About St. Finbarr · Naples, Florida
St. Finbarr Parish is a vibrant Catholic community located on Tamiami Trail East in Naples, Florida, serving the eastern Naples area within the Diocese of Venice. Founded in 2000 as a mission chapel of San Marco Parish on Marco Island and elevated to its own parish on December 12, 2010 by Bishop Frank J. Dewane, it became the 57th parish in the diocese. Today the parish welcomes roughly 1,500 worshippers each weekend during the peak winter season, celebrating Mass in English, Spanish and Creole, and is led by Father Leo J. Smith, who has served the community since 2015 and was installed as Pastor on August 29, 2021.
- Established
- 2000
- Patron
- St. Finbarr of Cork (6th-century Irish monk-bishop)
- Rector
- Rev. Fr. Leo J. Smith
- Diocese
- Diocese of Venice in Florida (Bishop Frank J. Dewane)
Why belong here
St. Finbarr is a bilingual, multicultural parish that makes Catholic life accessible in East Naples. Weekend Masses in English, Spanish and Creole welcome an attendance of about 1,500 during the winter season, and a busy roster of ministries — Knights of Columbus, Women of St. Finbarr, Prayer Shawl, Communion to the Homebound, Music Ministry, and a strong Faith Formation program — offers concrete ways to get involved. Daily Mass, frequent confession times, live-streamed services on Facebook, and an ecologically designed, park-like campus make the parish a place where newcomers and seasonal visitors alike can quickly feel at home.
Mass times at St. Finbarr
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:00–4:00 PM
- Monday 9:30 AM (after Mass)
- Tuesday 9:30 AM (after Mass)
- Wednesday 9:30 AM (after Mass)
- Friday 9:30 AM (after Mass)
- Other times by appointment
About St. Finbarr Parish
St. Finbarr Parish serves the eastern Naples community from its campus on Tamiami Trail East, just minutes from Marco Island. Born as a mission chapel of San Marco Parish in 2000 and raised to parish status in 2010, it is one of the younger parishes in the Diocese of Venice but a thriving one, drawing about 1,500 faithful each weekend in winter. The parish is known for its warm hospitality and multicultural reach: Mass is celebrated in English, Spanish and Creole, and visitors and seasonal residents are a regular part of the community.
History
The community traces its beginnings to the year 2000, when San Marco Catholic Church on Marco Island funded the construction of an all-purpose building that doubled as chapel and community center. A small but determined group of lay faithful and successive priests nurtured the community over the following decade until Bishop Frank J. Dewane elevated it to parish status on December 12, 2010 — the 57th parish in the Diocese of Venice. The name 'St. Finbarr' honors the founding San Marco pastor's Irish roots, and the parish continues to carry that heritage while welcoming Catholics of many cultures.
- Founded 2000 as a mission chapel of San Marco Parish
- Elevated to parish December 12, 2010 by Bishop Frank J. Dewane
- 57th parish in the Diocese of Venice
- Named for St. Finbarr of Cork
Patron Saint — St. Finbarr of Cork
St. Finbarr (c. 6th century) was born in Connaught, Ireland, to an artisan father and a lady of the royal court; he was originally baptized Lochan. Monks who educated him renamed him Finnbarr for his light hair, and he went on to evangelize the people of Gowran, Coolcashin and Aghaboe, found a school at Eirce, and establish the famous monastery on the River Lee around which the city of Cork later grew. He became Cork's first bishop. The parish celebrates his feast day on September 25.
Clergy & Staff
Father Leo J. Smith has led St. Finbarr as administrator since November 2015 and was formally installed as the parish's Pastor on August 29, 2021. He is assisted by two priests — Fr. Wilian Montalvo Tello, who celebrates the Spanish Masses, and retired priest Fr. David Foley — as well as a dedicated lay staff handling religious education, music and administration.
- Rev. Fr. Leo J. Smith — Pastor ([email protected])
- Fr. Wilian Montalvo Tello — Assistant Clergy (Spanish Masses)
- Fr. David Foley — Assistant Clergy (retired)
- Colleen Grady — Religious Education ([email protected])
- Richard McGee — Music Assistant (English)
- Abel Limones — Music Assistant (Spanish)
- Christine Lonergan — Administrative Assistant ([email protected])
Father Leo Smith — A Brief Biography
Father Leo Smith was born in Boston in January 1954 and grew up in Milton, Massachusetts, the middle of five children. Raised largely by his mother after his pediatrician father died when he was eight, he attended Catholic schools from first grade through graduate school, earning a B.A. in History from the Catholic University of America and an M.A. from the University of Notre Dame. He then spent 25 years working in national security for the federal government, mostly at the Department of Defense, where his last role was Deputy Chief for Security Policy in the Office of the Secretary of Defense. He was accepted by the Diocese of Venice in 2002, studied at Christ the King Seminary in East Aurora, New York, graduated in 2006, and was ordained that October. He served several parishes in the diocese before being assigned as administrator of St. Finbarr in November 2015 and formally installed as its pastor in August 2021.
Sacraments & Pastoral Care
Beyond Mass and Reconciliation, the parish prepares the faithful for and administers Baptism, Confirmation, Marriage and the Anointing of the Sick. The Communion to the Homebound ministry brings the Eucharist to parishioners who cannot attend Mass, and priests visit the sick and homebound upon request through the parish office.
- Baptism — contact the parish office
- Confirmation — contact the parish office
- Anointing / Sacrament of the Sick — call the office at 239-417-2084
- Communion to the Homebound — request through the parish office
- Marriage preparation — contact the parish office
Ministries & Service
St. Finbarr runs an unusually broad range of lay ministries. Liturgical roles (ushers, lectors, servers, music ministers for English and Spanish), faith-formation work (Religious Education), and a wide network of service and prayer groups — Women of St. Finbarr, Knights of Columbus, Prayer Shawl, Rosary Makers, Coffee & Donuts, Office Volunteers, and the Finance Committee — give every parishioner a way to participate. Contacts for each ministry are listed on the parish website's Ministry & Services page.
- Liturgical: Ushers (Ministers of Hospitality), Lectors, Servers, Music Ministry (English & Spanish)
- Service: Women of St. Finbarr, Knights of Columbus, Office Volunteers, Finance Committee
- Prayer & Care: Rosary Makers, Prayer Shawl Ministry, Communion to the Homebound
- Fellowship: Coffee & Donuts
- Formation: Religious Education / Faith Formation (Colleen Grady)
Devotions & Spiritual Life
The Rosary Makers gather most Tuesday mornings after the weekday Mass (except mid-summer), praying and crafting rosaries that are sent out into the world. The Prayer Shawl Ministry knits and crochets shawls for anyone in the parish — or a loved one — who is sick or grieving; those wanting a shawl are invited to call the parish office.
Live Streaming & Online Presence
Every 9:00 AM weekday Mass and the weekend Masses are live-streamed on the parish Facebook page so that homebound parishioners and seasonal visitors away from Naples can still take part. Recent Masses can also be replayed on demand there.
Visit Us & Contact
St. Finbarr Parish is located at 13520 Tamiami Trail E., Naples, FL 34114, at the eastern end of the Naples area. The parish office is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 3:30 PM. Phone (239) 417-2084, fax (239) 417-3150, email [email protected]. Newcomers and visitors are warmly welcomed and encouraged to register through the parish website.
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. McCarthy
Pastor of San Marco Parish on Marco Island when the St. Finbarr mission chapel was founded in 2000; his Irish heritage is why St. Finbarr of Cork was chosen as the mission's patron.
- Rev. Fr. Leo J. SmithAdministrator 2015–present; Pastor 2021–present
Administrator of St. Finbarr from November 2015; formally installed as Pastor by Bishop Frank J. Dewane on August 29, 2021.