Author: Bob Reddy

Knights donate ultrasound

Posted on 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 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 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 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 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 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 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.

 

Briefs for the Week of Feb. 24, 2023

Posted on by Bob Reddy

Verot student recognized

Bishop Verot Catholic High School student Maren Pfleger has been named one of approximately 5,000 candidates in the 2023 U.S. Presidential Scholars Program. Program candidates were selected from nearly 3.6 million students expected to graduate from U.S. high schools in the year 2023. Inclusion in the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program is one of the highest honors bestowed upon graduating high school seniors. Scholars are selected on the basis of outstanding test scores, superior academic and artistic achievements, leadership qualities, strong character, and involvement in community and school activities. A distinguished panel of educators will review these submissions and select approximately 600 semifinalists in early April.

Mooney grad receives kidney transplant

Candie Barrameda, Cardinal Mooney Catholic High School Class of 2016, received an early Valentine’s Day present with a gift of a new kidney. In mid-2022, Barrameda was diagnosed with stage five kidney failure, but had no other health issues, which made her eligible for a transplant. At the time, Mooney posted a plea for donors on social media.  Sarasota resident and Pine View High School graduate, Kathryn Kochevar, heard  about Barrameda’s plight and discovered she was a match and wanted to make a difference. The transplant took place at Tampa General Hospital in early February and was a complete success. Kochevar was released within a day, and Barrameda, who had been having four-hour dialysis treatments three days a week, went home less than a week later. Barrameda thanks her amazing team, Kochevar and her family, and everyone for their prayers.

Pregnancy help center reopens in Venice

Pregnancy Solutions, a help center for pregnancy women with three local locations (Port Charlotte, North Port and Venice), had a grand re-opening of its Venice offices on Jan. 31, 2023. The location utilized creative options to continue serving women in need during repairs needed after Hurricane Ian caused water and flood damage in September 2022. Pregnancy Solutions’ three locations served more than 1,300 in 2022 alone. A big thanks went out to the amazing staff and volunteers. Present for the reopening were Diocese of Venice Respect Life Director Jeanne Berdeaux and Father Shawn Monahan, OMV, assistant director of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Retreat Center in Venice. The Venice location is open Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. If you would like a tour, please call 941-408-7100 or to learn more, please visit pregnancysolutions.org.

Bishop radio show focuses on Diocesan Eucharistic Congress

The Diocese of Venice Eucharistic Congress and Youth Rally on March 24 and 25, at the Caloosa Sound Convention Center and Luminary Hotel, 1375 Monroe St., Fort Myers, was the focus for Bishop Frank J. Dewane on his monthly radio program on Relevant Radio. “Witnessing Faith with Bishop Dewane” can be heard at 8:30 a.m. on the last Friday of each month (Feb. 24), on 106.7 FM and 1410 AM in Fort Myers and 93.3 FM and 1660 AM in Naples. The program is also available at https://dioceseofvenice.org/our-bishop/relevant-radio-podcasts. The February guests included Teresa Tomeo, a featured speaker for the March 25 Eucharistic Congress, and Father Timothy Anastos, the keynote for the March 24 Youth Rally. To learn more about the Diocesan Eucharistic Congress and Youth Rally, please visit https://dioceseofvenice.org/eucharistic-congress/.

Basketball team goes undefeated

The St. Ann Catholic School varsity girl’s basketball team in Naples just finished their season undefeated while also winning the Sunshine Athletic Conference. Way to go Lady Dolphins!

Seton students work on Lego STREAM project

Second grade students at St. Elizabeth Seton Catholic School in Naples worked diligently on Feb. 17, 2023, to complete their first activity in the Lego WeDo 2.0 series. The students created Milo the Science Rover! The students had to apply the Engineering Design Process to complete the project. This is just one of many opportunities for Diocese of Venice Catholic school students at all levels to learn key STREAM (science, technology, religion, engineering, arts and math) skills through a comprehensive Lego robotics program. These projects challenge students to think critically, work together, and overcome obstacles to achieve a goal. STREAM is a faith-infused program which not only teaches meaningful skills but upholds Catholic values by teaching the principles of strength, utility and beauty.

Lent, a New Beginning

Posted on by Bob Reddy

Pope Francis has described Lent as a new beginning, a path leading to the certain goal of Easter, Christ’s victory over death.

The message from the Holy Father is clear; we must take time out of our busy schedules to renew our encounter with Christ, living in His Word, in the Sacraments and in our neighbors. During this season we are invited to hear and ponder more deeply the Word of God, which is the foundation for the Faith.

Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2023, and ends with the celebration of the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday, April 6. The Lenten Season is a time for fasting, praying and almsgiving – the three pillars of Lent – as we prepare to celebrate the Paschal Mystery.

Bishop Frank J. Dewane said it is important to remember that throughout the Lenten Season, the faithful must break out of indifference and enter into the unwavering love and mercy of God and become more energized about their Faith.

Fasting

“Fasting and abstinence is not only about food, or the lack of it, it is also about sacrifice for the benefit of our spiritual lives. Sacrifice and self-denial should not be viewed as something to lament, but instead should be viewed as an opportunity to remove anything that distracts us from Jesus Christ,” Bishop Dewane said

For early Christians, fasting was an important and meaningful Lenten practice in commemoration of Christ’s Passion and Death. During these earlier days of the Church, the observance of fasting was very strict with one meal was allowed per day.

The current Lenten discipline, set forth by the Roman Catholic Church, consists of both fasting and abstinence on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday as well as abstaining from meat each Friday of Lent.

“These small sacrifices should just be the beginning of one’s Lenten journey as we are all called to grow closer to Christ. Fasting is not solely about food, and abstinence is not about meat; rather, both are about spiritual conversion and renewal,” Bishop Dewane said.

Prayer

The second Lenten discipline is prayer. All Catholics are called to a prayer life that is both diverse and rich. A diverse prayer life includes personal and communal prayer, in which the faithful grow closer to Christ Himself – as well as to the Church Christ founded.

“During Lent our prayer life should not only grow but should focus upon the areas of life in which we might have fallen short of God’s expectation – in other words, where we have sinned. Prayer is an indispensable component of the Catholic Faith. Therefore, by growing and maturing in that Faith, prayer becomes much more – it becomes an act of worship,” the Bishop said.

It must be understood that as life progresses and one receives more of the Sacraments, prayer is recognized as a critical act of public worship in the Church, especially the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

“Prayer is an ongoing conversation with God, expressed through both words and actions. Thus, it can be easily understood that to grow in deeper communion with God, one must pray daily and this does not have to be in a Church.”

The five basic forms of prayer are blessing, petition, intercession, thanksgiving and praise. When someone prays in any one of these forms, they are expressing a different emotion, need, concern or appreciation. No two prayers are the same, just as no two conversations are the same.

“In prayer, all grow in the love of God and greater appreciation of who God is and what God does. In a world so full of uncertainty and loneliness, great comfort should be taken in knowing that by praying, God will offer His blessings and grace. By offering blessings back to God in prayer, the blessing is returned to Him. What a beautiful exchange of love that becomes!”

Almsgiving

The third and final discipline traditional pillars of the Lenten observance is almsgiving. Often misunderstood, as with fasting and abstinence, almsgiving is an act of self-denial and is an expression of charity and assistance extended to the needy.

“By almsgiving during Lent, one not only expresses care for those in need, but also expresses a sign of gratitude for all God has provided in one’s life. These acts of charity are connected to the responsibilities of living the Faith that begins with Baptism and is reignited in the Sacrament of Confirmation. Each of us bear responsibility in helping our brothers and sisters in Christ, but it takes prayer and reflection to understand how God is calling individuals to give of themselves.”

The Catechism defines almsgiving as, “Money or goods given to the poor as an act of penance or fraternal charity… Almsgiving, together with prayer and fasting, are traditionally recommended to foster the state of interior penance.”

This definition gives clarity as to how we are guided into the deep theological journey of Lent, and how these observances help to lift human beings out of their sinfulness toward a closer, more holistic relationship with the Lord. In a sense, almsgiving is a type of prayer. Because almsgiving requires sacrifice, it is also a sort of fasting from the material world.

“By uniting fasting, prayer and almsgiving, one seeks to become a better person, more than he or she has ever been before,” Bishop Dewane said.

In addition to these observances, the Lenten Season is an ideal opportunity to confess grave sins. 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.

Bishop Dewane reiterated the need to understand the way in which these Lenten observances can work in concert with one another. “Each is indispensable in its own way and offers the faithful an opportunity to grow in greater love and appreciation of God. The Lord calls each person to total commitment. By practicing these observances together, even when the Lenten Season ends, they become more than the sum of their parts. They become part of a faith that flourishes and a heart that is increasingly dedicated to the Lord.”

Rwandan genocide survivor shares journey of faith

Posted on by Bob Reddy

Immaculée Ilibagiza, a survivor of the Rwandan genocide, was a recent guest speaker at two Diocesan Parishes, sharing her story of survival built upon her strong faith.

Holding a rosary, Ilibagiza spoke to hundreds at Epiphany Cathedral in Venice on Feb. 13, 2023, recounting her harrowing experiences during the Rwandan Genocide of 1994, but her message was one of love and forgiveness.

“Mine is a message of love,” Ilibagiza said. “You can hate, or you can love. Life is your gift, and it is up to you how you choose to use it… Every day I wake up to use my life for something beautiful and to touch other human beings – love heals. When you care for another, you get love back. To love or to hate, to uplift or to pull down, to be kind or to be mean, if you choose love, I am with you.”

Raised a devout Catholic, her world, and that of her family, village, and country, were torn apart when the Rwandan president’s plane was shot down in April 1994. The assassination of the Hutu president triggered a genocide during which more than 1 million minority Tutsi tribe members were massacred. Ilibagiza hid in a 3×4 foot bathroom with seven other women for 91 days before being able to find safety at a nearby refugee camp.

During her time in hiding, Ilibagiza was first filled with anger and despair, hearing the rampaging hordes destroy the world she had known. Ilibagiza’s father was a prominent leader in the town and ordered her to hide in the home of a Hutu pastor, someone he trusted. Before sending her into hiding, he gave his daughter a rosary.

She prayed the rosary as a way to drown out the anger that was inside her and the evil that was outside. This was not always easy, as a key part of the prayer is reciting the Lord’s Prayer, and she had a hard time saying– “forgive those who trespass against us.” When she was finally able to say the prayers without hesitation, it was that turning point towards God and away from hate that saved Ilibagiza.

“Anytime I come to share I get so excited,” Ilibagiza said. “It’s not speaking about how terrible things were, it is to share the love of God and to share with you the lessons I have learned.”

Ilibagiza said she often wakes up at night to pray, times that remind her that: “Wow! God, you were there during that horrible situation. He was there then, and He is here now. And He will be with us in the future. To know without a shadow of a doubt that God is real –those who truly believe in God can be the ones who have true hope, because God can do anything.”

She was almost spared the horror of the genocide but was home for Easter break from university when her world devolved into chaos overnight.

Praying the rosary helped the young woman to focus her thoughts on Our Lady and the Lord during a time when her mind, body and spirit were being pushed to the limits in that small bathroom with the other women. There was constant fear that every sound, every movement might alert someone to their hiding spot and end their lives in a horrible way.

Ilibagiza emerged from that small bathroom weighing just 65 pounds and finding that in addition to her family, a million of her extended family, friends, neighbors and fellow Rwandans had been massacred.

After the genocide, Ilibagiza came face-to-face with the man who killed her mother and one of her brothers. After enduring months of physical, mental and spiritual suffering, she was still able to offer the unthinkable, telling the man, “I forgive you.”

She said that moment could have caused her to reignite the hatred that she had felt, but through the intercessions of the Virgin Mary and the Lord, her heart had truly been changed and forgiveness and love were the order of the day.

Ilibagiza is now an American citizen and has written several books about her experiences during the Rwandan Genocide and speaks internationally to share her story of survival, love and faith. This also included a presentation at St. William Parish in Naples on Feb. 14.

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