“The mission of schools is to develop a sense of truth, of what is good and beautiful.” ~ Pope Francis
Ben Hopper
I am humbled and honored to welcome the new decade as the interim Superintendent of Schools for the Diocese of Venice in Florida. Like our 324 teachers and 4,638 students returning to their classrooms eager to continue their journey of faith, knowledge and fellowship, so too am I ready to join them on their path to academic success, professional enrichment and spiritual fulfillment.
Like every new year, 2020 offers each of us a fresh start. It’s a perfect time to reject bad habits, announce admirable goals and initiate innovative ideas. Although many people and organizations shun the inherent challenges of change, Catholic schools welcome them with open hearts and minds.
The 15 schools at the Diocese of Venice constantly seek ways to enhance their curriculum, improve their facilities and serve their communities in ways that develop the whole child—mind, body and spirit. This holistic approach to education requires collaboration far beyond our campuses. Cardinal Mooney High School in Sarasota, for example, recently raised $2 million in donations to renovate a classroom building and its media center and to upgrade its sports fields. The Mayor of Venice visited Epiphany Cathedral School to personally thank its students for collecting thousands of items to help the victims of Hurricane Dorian. St. John Neumann High School in Naples boasts nearly a dozen seniors who each received more than $100,000 in college scholarship offers, while St. Joseph Catholic School in Bradenton attracted hundreds of people to participate in its first ever 5K race that raised funds and awareness for the school while demonstrating the benefits of physical fitness.
These success stories stem from our schools’ ability and willingness to change. Gone are the days where dry textbooks, dusty chalkboards and rigid lectures dominated the classroom. In their place are tablets, smartboards and interactive lesson plans developed through cutting edge technology and dynamic teaching methods. These advancements provide a more seamless infusion of art, science, language and mathematics with our Catholic teachings.
The National Catholic Education Association (NCEA) offers a forum for America’s Catholic Schools to showcase their contribution to society: Catholic Schools Week. Beginning Sunday, Jan. 26, the Diocese of Venice will join more than 6,000 Catholic Schools across America in this annual, seven-day celebration of our Faith-based education. Our schools and parishes have been busy planning fun and dynamic events to commemorate the week with open houses, special masses and community engagements. Although themes and presentations vary, the focus of Catholic School Week never wavers: to promote the value of Catholic education for our youth, our communities and our nation.
Statistics support our bold claim. According to the NCEA, 99 percent of Catholic School students graduate from high school, and nearly 87 percent attend a four-year university. Approximately 40 percent of Catholic Schools are found in urban and rural communities, with the remainder residing in suburban and inner-city areas. Catholic Schools save the country more than $21 billion in public school funding, while Catholic school students and faculty enjoy a 12:1 student to staff ratio.
But numbers only tell part of the story. Although we champion change, we also proudly uphold the principles of Christ’s teachings laid out more than two millennia ago. As stated in Proverbs (22:6), “Start children off on the way they should go and even when they are old they will not turn from it.”
Our schools are dedicated to show every student the way. A way that leads them to the truth. A truth so good, so beautiful, so irrefutable, that it has inspired thousands of families to entrust the Diocese of Venice to provide their children a Catholic education. Visit the www.dioceseofvenice.org to learn more about Diocese of Venice Catholic Schools.
Ben Hopper can be reached at bhopper@dioceseofvenice.org.
Bishop Frank J. Dewane stressed the importance of this reality when speaking about the meaning and symbolism that we must recognize and accept that on Christmas Day, “the Savior, the Messiah, is sent to us. In so doing, you and I become children of God.”
A common pre-Christmas celebration at several Parishes in the Diocese is “Las Posadas,” a tradition from Mexico and Central and South America where the Nativity story is retold over the course of nine days. The highlight of the novena is one larger centerpiece gathering. One of the more elaborate celebrations occurs at St. Michael Parish in Wauchula. This year, the celebration was postponed due to weather until Jan. 4. In the retelling of the Nativity story, more than 100 youth participated.
The events and activities listed represent a mere fraction of what took place in December at Parishes and schools across the Diocese of Venice.
Nearly 1,000 people from throughout the Diocese of Venice attended the Mass which was celebrated by Most Rev. Max Leroy Mésidor, Archbishop of Port-Au-Prince, Haiti, with Bishop Frank J. Dewane in attendance. There were several additional priests from the Diocese of Venice who concelebrated as well as priests from St. Leo the Great Parish
The Archbishop encouraged those gathered to remember the sacrifice of Haitians and to use the example of Mary, for she said ‘Yes’ to God with courage and grace. He added that they should feel confident in relying on Mary, the Holy Mother of God, to give them the strength to be sons and daughters of Jesus Christ.
In a gesture of gratitude toward Bishop Dewane, Archbishop Mésidor noted that the Haitian Catholic Community within the Diocese of Venice is in good and capable hands and thanked Bishop Dewane for his support.
Bishop Dewane also thanked and recognized the Haitian priests serving in the Diocese for their continued dedication and passion for caring for the faithful, in particular those in the Haitian community. “The work you do does not go unnoticed,” the Bishop added.
For the Haitian community, Jan. 1 is both a spiritual day, and an emotional day commemorating such an important day in their homeland. It was in 1803 that the Haitians defeated the largest and most powerful army at the time, the army of Napoleon, in Cap-Haitien. Haiti became the second country in the Americas to declare its Independence.
In 2019 hundreds of widows and widowers were recognized during the first Mass at Epiphany Cathedral in Venice. The response was overwhelmingly positive and was described by several as beautiful and touching.
The concept for the Mass grew out of the annual Mass honoring couples celebrating significant wedding anniversaries. Those Masses, which will be held Feb. 1 at Epiphany Cathedral in Venice and February 29 at St. Leo the Great Parish in Bonita Springs, are extraordinarily popular. At the conclusion of one such Mass, a volunteer noted that she would have attended the anniversary Mass but for the fact that her spouse had recently passed away. This planted the seed for what has now become the annual Widows and Widowers Mass. (Registration for the Anniversary Masses is through your Parish.)
The Diocese of Venice Respect Life Office is co-sponsoring several events to mark the 47th tragic anniversary of the Roe v. Wade U.S. Supreme Court decision which opened the door for abortion in the United States.
In addition, the U. S. Catholic Bishops invite everyone to join thousands of Catholics nationwide for 9 Days of Prayer for Life, a novena from Jan. 21-29 for the protection of human life. Each day’s intention is accompanied by a short reflection and suggested actions to help build a Culture of Life. You can receive daily pro-life prayers via e-mail or on your phone via text. For further information, visit 
Through hard work, dedication, and the support of parishioners and community partners, the school was handcrafted by the very families that wanted their children to have a quality, Catholic education. Since those humble beginnings, St. Elizabeth Seton Catholic School carries on their legacy through rich traditions rooted in family values and faith in action. The tradition continues with the large number of alumni who have children enrolled in our school.
Every student at Cardinal Mooney participates in giving back through community service and is required to complete 100 hours of service during their four years at the college preparatory school.
Celebrated at several parishes in the Diocese, for the first time the tradition was celebrated at the Vatican by Pope Francis. The Holy Father opened the celebration at St. Peter’s Basilica on Dec. 15, Gaudete Sunday.
This tradition is also known by its popular Spanish name as the Misa de Gallo, or “Mass of the Rooster,” commonly indicating the pre-dawn Christmas Eve Mass. The novena serves as spiritual preparation for Christmas, in commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ. The celebration is also seen as a way of requesting blessings from the Lord, as most people believe that if one completes the whole series of nine dawn Masses, wishes will be granted.
