About St. Francis of Assisi · Grove City, Florida
St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church is a parish of the Diocese of Venice in Florida, located at 5265 Placida Road in the unincorporated community of Grove City (Englewood area), Charlotte County. The parish was canonically established on November 29, 1978, with its church dedicated on November 22, 1980, and today it is pastored by Rev. Cory A. Mayer with a parochial vicar, a retired deacon, a full staff, and an active roster of liturgical, catechetical, outreach, and women's guild ministries. The parish is notable beyond its size as the designated Jubilee Pilgrimage Site for the Diocese of Venice during the extraordinary 2026 Jubilee Year of St. Francis, marking the 800th anniversary of the saint's death, with its Church Sanctuary and on-site Poor Clare Adoration Chapel open to pilgrims on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
- Established
- 1978
- Patron
- St. Francis of Assisi
- Rector
- Rev. Cory A. Mayer
- Diocese
- Diocese of Venice in Florida
Why belong here
St. Francis of Assisi offers a full sacramental life — multiple weekend Masses in winter and summer schedules, daily Mass Monday through Friday, and regular Reconciliation on Thursdays and Saturdays — in a parish that explicitly welcomes newcomers and seasonal residents. The community is organized into clear ministry families (Liturgical, Outreach, Catechetical, and Women's Guild), runs a Parish Outreach Food Pantry feeding local families, sustains a Religious Education program for children, supports homebound ministry, and gathers groups like the Rosary Makers and Hooks & Needles for Angels. For Catholics on the Gulf coast of Charlotte County, it is a warm, growing parish that also serves as the Diocese of Venice's designated Jubilee pilgrimage site.
Mass times at St. Francis of Assisi
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Thursday: 9:00 am – 9:15 am
- Saturday (Winter): 2:00 pm – 2:30 pm
- Saturday (Summer): 3:00 pm – 3:30 pm
- Saturday: 3:00 pm (per diocesan listing)
Adoration times
- Jubilee Year pilgrimage hours at the Church Sanctuary and Poor Clare Adoration Chapel: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9:00 am – 4:00 pm (and other times by arrangement with the Parish Office)
About St. Francis of Assisi Parish
St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church is a parish of the Diocese of Venice in Florida, canonically established November 29, 1978, with its church dedicated November 22, 1980. The parish serves the Englewood–Grove City area of Charlotte County from its single campus at 5265 Placida Road. According to the parish's own 'About Us' page, the community frames itself around three movements: discovering the God who loves you, engaging with a parish that supports you, and serving the world that needs you. The parish is growing and publicly welcomes new members and seasonal visitors.
- Parish mission: 'Discover the God who loves you. Engage with a parish that supports you. Serve the world that needs you.'
- Founded November 29, 1978; church dedicated November 22, 1980
- Member of the Central Deanery, Diocese of Venice in Florida
- Featured Teresa of Ávila quote on the About page: 'Let nothing disturb you. Let nothing frighten you. All that passes, God remains. God changes nothing, and God loves you forever.'
Our Parish Staff
The parish is led by Pastor Rev. Cory A. Mayer, with Parochial Vicar Rev. Tony Chermeil and retired Deacon Bob Godlewsky, plus assisting priest Rev. Edwin Mathias. A lay staff supports liturgy, music, faith formation, outreach, communications, business, and facilities.
- Rev. Cory A. Mayer — Pastor
- Rev. Tony Chermeil — Parochial Vicar
- Rev. Edwin Mathias — Priest
- Deacon Bob Godlewsky — Deacon, Retired
- Mr. Matt Egan and Nadine Becker — Music & Cantors
- Ms. Beth Hammond — Head Sacristan
- Mr. Robert Clark — Church Business Manager
- Ms. Janette Ash — Administrative Assistant and Bookkeeper
- Ms. Kelly Kroll — Director, Homebound & Healthcare Ministry
- Ms. Gerry Chesney — Director, Outreach Ministry
- Ms. Martha Mingel — Director, Parish Women's Guild
- Ms. Penny Fleming — Communications and Ministry Scheduler
- Mr. Jim Parent — Maintenance & Facilities
- Part-time Receptionist
- Ms. Sarah Ball — Coordinator, Religious Education
Saint Francis Jubilee 2026 — Diocesan Pilgrimage Site
For the extraordinary Jubilee Year honoring St. Francis of Assisi on the 800th anniversary of his death, Bishop Frank J. Dewane designated St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Grove City as the pilgrimage destination for the Diocese of Venice. The Jubilee Year runs from January 10, 2026 through January 10, 2027. Both the main Church Sanctuary and the on-site Poor Clare Adoration Chapel are open for pilgrims on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm, and at other times by arrangement. Visitors who make a pilgrimage may receive a Plenary Indulgence under the usual conditions (Sacramental Confession, Eucharistic Communion, and prayer for the intentions of the Holy Father). Father Mayer has invited individuals and groups to make reservations through the Parish Office at 941-697-4899, and the parish offers a downloadable English prayer guide for pilgrims.
- Designated diocesan Jubilee Pilgrimage Site, 2026
- Open Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
- Plenary Indulgence available under standard conditions
- Group pilgrimages arranged through the Parish Office
- English prayer guide downloadable from sfoachurch.com/jubilee-2025
Parish Ministries and Groups
The parish organizes its lay apostolate into four ministry families — Liturgical Ministries, Outreach Ministries, Catechetical Ministries, and Women's Guild — supported by a Parish Stewardship Ministry. Volunteer scheduling is run through Ministry Scheduler Pro (MSP), with a web terminal and phone app available.
- Liturgical Ministries (sacristans, lectors, altar servers, EMHCs, ushers, music & cantors)
- Outreach Ministries — including the Parish Outreach Food Pantry
- Catechetical Ministries — Religious Education for children
- Parish Women's Guild
- Parish Stewardship Ministry
- Homebound & Healthcare Ministry — Communion visits to the sick and elderly
- Rosary Makers Ministry — making, sharing, distributing, and repairing rosaries
- Hooks & Needles for Angels — craft fellowship ministry
Parish Outreach Food Pantry
The Parish Outreach Food Pantry is one of the parish's signature charities. It channels donations and volunteer time into feeding local families, distributing shelf-stable canned and dry food plus frozen proteins, with food bags sized to feed a family of four (and more).
- Serves shelf-stable canned and dry food, plus frozen proteins
- Food bags sized for a family of four (and more)
- Monday, Wednesday, and Friday distribution schedules posted on the parish site
- Located at the Parish Center, 5265 Placida Rd, Grove City
Sacraments
St. Francis of Assisi celebrates the usual sacraments of the Roman Catholic Church and welcomes parishioners and newcomers to arrange them through the Parish Office.
- Baptism — arranged through the parish office
- Marriage — contact the Parish Office at 941-697-4899 at least six months ahead
- Reconciliation — see confession times above
- Communion to the homebound — available on request for injury, illness, advanced age, or circumstance
- Holy Days of Obligation Masses at 8:15 am and 6:00 pm
Parish Office, Location, and Accessibility
The parish office is on the same Placida Road campus as the church and is reachable by phone, fax, and email. Hours shift seasonally, and the office closes on Church and national holidays.
- Address: 5265 Placida Road, Grove City, FL 34224
- Phone: (941) 697-4899
- Fax: (941) 697-0602
- Email: [email protected]
- Winter office hours: Mon–Thu 9:00 am–12:30 pm and 1:00–4:00 pm; Fri 9:00 am–12:30 pm
- Summer office hours: Mon–Thu 9:00 am–3:00 pm; Fri 9:00 am–12:00 pm
- Hearing Loop installed in the church for hearing-aid users with T-Coils
Get Involved — Volunteering
Prospective volunteers complete an online application form (printable, or emailed to [email protected]). The parish then walks new volunteers through available positions in Liturgical, Outreach, Catechetical, and Women's Guild ministries, with schedules managed through Ministry Scheduler Pro.
- Online volunteer application form on sfoachurch.com
- Email completed forms to [email protected]
- Ministry Scheduler Pro (MSP) web terminal and phone app for scheduling
- Categories: Liturgical, Outreach, Catechetical, Women's Guild