Fr. Christopher R. Fitzgerald

Father Christopher R. Fitzgerald was born on January 3, 1932 in Ballyporeen, in County Tipperary, Ireland. He is the youngest of 11 children. Father Fitzgerald attended the Local National School in Ballyporeen until 1945, when he transferred to Presentation College, which is operated by the Irish Christian Brothers. Father Fitzgerald’s early studies for the priesthood were at the Rosminian Seminary in Diano Marina, Italy, and continued at the Rosminian International College at Porta Latina, Rome. Father Fitzgerald graduated from the Pontifical University of St. John Lateran in Rome and was ordained to the priesthood on December 7, 1958. After spending a short period as a Seminary teacher in Ireland, Father Fitzgerald was reassigned to Florida, where he has remained since May 1960.

Father Fitzgerald is a member of the religious order known as the Institute of Charity, founded by Antonio Rosmini in 1839. Members of the Institute of Charity are commonly referred to as "Rosminians" after their founder. The Institute takes its name from "charity" and consists of faithful Christians who wish to fulfill as perfectly as possible the Lord’s own precept to love God above all things and their neighbor as themselves. The Institute of Charity is comprised of four major provinces worldwide: the Italian Province which includes the regions of India and Venezuela; the English Province which includes the region of New Zealand; the Irish Province which includes the Vice Province of Africa; and the United States Province. Father Fitzgerald was appointed Provincial Superior for the Institute of Charity’s United States Province in 1995.

In 1960 Father Fitzgerald was assigned to Blessed Sacrament Parish, which is located in Seminole, near St. Petersburg in Pinellas County, Florida. Father spent 11 years at Blessed Sacrament before being reassigned as Pastor at St. Charles Borromeo Parish in Port Charlotte, Florida. Two years later, at the personal request of Bishop Charles McLaughlin, Father Fitzgerald was reassigned as Pastor of St. Anne’s Parish in Ruskin, Florida, where he was asked to develop a Migrant Ministry as part of the parish. Father Fitzgerald spent 15 years at St. Anne’s, having learned Spanish and Creole, ministering to the needs of the migrant families and Haitians living in that area. In 1987 Father Fitzgerald received another personal request, this time from Bishop Thomas Larkin, Bishop of the Diocese of St. Petersburg. Bishop Larkin asked Father Fitzgerald if he would consider starting a brand new parish in the small east Hillsborough County community of Seffner. So it was that St. Francis of Assisi was born. From its humble beginnings in a small storefront in a strip mall, to the beautiful parish grounds located on 20 acres on County Road 579 in Seffner.

Father Fitzgerald has served obediently under four Bishops in the Diocese of St. Petersburg. In the spirit of Rosminian obedience he has accepted his assignments with enthusiasm and joy, and in doing so he has found moments of deepest grace. Father Fitzgerald is currently the Diocesan Director of Rural Life Ministries and serves on the Board of Trustees of Catholic Charities in the Diocese of St. Petersburg. He is the former Vicar Forane (Dean) for the east Hillsborough County’s 13 parishes, 33 priests and 9 permanent Deacons. Although Father Fitzgerald turned 68 in this year of 2000, slowing down or retirement does not seem to be on his agenda.