Bob Reddy, Author at Diocese of Venice

Rite of Election – Largest ever Diocesan group set to enter Church at Easter Vigil

Posted on March 9, 2023March 9, 2023 by Bob Reddy

The largest ever group of women and men set to enter the Catholic Church within the Diocese of Venice at the Easter Vigil were recognized during the annual Rite of Election at Epiphany Cathedral on the first Sunday of Lent on Feb. 26, 2023. This annual tradition is a formal Rite during which catechumens are presented and their names are entered into the Book of Elect.

The 216 catechumens (individuals who are not yet baptized) were joined by an additional 351 candidates (already-baptized Christians preparing for confirmation and First Eucharist). The candidates participate in the formal ceremony and are recognized during the celebration for answering the “Call To Their Continuing Conversion.” The Cathedral was at near capacity as family members were also present to show their support.

The Rite of Election was presided over by Bishop Frank J. Dewane who said he was impressed by the large number of catechumens and candidates, noting that the 567 are the most ever set to enter the Church in the Diocese in a single year through the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA) program.

Bishop Dewane complimented each for making the commitment to publicly announce the call of the Holy Spirit in a particular way by becoming active members of the Catholic Church in the Diocese of Venice. “You are the brave and courageous; the Spirit of the Lord is working within you.”

The catechumens and candidates, who were recognized by Bishop Dewane, are on a continuing journey that will culminate when they come into full communion with the Catholic Church at the April 8 Easter Vigil Mass in their respective Parishes.

The group represent 47 Parishes in the Diocese of Venice and are accompanied by tens of thousands of others across the country that will also join the Catholic Church this year. Jesus the Worker Parish in Fort Myers, St. Peter the Apostle Parish in Naples, Ave Maria Parish in Ave Maria, and Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish in Immokalee had the largest groups of catechumens and candidates.

Bishop Dewane acknowledged the sacrifice each catechumen and candidate has made in recognizing the voice of God in their lives, prompted by the Holy Spirit, to come forward on this journey of learning about the Catholic Faith.

“This happens in your heart,” the Bishop said. “Leave your heart always open to the prompting of the Holy Spirit and the voice of God. Listen to what the Lord is asking of you.”

By recognizing the Lord’s presence in your heart, it must change you in fundamental ways, Bishop Dewane said. The presence of the Lord in your life must impact how you live, how you treat yourself, how you treat others, and how you are going to live the life to which the Lord has called you. During the coming weeks of Lent, the Bishop encouraged the catechumens and candidates to seek the Lord in Sacred Scriptures as they develop and grow in building their relationship with Jesus Christ.

“We must go out from these four walls (of the Cathedral) and be doers of our Faith out in society,” Bishop Dewane said. “We have respective roles – responding and answering – as we are called, made in the image and likeness of God, to give witness to Jesus Christ.”

The catechumens are part of the OCIA, which is for those who are unbaptized and unchurched, who come to inquire about becoming part of the Roman Catholic Faith in a process that takes about a year. Often catechumens are those who have begun to seek and understand God in their lives and have been led by the Holy Spirit to become Catholic. OCIA is a journey of discovery and faith. This is most commonly done in three distinct phases: discernment, acceptance into the catechumenate along with purification and enlightenment.

Each catechumen will go through a series of scrutinies during which they examine their readiness to accept Christ and the Catholic Faith in the form of the Sacraments of Initiation (Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation). This time culminates at the Easter Vigil when the catechumens are received through Baptism into the Catholic Church. The final period of the OCIA is the time of “Mystagogy” (post-baptismal catechesis). During the weeks following the Easter Vigil, the newly initiated live more profoundly their experience of Baptism and the Eucharist as they begin the journey of discipleship and their growing union with Christ.

For candidates, those who have been correctly baptized with a Trinitarian formula, the Catholic Church does not require re-Baptism. Candidates have already experienced a journey of faith and understand how Jesus leads us to the Father through the work of the Holy Spirit. In fact, many have been attending Mass with their families for years but may have never received the Sacrament of Holy Communion or the Sacrament of Confirmation.

The candidates are invited to the Cathedral for the Rite of Election as a form of welcome, but because they are already in the Book of the Elect as baptized Christians, they do not bring their names forward. To symbolize that baptism, and as a sign of their continuing conversion, they come forward and make the sign of the cross with holy water.

Everyone is encouraged to pray for and welcome the catechumens and candidates at their own Parish as they continue their journey of discovery in their Faith.

Mooney girls team ends season with much to be proud of

Posted on March 9, 2023March 9, 2023 by Bob Reddy

Every player who participates in a team sport dreams of finishing off a season with a win, this often means a championship and glory. For the team that falls in the last game of the season, there is the disappointment of what could have been.

For the Cardinal Mooney Catholic High School Lady Cougar Girls Basketball Team, the last three seasons have ended in the Florida State High School Athletic Association 3A State Championship Game. Each game was a loss.

The Cougars from Sarasota fell to Miami Country Day 54-38 on Feb. 25, 2023, at RP Funding Arena in Lakeland. Mooney was seeking its first state title while Country Day earned its 8th, and second in 3 years over Mooney.

The championship was the final game for senior star Olivia Davis, who ended with 10 points. The coach of Country Day told reporters after the game that his team focused on shutting down Olivia because of how good a player she has been at Mooney.

“Yeah, their coach just told me I was a main part of their scouting report,” Davis told reporters. “I kinda expected it coming into this, especially as big of a game as this is.”

Davis reached the 1,000-point career milestone in January and will graduate behind a legacy of leading her team to three straight state championship games.

Cardinal Mooney coach Marlon Williams said the team will miss Davis’ passion, but has a bright future as 7 of the eight players will return next year.

Mooney leaders in the final were Bri Behn’s 17 points and Sam Kotasek’s 10 rebounds.

While the Cougars finish the season with a loss, their 21-6 record was impressive, as was this third run at a state title.

Information from the Sarasota Herald-Tribune was included in this report.

Program for young mothers gets needed support

Posted on March 9, 2023March 9, 2023 by Bob Reddy

Helping mothers who might otherwise be homeless become self-sufficient and productive members of the community is what Our Mother’s House is all about.

The annual Wine Tasting, Auction & Dinner event to benefit Our Mother’s House of Catholic Charities, Diocese of Venice, Inc., was held Feb. 23, 2022, at the Venice Community Center in Venice.

Hundreds showed their support for the program. Attendees made bids on silent auction items and an enthusiastic live auction, plus donations made during a “Gift from the Heart” appeal.

Shannon Hoyt, the new Program Director for Our Mother’s House, said that after more than three decades, the program keeps getting better at promoting self-sufficiency and pushing young mothers towards independence.

Hoyt said that when young mothers face homelessness, the impact is greater than many realize, including on an emotional and behavioral level. In addition, the young child feels what their mom is going through.

“Your support of Our Mother’s House is having an impact,” Hoyt said. “These are generational effects. You are impacting the lives of moms who will go on and do great things, thanks to your support tonight and throughout the year.”

Jessie, a mom in the program, shared her story of overcoming addiction and despair, and finding Our Mother’s House which helped turn her life around.

“I found myself in the grasp of addiction – homeless, hopeless, and unable to escape the endless routine of self-destruction,” Jessie said. “I was lost and didn’t know how to move forward with my life. Not until I was unapologetically pushed, encouraged and sometimes even harassed to change the circumstances that I was in.”

Jessie wanted to be clean and the best version of herself, but it wasn’t until she became pregnant and heeded the advice of a friend that she went into a rehab program. It was there that she gave birth to a healthy daughter and was connected with the people at Our Mother’s House.

Although overwhelmed with being a single mother, the staff and volunteers at Our Mother’s House provided Jessie with the opportunities to set goals and to work towards them. That included offering her education about how to be a single mother and be successful.

“I never knew such a place existed. It was just what we needed,” Jessie said. “I’m truly becoming the woman I was supposed to be. (Our Mother’s House) gave me my sense of self; gave me my future back; and gave me the ability, as a mother, to secure and build a positive future.”

The 2023 event to support Our Mother’s House was the first full gathering since the pandemic. In 2022, a hybrid event included an in-person aspect, as well as a livestream for those unable to attend. The 2021 event was entirely virtual.

In addition to financial support, the program is in need of diapers, baby wipes and other supplies. For more information about Our Mother’s House or to help, please call 941-485-6264 or email Shannon.Hoyt@catholiccharitiesdov.org. You can also visit www.catholiccharitiesdov.org to donate or find the Wish List.

Knights donate ultrasound

Posted on March 9, 2023March 9, 2023 by Bob Reddy

The Knights of Columbus have done it again. They raised the money to purchase an ultrasound machine for a local pro-life pregnancy care center.

The Knights of Columbus Council 11281 of St. John the Evangelist Parish in Naples recently donated an ultrasound to the Community Pregnancy Clinics, Inc. (CPCI) pregnancy center at 2977 Goodlette-Frank Road, which is located across the street from a Planned Parenthood abortion facility.

Father Tomasz Zalewski, Pastor of St. John the Evangelist, led the Blessing and Dedication Ceremony at the CPCI clinic on Feb. 23, 2023. Father Nick Thompson, Parochial Vicar at St. John the Evangelist, proclaimed the Gospel reading. Then, Father Zalewski blessed the ultrasound.

Father Zalewski quoted God’s promise through the prophet Isaiah, “Can a mother forget her infant? Be without tenderness for the child of her womb? Even should she forget, I will never forget you.” Father also emphasized that all human life is a gift from God, and that we are each called to help build a Culture of Life in our community.

Scott Baier, CEO of CPCI, spoke about the importance of ultrasound technology and thanked St. John the Evangelist Parish and the Knights of Columbus for donating the machine. CPCI operates pregnancy clinics in Naples, Fort Myers, Sarasota and Gainesville – as well as two mobile clinics. CPCI has established its presence as a trusted provider of life-affirming pregnancy and reproductive healthcare in the community.

The donated ultrasound is a Philips ClearVue 850 Ultrasound Machine. The machine includes 3D/4D imaging modes and color Doppler. This technology allows mothers to see their baby earlier than ever. Even at six weeks gestation, parents and family see in detail the beginning of their baby’s development. Approximately 90% of women who view these clear images choose life for their baby!

Leona and Tony Hernandez, parishioners of St. John the Evangelist, volunteered to help with the Ultrasound machine demonstration. Among the 25 attendees at the dedication ceremony were CPCI staff, Knights and other supporters of the clinic. All were extremely impressed with the clear and powerful images of the Hernandez’ preborn child.

Knights Council 11281 Grand Knight, Paul Curti, explained that the Council held various events (including a Baby Bottle Drive and an outdoor Country Life Fest concert) to raise money for the ultrasound machine and other donations to local Pro-Life organizations.

Central Florida Laps for Life provided additional funding, and the Supreme Knights of Columbus Council provides a dollar-for-dollar match for ultrasound purchases.

Through the Ultrasound Initiative, the Supreme Council of the US provides a 50 percent matching grant and has helped to place more than 1,600 ultrasound machines into pro-life pregnancy centers across the nation.

Since the program began in 2012, within the Diocese of Venice 22 ultrasound machines, as well as 1 mobile unit, have been placed in Pro-Life pregnancy resource centers thanks to the Knights.

“Diocese of Venice Councils have donated more than $400,000 for ultrasound machines,” Drew Dillingham, Knights of Columbus National Life and Faith Program Manager, stated. “The Supreme Council has matched that amount, so over $800,000 in total has been donated by the K of C. More machines have been placed in the (territory of the) Diocese of Venice, than in 23 U.S. states.”

To learn more about the Knights of Columbus Ultrasound Initiative, please visit https://communitypregnancyclinic.com/.

To learn more about Community Pregnancy Clinics, please visit https://communitypregnancyclinic.com/.

News Briefs for the Week of March 3, 2023

Posted on March 9, 2023March 9, 2023 by Bob Reddy

Sarasota musicians play Carnegie Hall

Alex Dilan, the music director at St. Thomas More Parish in Sarasota, and 18 members of the Parish traditional and Contemporary Choir were part of a “Voices in the Hall” concert on Feb. 19, 2023, at Carnegie Hall in New York. The group was invited to participate by well-known Catholic guest soloists ValLimar Jansen and John Angotti. In total there was a 215-voice choir along with a string orchestra and full band. After months of preparation and three days of rehearsal in New York, the group performed. the concert, which included 18 songs ranging from traditional pieces by Moses Hogan to Gospel and Contemporary music by Angotti and Jansen. Dilan conducted the spiritual “Over My Head I Hear Music” to end the first section. The concert received many standing ovations, and Dilan said “It was certainly a once in a lifetime experience!”

Youth lead Stations of the Cross

The San Marco Parish High School Youth Group helped the faithful get into the Lenten season with Live Stations of the Cross on Marco Island on Feb. 24, 2023. The Youth dressed as the key figures that are part of the Passion of Jesus Christ.

Testing students get furry visitor

Students at St. Ann Catholic School in Naples received special furry visitors from Golden PAWS Assistance Crisis Team (GPACT) Program, on Feb. 27, 2023. The visit came at the end of the first day of Terra Nova testing, which Catholic school students take to access achievement in reading, language arts, math, science, social studies, and many other areas. The students were able to spend time petting and hugging the dogs, who seemed happy to receive the attention.

Mooney rider wins prestigious equestrian show

Cardinal Mooney Catholic High School freshman Alexis Peterson took part in the Feb. 16-26, 2023, Scottsdale Arabian Horse Show in Arizona. Alexis won several of the classes including a unanimous win in the “2023 Hunter Seat Equitation Championship 14 and under AHAA Scholarship Class.” She also had several wins in the Arabian Hunter and Half Arabian Pleasure Championship classes. Alexis was nominated by the Arabian Professional and Amateur Horseman’s Association (APAHA) as a 2022 final nominee in the category of Youth Hunter/Show Hack rider.

Students learn skills for the future

St. Joseph Catholic School students spent 6 weeks studying economic education objectives, including writing checks, using a debit card, keeping a checkbook register, writing newspaper articles, applying for a job, and working in a group. Following their studies, they dressed in business casual and put their learning into action by spending Feb. 23, 2023, at Enterprise Village at the Stavros Institute in Largo. During their business day, students worked in one of the 20+ businesses, took 3 breaks, received paychecks, received copies of their newspaper, held a town meeting, and had the opportunity to be consumers by making purchases in one of the business-sponsored storefronts.

Mooney students help feed the homeless

The Cougars in Action (CIA) student organization of Cardinal Mooney Catholic High School in Sarasota went “undercover” to complete acts of kindness for others on Feb. 23, 2023. They implemented the Corporal Works of Mercy and made 200 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to help feed the homeless in Sarasota. Keep up the great work CIA!

Robotics program brings out best in students

In a true display of Humility, the Gift of Christ that reminds us to always embrace the wisdom and knowledge that others have to share, students in 6th grade and 8th grade Robotics at St. Francis Xavier Catholic School in Fort Myers met on Feb. 28, 2023, to exchange experiences with the latest FIRST Lego League Challenge. This STREAM (science, technology, religion, engineering, arts and math) initiative integrates Catholic values and virtues through the Diocesan curriculum called, “The Gifts of Christ: Truth, Beauty, Goodness, Affability, Fortitude, Humility, and Prudence.”

Verot spring production a success

The Bishop Verot Catholic High School Theater production of “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying” had a successful run in Fort Myers from Feb. 24-25, 2023. Shows were sold out – and for good reason, as the students put on an amazing show that won over the audience. An enormous “Congratulations” goes out to the Theater department, and in particular their teacher, Lisa Clark. Her passion and dedication for the arts has grown the theater program into what it is today.

Ash Wednesday: Lenten Journey begins

Posted on March 9, 2023March 9, 2023 by Bob Reddy

The opening of the Lenten Season began with the traditional Ash Wednesday Mass, starting a journey which ends prior to the celebration of the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday, April 6, 2023.

During this journey, one must take time to live the Lenten Season in a particular way, looking internally and answering the question: How can I be an ambassador for the message of Jesus Christ?

Bishop Frank J. Dewane addressed this issue at St. John XXIII Parish in Fort Myers where he celebrated Mass on Feb. 22. The Bishop spoke of putting a renewed focus on the pillars of the Lenten Season – prayer, fasting and almsgiving.

The Gospel reading for Ash Wednesday details how each of us “have to go about living our life – in the home, at work, and in society,” Bishop Dewane said. “There has to be a place for these three pillars. There is a tendency to think of them in an interior way, but we must let it well up from within. Christ is calling you and I as ambassadors, in a very visible pronounced way during the Lenten Season.”

As we prepare to celebrate the Paschal Mystery of our Faith, these three practices, approached seriously and in a spirit of penance, will ready us for the renewal of baptism at Easter.

Pray with Jesus in the desert to gain Faith. Realize you are not just watching Jesus; he gazes with love on you.
Fast with Jesus in the desert to learn hope. As we sit with Christ, receive the Spirit and hope that grows as our false material hopes wane.
Give alms to grow in love for the suffering of Jesus. We are to see Christ in others. What we do for them, we do for Jesus.

On Ash Wednesday, the imposition of ashes is a solemn ritual that signals the beginning of the holy season of Lent. The ceremony is distinctive; there is no liturgical action like it throughout the entire liturgical year. Ashes come from a previous Palm Sunday. The palms are burned, the ashes collected and then crushed into a fine, sooty powder and placed into bowls, where they are blessed by the priest during the Ash Wednesday Mass after the homily. Then, in a Communion-like procession, people are invited to come forward, and the ashes are applied to each person’s forehead in the shape of a cross as the minister says either, “Turn away from sin and believe in the Gospel” (Mark 1:15), the usual prayer, or “Remember that you are dust, and unto dust you shall return” (Genesis 3:19), the older, more traditional invocation.

Family Rosary Across America

Also taking place on Ash Wednesday, Bishop Dewane was a special guest of Relevant Radio—the largest Catholic radio network—which hosted a live national broadcast of the Family Rosary Across America in conjunction with Ave Maria University and Ave Maria Parish. The special broadcast, hosted by Father Francis J. Hoffman (best known as “Father Rocky”), executive director and CEO of Relevant Radio, was intended to help the faithful across the country kick-off their Lenten Journey in a positive way. During the broadcast from the Parish Church, Bishop Dewane led the praying of the rosary, joined by Father Rocky and students from Ave Maria University.

Opportunity for Confession in Diocese

The precept of confessing grave sins and receiving Holy Communion at least once during the Lenten Season indeed merits recalling for all the Faithful. To facilitate this requirement, all Parishes in the Diocese of Venice will be open with a confessor present so that the faithful will find ample opportunity to receive God’s Mercy in the Sacrament of Confession from 4-8 p.m., Friday, March 31, and 9 a.m.-noon, Saturday, April 1. Please check with your local Parish for additional reconciliation times.

Parishes frequently add additional times for the Sacrament during Lent, including during Parish Lenten Missions Retreats. In addition, Parishes often combine to have an evening prayer services in a region with additional priests present to offer the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Please visit https://dioceseofvenice.org/find-a-parish/ to find a Parish.

Standing as a witness for Life matters – 40 Days for Life opens in Fort Myers and Sarasota

Posted on March 9, 2023March 9, 2023 by Bob Reddy

A group of students from the Bishop Verot Catholic High School Respect Life Club were at the forefront of being public witnesses for life during the opening of the 40 Days for Life Spring Prayer Campaign on Ash Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2023.

The students, joined by Bishop Frank J. Dewane and dozens of others, led everyone in praying the rosary in front of a Planned Parenthood abortion facility in Fort Myers. Simultaneously, a 40 Days for Life prayer campaign began in Sarasota.

40 Days for Life is an internationally coordinated 40-day campaign that aims to end abortion locally through prayer and fasting, community outreach, and a peaceful all-day vigil in front of abortion mills. The spring campaign encompasses Lent and continues through April 2 (Palm Sunday). Since its 2007 beginnings, 40 Days vigils have led to the saving of more than 22,000 babies as thousands of cities participate. The Diocese of Venice has been involved with 40 Days for Life since the beginning with vigils taking place in the fall – to coincide with October, Respect Life Month – and in the spring – during Lent.

Bishop Dewane celebrated the Ash Wednesday Mass at nearby St. John XXIII Parish and stressed the importance of protecting life while offering words of encouragement to those who stand as public witnesses for life.

“Continue to give of yourself, always lifting up with prayer those who are harmed by abortion,” Bishop Dewane said. “We ask the Lord to be with us, giving us the courage to speak up for life, and to speak up for each individual made in the image and likeness of God.”

Mary, a sidewalk counselor, said she is a counselor today by the blessings and grace of God. She shared her journey of sadness and joy. Now a mother and grandmother, Mary was 16 when she got pregnant. The father was not around, she was a naïve girl who was terrified of the consequences her pregnancy might mean to her family, so she believed she had no other option than to kill her unborn child by having an abortion.

“Abortion was presented as an easy solution to my ‘problem,’” Mary said. “It just opened up other problems of self-destruction… because the guilt took over me.”

It took many years, with the help of the support of several different post-abortion groups (Support After Abortion and Project Rachel are available in the Diocese of Venice), and the care of an understanding husband before she could confront her demons. “I know what I did was wrong, and I know that God forgives me. The hardest part was that I needed to forgive myself.”

Once that forgiveness took hold in her life, Mary became a Pro-Life advocate and is now a sidewalk counselor, offering pregnant mothers positive alternatives to abortion through resources such as pregnancy help centers and counseling. “I know being out here makes a difference. I’ve seen the young mothers choose life. You are changing minds. You are saving lives.”

Many of the Bishop Verot students took part in the National March for Life on Jan. 20, in Washington, D.C. There they joined hundreds of thousands as they became the new “Pro-Life Generation.”

Jeanne Berdeaux, Diocese of Venice Respect Life Director, said 40 Days for Life remains an important component in the multifaceted fight to end abortion. The reason is many people think the fight ended in June 2022 when Roe v. Wade was overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court.

While a great victory, the ruling did not end abortion, but put the issue in the hands of individual states. For example, in Florida, where there is a Pro-Life governor and legislature, the current law allows abortion up to 15 weeks. Proposed legislation, a so-called heartbeat law, would change that to 6 weeks. Berdeaux said that is not enough as life begins at conception and any access to abortion is wrong.

Bishop Dewane said we need to pray that everyone develops a respect for the dignity of life and for all to stand as a witness for life, being a voice for the voiceless – the unborn.

The Fort Myers prayer vigil is from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., daily, on the public right-of-way in front of Planned Parenthood at 6418 Commerce Park Drive. In Sarasota, the vigil is 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily outside the regional headquarters of Planned Parenthood, 736 Central Ave.

Participants are welcome to spend as much time as they wish with many Parishes having designated dates and times. Some commit to taking part for a few minutes, an hour, or all day as they stand in the public right-of-way. Appropriate signs will be provided at both sites but are not needed to stand and pray. For those unable to be present in front of an abortion facility, they are encouraged to pray from home and fast for the end of abortion.

Lakewood Ranch Pastor installed

Posted on March 9, 2023March 9, 2023 by Bob Reddy

An installation of a new Pastor is a punctuation in the life of a Parish.

Bishop Frank J. Dewane installed Father Sebastian Szczawinski as Pastor of Our Lady of the Angels Parish in Lakewood Ranch on Feb. 19, 2023, in the context of the Mass.

“You have all come to know him as an Administrator,” Bishop Dewane said. “I ask that you support Father moving forward as God will give him the grace to take on the responsibility of leading this rapidly growing Parish.”

The Pastor is someone who serves the faithful while at the same time leading them into a closer relationship with Christ, the Bishop said. The leadership and guidance the Pastor provides will allow the faithful of Our Lady of the Angels to walk out of Mass each Sunday knowing they have heard from Jesus Christ in that Gospel message, and also how they are going to live that message in their own lives.”

Our Lady of the Angels Parish was first established in 1999 as a Mission Church of Our Lady Queen of Martyrs Parish in Sarasota and was initially led by Third Order Regular Franciscan priests. The original church was dedicated in 2003, while the current Parish Church was dedicated by Bishop Dewane in 2018. The area surrounding the Parish is rapidly growing and the number of registered families is now more than 3,100, necessitating six Masses each weekend. Because of the growth, the original church was converted into a Parish Hall, and there is an ongoing campaign for a new Parish Activities Center for religious education and other activities.

As part of the installation process, Bishop Dewane first introduces the priest as Pastor to the parishioners. The priest later recites a profession of faith for all to hear, including an additional part solely for him. The new Pastor then recites an Oath of Fidelity and promises to “adhere to the teachings, which either the Roman Pontiff or the college of bishops enunciate when they exercise authentic magisterium.” The installation also includes prayers to provide the new pastor the wisdom and guidance from the Holy Spirit to lead the Parish.

The ceremony concludes with the signing of documents by the Bishop, the new Pastor, and two official witnesses of the Parish Community, who serve as witnesses for all of the parishioners.

At the conclusion of Mass, Father Szczawinski thanked the faithful of Our Lady of the Angels for being so supportive as he considers them all part of his extended family. A reception was held in the Parish Hall.

Hundreds of couples recognized for giving hope to society

Posted on March 9, 2023March 9, 2023 by Bob Reddy

During a time when society is trying to redefine what marriage is, hundreds of couples were honored during a Feb. 18, 2023, Diocese of Venice celebration of their lasting witness to Sacramental Marriage.

Bishop Frank J. Dewane celebrated a Mass at Epiphany Cathedral in Venice recognizing 360 couples, who were celebrating a combined 18,403 years of marriage, for their accomplishment which brings hope to their families, to the community, to society and to the Universal Church.

“Think of the accomplishment of who you are as a group; but also think of it as individuals and couples, as children of God, made in the image and likeness of God,” Bishop Dewane said. “You were the minister of the Sacrament – one to the other. You stood there together then and are here together today. The number of years you have lived by the grace of the Sacrament of Marriage is a real achievement. See yourselves as the goodness that you are.”

The Bishop described the couples as both radical and countercultural, but also a true inspiration for others to follow and emulate.

“You don’t see it, but your commitment to each other is seen by younger generations, perhaps by your grandchildren or great-granchildren,” Bishop Dewane said. “That is a lasting testimony to the vows you took, committing to each other before God those many years ago.”

The 360 couples present for the Mass represented 41 Parishes and included 58 couples which have been married for 50 years. One of those couples, John and Janet Johannsen, celebrated their 50th on the day of the Mass. Also celebrating their 45th anniversary during the Mass were Louis and Maria Gomes. Both of these couples are from San Pedro Parish in North Port.

The couple recognized as being present with the longest marriage was John and Rita Riebel, who celebrate 72 years of marriage on April 7. They moved to Florida 27 years ago and attend Epiphany Cathedral. They met in New Jersey on a blind date. As newlyweds, John served in the Army and later in construction, sometimes working three jobs to provide for their 5 children, a true testimony to their love and commitment to each other and as a family.

Other couples recognized during the Mass were Thomas and Dolores Martorana, 72 years, from Epiphany Cathedral; Carl and Natalie Pensak, 71 years, from Epiphany Cathedral; and Marvin and Carol Peschel, 70 years, from St. Maximilian Kolbe Parish, Port Charlotte.

The Peschel’s met in high school when she was a junior and he a senior needing a tutor so he could graduate. “She was always smarter than me,” Marvin Peschel explained. “That is why it was always easy to just say “Yes dear” whenever we had a discussion.”

Of course, the couple credits their strong faith and belief in a commitment to loving each other through good times and bad. This is particularly true now that he is 90 and she is 89. “We have something special,” Carol Peschel said.

During the Mass, the married couples renewed their wedding vows. In addition, each couple was presented with commemorative certificates, signed by the Bishop, for their enduring commitment to marriage.

A reception followed the Mass with lunch and the opportunity to have complimentary pictures taken with the Bishop.

Masses are celebrated each year in the northern and southern sections of the Diocese of Venice to accommodate those wanting to attend. The first Mass was Feb. 11 at St. Leo the Great Parish in Bonita Springs, bringing together 270 couples representing a combined 14,002 years of marriage.

Mooney girls make third straight State Final in basketball

Posted on March 9, 2023March 9, 2023 by Bob Reddy

The Cardinal Mooney Catholic High School Lady Cougars Basketball Team will be playing for a State Championship after a Class 3A Semifinal victory Feb. 22, 2023, at the RP Fund Center in Lakeland. This is the third return trip to the State Championship game for the Sarasota team having had heartbreaking losses in 2021 and 2022.

The Lady Cougars defeated King’s Academy of West Palm Beach 52-39 in their Semifinal, the same team they beat to reach the final in 2022. Back in Sarasota, the game was livestreamed to students as they took a break for lunch. A large group of students is expected to go to the Final.

The Cougars lifted their season record to 21-5, having won their last eight games to reach the Final. The team’s leading scorers throughout the year are Olivia Davis and Keli Barrett. The Class 3A State Final against Miami Country Day is at 10 a.m., Saturday. Feb. 25 in Lakeland. This game is a rematch of the 2021 3A State Final.

On Feb. 17, the Mooney team won the regional championships on their home court over Tampa Catholic, earning their berth into the State Final Four for their third consecutive year. The Lady Cougars are seeking their first State Championship.