Bob Reddy, Staff Report
The U.S. Catholic Church celebrates Priesthood Sunday on Sept. 27, 2026, and the Venice Diocesan Council of Catholic Women (VDCCW) wants to make sure you know about it.
The VDCCW takes up the promotion and implementation of Priesthood Sunday as a particular mission, making sure that the faithful of the Diocese of the Venice are not only aware of it, but can easily participate.
Priesthood Sunday, established in the early 2000s by Serra International, the global lay apostolate for vocations within the Catholic Church, seeks to reaffirm the priesthood of Jesus Christ and its central place in the life of the Church. The day, now recognized on the official United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Special Observances Calendar, has been designated as a day to specifically honor and thank priests – without whom the Holy Sacraments could not be conferred – for a single day out of the 365 days of the year that they tirelessly serve their parishes.
“Without our priests, our church doors will close,” said Cornelia Zanetti, head of the VDCCW Seminarian Guardian Fund, who has worked on the effort to support Priesthood Sunday for many years.
Each year, on Priesthood Sunday, the VDCCW offers prayers for all living priests while at the same time using the moment to help the faithful honor their Parish priests, and to raise funds to support the Diocese’s future priests, its seminarians.
The VDCCW Priesthood Sunday outreach works as follows: Send a donation of any amount, along with the name of your priest, and the VDCCW will send a note to your priest letting him know he has been honored by you, and that a donation (undisclosed amount) has been made to the Diocesan Seminarian Fund to support future priests, in his name.
All donations support the Diocesan Seminarian Fund. The Diocese of Venice is currently blessed to have 21 seminarians discerning in four seminaries: Pope St. John XXIII National Seminary in Weston, Massachusetts; St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary in Boynton Beach; St. John Vianney College Seminary in Miami; and Mount St. Mary in Emmitsburg, Maryland.
The mother of Father Gordon Zanetti, pastor of Ss. Peter and Paul the Apostles in Bradenton, Cornelia Zanetti said that as a parent, “God has blessed me having my son, Gordon, ‘answer the call.’”
Since her son answered that call, she has met many wonderful parents at the seminary, and parishioners at the four different parishes where her son has been assigned.
“I hope there will be many more parents who will receive this blessing,” she added. “I encourage all parishioners who have a seminarian visit your parish during holidays, summers or during their pastoral study year, please be friendly and thank them for ‘answering the call. They need our encouragement and support!”
Celebrate and thank your priest today! Send your donation to Cornelia Zanetti, Seminarian Fund Guardian, 5808 Gulf Drive, #204, Holmes Beach, FL 34217. Please make checks payable to the VDCCW Seminarian Fund and be sure to include the name of the priest you wish to honor.
The U.S. Council of Serra International, which initiated Priesthood Sunday in the U.S., offers the following:
“Blessing Prayer for your Priest.”
In your loving kindness, O good and gracious God, you sent your Son to be our shepherd and guide. Father ________ continues Christ’s ministry of working in the vineyard by sustaining and guiding your holy people. Bless Father ________. Let your Spirit uphold him always in his service to the people of this parish. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen
