During my pastoral visit to St. Anastasia Parish and School in Fort Pierce on Sept. 30, Oct. 1 and 3, I found far more than a thriving parish and an outstanding Catholic school. I found a family of faith, deeply rooted in history and alive with a spirit of welcome, service and evangelization.
The Catholic story here begins in at least 1903, when Mass was celebrated in the home of the O’Brien family. Pennsylvania state Sen. James P. McNichol, a winter visitor, donated the land and funded a modest wooden church for about 125 worshippers. He named the parish for St. Anastasia, patron saint of his late first wife.
Father Rupert Gabriel, O.S.B., became the first pastor in 1910. He turned the young parish into a missionary hub serving Stuart, Vero Beach, Okeechobee and beyond. Even the Great Depression could not slow its growth. Father Michael Beelhalter, appointed pastor in 1929, began the expansion that eventually brought the church to its current site on South 33rd Street, where the present facilities were completed in 1977.
The school’s history is just as rich. Founded in 1926 by the Dominican Sisters of Adrian, Michigan, it opened with 52 students. It added a high school grade in 1932 and graduated its first seniors in 1936. In 1965, the high school moved to a nearby campus and became today’s John Carroll High School, one of Florida’s most distinguished Catholic secondary schools.
Today, the parish flourishes under Father Richard George, a dynamic and visionary pastor who has built a culture of collaboration and shared responsibility. He is assisted by Father Joshua Martin, parochial vicar and principal chaplain of John Carroll High School. Both priests are known for their availability, generosity and closeness to the faithful.
St. Anastasia School is led by Dr. Kevin A. Hoeffner, principal for two decades, whose dedication has strengthened its academic excellence and Catholic identity. What impressed me most was the partnership between Father George and Dr. Hoeffner. They share a vision, trust one another and work in harmony, showing how much can be accomplished when pastoral and educational leadership are united in mission. Melanie Wiles, development director for both the parish and school, supports that mission by securing their long-term future.
The parish’s vitality shows in its more than 50 ministries. Among the most promising is Rescue, a new evangelization program that forms small faith communities where parishioners share their spiritual journeys and support one another. These groups become small families within the larger
parish family, a reminder that the Church is not just a place where we gather but a community where we belong.
With more than 600 students, St. Anastasia is the largest Catholic school in the Diocese of Palm Beach. Yet, its greatness is not measured by enrollment alone. Its new Morning Star program welcomes students with significant learning and developmental disabilities, including Down syndrome and autism.
This initiative goes to the heart of Catholic education. A Catholic school does not measure a child’s worth by achievement or ability but by the dignity every person has as a beloved son or daughter of God. In opening its doors to these children, St. Anastasia lives out the words of Jesus: “Whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me” (Mt 18:5).
I left Fort Pierce with my heart full of gratitude, joy and pride. I saw a community that honors its history without being bound by it, a parish that embraces evangelization with creativity and courage, and a school that pursues excellence without ever losing sight of the dignity of every child. Above all, I saw the living face of Christ in a people who love one another and open their arms to all.
To Father George, Father Martin, Dr. Hoeffner, Ms. Wiles and every teacher, staff member, volunteer, student and family of St. Anastasia: thank you! You are showing our whole diocese what happens when a Catholic community dares to dream big and love without limits.
Don’t slow down. Keep building, keep welcoming, keep setting hearts on fire with the Good News. What began as a small gathering for Mass in the O’Brien family home more than 120 years ago has grown into a mighty tree, and its best fruit is still to come.
May St. Anastasia continue to watch over this beloved family, so that everyone who walks through its doors, whether to pray, to learn or simply to find a home, will meet the welcoming embrace of Christ himself.
Bishop Manuel de Jesús Rodríguez, JCD
