About St. Clare Catholic Church · Deltona, Florida
St. Clare Catholic Church is a bilingual Catholic parish in Deltona, Florida, in the Diocese of Orlando, named after St. Clare of Assisi. Canonically erected on November 1, 1989 from parts of Our Lady of the Lakes and St. Peter's, the parish worships on 40 acres along Day Road and serves both English- and Spanish-speaking Catholics in west Volusia County. The community is known for its warm, family-friendly atmosphere, a 24-hour Eucharistic Reservation Chapel, and a strong tradition of lay ministry, faith formation, and outreach through organizations like FAITH (Fighting Against Injustice Towards Harmony).
- Established
- 1989
- Patron
- St. Clare of Assisi
- Rector
- Fr. Héctor A. Vázquez Saad
- Diocese
- Diocese of Orlando
Why belong here
St. Clare welcomes English- and Spanish-speaking Catholics of every age into a close-knit, bilingual community on a spacious 40-acre campus in Deltona. The parish offers daily Mass, weekend Masses in both languages, perpetual adoration in a 24-hour Eucharistic Reservation Chapel, faith formation for children and youth, OCIA for adults, ministries for altar servers, ushers, and cleaning, plus outreach through coalitions like FAITH that serve the wider Volusia County community.
Mass times at St. Clare Catholic Church
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- By appointment — call the parish office at 386-789-9990 or arrive when a priest is available
Adoration times
- Tuesday–Friday, 9:30–10:30 AM (following Morning Mass)
- 24-hour Eucharistic Reservation Chapel available on the parish campus
Parish Identity & Campus
St. Clare Catholic Church is a bilingual (English/Spanish) Catholic parish of the Diocese of Orlando, located on a 40-acre campus at 2961 Day Road in Deltona, Florida. The parish is named after St. Clare of Assisi and was canonically erected on November 1, 1989 by Bishop Thomas J. Grady. The main worship space is Clare Hall, a multipurpose building that has evolved over the years with the addition of pews, a Training Chapel for infants and young children, a new altar space, a Floral Room for the Art & Environment Committee, and a life-size statue of Saint Clare at the entrance.
- Address: 2961 Day Road, Deltona, FL 32738
- Phone: (386) 789-9990
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://stclarefl.org/
- Diocese: Diocese of Orlando
- Patron: St. Clare of Assisi (Feast Day: August 11)
History
From its founding in 1989 to its current campus and ministries, St. Clare's story is one of a small community growing into a thriving bilingual parish. Key moments include the first outdoor Mass on February 4, 1990, groundbreaking for Clare Hall on the Feast of the Annunciation in 1992, the first Mass in Clare Hall in April 1993, a debt-free celebration in 2005, the placement of the Saint Clare statue in 2004, the 20th-anniversary memorial walkway in 2009, and the 2023 installation of Fr. Héctor Vázquez Saad as pastor by Bishop John Noonan.
- Erected November 1, 1989 by Bishop Thomas J. Grady
- First pastor: Fr. Timothy W. Kandel
- First Mass on the property: February 4, 1990
- Groundbreaking for Clare Hall: March 25, 1992
- Clare Hall occupied: April 23, 1993
- Debt-free celebration: December 11, 2005
Clergy & Staff
The parish is currently served by Fr. Héctor A. Vázquez Saad as pastor, installed by Bishop John Noonan on June 3, 2023. He is assisted by three deacons — Deacon Pedro Nieves, Deacon Phillip Giordano, and Deacon Wenny Cruz — and by Pastor Administrative Assistant Kenny Torres. Past clergy have included founding pastor Fr. Timothy W. Kandel, Fr. Christopher Hoffmann, Fr. Charles Viviano, and Fr. Carlos Bedoya.
- Fr. Héctor A. Vázquez Saad — Pastor (installed June 3, 2023)
- Deacon Pedro Nieves
- Deacon Phillip Giordano
- Deacon Wenny Cruz
- Kenny Torres — Pastor Administrative Assistant
Faith Formation & OCIA
Faith Formation for children and youth (also known as CCD, catechism, religious education, or sacramental preparation) is offered each year for students in grades 1 through 8 and for high school students who have not yet received the Sacraments of Initiation. Registration opens with required parent meetings each summer, with early-bird discounts available before July 20. Gail Schwaml serves as the faith formation contact.
- 2025-2026 Fees (early bird): 1 child $80, 2 children $115, 3 children $150
- After July 20: 1 child $95, 2 children $130, 3 children $165
- Contact: [email protected] or 386-789-9990 x102
OCIA — Order of Christian Initiation of Adults
OCIA is for adults who wish to become Catholic, complete the sacraments of Holy Eucharist or Confirmation, or simply learn more about the Catholic faith. Sessions meet for just over an hour each week on Wednesdays at 7:00 PM in the Media Center, beginning in October and concluding at the Easter Vigil.
- Wednesdays 7:00 PM in the Media Center
- Runs October through Easter Vigil
Parish Ministries & Groups
St. Clare has a wide range of lay ministries serving worship, formation, fellowship, and outreach. Liturgical roles include Altar Servers and the bilingual Ministry of Ushers / Ministerio de Ujieres, while service groups include the Cleaning Angels, the Divine Mercy Cenacle (a bible study, prayer, and service group that also organizes the First Saturday Adoration & Devotion and Divine Mercy Sunday Adoration), the Art & Environment Committee, the St. Paula Society, and the Artists Guild.
- Altar Servers — open to students entering 5th–12th grade who have received First Communion
- Ministry of Ushers / Ministerio de Ujieres
- Cleaning Angels Ministry (monthly Saturday team)
- Divine Mercy Cenacle (every other Thursday 6:30–7:45 PM in the parish hall)
- Art & Environment Committee
- St. Paula Society
- Artists Guild
Outreach & Community
Outreach has long been central to St. Clare's identity. The parish was a founding member of FAITH (Fighting Against Injustice Towards Harmony), a grassroots coalition of churches and synagogues throughout Volusia County. Through FAITH, St. Clare has worked to improve reading in public schools, develop a drug-treatment program in the county jail, and advocate for stronger police action to address drugs and prostitution in Daytona and Deltona.
- FAITH — Fighting Against Injustice Towards Harmony
- Efforts to bring a shelter for pregnant and parenting teens to Volusia County
- Religious Article Shop & Parish Library (opened 2003)
Visiting & Contact
Parishioners and visitors are warmly welcomed. The parish office is open Tuesday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 1:30 PM, and the parish phone line is (386) 789-9990. The church sits on a 40-acre property that has been re-landscaped for security, with expanded parking (including 40 additional spaces added in earlier years) and a broadened front walkway lined with relocated memorial trees.
- Parish Office Hours: Tuesday–Friday, 8:30 AM–1:30 PM
- Phone: (386) 789-9990
- Email: [email protected]
- Mailing Address: 2961 Day Road, Deltona, FL 32738
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Timothy W. Kandel1989–c. 2001
Founding pastor; appointed by Bishop Thomas J. Grady. Led groundbreaking March 25, 1992; first Mass in Clare Hall celebrated the day after parish took possession on April 23, 1993.
- Fr. Christopher Hoffmannc. 2001
Transferred to Blessed Sacrament in Clermont on July 31, 2001.
- Fr. Charles Vivianoc. 2001–2005
Transferred to St. Matthew Church in Winter Haven on January 3, 2005.
- Fr. Carlos Bedoya2006–c. 2023
Arrived July 29, 2006 as Parochial Administrator; installed as Pastor by Bishop Thomas Wenski. Ordained December 1, 1990 at St. James Cathedral, Orlando; born in Colombia. Oversaw debt-free milestone, perpetual adoration chapel, Alive in Christ campaign.
- Fr. Héctor A. Vázquez Saad2023–present
Installed by Bishop John Noonan on June 3, 2023. Completed church renovation and campus cleanup; focused on faith formation and plans for additional classrooms.