About St. Anthony Catholic Church · Lakeland, Florida
St. Anthony Catholic Church is a bilingual Roman Catholic parish in North Lakeland, Florida, part of the Diocese of Orlando. The parish welcomes worshippers in both English and Spanish, offering a Saturday evening Spanish Mass alongside English Masses throughout the week. St. Anthony is also home to St. Anthony Catholic School (Pre-K through 8th grade), which shares the parish's campus and mission of faith-based education. The parish church itself is dedicated to Saint Anthony of Padua, the beloved Franciscan Doctor of the Church known as the 'Patron of the Poor.'
- Established
- 1982
- Patron
- Saint Anthony of Padua
- Rector
- Reverend Nathanael Soliven (Parochial Administrator)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Orlando
Why belong here
St. Anthony Catholic Church is a welcoming bilingual (English/Spanish) parish serving North Lakeland with daily and weekend Masses, Saturday confessions in both languages, and weekday private adoration. Families with school-age children can take advantage of the on-campus St. Anthony Catholic School, a fully accredited Pre-K through 8th-grade program rooted in Catholic formation. The parish also walks couples through marriage preparation (six-month process following the Diocese of Orlando guidelines), supports parents through a step-by-step baptism ministry that includes home visits, and welcomes adults into the Catholic faith through the RCIA process.
Mass times at St. Anthony Catholic Church
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 2:45 PM – 3:45 PM (English)
- Saturday 5:00 PM – 5:45 PM (Spanish)
Adoration times
- Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM (Private adoration — no exposition of the Blessed Sacrament)
Welcome to St. Anthony Catholic Church
St. Anthony Catholic Church is a bilingual Roman Catholic parish located at 820 Marcum Road in North Lakeland, Florida, within the Diocese of Orlando. The parish celebrates Mass in English and Spanish, with confessions and adoration offered throughout the week. The parish website serves as a hub for Mass times, sacraments, school information, and online giving, and the parish also live-streams Mass via webcam.
- Parish Office: (863) 858-8047
- Mailing Address: 820 Marcum Road, Lakeland, FL 33809
- Office hours: Mon–Thu 8:00 AM–4:00 PM, Fri 8:00 AM–3:00 PM
- Website: saintacc.com
History of the Parish
GCatholic dates the parish itself to 1982, situating it within the Diocese of Orlando. The current nonprofit corporation, St. Anthony Catholic Church Lakeland, Inc., is registered with the Florida Department of State under document number N23000001686. The parish's school, founded in 1993 with Pre-K and Kindergarten, has grown into a fully accredited Pre-K4 through 8th grade program. The architecture of the church itself reflects a deliberate theological narrative described on the parish's 'Church Windows' page, taking worshippers from the Old Testament sacrifices through the New Covenant of the Eucharist.
- Parish established: 1982 (Diocese of Orlando)
- St. Anthony Catholic School founded: 1993
- School first 8th-grade graduating class: 2002
- School initial FCC accreditation: 2004
- School full reaccreditation: 2025–2026 school year
Patron: Saint Anthony of Padua
The parish is placed under the patronage of Saint Anthony of Padua, who was born in Lisbon, Portugal, in 1195. At age 26 he joined the Franciscan Order — while Saint Francis himself was still alive — hoping to become a missionary and martyr. He was instead recognized as a fine scholar, teacher, and brilliant preacher. His friendship and solicitude for the poor earned him the title 'Patron of the Poor,' and he gained a reputation for working miracles, including helping people recover lost items. He was canonized less than a year after his death on June 13, 1231, one of the fastest canonizations in Church history. A statue of Saint Anthony stands in the narthex of the parish church.
- Born: Lisbon, Portugal, 1195
- Religious order: Franciscan
- Title: 'Patron of the Poor' / Doctor of the Church
- Feast Day: June 13
- Canonized: 1232 (less than a year after death)
Church Architecture and Windows
The windows and sanctuary of St. Anthony Catholic Church are designed to focus attention on the great mysteries of salvation. Walking from the narthex into the sanctuary, worshippers move from Old Testament sacrifice to New Testament fulfillment in the Eucharist. The faceted glass above the main doors depicts the knife, wood, and fire of Abraham's sacrifice of Isaac on the left, and the Passover lamb with tablets of the Law on the right. Inside the sanctuary, two more faceted glass windows show the world in the creative hands of the Father and the Spirit of God descending like a dove, with the crucified Son at the Father's right hand. The tabernacle continues the theme of the victorious Lamb of God from the Book of Revelation, the ambo displays the open Bible, and a baptismal font stands in the far left of the sanctuary.
- Narthex: statue of Saint Anthony of Padua
- Main doors: faceted glass — Abraham's sacrifice (left), Passover lamb & tablets of the Law (right)
- Sanctuary windows: Father with the world, descending Spirit, crucified Son
- Tabernacle: victorious Lamb of God theme
- Ambo: open Bible
- Baptismal font: presence of the Spirit of the Risen Lord
Sacraments
The parish celebrates all seven sacraments of the Catholic Church. The website provides dedicated pages for Baptism, Reconciliation, Eucharist, Confirmation, Marriage, Holy Orders, Anointing of the Sick, and Funerals, along with a Baptism FAQ page for families.
- Baptism
- Baptism FAQ
- Reconciliation
- Eucharist
- Confirmation
- Marriage
- Holy Orders
- Anointing of the Sick
- Funerals
Baptism Preparation
Beginning in August 2019, St. Anthony's offers a step-by-step baptism process for children under seven. Parents contact the parish office, are visited at home by a baptism ministry team member (about one hour), attend two formation (education) sessions, present their child at a Sunday Mass, and finally receive the sacrament. Unbaptized children age 7 and older participate in the RCIA for Children program through the Faith Formation department.
- Step 1: Contact the parish office
- Step 2: Home visit from baptism ministry team
- Step 3: First formation session
- Step 4: Presentation of child at Mass + second formation session
- Step 5: Baptism
- Ages 7+: enrolled in RCIA for Children
- Director of Faith Formation: (863) 858-0671
Marriage Preparation
St. Anthony's follows the Diocese of Orlando's Marriage Preparation Guidelines. Preparation begins no less than six months prior to the desired wedding date. Engaged couples are asked to contact the Parish Office to set up an appointment with a priest to begin the process.
- Begins at least 6 months before wedding
- Follows Diocese of Orlando guidelines
- Initial meeting with a priest at the parish office
- Marriage Ceremony Preparation and Guidelines provided online
RCIA — Becoming Catholic
Unbaptized adults who feel drawn to the Catholic Church are invited to connect with the Faith Formation department to explore the faith through the RCIA process. The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults is the Church's formal conversion process, during which individuals study what the Church believes and teaches before being received into full communion.
- For unbaptized adults
- Includes children aged 7+ (RCIA for Children)
- Contact the parish office to begin
Faith Formation
The Faith Formation department coordinates sacramental preparation, ongoing religious education, and the RCIA process for both adults and children. The Director of Faith Formation can be reached at (863) 858-0671.
- Baptism preparation for children under 7
- RCIA for Children (ages 7+)
- RCIA for adults
- Adult Confirmation course
- Sacramental preparation for First Communion and Confirmation
St. Anthony Catholic School
St. Anthony Catholic School is a private Catholic school located on the parish's North Lakeland campus (924 Marcum Rd, Lakeland, FL 33809), serving children from Pre-K4/VPK through 8th Grade. Founded in 1993 with a Pre-K program and Kindergarten, the school added a grade each year, graduated its first 8th-grade class in 2002, and grew to approximately 230 students with about 30 teaching and administrative staff. The school is accredited by the Florida Catholic Conference (initial accreditation 2004, full reaccreditation in 2025–2026). It offers three Pre-K 4 classes through Florida's Voluntary Prekindergarten Program (VPK), participates in the Step Up for Students scholarship program, and provides tuition assistance. The campus features a T.E.A.L. Lab (Technology Enhanced Active Learning Lab), upgraded computer facilities, classroom laptops, and iPads for K–8, plus a covered basketball/PE court funded by a school endowment established by Father Quinn.
- Address: 924 Marcum Rd, Lakeland, FL 33809
- Grades: Pre-K4/VPK through 8th
- Enrollment: ~221–230 students
- Founded: 1993 (first 8th-grade class: 2002)
- Accredited by Florida Catholic Conference (2004, reaccredited 2025–2026)
- Accepts Step Up for Students scholarships; tuition assistance available
- T.E.A.L. Lab and iPads for K–8
- Endowment established by Father Quinn
Parish Clergy and Staff
According to the Diocese of Orlando's official appointments, St. Anthony Catholic Church is currently led by Reverend Nathanael Soliven as Parochial Administrator (appointed June 17, 2024). Reverend Heric Sedric D'Cruz was appointed Parochial Vicar on September 18, 2025. Both priests serve the parish within the Diocese of Orlando's Western Deanery.
- Rev. Nathanael Soliven — Parochial Administrator (appointed June 17, 2024)
- Rev. Heric Sedric D'Cruz — Parochial Vicar (appointed September 18, 2025)
- Diocese of Orlando, Western Deanery
Visiting and Joining the Parish
The parish website invites visitors to 'Join the Parish' and provides an online registration pathway. Visitors and newcomers are welcomed to weekend Masses, with the parish noting its bilingual character (English and Spanish) and its family-friendly connection to St. Anthony Catholic School.
- Weekend Masses: Saturday Vigil 4:00 PM (English) and 6:00 PM (Spanish); Sunday 8:00 AM and 10:00 AM (English)
- Online parish registration available via the website
- Knights of Columbus council active at the parish
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Quinn
Founded the school endowment fund that helped fund the school's covered basketball/PE court