INDIANTOWN | Bishop Gerald M. Barbarito celebrated with Holy Cross Parish Sept. 14, 2025, as it marked 65 years of putting Jesus Christ at the center of its life and mission. On the universal church’s feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, the bishop congratulated the parish “for being that life of Christ in such a visible manner through your faith, your hope and your love.”
Father Francisco Osorio, pastor, welcomed Bishop Barbarito to a packed church for the Spanish-language Mass. The parish has come a long way since its first Mass on July 3, 1960, in a small church building donated by Yvonne Famel, who also gave the parish a relic of the true cross, which was venerated at the 65th anniversary liturgy.
In his homily, Bishop Barbarito expressed his gratitude to the parishioners for their Christian witness. Through Jesus, we are reminded “that no matter what we face in life — and we face a great deal in life, a great deal of suffering, a great deal of confusion, a great deal of division, especially in our day and age — it is Jesus Christ who is the center, and it is the cross, the holy cross of Christ, which conquers that division, conquers that hatred, conquers sin and gives us life,” he said.
“May God continue to pour forth his blessings on each and every one of you, on your families, on all you have accomplished and what you will continue to be as a body of Christ here in Indiantown,” the bishop added.
At the conclusion of the liturgy, Father Osorio thanked Bishop Barbarito, Father Brian King, his episcopal secretary, the parish family, ministers, volunteers and benefactors for their faithful support through the years.
“In this jubilee of 65 years of Holy Cross, we celebrate the history that began in faith and continues to unfold under the divine will and the maternal intercession of Our Lady of Guadalupe,” he said. “Today, we renew our commitment to carry out the mission of the church and of our parish community by joyfully offering our talent, time and treasure. These gifts, which we deeply appreciate, we present as a pleasing offering to God so that together we may continue building a vibrant parish, united in solidarity and bearing witness to the Gospel.”
Those in attendance were invited afterward to enjoy food on parish grounds.
PARISH HISTORY
Holy Cross was founded in 1960 following the donation of a former Baptist church and 20 acres of land. On July 3, 1960, Msgr. Michael Beerhalter of St. Anastasia Parish in Fort Pierce celebrated the first Mass, gathering 31 families and 78 worshipers.
During its formative years, Holy Cross remained a mission of neighboring parishes. In 1969, it was officially erected as an independent parish, with Father Charles Clemens, an Indiantown native, appointed as its first administrator.
Over the decades, the parish has embraced its mission to welcome immigrants, accompany farmworkers and support the community. This commitment was expressed concretely in 1980, with the founding of Hope Rural School and the Catholic Charities Service Center, both vital ministries for education and social advancement.
With steady growth of the parish community, the need for a larger worship space led to the construction of a new Holy Cross Church, which was consecrated and dedicated by Bishop Gerald M. Barbarito in 2010 during the parish’s 50th jubilee.
Since July 1, 2011, Father Francisco J. Osorio has shepherded the parish with zeal and dedication. He is supported by a committed pastoral team of Juan Carlos Lasso, religious education; Janet Hernández, accountant; Luis Nicolás, secretary; and Venerado Cruzado, sacristan. Together with the Hispanic pastoral council, finance council, parish ministries, volunteers and benefactors, the team continues to animate the spiritual and pastoral life of the parish.
Today, Holy Cross Parish stands as a light and a home for all, a living sign of faith and hope for the community of Indiantown.
For information on the parish, visit https://holycrossindiantown.org, call 772-597-2798, and connect on Facebook. To watch the recorded anniversary Mass, go to www.facebook.com/HolyCrossCatholicChurchIndiantown/videos/1173688721477845.
