Saint Katharine Drexel Catholic Church sits along SW 20th Avenue in Cape Coral, Florida, where three decades of growth have produced one of the larger Catholic parishes in Lee County. Founded in 1990 and named for the Philadelphia heiress who became a missionary to Native American and African American communities, the parish gathers thousands of families each weekend around a single, simple framework: Prayer, Learning, and Service. Those three pillars, drawn directly from the life of Saint Katharine Drexel, shape every decision the parish makes, from how Mass is prepared to how volunteers are trained for Hurricane Ian relief.
Mass Times, Confession, and Adoration Around the Week
The rhythm of the week at Saint Katharine Drexel begins early. Daily Mass is celebrated Monday through Saturday at 9:00 a.m., giving parishioners a chance to begin the day with the Eucharist before work or school. On Saturday evening the community gathers for the Vigil Mass at 4:00 p.m., and three Sunday Masses follow at 8:30 a.m., 10:30 a.m., and 12:30 p.m.
The Sacrament of Reconciliation is offered several times each week. Confessions are heard on Wednesday and Saturday mornings after the 9:00 a.m. Mass, with an additional hour on Saturday from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. On the first Friday of each month, the priest hears confessions after the 9:00 a.m. Mass and again from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. During Advent and Lent, an evening confession time at 6:00 p.m. on Wednesdays is added before any evening Mass. Confessions can also be arranged by appointment through the parish office.
Beyond Mass and confession, the Adoration Chapel is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Anyone can obtain an access code from the parish office and spend time in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament at any hour, a privilege that has helped shape the spiritual life of the parish for years.
The Witness of Saint Katharine Drexel
Saint Katharine Drexel (1858 to 1955) was born into one of Philadelphia's wealthiest families, but she gave most of her fortune away. While traveling the American West in the 1880s, she witnessed the grinding poverty and discrimination faced by Native American and African American communities. During a meeting with Pope Leo XIII in 1887, she begged the Holy Father to send more missionaries. He replied, in words that redirected her life, "Why don't you become a missionary yourself?"
In 1891, Katharine founded the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament, a religious congregation devoted to education and missionary work in Native American and African American communities. Using her personal fortune, Mother Katharine and her sisters established more than sixty schools and missions across the United States. In 1925, she founded Xavier University of Louisiana in New Orleans, which remains the only historically Black Catholic university in the country. Her work met with hostility in an era of deep racial division, but she pressed on, convinced that every person is made in the image of God.
Saint Katharine spent her final years in prayer and correspondence, guiding her community even as illness limited her movement. Pope John Paul II canonized her in 2000, making her the second American-born saint. Her words, "Ours is the Spirit of the Eucharist, the total Gift of Self," are inscribed in the parish as a continuing reminder of her call to a life poured out in love.
From Middle School Masses to a Restored Sanctuary
The story of the parish mirrors, in miniature, the broader growth of Cape Coral. On June 30, 1990, Bishop John J. Nevins established Blessed Katharine Drexel Parish. That first weekend, Mass was celebrated in the cafeteria of Trafalgar Middle School, and 175 families registered in the parish's first week. Daily Mass was held at Coral Ridge Funeral Home while the fledgling community took shape.
In 1993, Bishop Nevins invited the Order of Saint Augustine to lead the parish. Father John Deary, OSA, became pastor and began more than two decades of Augustinian pastoral leadership and community formation. By 1995 the first church hall on the parish property was complete, and the parish celebrated its first Mass in a permanent home. The permanent parish office followed in 1999. When Saint Katharine was canonized in Rome in 2000, more than 150 parishioners traveled to St. Peter's Square for the celebration.
Ground was broken on the permanent sanctuary in 2003, and Bishop Nevins dedicated the new church in 2004, a milestone the parish still marks. A Faith Formation Center, later named Deary Hall in honor of Father John Deary, was constructed and dedicated in 2009. By the time the parish celebrated its twenty-fifth anniversary in 2015, more than 3,000 households were registered and over fifty ministries were active.
Hurricane Irma tested the parish in 2017. Significant damage to the sanctuary required months of repair, and in 2018 Bishop Frank Dewane re-dedicated the restored church. After Father Deary was recalled by the Augustinians in 2016 and Father Piotr Zugaj served as administrator, Father Ricky Varner was appointed Administrator of Saint Katharine Drexel Parish on August 1, 2019. He was formally installed as pastor in October 2021.
The parish then faced two more storms. During the COVID-19 pandemic, public Masses were suspended and the community shifted to livestreamed liturgies, virtual faith formation, and online outreach. In the autumn of 2022, Hurricane Ian struck Southwest Florida, and the parish campus was transformed into a major distribution center. For four weeks, parishioners and parish youth distributed food, clothing, blankets, tarps, generators, and gift cards to thousands of Cape Coral families affected by the storm and helped clear debris across the city. The experience reinforced the parish's understanding of itself as a missionary community, not merely a maintenance one.
A Leadership Model for Missionary Discipleship
Father Varner's response to the pandemic became a defining chapter in the parish's recent life. Drawing on the principles of Divine Renovation, he launched a vision for parish renewal rooted in Jeremiah 29:11 to 14: "For I know well the plans I have in mind for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare, not for woe! Plans to give you a future full of hope." A pastoral leadership team, soon known as the Jeremiah Team, was formed to support the pastor and guide the parish through the renewal.
The Jeremiah Team is not a governing body but a strategic and prayerful advisory group of trusted parishioners. It helps align ministries, apostolates, and parish efforts with the shared mission. The current team includes Timothy Altieri, an attorney and Eucharistic minister with aspirations of becoming a deacon; Peter Barrett, a retired Catholic parish administrator and finance professional; Ken Caserio, a sacristan and Cursillista who has attended daily Mass since 1997; Renée Marazon, an educator and Eucharistic Minister who also serves as OCIA instructor and Prayer Team coordinator; and Anne McCormick, a retired educator and extraordinary minister. Together they help the parish move "from maintenance to mission."
Father Ricky is supported on the altar by Father Manoj B. Francis, MCBS, who joined the parish staff as Parochial Vicar in 2026. Father Anthonio Jean, who came on board in late 2022, also remains part of the parish staff.
The operational side of the parish is run by a small team led by Francis Newcomb, Business Manager and Bookkeeper, with administrative support from Alba Gibbons and Craig Stojanovic. Rose Talbot-Babey directs the Religious Education program, with Amanda Lalik assisting her. Jonathan Barney leads the Music Ministry, and Aileen Vasquez directs Youth Ministry. Ernest Sierockinski oversees parish maintenance and Gilma Alavos handles housekeeping. The parish office is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with the Faith Formation office closed on Fridays.
A Robust Life of Prayer
Prayer is the first pillar of parish life at Saint Katharine Drexel, and the parish offers a striking variety of ways to pray. The Music Ministry, directed by Jonathan Barney, supports the parish's liturgical worship with a schola, cantors, choirs for traditional and contemporary music, a bell choir, and a children's choir. The ministry's guiding thought is St. Augustine's famous saying, "He who sings prays twice." The prayer tradition here also includes a daily Rosary, a children's Rosary, a Young Adult Rosary, and a Lay Augustinian fraternity.
The Holy Spirit Prayer Group, under the patronage of Our Lady of Good Counsel, meets on the first Thursday of every month from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. in the Parish Hall. The gathering begins with a gathering song, moves into extended praise and worship, includes a short teaching, and offers time for the gifts of the Holy Spirit: words of wisdom and knowledge, prophecy, discernment of spirits, tongues and their interpretation, and prayers for healing. Time is also set aside for individual prayer and fellowship.
On the third weekend of every month, the Parish Prayer Network stations prayer team members at the front of the church after every Mass to pray with anyone who would like personal intercession. The Legion of Mary meets regularly, dedicated to evangelization and personal sanctification through Marian devotion, with active and auxiliary members engaged in home visitations, supporting the sick and elderly, and inviting others to Mass. The Secular Franciscan Order's St. Maximilian Kolbe Fraternity gathers in the Faith Formation building on the second Saturday of each month from 9:30 a.m. to noon, and a Parish Vocation Team raises awareness of vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life.
A Prayer Wall allows parishioners and visitors to share prayer intentions online and pray for one another with a single click. Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament remains available around the clock through the chapel's access code system.
Formation from OCIA through Religious Education
The second pillar, Learning, runs from early childhood through adulthood. Religious Education classes meet on Sunday mornings at Deary Hall, with two windows between the Sunday Masses so that families can attend Mass together. PreK and Kindergarten through Grade 6 meet between the 8:30 and 10:30 a.m. Masses, while Grades 7 through 10, including the two-year Confirmation program, meet between the 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Masses. A Parent Enrichment track runs alongside. In-person, virtual, and home-school options are available.
First Reconciliation and First Communion are prepared over a two-year curriculum beginning in first grade, with First Communion celebrated in May of the second-grade year. Confirmation preparation begins in ninth grade and is completed in tenth grade, encompassing study, service, retreat, and worship. The Bishop's office sets the date for Confirmation, which is typically celebrated in the spring.
For adults, the Order of Christian Initiation for Adults (OCIA) welcomes catechumens and candidates seeking Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist, as well as baptized Catholics who have not yet received those sacraments. The OCIA journey includes study of Church teaching, Scripture, prayer, and discussion, with the Sacraments of Initiation celebrated at the Easter Vigil. A Bible study is also part of the parish's learning life.
Alpha, an eleven-week introduction to the Christian faith, has become a cornerstone of the parish's evangelization. Through talks, small group conversation, and the search for the Holy Spirit, Alpha invites seekers, returning Catholics, and lifelong parishioners to explore who Jesus is and what it means to follow him. Alpha Connect Groups continue the conversation beyond the initial course. Witness to Love supports engaged and married couples, while Walking with Purpose, That Man Is You, Sons of Saint Joseph, and the Charism Ministry offer further formation in discipleship, gifts of the Spirit, and community life. The parish also subscribes to Formed, giving parishioners a deep online library of Catholic movies, audio talks, and study programs.
Apostolates that Feed, Welcome, and Witness
The third pillar, Service, is visible in every corner of parish life. The Council of Catholic Women (CCW), affiliated with the National Council of Catholic Women, the Florida Council of Catholic Women, the Diocese of Venice CCW, and the Central Deanery, meets on the first Thursday of each month from September through May. Under the leadership of President Mary Ann Bedell, the women of the parish host retreats, fundraisers, a fashion show, and charitable drives, and they support scholarships and community programs. They also host a light lunch during the social hour that follows the business meeting.
The Knights of Columbus Council 11177, led by Grand Knight Bob Snyder, gathers Catholic men for charity, unity, and fraternity. Officers meet on the first Monday of every month at 6:30 p.m. The Council supports a renewable scholarship in memory of Joshua Johnson, with recipients required to maintain a 2.5 cumulative GPA. The Knights Ladies Auxiliary, under Alice Hofer, opens each general meeting with the Rosary at 6:30 p.m. in the Chapel and meets at 7:00 p.m. in the Parish Hall on the first Monday of the month, with a board meeting on the third Monday.
The Pro-Life Commission (skdprolife.com) promotes a culture of life from conception to natural death through prayer, learning, and service. Activities include 40 Days for Life, a Baby Shower for mothers in need, Embrace Grace, Respect Life initiatives, and Walking with Moms in Need. The Table of Plenty Food Pantry distributes food to families experiencing food insecurity on the third Friday of each month from 9:00 a.m. to noon in the Parish Hall. The Prayer Shawl Ministry creates crocheted and knitted shawls and blankets that are prayed over and blessed before being distributed to those in need. The Hospitality and Welcome ministries greet newcomers, assist with seating, coordinate collections, and run the Coffee Social after the 8:30 a.m. Sunday Mass.
Several non-parish organizations also use the parish facilities. Alcoholics Anonymous, the Bootstrap Homeless Ministry, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts troops, TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly), and BUNCO meet on the campus, along with a chapter of the Secular Franciscan Order, a Lay Augustinian fraternity, and a Cursillo / Ultreya group that supports the Cursillo Movement's method of short courses in Christian living.
The Seven Sacraments in Parish Life
Sacraments are the visible hinges of parish life at Saint Katharine Drexel. The parish welcomes parents seeking to baptize their infant children with a registration packet available after weekend Masses, and baptisms are scheduled after the family completes a pre-baptismal class. Adults and children over the age of seven seeking Baptism are guided into the OCIA process.
Children in second grade and above, who have completed a year of faith formation or attended a diocesan Catholic school, prepare for First Reconciliation and First Communion through the parish's two-year sacramental program. Older children and adults preparing for these sacraments join the same Sacramental Preparation program.
Couples preparing for Matrimony are asked to begin at least nine months before their desired wedding date. The preparation includes a Premarital Inventory, an approved Marriage Preparation Workshop such as Witness to Love or a Diocesan Marriage Preparation Retreat, several meetings with the pastor, and planning the liturgy with the Director of Music. The parish supports Natural Family Planning, and nfpandmore.org offers related resources. The Anointing of the Sick is offered after every Mass upon request, by appointment, or when a priest visits the homebound in hospitals, assisted living facilities, or residences.
The Sacrament of Holy Orders is supported through the parish Vocation Team, with a steady stream of prayers and encouragement for men discerning the priesthood. Funeral Planning, a particularly tender ministry on Florida's Gulf Coast, has its own set of forms and a Funeral Planning and Policy Booklet to help families navigate the steps with their loved ones and the parish.
Stewardship, the Endowment, and the Catholic Faith Appeal
Saint Katharine Drexel Parish supports its mission through several streams of giving. Online giving is available, allowing parishioners to set up recurring gifts for the weekly offertory, Holy Day offerings, the SKD Church Bell Fund, the Retirement Fund for the Religious, Catholic education, youth ministry, the poor box, and the Cathedral Renovation effort.
The annual Catholic Faith Appeal, the diocesan-wide fundraising effort of the Diocese of Venice, supports pastoral outreach, missions, poor parishes and convents, Catholic Charities, evangelization, Respect Life, vocations, Catholic education, and diocesan administration. The parish has set a goal of $250,000 for the current year, with all funds over the goal returning to the parish for local ministry. A brochure and FAQ for the current year's appeal are available in English.
The SKD Endowment Fund, established with the Catholic Community Foundation of Southwest Florida, is designed to provide long-term stability for the parish. The principal of each gift remains intact, with a portion of the investment earnings used to support capital improvements, major repairs, debt reduction, and other extraordinary expenses. Donors may also establish their own named endowment funds in support of the parish, a program, or a ministry they wish to sustain for future generations.
Parish finances are reviewed quarterly by the Parish Finance Council, chaired by Tom Feig, with members Victor Balaj, Peter Barrett, Phaedra Weiler, Kathleen Houghton, Kathy Scott, and Ed Puisis. The council submits reports to the Diocese of Venice and shares a yearly snapshot with the parish through the bulletin and Flocknote.
Becoming Part of the Parish
Anyone wishing to register with Saint Katharine Drexel Parish may do so through the My Parish portal powered by ParishSoft, which integrates with the parish's Family Directory, Religious Education, and Offering and Pledge programs. After registering, parishioners can update their family information, view their giving history, and keep their contact details current.
Those who wish to get involved will find a clear pathway through the parish's three pillars, from serving as a lector, extraordinary minister of Holy Communion, hospitality minister, or altar server, to leading an Alpha small group, joining the Music Ministry, walking with moms in need, or feeding families at the Table of Plenty. Volunteer roles that involve children or vulnerable adults require VIRTUS certification, fingerprinting, and completion of the Diocese of Venice's codes of conduct and policy guidelines.
Saint Katharine Drexel Catholic Church is a community rooted in a clear vision: to form intentional missionary disciples of Jesus Christ through prayer, learning, and service. Whether one is a lifelong Catholic, a returning parishioner, or a curious seeker, the doors of the parish, the Adoration Chapel, and the parish hall remain open throughout the week, and the people inside are ready to welcome each new face as a gift from God.