Where the Barrier Island Finds Its Church
The Church of Our Saviour has stood on North Atlantic Avenue in Cocoa Beach, Florida, since 1959, growing up alongside the space program that put the barrier island on the national map. The parish greets visitors with the line, "All are welcome. Wherever your heart is... we welcome you to our community and sanctuary to find peace and joy in the light of God's love." The parish's tagline is "Be Part of Our Journey," and its mission statement reads: "We, the Catholic Community of Our Saviour's, believe that we are created by God as part of His family, that we are redeemed by Jesus Christ and called by Him to witness to His good news."
Pastor Father Val P. DeVera describes the community: "The Church of Our Saviour is a community ministering to the people of God. We hope that together we adore, worship and serve the Lord with joyful hearts. May we grow together in our relationship with God and with our brothers and sisters in Christ."
The 5301 N. Atlantic Avenue campus includes the church, the parish offices, an Adoration Chapel on the south side of the office building, an Upper Room above the school gym where teens gather on Sunday evenings, and Our Saviour's Catholic School, which has shared the grounds with the parish since the early 1960s. A Mary, Most Beautiful Memorial Candle Wall on the grounds keeps candles burning around the clock, and the parish fair, dating back decades, remains a major community event each fall.
Mass Schedule and the Worship Experience
The parish's weekly rhythm is shaped by seven Masses spread across Saturday, Sunday, and weekdays. Saturday begins with a 9:00 a.m. Communion Service, followed by Confessions from 3:00 to 3:45 p.m. and the Vigil Mass at 4:00 p.m. Sunday brings three liturgies: 8:00 a.m., 10:15 a.m., and 12:15 p.m. The 12:15 p.m. is the parish's contemporary Mass, the only Sunday liturgy to use that style. A daily 8:30 a.m. Mass is offered on weekdays.
The 10:15 a.m. Mass is the most heavily attended and is the one broadcast by livestream each week. Announcements may precede the broadcast, and every livestream is recorded and posted to the parish's YouTube channel for later viewing. The 10:15 liturgy is also the home of two children's offerings: the monthly Children's Liturgy on the second Sunday of the month, with children serving as lectors, gift bearers, and choir, and Gospel for Little Ones, a dismissal program for ages two to eight that runs every Sunday during the Liturgy of the Word. Low-gluten hosts are available for those with Celiac Disease; anyone who needs one is asked to speak with an usher before Mass begins. The parish also encourages families presenting the gifts at a Mass intention to check in with the head usher before liturgy.
The worship space is built around a high wood ceiling, a stone wall that frames the altar, and stained glass windows designed and constructed by Trilby Wallace. Pews wrap around the altar so congregants feel part of the liturgy no matter where they sit, and special areas are reserved for those in wheelchairs. The carpet keeps the sound quiet, and a soundproof nursery sits in the back of the church for families with small children. During the winter months, built-in dividers open up the back half of the church to accommodate the larger seasonal population.
From Jake's Bowling Alley to a Cocoa Beach Parish
The parish traces its history to December 16, 1956, when the first Mass on the barrier island was celebrated in the Minella Building, now known as Ramon's Restaurant. Within weeks, services moved across the street to Jake's Bowling Alley, the Beach Bowl, which became known to the early flock as "St. Jake's by the Sea." The hard concrete floor made kneeling a memorable experience and gave the second collection an extra push. The early motto was "The cost is not in building... but in failing to build."
After a successful fund drive, the unfinished church opened on July 12, 1959. A $10,000 fire broke out on the morning of September 22, 1959, but the damage was repaired, and the church was dedicated on January 24, 1960, with the scriptural inscription "Let the children come to me and do not hinder them" (Mark 10:14). The parish was canonically established on September 13, 1963, with Father Charles W. Spellman as its first pastor and roughly 850 parishioners living between Cape Canaveral and Patrick Air Force Base.
The space program's growth shaped the parish. Astronauts ran on the local beaches and attended Mass here. Catholic families moved north from the Rockledge mother church of St. Mary's to fill a new community, and the parish needed a school. Construction of Our Saviour's Catholic School began in 1962, and the Sisters of Mercy from Limerick, Ireland, arrived to staff it. The Irish sisters lived in a rented house until a convent could be built. Sister May Salome became the first principal, and a crucifix was placed in each classroom. The female students wore red plaid uniforms and the boys wore white shirts, "a few actually remained white by the close of the day." The school launched a student government in April 1964 with Nerva Casuccio as its first president. In 1965, parishioners turned on their porch lights so students could collect stamps for a new school bus.
Father Spellman died in his sleep on February 25, 1965. A succession of pastors followed: Father James F. Herlihy, Father Vincent E. Smith, Father Bronis P. Benesevich, Father Gerald P. Grogan, and finally Father Richard M. Walsh, who guided the parish through a major building campaign in the late 1970s. The expansion, marked by the theme "Make sacrifice the measure of your gifts," aimed to raise at least $400,000 for a new parish center, an enlarged church, and school improvements. The first Mass in the new church was celebrated in March 1981, and the Most Reverend Thomas J. Grady, Bishop of Orlando, dedicated the completed Church of Our Saviour on October 11, 1981, with the inscription "Unless the Lord build the house, they labor in vain who build it" (Psalm 127). Father Walsh served as pastor for ten years, and his likeness, sans beard, can be found in one of the stained glass windows that drape the altar.
The Sacraments at Our Saviour
The parish prepares parishioners for the seven sacraments through age-appropriate programs, year-round formation, and ongoing sacramental support for adults. Infant Baptism is offered for children seven years and younger, with parents required to attend a monthly Baptism seminar. Children eight and older who are unbaptized prepare for the sacrament through Children's OCIA. Adults seeking Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist are received into the Church at the Easter Vigil after one year of OCIA preparation.
First Reconciliation and First Holy Communion are taught through a two-year program beginning in first and second grade. Students in non-Catholic schools attend Religious Education classes at the parish to prepare. Confirmation is a two-year program beginning in seventh grade, with classes in Scripture, Catholic teaching, and the rite itself. A Confirmation retreat is part of the process. Marriage preparation is arranged through the parish office at least six months in advance. The Anointing of the Sick and Last Rites can be requested by calling the parish office. Christian burial arrangements are also made through the parish office, and a Bereavement Liturgy Ministry supports families at the Catholic funeral rite, reaching out through the parish Bereavement contact.
An Annulment Advocate, Manny Castaneda IV, can be reached at 321-783-4554 ext. 109 for those seeking information about the process.
Becoming Catholic Through OCIA
The Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA, formerly RCIA) is the entryway for adults who wish to become Catholic. Sessions meet after the 10:15 a.m. Sunday Mass in the church office conference room, led by Cody Abbott and Johanna Wigman. The process is open to anyone, regardless of religious background, who seeks full communion with the Roman Catholic Church through a year of spiritual and educational formation, culminating in reception at the Easter Vigil.
Parishioners share their conversion stories. One woman writes of being raised Baptist and feeling called to the Catholic Church through the intercession of the Blessed Mother and Saint Clare. A man named John Liptak writes that his wife's annulment and his own journey through OCIA were "an answer to prayer for all of us." A couple named Larry and Lee Roberts spent years in Baptist and Church of Christ traditions before beginning OCIA at Our Saviour's in autumn 2012 and being confirmed in March 2013. Another parishioner, a Coast Guard reservist deployed overseas, came to realize the importance of shared faith for his family. Father Val joyfully welcomed the elect into full communion on April 19, 2025.
Our Saviour's Catholic School and the Religious Education Program
Our Saviour's Catholic School is the parish's PreK through eighth grade elementary school and shares the parish campus. Students at the school are prepared for the sacraments within the parish's preparation program, with the celebration of the sacraments taking place in the parish liturgy. The school has been a focal point of parish life since the early 1960s, when the Sisters of Mercy first arrived from Limerick. Generations of Cocoa Beach families have passed through the school, and the school continues to share a close relationship with the parish.
The Religious Education Program serves students in PreK4 through eighth grade who attend non-Catholic schools. Classes meet once a week and provide age-appropriate formation in Scripture and the Catholic tradition, with a focus on sacramental preparation. Fees for the program are $45 for one child, $80 for two, and $100 for a family of three or more. The parish's Circle of Grace program provides the diocesan safe environment curriculum and welcomes children with developmental disabilities, with accommodations arranged through Cody Abbott.
Adult faith formation is coordinated by Beth Murphy, with Bible study, small Christian communities, and other formation opportunities for adults who want to deepen their Catholic faith.
Youth Ministry: Life Nights, Retreats, and Mission Trips
The parish's youth ministry serves seventh through twelfth grade students with a Sunday-morning middle school gathering and a Sunday-evening high school gathering. Seventh and eighth graders meet at 9:00 a.m. on Sundays, joining the Religious Education program, while ninth through twelfth graders meet at 6:00 p.m. on Sundays in the Upper Room, the second-floor space above the school gym named for the place where the Holy Spirit came down upon the Apostles. The high school program follows the Life Teen model, with weekly "Life Nights" of games, community building, prayer, and teaching.
A new Peer Ministry program has been introduced for high school students who want to serve and minister within the parish and broader community. The youth ministry also offers a COR retreat, a Confirmation retreat, and an annual mission trip to the Dominican Republic, where teens lead Vacation Bible School for local children and join the Sunday Mass in a nearby village. Fundraisers for the trip include the annual Souper Bowl collection for St. Vincent de Paul and parking cars at local surfing events. Confirmation preparation for high schoolers requires two years of faith formation, and teens can also serve as youth readers, altar servers, members of the children's choir, or youth extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion.
The youth ministry maintains an active presence on Instagram at @oursaviourym and on Facebook, and communications run through Flocknote for parents and teens who want to keep up with retreats, Life Nights, and special events.
The Music Ministry
The Music Ministry is led by Music Director Phil Black and welcomes new participants throughout the year. Choir rehearsals are held on Wednesday evenings: musicians from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., choir from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., and cantors from 7:30 to 8:00 p.m. The music lineups for each Mass are published in advance on the parish's music schedule, and a children's choir (youth choir) is open to younger singers in the parish.
Music at the 10:15 a.m. Mass typically supports the largest gathering, with the 12:15 p.m. contemporary Mass leading the more modern repertoire. The full music schedule, with bulletins for each liturgy, is available.
Mercy House and the Works of Mercy
The parish's outreach arm takes three main forms: the Mercy House Thrift Shop, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul conference, and the Family Promise of Brevard partnership. Mercy House Thrift Shop, located on Cleveland Avenue, is open Wednesday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and on Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. (closed on Saturdays in the summer). The shop accepts donations of all kinds, with pickup available for furniture donations. The furniture room was blessed by Father Val in January 2021. All proceeds benefit those in need.
The Society of St. Vincent de Paul's Our Saviour's Conference operates from 130 Cleveland Avenue, Unit C, Cocoa Beach, with a thrift store open Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The conference, also known as the "Vincentians," is a group of men and women of all ages and backgrounds who offer person-to-person service to neighbors in need. The conference runs an annual Friends of the Poor Run/Walk to support the work, and accepts vehicle donations and online giving through WeShare.
Family Promise of Brevard provides homeless prevention, emergency shelter, and aftercare services in Brevard County. The parish supports the work through volunteer coordination and donations. The Knights of Columbus council at the parish (Council 4826) also supports the parish's outreach efforts and other works of mercy.
The parish's care for creation is led by parishioner Joann Torpey, who highlights the Catholic Church's teaching on the environment and the local realities of the Indian River Lagoon, including excess nitrogen, exotic invasive species, and muck buildup. Pope Francis's encyclical Laudato Si' guides the parish's reflection on the area's waterways and the moral imperative to act.
Liturgical Ministries: Serving at the Altar
The parish's worship life depends on dozens of lay liturgical ministers. Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion are confirmed Catholic adults who have completed diocesan formation and are scheduled according to Mass preference; training is offered periodically by the Diocese of Orlando. The Ministry to the Sick visits homebound parishioners with the Eucharist, training for which is offered periodically by the diocese and requires diocesan fingerprinting and safe environment compliance. Lectors proclaim the Word at Sunday liturgy and other celebrations, with assessment and training required before service. Ushers are often the first face visitors see and are responsible for seating, the collection, and general hospitality.
Altar Servers are open to young people in fifth grade and up with parental permission and required training. Sacristans prepare the altar, vessels, and linens before and after each liturgy. The Art and Environment committee prepares the church and grounds for the seasons of the liturgical year, working with incense, sound, and other sensory elements. The Altar Care and Linens team maintains and launders the altar linens throughout the week.
The Parish Pastoral Council, a consultative body to the pastor, follows the Vatican II model of investigating pastoral realities, reflecting on what has been learned, and recommending conclusions to the pastor. The council does not handle administrative matters like lights or finances, leaving those to the parish staff and finance council.
Catholic Devotions: Adoration, Contemplative Prayer, and the Rosary
The parish's devotional life centers on the Adoration Chapel on the south side of the church office, where the Blessed Sacrament is exposed around the clock, seven days a week. Parishioners sign up for one weekly hour, allowing continuous prayer on campus. The main door is locked between 6:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. daily. The chapel is the parish's response to Jesus' question to his sleepy disciples in Gethsemane: "Can you not watch one hour with me?" A Prayer Hour for Priests and Vocations is held every Thursday from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. in the chapel.
The Contemplative Prayer Group, part of the worldwide Contemplative Outreach network, meets on Wednesdays at 6:00 p.m. in the Parish Office Conference Room for centering prayer and shared silence. The Rosary Cenacle meets on Mondays at 6:00 p.m. in the church, and the Rosary is also prayed daily after the 8:30 a.m. Mass. During Lent, the Stations of the Cross are prayed on the church grounds each Friday at 5:30 p.m., weather permitting.
The parish celebrates its Catholic faith as a stewardship community, following the teaching of 1 Peter 4:10: "Whatever gift each of you may have received, use it in service to one another, like good stewards, dispensing the grace of God in its various forms." A steward, the parish teaches, is one who receives God's gifts gratefully, cultivates them responsibly, shares them in justice and love, and returns them to the Lord with increase.
The Pastoral Team and Parish Life
The parish is led by Father Val P. DeVera, pastor, and Father Teody Taneo, parochial vicar. Deacon Joseph Anton Pecko assists at liturgy and parish life. Phil Black serves as Music Director, Cody Abbott as Parish Catechetical Leader, and Beth Murphy as the contact for adult faith formation. Manny Castaneda IV serves as the parish's Annulment Advocate.
The parish office is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at 5301 N. Atlantic Avenue, Cocoa Beach, FL 32931. The parish telephone is 321-783-4554 (fax 321-868-6743), and the office email is office@oursavioursparish.org. Online giving is available through WeShare, and the livestream Mass, recorded Mass archive, bulletins, and ministry contacts are all available.
The parish participates in the annual Our Catholic Appeal, supporting the work and ministries of the Diocese of Orlando, including vocations and clergy care, permanent diaconate formation, liturgical music and prayer, youth ministry, services for the poor, and media outreach to the more than 400,000 Catholics across the diocese.