Bishop Frank J. Dewane of the Catholic Diocese of Venice has been elected as board president of the National Catholic Rural Life Conference (NCLRC), an organization of Church and lay people that applies the teachings of Jesus Christ for the betterment of rural America and the care of God's creation.

The Bishop has been serving on the board for the past two years and was elected to head the board at their meeting in late June. The NCLRC provides spiritual, educational and advocacy assistance to help rural people shape their own destinies and lead lives of dignity.

Bishop Dewane, who grew up on a farm in Wisconsin said he is pleased to be elected to such a prestigious position.

“I hope that my personal experiences and my experiences in dealing with the rural issues in the Diocese of Venice will help the NCLRC continue to help people in the rural communities throughout the United States,” he added.

The luck of the Irish filled the air as St. John Neumann High School hosted its annual Celtic Ball Feb. 23 at the Naples Grande Resort & Club.

“The Celtic Ball marks the seventh year of St. John Neumann’s highly successful fundraising event that benefits our school’s academic programs and financial aid program,” said Principal Laura Campbell.

This year’s gala, chaired by Lorrie Griffin, raised about $85,000.

Revelers applauded as loyal Catholic school supporter Mitzi Magin made the highest live-auction bid for dinner with event honoree Bishop Frank J. Dewane. Bishop Dewane also gave the invocation and welcomed guests to the event.

Fox 4 News anchor Patrick Nolan gave a presentation on his personal Catholic school experience and the importance of Catholic education.

Auction items ranged from a classic Italian meal in the home of Tony Grasso, St. John Neumann’s science department chairman and sports coach, to a sunset champagne plane ride and tour for two above Marco Island. The evening’s sponsors included the Seminole Tribe of Florida; Kraft Construction; St. Leo’s Parish; The Aerial Companies; Cheffy, Passidomo, Wilson & Johnson; Dise Wealth Management and Leslie S. Magin.

St. John Neumann High School was established in 1980 and is Collier County’s only Catholic high school. Students of all faiths are welcome to participate in its mission of providing a strong liberal arts college preparatory curriculum enriched in Catholic traditions.

The ninth annual Venetian Charity Ball Feb. 9 at the Sanibel Harbour Resort and Spa raised about $100,000 for Catholic Charities in Lee County.

More than 425 patrons attended the event for a night of auctions, dinner and dancing. Attendance was up more than 100 people over last year’s event.

Guest of honor Bishop Frank J. Dewane thanked ball chairwoman Nancy Bullyan and her committee for hosting an elegant evening. Bishop Dewane also praised ball sponsors, especially the Galeana family, the Schultz family and Father Stephen McNamara of Resurrection of Our Lord Parish in Fort Myers.

The evening featured a spirited live auction with several exciting getaways to destinations such as Rio de Janeiro, Spain and Italy. Also auctioned off were a puppy and a chance for a dinner with Bishop Dewane.

Father Stan Strycharz of St. Leo Parish and members of the church surprised Martha Vivas, program director of Hispanic Services of Catholic Charities in Bonita Springs, with keys to a new van. The much-needed vehicle will be used for educational programs at the agency.

Catholic Charities of Lee County focuses on self-empowerment for clients by providing direct assistance, programs for children and adults, summer youth programs, translation services, case management, employment assistance, counseling, immigration and citizenship services, prenatal education, crisis intervention, community outreach, support, advocacy and special holiday projects.

Speaking to crowd of more than 3,000 at the Naples Depot, Bishop Dewane expressed “heartfelt sorrow for the atrocities committed against our Jewish brothers and sisters during the Holocaust.” He went on to say, “It is up to us to see that this never happens again.”

The 10-ton train boxcar was used to transport millions of innocent victims to various Nazi death camps from 1933 to 1945. The boxcar is one of seven on display around the country and will be used as a tool to educate people about the Holocaust. The United Nations declared Jan. 27 as International Holocaust Remembrance Day, as it was on that day in 1945 that Soviet troops liberated Auschwitz-Birkenau in Poland, the largest of Hitler’s death camps.

Recalling his visit to Auschwitz last year, Bishop Dewane said he walked and other spiritual leaders walked along the tracks that led to a concentration camp and “were devastated by what we saw at that factory of death.”

“I was in a boxcar just like that for six weeks,” said Rose Nortman, 80, who attended the dedication. “They (the Nazis) threw us in those cars like sacks of potatoes.”

Nortman said that through the efforts of her son Jack and his family, the boxcar was located and brought to Naples to the Holocaust Museum of Southwest Florida. The boxcar came to the museum in May 2007 and is on temporary display at the Naples Depot.