About MacDill AFB Chapel · Tampa, Florida
Our Lady of the Bay Chapel is the Roman Catholic parish serving MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida, home to U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) and U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM). The chapel operates as part of the U.S. Air Force Chaplain Corps, providing world-class spiritual care to active-duty Airmen, dependents, DoD personnel, and contractors. It is one of several faith communities housed under MacDill's Chapel program, alongside Protestant, Muslim, Jewish, and Wiccan worship services. The Catholic community is listed by the Diocese of Saint Petersburg in the Tampa Deanery and follows the Roman Rite.
- Patron
- Our Lady of the Bay
- Rector
- Rev. Juan M. Diphe
- Diocese
- Diocese of Saint Petersburg
Why belong here
Our Lady of the Bay Chapel welcomes Catholic service members, families, and DoD civilians stationed at or affiliated with MacDill AFB into a tight-knit worship community. The parish offers daily, weekend, and vigil Masses, weekly Religious Education for children, a Middle-High School youth ministry, and 100% confidential pastoral counseling for premarital, marital, religious, stress, and grief/loss matters — all under privileged communication. Because it sits on a major military installation hosting CENTCOM and SOCOM, it is a natural spiritual home for the base's Catholic population and a place to pray, serve, and find resilience alongside fellow Airmen and their families.
Mass times at MacDill AFB Chapel
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. (or anytime by appointment)
- Sunday by appointment only
Adoration times
- Blessed Sacrament Room open for prayer during duty hours (Monday - Friday 7:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.)
About Our Lady of the Bay Chapel
Our Lady of the Bay Chapel is the Roman Catholic parish registered with the Diocese of Saint Petersburg that serves the MacDill Air Force Base community in Tampa, Florida. The chapel operates as part of the U.S. Air Force Chaplain Corps and offers Catholic Mass, the Sacraments, Religious Education, and confidential pastoral counseling to active-duty Airmen, dependents, DoD personnel, and contractors. It is one of five faith communities hosted by the MacDill Chapel program, alongside Protestant, Muslim, Jewish, and Wiccan services.
- Parish name: Our Lady of the Bay Chapel
- Diocese: Diocese of Saint Petersburg, Tampa Deanery, Hillsborough County
- Sponsor: U.S. Air Force Chaplain Corps, 6th Air Refueling Wing
History and Heritage of MacDill AFB
MacDill Field was officially activated on April 16, 1941, and named in honor of U.S. Army aviation pioneer and World War I veteran Colonel Leslie MacDill. During World War II the base trained thousands of bomber crews on aircraft such as the B-17 'Flying Fortress' and the B-26 'Marauder,' and later trained B-29 'Superfortress' crews from 1945 through 1953. After Air Force independence in 1948, MacDill became a Strategic Air Command base; near-closure plans in the early 1960s were reversed after hostilities with Cuba underscored the base's strategic value, and it transitioned to Tactical Air Command fighter training through the Vietnam era and into the F-16 'Fighting Falcon' era. Today the base is the headquarters installation for U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) and U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM).
- Activated: April 16, 1941
- Namesake: Colonel Leslie MacDill
- Current major tenants: U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM)
Religious Education and Youth Ministry
Catholic Religious Education classes meet on Sundays at 10:45 a.m., September through May, with registration conducted after the 9:30 Mass during the registration period each fall. A Middle-High School Ministry meets Sunday evenings at 6:00 p.m. to bring older youth together for faith, fellowship, and service. Protestant Adult Religious Education is offered separately at 9:30 a.m. on Sundays.
- Catholic CCD: Sunday 10:45 a.m. (Sep-May)
- Middle-High School Ministry: Sunday 6:00 p.m.
- Registration after the 9:30 Mass each fall
Sacraments and Pastoral Care
Through the Chaplain Corps, Our Lady of the Bay Chapel coordinates the celebration of the Sacraments, including Mass, Confession, and preparation for Confirmation (a diocesan bishop periodically visits the base, as in November 2023 when Auxiliary Bishop Richard Spencer administered Confirmation). The chapel also handles religious accommodations for Catholic weddings and funerals. All counseling offered by the chapel team — covering premarital, marital, religious, stress, and grief/loss matters — is covered by privileged communication and 100% confidential.
- Sacramental preparation and reception on base
- Religious accommodations: weddings, funerals, prayer observances
- 100% confidential pastoral counseling (privileged communication)
Chapel Staff and Chaplain Corps
The MacDill Chapel is led by a Wing Chaplain and includes both uniformed Air Force chaplains and a Catholic priest assigned to minister to the base community. Civilian and enlisted religious affairs personnel support the program administratively. The Wing Chaplain leads the 6th Air Refueling Wing Chaplain Corps, and an on-call Duty Chaplain is available 24/7 for emergencies through the MacDill Command Post.
- Wing Chaplain: Chaplain Maj. Timothy D. Springs, USAF
- Catholic Pastor: Rev. Juan M. Diphe
- Catholic Priest (as of Nov 2023): Father Martin Okoro
- Superintendent, Religious Affairs
- Religious Affairs: TSgt Zahra Karim Zadeh, USAF
Other Faith Communities at MacDill
MacDill's Chapel program is intentionally multi-faith and supports the free exercise of religion across its military and civilian population. In addition to Catholic services, the chapel hosts traditional and contemporary Protestant worship, Islamic Friday prayer, a monthly Jewish Kosher Lunch and Learn with virtual weekly Shabbat messages, and monthly virtual Wiccan meetings. A Protestant Women's Ministry and Mothers of Preschoolers (MOPS) group also meet weekly.
- Protestant Traditional Service: Sunday 8:00 a.m. (Oct.-Apr.)
- Protestant Worship with Children's Church: Sunday 11:00 a.m.
- Islamic Friday Prayer: 1:30 p.m.
- Jewish Monthly Kosher Lunch and Learn
- Wiccan Virtual Meetings (Monthly)
- Protestant Women's Ministry: Wednesday 9:30 a.m.
- Mothers of Preschoolers (MOPS): Friday 9:30 a.m.
Visiting, Contact, and Hours
The MacDill Chapel is located on base at 2204 Administration Avenue. Chapel customer-service hours are Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The main line is (813) 828-3621; the fax is (813) 828-4924. For confidential counsel after duty hours, an on-call Duty Chaplain can be reached through the MacDill Command Post at (813) 828-4361. Off-base referrals are given as needed.
- Address: 2204 Administration Ave, MacDill AFB, FL 33621
- Main Line: 813-828-3621
- Fax: 813-828-4924
- Email: [email protected]
- Hours: Mon-Fri 7:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
- After-Hours Emergencies: Command Post 813-828-4361