eTC Newsletter - October 30, 2026

eTC Newsletter

October 30, 2026

The Hope That Comes from Hallows Eve

People have been deceived by one of many lies of the evil one. Halloween, formally known as Hallows Eve, was one of the greatest vigils in the Church for quite a few centuries. It was known for the great celebration of All Saints!

The lie of the evil one is to take it away from its original purpose and meaning by perverting the reason to celebrate it. How was it perverted you may ask? It took our gaze away from the hope of resurrection to come and the fact that we are made to be in communion with the saints. It was meant to remember death (memento mori), but with a hope of eternal life to come. Unfortunately, it has been reduced to a festivity that celebrates death without hope, and celebrates the false primacy of fear, which is the mode of being for the devil.

The whole focus shifted to being only on death when the intention of Halloween, or Hallows Eve, is to remember that death is not the end for us. The true meaning of Hallow's Eve points to a hope of union with the eternal family of God. A communion that exists now and after this life.

Hence, I invite us to reflect on how am I living that truth in my life as a Christian? For it is a great hope that we are given on this feast day. A reminder that we are not alone in this journey of life, but that we walk with the saints; in heaven and on earth. Thus, as we remember death, memento mori, we remember that we prepare ourselves for it to go into eternal life with the Communion of the Saints.

All Saints of God, pray for us!

Father Xavy Castro

Director of Vocations for the Diocese of St. Petersburg

& Former TC Chaplain

THIS WEEK'S HIGHLIGHTS

Golf Edition

Crusader Golf History Made at Districts

For the first time in TC history,

BOTH our boys and girls golf teams have advanced from the District Tournament to the Regional Tournament in the same season!

Both teams battled hard and earned 2nd Place finishes in their respective tournaments, securing automatic advancement to Regionals!

This is an incredible accomplishment and a proud moment for our entire Crusader Golf family.

A special congratulations to Sebastian McGrory '30, who fired an outstanding 71 to capture the Individual District Championship, finishing 1st out of 50 golfers!

Sebastian McGrory '30

Check out TC Golf's Instagram page

DiMaggio Memorial Golf Classic Raises over $100K for TC Atheltics

On Friday, October 23, we had the privilege of gathering as a community to celebrate the life and memory of a man who defined Crusader Pride and is an instrumental piece of TC’s athletic legacy, Coach Nick DiMaggio. Because of you, the entire day was filled with sportsmanship, generosity, and excitement.

Thanks to your incredible generosity, this year’s DiMaggio Memorial Classic raised $115,000 in support of Tampa Catholic athletics; $82,000 of which was raised through Green & White Sponsorships secured by TC athletic teams. We would like to congratulate our top selling teams:

1st - Baseball

2nd - Golf

3rd - Softball

Your giving provides opportunities to student-athletes to achieve excellence and ensures that Coach DiMaggio’s impact lives on for generations to come.

Full Event Recap

Photo Gallery

The winning team of the tournament

PSAT Scores Are Available

PSAT scores from our October 7 testing date are now available. The School Counseling Office has sent emails to students and families with information on how to access scores, as well as additional guidance to help students and families understand and interpret the score report.

We encourage families to review the results together and look beyond the overall score. The score report provides helpful information about Reading and Writing and Math performance, percentiles, college and career readiness benchmarks, and specific knowledge and skill areas that can help students identify strengths and areas for continued growth.

Please check your email for these resources, and reach out to your student’s school counselor if you have any questions.

Working: A Musical

Buy Tickets to the Performance Here

Alumni Memorial Mass

Each November, the Church gives us an opportunity to pause, remember, and pray for those we have loved and lost. Through the Eucharist, we celebrate the hope of Jesus’ death and resurrection while giving thanks for the lives and memories of those who remain forever a part of our Crusader family.

We invite you to join us on campus for the Alumni Memorial Mass on Monday, November 2, 2026, at 6:00 PM in the Blessed Edmund Rice Chapel. This special liturgy will honor and remember members of our Tampa Catholic community who have passed away, with special remembrance of the alumni and staff we lost over the past year.

For those unable to attend in person, the Mass will be recorded and shared on Tampa Catholic’s YouTube channel in the days following the celebration.

Together, we will remember and celebrate the lives of those who have been such a meaningful part of our TC family. Their memories and legacies continue to live on in our community. May God bless you for your continued faith, support, and commitment to Tampa Catholic.