About Incarnation · Tampa, Florida
Incarnation Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish in the Diocese of St. Petersburg, serving the West Tampa / Town 'n' Country area on Florida's west coast. Founded in 1962 as a mission of St. Lawrence Parish and officially established as its own parish on November 19, 1963, Incarnation has grown from a 60-seat chapel in a mobile home to a 1,200-seat sanctuary built in 1987. The parish runs an on-site Catholic school (PreK-3 through 8th grade), a Spanish-language Mass, weekday adoration, and a range of lay organizations including the Knights of Columbus and the Council of Catholic Women.
- Established
- 1962 (mission) / 1963 (official parish)
- Patron
- The Incarnation of Our Lord Jesus Christ
- Rector
- Rev. Michael Cormier
- Diocese
- Diocese of St. Petersburg (Roman Catholic, Tampa Deanery, Hillsborough County)
Why belong here
Incarnation offers a full liturgical life — a Spanish Mass on Sundays, daily English Mass Monday through Saturday, Monday-evening Eucharistic Adoration, and First-Friday devotion, with confessions every Saturday afternoon. Families with school-age children have an on-site Catholic school (PreK-3 through 8th) and a Faith Formation program with First Communion, First Reconciliation, and Confirmation tracks, plus a Vacation Bible School each summer. Adult seekers can walk through the OCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) process directed by Deacon Matt Shirina, and lay faithful can plug into the Knights of Columbus, Council of Catholic Women (ICCW), Columbiettes, Art & Environment, or the bilingual Sion Youth Group for teens.
Mass times at Incarnation
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturdays 2:30 PM – 3:30 PM
- By appointment — contact a priest through the parish office
Adoration times
- Mondays 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM
- First Fridays 7:30 AM – 10:00 AM (Adoration)
- First Fridays 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM (Adoration, per diocese listing)
Welcome to Incarnation Catholic Church
Incarnation Catholic Church identifies itself as 'the Catholic Church of the Incarnation in the Roman Catholic Diocese of St. Petersburg, shar[ing] in the Mission of Christ Jesus on the West Coast of Florida, that Mission being the glorification of the Father through the Son and in the Holy Spirit.' The parish worships in English and Spanish, runs an on-site PreK-8 Catholic school, and serves its surrounding Hillsborough County community through faith formation, sacraments, lay organizations, and outreach. Visitors are welcomed at any of the daily or Sunday Masses listed on the parish website, with the church open for personal prayer from 6:30 AM – 4:00 PM on weekdays.
- Diocese: St. Petersburg, Tampa Deanery, Hillsborough County
- Parish founded 1962 as mission; 1963 as full parish
- Sanctuary seating 1,200 (built 1987)
History of Incarnation Parish
Incarnation began in 1962 as a mission of St. Lawrence Catholic Church in Tampa, under Monsignor Laurence Higgins. Worshippers initially gathered in a mobile home purchased from MacDill Air Force Base that could seat only 60 people. The mission was officially founded as its own parish on November 19, 1963, at its present Hillsborough Avenue site. The congregation quickly outgrew its first chapel; a provisional church seating 500 was built, and the present-day sanctuary, seating 1,200, was completed in 1987. The parish school opened alongside the parish in August 1964 with kindergarten and grades 1–2, and has operated continuously ever since. Father Eric Hunter, a Scottish-born priest ordained in 1972 for the Diocese of Motherwell, served as pastor from 1989. He was assisted by Father Paul Hervey and Deacon Joseph Krzanowski. The Diocese of St. Petersburg reassigned Father Michael Suszynski in April 2019, and on the same date appointed Rev. Michael Cormier as Incarnation's new pastor effective July 1, 2019. Father Cormier — born in Leominster, Massachusetts, and ordained May 13, 2000 by Bishop Robert Lynch — had previously served as pastor of St. James the Apostle, Port Richey (2007–2019).
- 1962 — Mission begun under Monsignor Laurence Higgins
- 1963 — Officially founded November 19
- 1964 — School opened (120 students, grades 1–2)
- 1987 — Present sanctuary built (1,200 seats)
- 2019 — Rev. Michael Cormier appointed pastor
Parish Clergy & Staff
The parish is led by a full team of ordained clergy and deacons, with Faith Formation directed by Deacon Matt Shirina and First Communion / Reconciliation preparation coordinated by Judy Licari. Office and school contacts are published in the parish directory on icctampa.org.
- Rev. Michael Cormier — Pastor
- Rev. Dayan Machado — Parochial Vicar
- Deacon Jim Minary — Retired
- Deacon Matt Shirina — Assigned; Director of Faith Formation / OCIA
- Deacon Ramon Rodriguez — Assigned
- Judy Licari — Religious Education ([email protected])
- Cheralyn Quevedo — Confirmation Prep for Teens
- Arnie Fernandez — Facility Manager / Online Giving support
Sacraments
Incarnation prepares and celebrates all the usual Roman Catholic sacraments. Preparation for First Reconciliation and First Eucharist is offered to children and teens aged 7–17 (one year of prior Faith Formation required). Confirmation preparation is offered to teens entering 8th grade and older who have already received Baptism, First Reconciliation, and First Eucharist. Adults seeking initiation (Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist) journey through the OCIA / RCIA process directed by Deacon Matt Shirina, culminating in reception at the Easter Vigil.
- Baptism — contact parish office
- First Reconciliation & First Eucharist — ages 7+ (Judy Licari)
- Confirmation — grades 8–12 (Cheralyn Quevedo)
- OCIA / RCIA — adults (Deacon Matt Shirina, [email protected])
- Matrimony — contact parish office
- Anointing of the Sick — contact a priest
Faith Formation
Faith Formation (parish religious education) is on break during summer, with the highlight being Vacation Bible School running July 13–17 with the theme 'Parade with Our Father and St. Joseph of Cupertino.' Catechists are recruited year-round. The office is staffed by Deacon Matt Shirina and Judy Licari, and parents are encouraged to register early in the fall for the coming year.
- Sunday-school style Faith Formation classes (K–8-ish)
- Annual Vacation Bible School (VBS)
- Catechist recruitment ongoing
Confirmation Preparation (Teens)
Confirmation prep is for teens 14–17 (entering 8th grade or older) who have already received Baptism, First Reconciliation, and First Eucharist. The year-long process includes a mandatory parent meeting in fall, multiple workshops, 10 hours of community service, sponsor selection, Saint name selection, and a Confirmation retreat.
- Registration August–September
- Mandatory parent meeting at start of process
- Multiple parent-and-teen workshops during the year
- 10 hours of community service required
Sion Youth Group / Grupo Juvenil Sion
Sion is a Hispanic Catholic youth group for teenagers ages 13–17, meeting twice a month on the 2nd and 4th Fridays. Its mission is to accompany teens as they grow in relationship with Jesus Christ through prayer, teaching, fellowship, games, group dynamics, service, and activities — encouraging them to live the Gospel and become active members of the Church and community.
- Ages 13–17
- Meets 2nd and 4th Fridays
- Bilingual identity; primary outreach to Hispanic teens
OCIA / RCIA (Adult Initiation)
Adults preparing for Baptism, Confirmation, and First Eucharist walk through the Rites of Christian Initiation for Adults, journeying through catechumenate formation and receiving the sacraments at the Easter Vigil. Adults preparing for just First Eucharist / First Reconciliation also use this process. Inquiries go to Deacon Matt Shirina.
- Contact Deacon Matthew Shirina at [email protected] or (813) 884-3624
- Sacrament typically received at Easter Vigil
Incarnation Catholic School
Incarnation Catholic School (PreK-3 through 8th grade) has been educating children on the parish campus since August 1964. Originally starting with a half-day kindergarten and full-day first and second grades, the school added a grade every year, reaching K–8 by 1970 and earning full accreditation from the Florida Catholic Conference in 1972. The current Principal is Robert Hernandez, and the school transitioned from a parish school to a diocesan school. Recent initiatives include a restored sports program (soccer, basketball, track), a full-time security officer, the FACTS school information system, iPads in grades 3–8, Canvas and See-Saw learning platforms, and a new STREAM (Science, Technology, Religion, Engineering, Art, Math) lab.
- Founded August 1964 (PreK–8)
- Florida Catholic Conference accreditation since 1972
- PreK 4 VPK program since 2014; PreK-3 added 2015
- STREAM lab for Science, Technology, Religion, Engineering, Art, Math
- Sports: soccer, basketball, track
- Phone: 813-884-4502
Parish Organizations & Lay Ministries
Incarnation's lay-led organizations support parish life through faith, fellowship, service, and stewardship. Contacts are published on icctampa.org's Parish Organizations page.
- Knights of Columbus — Michael Rivera (813-598-0972)
- Council of Catholic Women (ICCW) — Barbara Plourde (813-361-1154)
- Columbiettes — Mary Blazer (813-760-2442)
- Art & Environment (Church) — Connie Hennessey (813-885-7861)
- Liturgical Ministers (scheduling published on icctampa.org)
Visiting & Contact Information
The parish office and church are located at 8220 W Hillsborough Avenue, Tampa, FL 33615, with the mailing address at 5124 Gateway Drive, Tampa, FL 33615. Summer office hours run Monday–Thursday 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM and Friday 9:00 AM – 12:00 noon. The church is open for personal prayer from 6:30 AM – 4:00 PM on weekdays. Live-streamed Sunday Mass and parish news are published on icctampa.org.
- Address: 8220 W Hillsborough Ave, Tampa, FL 33615
- Mailing: 5124 Gateway Drive, Tampa, FL 33615
- Phone: (813) 885-7861 — Fax: (813) 884-3624
- Parish email: [email protected]
- Faith Formation email: [email protected]
- OCIA / Deacon Matt Shirina: [email protected]
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Monsignor Laurence Higgins1962– (founding mission period)
Founded Incarnation in 1962 as a mission of St. Lawrence Parish, Tampa.
- Father Eric Hunter1989– (2002)
Born in the Monklands, Scotland; ordained April 22, 1972 in the Diocese of Motherwell; immigrated to the U.S. in 1975; led Incarnation from 1989, assisted by Father Paul Hervey and Deacon Joseph Krzanowski.
- Father Michael Suszynski2019
Reassigned in April 2019 to St. Peter the Apostle Parish, Trinity.
- Rev. Michael Cormier2019–present
Born in Leominster, Massachusetts; ordained May 13, 2000 by Bishop Robert Lynch; previously pastor of St. James the Apostle, Port Richey (2007–2019); appointed pastor of Incarnation effective July 1, 2019.