Editor’s note: Msgr. Patrick Dubois is Vicar Forane of the Northern Deanery, the Rector of Epiphany Cathedral in Venice, Defender of the Bond, and previously served a term in the Dicastery for Family at the Vatican. He reflects on his time under the leadership of Bishop Dewane.
As I now reflect on the person and Apostolic Ministry of our Bishop, Frank Dewane, what comes to mind, as in the past and always, again and again, is his dedication and relentless service with heart and mind, to God and to his flock, all the faithful, clergy, religious and lay, of the Diocese.
Since 2006, we have had the grace of his paternal and pastoral care. Indeed, as the second Bishop of the Diocese of Venice, Bishop Dewane has played a crucial role in the growth and development of this young Diocese.
It has been thanks to his vision and strong leadership that, with constant perseverance, Bishop Dewane guided his faithful throughout the year and crucial challenges, while remaining singularly focused on ensuring the mission of the Church to teach, govern and sanctify the people of God under his care with the collaboration of his presbyterate, as well as other ordained ministers, religious and lay faithful alike.
Personally, and like all the clergy, I have had the grace of assisting and working with Bishop Dewane in several capacities, and in each of these I witnessed his dedication to the Church and his desire to provide strong leadership and the best of care for all the people in his Diocese.
With a pastoral heart for the immigrant families and those in need, Bishop Dewane has always ensured that the Diocese of Venice could reach out to them, supporting them both materially and spiritually, in their dignity as God’s own people, truly cared for and loved by the entire community of faith, whose members, in their astounding generosity, have always willingly responded to our Bishop’s call for speedy assistance with their resources, time and efforts.
Bishop Dewane’s personal concern for others has forever been a hallmark in his ministry. I have experienced this, for example, in the way he always was and has been attentive to the welfare of my parents, often asking about them and expressing his genuine concern for their well-being and care. Moved by his kindness, my parents, my family and I will remain forever grateful.
Yet, that same pastoral care from Bishop Dewane extended also to all the faithful of his Diocese. That is why so many could see how, despite the many demands to his schedule and responsibility as bishop, he would often take the time to visit parishioners who were ill and hospitalized, to bring them hope and to ensure, most of all, their spiritual wellbeing; acts of genuine compassion from a shepherd who wanted his people to know and experience the Church’s care in their time of suffering.
Bishop Dewane also challenged those under his guidance to seek to give the best of themselves. During my studies (in canon law), he consistently encouraged me to complete each academic task without fear yet serious dedication. His simple but direct advice was always “Get it done.” As I look back, I and so many of us who underwent ecclesiastical studies, can appreciate Bishop Dewane’s practical wisdom, as well as his desire that priests be well prepared to serve the People of God to the best of their capabilities.
I also have the joy to mention that one of the most visible aspects of Bishop Dewane’s legacy will be his commitment to Epiphany Cathedral. At a time when many believed the Cathedral should be demolished and replaced with a new structure, Bishop Dewane sought instead a higher course of action. He believed that what had been built by previous generations deserved respect and preservation. Therefore, rather than tearing down the Church, he guided us in undertaking the challenging task of renovating and transforming the existing church into a cathedral worthy of its calling to be for us today and for future generations to come the Mother Church of the Diocese, while visibly still maintaining the original structure and character which we all received from the love and the faith of those Christian faithful who came before us. In other words, a true testament of Bishop Dewane’s absolute regard for continuity and for the sacrifices of previous generations, even those who were here long before Epiphany had been called to become the Cathedral of the Diocese.
Without any doubt, Bishop Dewane’s legacy will be found not only in the awe-inspiring beauty of a renovated Cathedral, or even in the institutions he strengthened or the initiatives he championed, but also in the countless lives he touched through his paternal care, his constant guidance, and pastoral dedication. Bishop Dewane has always sought the best for all His faithful: the clergy, religious and lay faithful entrusted to his care. For so many of us, his leadership was marked by a commitment to the mission of the Church, a concern for the formation of clergy, religious and laity, and a desire to leave the Diocese stronger than he found it, for which we will remain forever grateful.
And so, as the faithful of the Diocese of Venice in Florida prepare themselves to soon welcome Bishop-elect Emilio Biosca Agüero, OFM Cap., on July 11, as our new Bishop, we the clergy, religious and lay faithful, look to Bishop Dewane with heartfelt gratitude, yet moved by a genuine sense of sadness as the end of his tenure as our Pastor is now fast approaching.
Indeed, for so many of us, over the years, Bishop Dewane has become much more than the Bishop of the Diocese; he has been a father, a mentor, and shepherd. He leaves behind a local Church that has been truly blessed by his guidance, constant care, and pastoral presence. We have become, under his leadership and pastoral care, a Diocese that is strongly united, vibrant in faith, and well-positioned to continue the Church’s mission of salvation entrusted to her by Christ.
Let us, therefore, thank God for Bishop Dewane’s years of dedicated ministry and pray that the Lord will continue to bless him abundantly for the generosity, relentless service, and pastoral charity he has shown to the priests, deacons, religious and lay faithful of the Diocese of Venice.
