About St. Edward Catholic Church · Starke, Florida
St. Edward Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish in Starke, Florida, serving the faithful of Bradford County and surrounding communities since 1941. The parish belongs to the Diocese of St. Augustine and is currently pastored by Rev. Andrzej Mitera (Father Andy), a priest originally from Poland who joined the parish in July 2024. St. Edward offers weekend Mass in both English and Spanish, weekday liturgy, the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and First Friday Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, sustaining a bilingual Catholic presence in northeast Florida near U.S. 301.
- Established
- 1941
- Patron
- St. Edward (the Confessor)
- Rector
- Rev. Andrzej Mitera
- Diocese
- Diocese of St. Augustine
Why belong here
St. Edward offers a welcoming, bilingual Catholic home in rural northeast Florida — with Sunday Mass celebrated in both English (10:00 a.m.) and Spanish (12:00 noon), weekday Mass Tuesday through Friday, and the Sacrament of Reconciliation available a half-hour before every Mass. The parish gathers for First Friday Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and is supported by long-serving lay staff and volunteers who coordinate Religious Education and parish operations. For Catholics in Starke, Bradford County, and the surrounding area, St. Edward is a small, personal parish where you can know your priest and your neighbors.
Mass times at St. Edward Catholic Church
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Half-hour before all Masses
- Sunday 9:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
- Saturday 3:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
- By appointment
Adoration times
- First Friday: Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament (12:30–1:30 p.m. per diocesan listing; 9:30–10:30 a.m. per 2025–2026 diocesan directory)
About St. Edward Catholic Church
St. Edward is a Roman Catholic parish in Starke, Florida, established in 1941 and part of the Diocese of St. Augustine. The parish serves Starke, Bradford County, and the surrounding rural communities of northeast Florida from its longtime home at 441 N. Temple Avenue. It is a small, family-sized parish offering weekend Mass in both English and Spanish, daily weekday Mass, the Sacrament of Reconciliation, First Friday Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, and ongoing Religious Education for children and adults.
- Parish established 1941
- Diocese of St. Augustine
- 441 N. Temple Avenue, Starke, FL 32091
- Roman-Latin Rite
Parish History
St. Edward Parish has ministered to Catholics in the Starke area for more than 80 years. Through its pastors, administrators, and volunteer lay leadership, the parish has maintained a stable sacramental life and, more recently, a bilingual worship schedule. The most recent pastoral transition came in July 2024 with the arrival of Fr. Andrzej Mitera, who succeeded Fr. Jan Ligeza (Administrator) and, before him, Fr. Michael Donovan, OdeM.
- 1941 – Parish founded under the Diocese of St. Augustine
- Through 2019 – Pastored by Rev. Michael Donovan, OdeM
- 2021 directory – Rev. Jan Ligeza, S.T.L., serving as Administrator; oversaw return of Traditional Latin Mass (2019–2024)
- June 2024 – Latin Masses concluded at St. Edward after the Vatican's two-year dispensation ended
- July 2024 – Rev. Andrzej Mitera welcomed as new pastor
Pastor and Staff
St. Edward is currently pastored by Rev. Andrzej Mitera, a priest originally from Poland ordained in 1994. Father Andy spent six years of intensive Spanish-language training before being sent to Ecuador as a missionary priest for six years, and then came to the Diocese of St. Augustine at the request of the late Bishop Victor Galeone. He recently celebrated his 30th anniversary of priestly ordination. The parish is also supported by volunteer office coordinators and a Director of Religious Education who handles day-to-day operations and faith formation.
- Rev. Andrzej Mitera — Pastor (since July 2024); [email protected]
- Elaine Stewart — Volunteer Office Coordinator and Director of Religious Education (per 2019/2021 diocesan directory)
- Zita Shuford-Durst — Volunteer Office Coordinator (per 2019/2021 diocesan directory)
Religious Education and RCIA
Faith formation at St. Edward is coordinated by the Director of Religious Education, who has historically handled both ongoing CCD/Religious Education for children and sacramental preparation. The parish also maintains an RCIA (now OCIA) program for adults seeking Baptism, First Communion, or Confirmation in the Catholic Church.
- Religious Education / CCD program
- Baptism, First Communion, and Confirmation preparation
- RCIA / OCIA for adult candidates (Coordinator of RCIA listed separately in older diocesan directories)
Traditional Latin Mass (Historical)
From 2019 until June 2024, St. Edward offered the Traditional Latin Mass (1962 Missale Romanum) on the third Sunday of each month at 12:30 p.m., thanks to a Vatican dispensation. Following the Vatican's Dicastery for Divine Worship ending that two-year dispensation, the Latin Masses at St. Edward concluded in June 2024. The parish thanked Father Jan Ligeza and all parishioners who supported and helped with the Latin Masses since their return in 2019.
- Latin Mass resumed at St. Edward in 2019
- Celebrated on the 3rd Sunday of each month at 12:30 p.m.
- Concluded in June 2024 after the Vatican's dispensation expired
Visit, Location, and Contact
St. Edward Catholic Church sits on North Temple Avenue in Starke, two blocks south of State Road 16 along the U.S. 301 corridor. The parish parking lot and on-street parking are available for Mass-goers. Visitors are encouraged to verify Mass times on the parish Facebook page, which is kept up to date with any schedule changes.
- 441 N. Temple Avenue, Starke, FL 32091
- Phone: (904) 964-6155
- Fax: (904) 746-4868
- Email: [email protected]
- Parish website: https://sites.google.com/view/stedwardstarke
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stedwardstarke/
- Parking: parish lot and street parking
- Directions: U.S. 301, two blocks south of State Road 16
Diocese of St. Augustine
St. Edward is a parish of the Diocese of St. Augustine, the oldest Catholic diocese in Florida. It falls under the pastoral care of the diocesan bishop, Most Rev. Felipe J. Estévez, and is listed in the diocesan Find a Parish directory along with the parish's official Mass, reconciliation, and adoration schedules.
- Diocese of St. Augustine
- Bishop: Most Rev. Felipe J. Estévez
- Diocesan directory listing confirms parish status and current pastor
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Michael Donovan, OdeMthrough at least 2019
Listed as Pastor in the 2019 Diocese of St. Augustine directory; member of the Order of the Mother of God.
- Rev. Jan Ligeza, S.T.L.2021 directory listing (Administrator); oversaw 2019–2024 Latin Mass restoration
Served as parish Administrator; oversaw the resumption of the Traditional Latin Mass at St. Edward in 2019 and its conclusion in June 2024.
- Rev. Andrzej MiteraJuly 2024–present
Current pastor; originally from Poland, ordained in 1994, served six years as a missionary priest in Ecuador, came to the Diocese of St. Augustine at the request of the late Bishop Victor Galeone.