary, daily chapel, administrative wing, education wing, youth building.
- Future phases still in planning as the parish continues to grow.
Visiting Celebration & Central Florida
Celebration is a small, walkable community just minutes from Walt Disney World Resort. Corpus Christi welcomes many Catholic families vacationing in the Disney area — including visitors to Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Disney's Hollywood Studios, Disney's Animal Kingdom, Disney Springs, and the Disney Resort hotels — as well as those attending events at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex or visiting Universal Orlando and SeaWorld. Livestreamed Masses make it easy for travelers and snowbirds to stay connected.
- Minutes from Walt Disney World Resort.
- Short drive to Universal Orlando Resort, SeaWorld, Discovery Cove, Aquatica, Disney Springs, ESPN Wide World of Sports.
- Livestreamed daily 9:00 AM Mass and Sunday 10:30 AM Mass.
- Many Catholic families make Corpus Christi part of their Disney vacation tradition.
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Very Reverend Gregory L. Parkes2005 – c.2013 (approx.)
Founding pastor; celebrated the first Mass in the new sanctuary on Christmas Eve morning 2009 and shepherded the parish through its design and construction campaign, "Celebrating our Faith, Building on Solid Ground." He later became Bishop of Pensacola-Tallahassee.
- Very Reverend Richard W. Trout, Jr.present
Current pastor; also serves the Diocese of Orlando as Vicar Forane of Central Deanery South, and on the Presbyteral Council and Diocesan Finance Council.