Bishop Frank J. Dewane presided over a blessing and groundbreaking ceremony for the St. John Bosco Youth Center at St. John XXIII Parish in Fort Myers on Nov. 16, 2025.
The Youth Center will serve as a safe space dedicated to help young men and women grow in their faith as children of God.
Bishop Dewane celebrated the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass prior to the blessing and groundbreaking ceremony, praising the vision of St. John XXIII Pastor Jay Raju, the religious education staff, and the parishioners for their dedication to supporting the youth through the building of a Youth Center.
“It is about our future, and about the future of the Church,” Bishop Dewane said. “Most importantly, it is about the future of young people, living as men and women of God.”
Father Raju thanked the Bishop for supporting the project and being present for the groundbreaking ceremony. “The Bishop has so much love for the future of the Church, and his presence with us today is an expression of that love.”
During the ceremony, Bishop Dewane thanked those who supported the project both materially and with their prayers, noting that youth require an invitation to be active in their faith. The new building is a special way to offer that invitation to the young people of the Parish.
As part of the blessing, Bishop Dewane added, “The work we do here will continue to build up the Lord’s Kingdom. May the Lord bless all who will occupy this Youth Center and benefit from it for many years to comes.”
Bishop blessed the people first, then the construction site, noting how the people are the living stones upon which the Church is supported.
Joining Bishop Dewane during the groundbreaking were Father Raju, Parish Business Manager Holly Atkins, Kelly Evers, Parish Coordinator of Youth & Young Adult Ministry, and two of the project’s major supporters. Bishop Dewane then held a second symbolic groundbreaking with members of the Parish Youth Council.
Several members of the Youth Council shared their excitement for the project, expressing their gratitude to the Parish for supporting the construction of the Youth Center, but also eagerly anticipating when their new home will be completed in the spring.
The Youth Center has been in the planning stages for many years and Evers said, “This is a great day. I am so happy for our youth that they will soon have a place to call their own.”
The Youth Center will include a large gathering room, as well as smaller meeting spaces. There will be a covered pavilion for outdoor gatherings, as well as facilities for games and other fun. The outside of the building will have mosaics and potentially a statue of St. Carlo Acutis, the newest Catholic saint who was canonized by Pope Leo XIV on Sept. 7, 2025. St. Carlo was an Italian teen who died at 15 and was known for his devotion to the Most Holy Eucharist and his use of digital media to promote Eucharistic Miracles around the world.
