Northeast Florida Spirituality in Action

Baby Steps Camino

The Camino is an annual 3-day walking pilgrimage on the beach from Jacksonville FL to the Shrine of Our Lady of La Leche at Mission Nombre de Dios in St. Augustine, FL (30 miles). It is an Advent journey to foster personal spiritual growth and to raise awareness and support for Holy Family Hospital of Bethlehem. The walk also celebrates the Feast of the Immaculate Conception.

Bambino Camino- Lenten Walking Pilgrimage

This one day Lenten Camino begins and concludes at the National Shrine, Our Lady of La Leche. Pilgrims gather to walk the grounds of the Holy Shrine and the beach. Pilgrims have the opportunity to reunite and share their experiences of our Advent walking pilgrimage, “Baby Steps Camino”. The day is filled with prayer and a beautiful liturgy which helps them focus their minds and hearts on the Lenten Season.

Barry Manor Apartments

Members purchase and serve Christmas meal to residents of Catholic low-income elderly housing. They visit with residents, prepare and serve holiday meal, provide musicians, and other Christmas cheer. 

Cenacolo Food Providence

Area members retrieve food from Mission House and make weekly deliveries to the three Cenacolo Houses in Northeast Florida. Cenacolo Houses provide a new start in life for young people struggling with addictions, in a radical peaceful communal setting immersed in the Catholic Faith. The Cenacolo Houses rely entirely on Providence to sustain them. Members make additional deliveries in time of critical need.

Cenacolo – Mary Immaculate

The Mary Immaculate House is the largest of the three Comunita Cenacolo houses in Florida. It houses 40 men who have experienced difficulty with substance abuse, depression or other difficulties. These Catholic homes are based on faith, work, true friendship, and service to one another. The Northeast Area donates food for this large house. The houses of this community rely solely on providence. Dames and Knights also attend their bi-annual festivals and Feast Days. In additional, educational assistance is provided regarding organic vegetable gardening.

Cenacolo – Our Lady of Hope

Approximately twenty young men having problems with substance abuse commit to a three-year period of residence of prayer, work, and meditation. We bring an SUV filled with food each week to meet their nutritional needs. In addition we provide weekly classes in small-engine repair to assist some of the men in finding employment.

Cenacolo – St. Maria Goretti

The St. Maria Goretti house is the only Comunita Cenacolo house in the United States. This home provides help to young women struggling with addiction, sadness, and lost hope. This Catholic home fills them with faith, hope, and charity. These women spend three years submersed in faith, work, true friendship, and service to one another. The Northeast Area provides food on a weekly basis for this home of 25 women from all parts of North America. Weekly organic gardening instruction is also given to these women in order to help them produce vegetables. This food from their garden is critical to supplement the providence that is donated to the house. The Order of Malta also attends their annual Feast Days and festivals.

Defense of Faith Programs

The Area plans, promotes and executes various public projects in defense of the Catholic Faith, Venues differ depending on the event. In early 2020 The Area organized a public live presentation on the Shroud of Turin, presented by internationally known authority on the Shroud, Russ Breault. In October 2020 the Area staged the Patriotic Rosary including a Procession and music and loudspeakers in the Constitution Plaza downtown St. Augustine, across from the Cathedral. Similar programs will be ongoing. Depending on the program, anywhere from six to twelve members are involved. Hours of commitment varies greatly among programs.

Sulzbacher Shelter Food Service

Our Chapter prepares and serves meals for the homeless and needy at the Sulzbacher on the last Sunday of each month with five Sundays. Several hundred people are served at each of the dinners.