About Our Lady of Grace · Beverly Hills, Florida
Our Lady of Grace is a Roman Catholic parish in Beverly Hills, Florida (Citrus County), founded in 1964 and now home to roughly 900 families. It is part of the Diocese of St. Petersburg and serves a culturally diverse, bilingual community, with the majority English-speaking and an active Spanish-speaking and charismatic community alongside it. The parish celebrates Mass in English and Spanish, offers First Friday adoration, Saturday confessions, and a faith formation program for children and youth. In 2023–2024 the church building underwent an extensive 15-month renovation that was unveiled during the parish's 60th anniversary celebrations in October 2024.
- Established
- 1964
- Patron
- Our Lady of Grace
- Rector
- Rev. Erwin Belgica
- Diocese
- Diocese of St. Petersburg
Why belong here
Our Lady of Grace is a welcoming, bilingual Catholic parish of about 900 families in the heart of Beverly Hills (Citrus County), offering Mass in both English and Spanish, weekly confessions, First Friday adoration, and a robust faith formation program for children, youth, and adults. The parish invites newcomers and seasonal visitors to join its many lay ministries — Extraordinary Ministers, readers, hospitality ministers, choir, and altar servers — and to take part in the Corporal Works of Mercy that shape its outreach to the sick, the homeless, and the homebound. After 60 years of community life, the parish has a renewed sacred space and an active charismatic community that make it a vibrant place to belong.
Mass times at Our Lady of Grace
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday: 2:30 PM – 3:15 PM
- Also by appointment — call Parish Office at (352) 746-2144
Adoration times
- First Friday: 9:30 AM – 12:00 PM (immediately following the 9:00 AM daily Mass)
About Our Lady of Grace Parish
Our Lady of Grace Parish began as a Catholic mission in 1964 and now has a community of about 900 families. Since 1970 it has been part of the Diocese of St. Petersburg. The faith community is diverse and welcoming, with the majority English-speaking and bilingual Spanish-speaking and charismatic communities adding vibrancy and warmth to parish life. The parish welcomes new parishioners, seasonal residents, and visitors, inviting all to take part in its ministries and liturgical life.
- Founded 1964
- About 900 families
- Diocese of St. Petersburg (since 1970)
- Bilingual: English and Spanish
- Active charismatic community
History
Father James Hoge, a Benedictine missionary from St. Leo Abbey in San Antonio, Florida, founded the parish in October 1964, celebrating its first Mass in an ecumenical community center on County Road 491 and Beverly Hills Boulevard — today the home of the Path Rescue Mission. As the Catholic community of Beverly Hills grew, a permanent church was built, and the parish came under the Diocese of St. Petersburg when that diocese was created in 1970. A social hall completed in 1995 became a worship space during the recent renovation.
- 1964 — Parish founded by Benedictine Fr. James Hoge of St. Leo Abbey
- First Mass in an ecumenical community center (now Path Rescue Mission)
- 1970 — Placed in the newly created Diocese of St. Petersburg
- 1995 — Social hall completed behind the church
The 60th Anniversary & Church Renovation (2023–2024)
In July 2023, the parish began a 15-month renovation of its church building, led by Image Construction Corp. of New Port Richey. The project delivered a redesigned sanctuary, a finished east wing, a family room, new pews (Sauder Manufacturing, Archbold, Ohio), a new audiovisual system, and a new altar and ambo built by Watra Church Goods of San Antonio, FL. A signature 11-foot crucifix — with its corpus made in the Philippines and its wooden cross donated by a local resident — was installed as the visual centerpiece. A covered drive-through drop-off was added at the front of the church for passenger convenience. New stained-glass windows by Smiloart of Tarpon Springs are being installed in phases over the 12 months following dedication. The parish celebrated its 60th anniversary with a concelebrated Mass on Sunday, October 13, 2024, followed by a 460-person banquet. Bishop Gregory Parkes, who had originally planned to preside, postponed his visit in the wake of Hurricane Milton and returned on October 20 to consecrate the new altar with sacred Chrism — an event the parish described as both historic and deeply moving.
- Renovation began July 2023 (Image Construction Corp., New Port Richey)
- New altar and ambo by Watra Church Goods, San Antonio, FL
- New pews by Sauder Manufacturing, Archbold, OH
- 11-foot crucifix (corpus from the Philippines, wooden cross donated locally)
- New stained-glass windows by Smiloart, Tarpon Springs (phased installation)
- 60th anniversary Mass: October 13, 2024 (460 attended the banquet)
- Altar consecration by Bishop Parkes: October 20, 2024
Pastor & Parish Staff
Father Erwin Belgica has served Our Lady of Grace since 2018 and was installed as pastor by Bishop Gregory Parkes on August 12, 2018. Father Belgica came to the United States in 2007, was incardinated into the Diocese of St. Petersburg in 2011, and previously served as parochial vicar at Corpus Christi Catholic Church in Temple Terrace. He is supported by a team of lay staff and liturgical leaders.
- Rev. Erwin Belgica — Pastor
- Mary Arnold — Director of Faith Formation
- Ed Putnam — Director of Music
- Vinny DeMaio — Sacristan
- Pat D'Souza — Liturgy Coordinator
- Mylene Taylor — Youth Minister
- Michelle Vermilyea — Financial Secretary / Office Manager
- Victoria Perrin — Bulletin Editor / Secretary
- Jill Finnerty Ricardo — Communications & Media Specialist
- Moses Nunez — Facility Manager
Faith Formation & Youth Ministry
Faith Formation is led by Director Mary Arnold and is open to parish children and youth preparing for sacraments and ongoing religious education. Our Lady of Grace Youth Ministry, led by Mylene Taylor, welcomes middle and high school students to gatherings on the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of each month (barring holy days and holidays). The youth program has its own Facebook group and Instagram account (@olgbhyouthgroup).
- Director of Faith Formation: Mary Arnold
- Email: [email protected]
- Youth Minister: Mylene Taylor — meets 1st and 3rd Wednesdays
- Open to middle and high school students
- Youth Ministry email: [email protected]
- Phone: (352) 422-3491
Liturgy & Music
Music and liturgical coordination at Our Lady of Grace is led by Director of Music Ed Putnam and liturgy coordinator Pat D'Souza. Volunteers serve as Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, lectors, hospitality ministers, choir members, and altar servers. The renovated sanctuary features a new altar and ambo, new pews, and an 11-foot crucifix as its visual focal point.
- Director of Music: Ed Putnam
- Liturgy Coordinator: Pat D'Souza
- Sacristan: Vinny DeMaio
- Lay liturgical roles: Extraordinary Ministers, Lectors, Hospitality Ministers, Choir, Altar Servers
Outreach & Corporal Works of Mercy
The parish actively lives out the Corporal Works of Mercy, with concrete opportunities to shelter the homeless, visit the sick, welcome newcomers, and serve the homebound. The parish website lists specific actions parishioners can take, and Anointing of the Sick services are scheduled periodically (such as the July 19 service noted on the parish site).
- Hospitality to newcomers and visitors
- Volunteer / donate to local, national, and international homeless organizations
- Habitat for Humanity and other home-building efforts
- Refugee welcome
- Visit the sick; bring Communion to the homebound and to nursing homes
- Help the elderly
- Periodic communal Anointing of the Sick service
Visiting & Getting Involved
Our Lady of Grace extends a warm welcome to new parishioners, seasonal residents, and visitors. The parish invites everyone to join its ministries — Extraordinary Ministers, readers, hospitality ministers, choir, altar servers, and more. The parish uses Flocknote for email/text communication, and visitors are encouraged to update their contact information through the website or by calling the Parish Office.
- Parish Office: (352) 746-2144
- Fax: (352) 746-6892
- Email: [email protected]
- Update contact info via the parish website, the bulletin, or the parish office
- Sign up for Flocknote emails/texts via the parish website
- Covered drive-through drop-off at the front of the church
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. James Hoge, OSB1964 (founding)
Benedictine missionary from St. Leo Abbey in San Antonio, Florida; celebrated the parish's first Mass in October 1964 at an ecumenical community center on County Road 491 and Beverly Hills Boulevard.