Ave Maria Catholics

Established between Naples and Ft Lauderdale in 2007, Ave Maria is the Catholic Community you've been looking for.

Nestled in the heart of Collier County, Florida and east of I-75 and Naples, Ave Maria is a vibrant and growing Catholic community.  A community where children ride their bicycles to a parochial school and folks walk to the grocery store. Our beautiful iconic Church is located in the heart of Ave Maria, surrounded by the Piazza with quaint restaurants, offices, and unique shops. Ave Maria University is bustling with activity just across the street. Head west to visit the beautiful Gulf Coast Beaches or head east to the bright lights and big cities of Miami and Ft. Lauderdale.

Ave Maria Parish welcomes you to our parish family and looks forward to having you be not only a part of our Parish Family but also a part of the Ave Maria community.  You will find many Catholic activities in and around town and feel free to read other sections of this website to learn more about them.  Ave Maria is a growing Catholic Community that has attracted Catholics from all over the United States and the world.  Even if you do not live in Ave Maria consider visiting Ave Maria and you might be surprised.  For many Catholics that live in Ave Maria this is how their journey started.  God might be calling you and your family?

You may request prayers for yourself or your immediate family by calling Ave Maria Parish at 239-261-5555.  These prayers needs may include illness, surgeries, death, accidents, baptisms, weddings, or other events.  Your request will be included in our parish prayer list which will be emailed to the Ave Prays Volunteers (Prayer Warriors).  

Please consider being a Prayer Warrior for our Parish.  The only requirement beyond prayers is for you to access your emails on a regular basis to receive the parish prayer list.

To volunteer as a Prayer Warrior, email your First Name, Last Name, Email, and Phone Number to avemariaprays(at)gmail.com.  God bless you for your time and prayers that make a difference.

Learn about Natural Family Planning and the Creighton Model Ferilitycare System.  You will learn about God's wondrous gift of fertility and gain a greater appreciation for that gift including how to monitor your own reproductive health.  For more information contact Margaret Kelly, FCPI at mpkelly510(at)gmail.com or by calling 561-401-2233.  

The Knights of Columbus are collecting food for the Our Lady of Guadalupe Casa Maria Soup Kitchen and Food Pantry in Immokalee.  Please donate items such as formula, canned vegetables, canola oil, cereal dried and canned, beans, corn and wheat flour, powdered milk, raisins, rice, sugar, soap, and laundry cleaning products in the boxes in the Narthex.  If you are interested in becoming a Knight, please contact Don Imbus at 937-430-9727.

                  

The Knights of Columbus Ave Maria – Council 14697 hosted the installation of their new officers on 13 July 2019 at Donahue Academy.   The ceremony was performed our chaplain Fr. Paciorek, Worthy District Deputy Charlie Dorta, and Worthy Warden Jeff Vespo it was attended by members and their wives.  The new officers are:

Grand Knight---Jim Stephens
Deputy Grand Knight---Jeremy Merhroff
Chancellor---Jim Kukalis
Recorder---Ralph Petragnani
Treasurer---Steve Roser
Advocate---Jeff McManus
Warden---Tim Brennan
Inside Guard---Don Gunthner
Outside Guard---Perry Martin
One Year Trustee---Don Imbus
Two Year Trustee---Kevin Iepson
Three Year Trustee---George Anastasiades

                      

This year for the feast day of Saint Clare, the patroness’ Fraternity in Ave Maria hosted a special gathering for their brothers and sisters of the Secular Franciscan Order.  The day started out with a light breakfast and prayer service followed by a special Mass in the chapel at Ave Maria University.  Fr. Rick Martignetti, OFM from Ave Maria University Campus Ministry celebrated the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and gave a lovely history of Saint Clare during his homily.  The community was fortunate to have 60 Secular Franciscans from eight fraternities around Florida attend.  With the St. Clare Fraternity located in beautiful Ave Maria, an opportunity arose to have a private tour of Ave Maria Parish’s iconic church followed by a private tour of the new Mother Teresa Museum.  What a prayerful, reflective, and joyful day for all to celebrate the Feast Day of St Clare.  One can hardly wait for next year!  

Catholic Youth Organization (CYO) and Ave Maria Univeristy (AMU) - A Great Success Story

The Ave Maria Catholic Youth Organization (CYO)    program launched in December 2018 as part of the CYO/CAO (Catholic Adult Organization) structure being built by Saint John The Evangelist Catholic Church in Naples, FL.  Our first CYO program (basketball) reached close to 85 young people (ages 5-15 years old) and was led by wonderful coaches and assistants from our community who so graciously volunteered their time to provide a wonderful and positive experience.  CYO partnered with John Lamanna, the Athletic Director at Ave Maria University (AMU), who delivered a basketball skills day for our children that he ran along with players from the AMU Men’s and Women’s Basketball teams.  AMU hosted the skills day at the Golisano Field House on campus and invited CYO families to stay and watch the men’s and women’s games that followed.  The children had a great time this season, greatly improved their basketball skills, and enjoyed competing weekly against CYO teams from St. John the Evangelist.  But, more importantly, the program helped to further strengthen our community, including the relationship with AMU.  At the conclusion of the season, CYO families hosted  a potluck dinner to celebrate our success, thank the AMU basketball teams for the skills day, and give the AMU Men’s team a positive send-off as they prepared to leave for the NAIA national tournament in South Dakota. 
 
Ave Maria CYO soccer kicked off on March 9^th and includes more than 140 registered participants.  Ave Maria CAO (Catholic Adult Organization) began in January 2019 with a men’s pick-up basketball league.  If you have questions, suggestions, or would like to help with Ave Maria CYO/CAO, please contact Charlie Thompson (Ave Maria CYO/CAO Activities Director) at charles.a.thompson(at)pfizer.com.