Staff and Wire Reports
The most recent U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishop’s General Assembly in Baltimore marked the end of a three-year term for Bishop Frank J. Dewane as chair of the Conference Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development, but not before calling for an end to gun violence and encouraging civility in voters.
During that span, Bishop Dewane spoke on behalf of the U.S. Conference on issues of health care, human dignity, human rights, development, poverty and justice.
Bishop Dewane was elected to the post in 2015 and served as chairman-elect before taking the chair in November 2016. In three years as chair, the Bishop advocated on behalf of the faithful by sending letters to President Trump and to the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, as well as personally lobbying the Senate and House. In addition, he made more than 100 statements on a variety of issues and was interviewed by a variety of news outlets.
Among the topics Bishop Dewane has addressed include: civility in politics, gun control, the death penalty, the federal budget and legislative actions, the opioid crisis, climate change, agriculture, health care, civil rights, homelessness, immigration reform, natural disasters, trade, and much more.
During a Nov. 11 presentation the General Assembly, Bishop Dewane said Catholic clergy and lay leaders can play a role in bringing together people to build understanding of the need for sensible policies that can end the scourge of gun violence. Sadly, just a few days after the presentation, a school shooting in California left two dead and others wounded.
Outlining the USCCB’s long-held stance of the need for “common sense” legislation that governs the availability of guns, the Bishop also pointed to the need to address gun violence, which has ravaged many urban centers, while acknowledging the legitimate concerns among responsible gun owners of losing access to firearms for hunting or, in some cases, protection.
In 1975, the USCCB issued its first major statement on guns and have since addressed gun violence, outlining the Conference’s concern that lives are being needlessly lost because of the widening availability of guns, including military-style weapons. However, the latest call goes beyond legislative efforts and appears to open the door for Church leaders to seek a common ground in addressing gun violence.
“Human life is sacred … and we need to approach this with the full strength of our teaching,” Bishop Dewane said.
The USCCB is not seeking a total limit to handguns but would welcome broader background checks and some limits on gun ownership. While common sense restrictions on guns would be no different than those already in place on prescription drugs and drivers. The Bishop suggested the restrictions are not the full solution.
“Such regulations are helpful, but they will not ban gun violence completely. For that to happen, we need new ways of thinking,” he continued.
Bishop Dewane also urged society to look at the “danger signs in others that can lead to the loss of empathy (and see) early signs of self-inwardness… As a society we have become less and less empathetic ourselves, a clear sign that we all are, to a degree, becoming dangerous.”
During the General Assembly, the Bishops approved adding new materials to complement “Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship,” which is a voting reference from the committee Bishop chaired, and a long-standing guide to help Catholics form their consciences in public life, including voting.
A new year-long initiative invites Catholics to model civility, love for neighbor, and respectful dialogue. The program, “Civilize It: Dignity Beyond the Debate” asks Catholics to commit to civility, clarity, and compassion in their families, communities, and parishes, and call on others to do the same. (A link to the pledge is available on the Diocese of Venice website www.dioceseofvenice.org.)
Bishop Dewane emphasized the importance of “Civilize It” in the context of the current divisive climate: “Conversation in the public square is all too often filled with personal attacks and words that assume the worst about those with whom we disagree. We are in need of healing in our families, communities, and country. “Civilize It: Dignity Beyond the Debate” is a call for Catholics to honor the human dignity of each person they encounter, whether it is online, at the dinner table, or in the pews next to them. I invite all Catholics to participate in “Civilize It.” In doing so, they can bear witness to a better way, approach conversations with civility, clarity, and compassion, and invite others to do the same.”
At the conclusion of the General Assembly Bishop Dewane handed over the leadership of the Committee to Archbishop Paul S. Coakley of Oklahoma City.
Catholic News Service contributed to this report.
From humble beginnings in 1959 in the Beall Plaza in downtown Sarasota to the evolving vibrant campus at its location today, Cardinal Mooney has provided a college-preparatory education centered on Gospel values for thousands of students over the past sixty years. Embracing the uniqueness of each student entrusted to our care, we provide an educational experience which culminates with graduates who are committed life-long learners ready for college and active examples of their Catholic faith ready for service to the community.
The anticipation for the opening was so strong that a line of people was ready to peruse the wide selection of merchandise in the store nearly two hours before the scheduled grand opening on Nov. 9.
Father Timothy Navin, Pastor of San Marco Parish, blessed the new store and participated in the ribbon-cutting. “This is very impressive.”
It is hoped that the new store will enable the Council to “ramp up” aid to the needy through expansion into new programs and restoration of others which were cut back in response to the revenue losses, Granda explained. “I am hopeful the store will help provide some of this needed income so that we can continue our many programs to aid the poor in our area,” he said.
On the 100th Anniversary of Veterans Day, and for the 10th year in a row, the Diocese of Venice celebrated a Catholic Mass at Sarasota National Cemetery with more than 1,300 people in attendance.
Father Edward Martin, who served 20 years as a U.S. Army Chaplain and is Temporary Administrator of St. Isabel Parish in Sanibel, celebrated the Mass for Bishop Frank J. Dewane, who was unable to attend due to a commitment at the annual meeting of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. More than a dozen Priests and several Deacons joined Father Martin.
Adding to the dignity and ceremony of the day were active and retired veterans – some of whom attended in uniform, as well as the Fourth Degree Knights of Columbus who formed a Color Corps, and many other Knights who were there to support the veterans.
There are 20,900 veterans and eligible family members currently interred in the National Cemetery and more than 19 million military veterans in the United States.
To commemorate those events, the Catholic-Jewish Dialogue of Collier County hosted its annual “Kristallnacht: The Night of Broken Glass” Nov. 17 at St. John the Evangelist Parish in Naples. The event, now in its 16th year, was co-sponsored by the Diocese of Venice and Jewish Federation of Greater Naples.
The nearly 150 prison outreach volunteers were recognized for their work by Bishop Frank J. Dewane during a Mass of Appreciation on Nov. 8 at St. Maximilian Kolbe Parish in Port Charlotte. The outreach provides a variety of services, including Bible study, religious education and assistance with receiving the sacraments such as Baptism, First Holy Communion and Confirmation.
The group was also blessed to have two special guests, Florida Department of Corrections State Chaplaincy Administrator Johnny Frambo and Chaplain Father Severyn Kovalyshin of State Region 3 (which includes the entire Diocese).
The annual festival is a celebration of both the individual nations and the unified culture of a diverse people. Held annually in early November, the day includes musical performances, ethnic dancers and food from many nations. Throughout the parish grounds were tents full of a wide variety of food that left many mouths watering.
Father Celestino Gutierrez, Pastor of St. Jude, officially opened the Hispanic Festival with a prayer. This followed a “Parade of Flags” when each country represented at the festival was announced, and the respective flags brought forward to cheers from the crowd.
Thousands attend the event annually from as far away as Naples and Clearwater. It has become a much-anticipated event for the ethnically diverse Sarasota Parish. All of the proceeds of the Hispanic Festival go to support the various outreach efforts of the Parish, including helping countless families throughout the year.
Ice comes to the University with a deep passion for Catholic, liberal arts education, many years of experience as an executive in the corporate and private sectors as well as Catholic non-profit organizations, with an impressive background of fundraising in Catholic higher education at Franciscan University of Steubenville. He currently serves as chief executive officer of Catholic Charities of Kansas City-St. Joseph (Missouri), a position he has held since 2017. Ice and his wife, Mary, are parents of seven children ages 10 to 29, and grandparents of one.
For this reason, Bishop Frank J. Dewane invites the Permanent Deacons and their wives to participate in a Memorial Mass each year as a time to pray for, honor and remember the Deacons and their wives who have passed away. The 2019 Mass was celebrated on Nov. 5 at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Retreat Center in Venice. Today, there are more than 75 Permanent Deacons, many seasonal, living and serving throughout the Diocese.
