20 Parishes hosting opportunity to pray as a community
The month of October each year is dedicated to the Most Holy Rosary. On Oct. 7 each year we celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary in honor of the Blessed Mother. October was also the month in which Mary appeared for the last time to shepherd children in Fatima, Portugal, urging them to “say the rosary every day to obtain peace for the world.”
In celebration of the month, 19 Parishes in the Diocese of Venice will be participating in a Rosary Congress from Oct. 1, to Oct. 8, 2022. During the Rosary Congress, the host Parishes (at least two in each Deanery) will provide the hourly praying of the Holy Rosary as well as Eucharistic Adoration. Many of the Parishes taking part will also have the celebration of the Mass at the opening and closing of a 24-hour period of Adoration. Several Parishes will make the Sacrament of Reconciliation available during specific times of the Rosary Congress.
Initiated in 2021, the Rosary Congress is encouraged by the Diocesan Office of Evangelization as a way to present a unique opportunity to place all prayer intentions and the needs of all the faithful into the loving arms of the Mother of God.
“The Rosary Congress offers a great means of grace, combining many aspects of our Faith,” explained Jim Gontis, Diocesan Director of Evangelization. “Each Parish session will include Eucharistic Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, the hourly praying the Our Lady’s Rosary, and most importantly, the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. This is an opportunity to experience a river of grace coming from the infinite ocean of God’s Mercy.”
Each hour the Rosary will be said for intentions such as the Church, the Faithful of the Diocese of Venice, our country, and difficulties for all throughout the world. The faithful are encouraged to renew themselves to the Blessed Mother and for a renewed love for Jesus Christ in the Most Holy Eucharist.
This is of particular relevance as there is an ongoing National Eucharistic Revival which continues through to 2024. The Revival is an initiative of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops to reaffirm a devotion to, and belief in, the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist.
“What better way to do this than through praying to Mary, Mother of God, in the way She taught us, through the Holy Rosary,” Gontis said.
The Diocese of Venice has continually fostered its devotion to the Blessed Mother. Our Lady of Mercy is the Patroness of the Diocese. Under this patronage, the Diocese was formally consecrated to Our Lady during Advent of 2017.
Pope Francis frequently describes praying the rosary as armor to be used in the spiritual battle we all face each day.
“The recitation of the rosary is the most beautiful prayer we can offer to the Virgin Mary; it is a contemplation on the stages of the life of Jesus the Savior with his Mother Mary and is a weapon that protects us from evils and temptations,” the Holy Father said in 2021.
Pope Francis said that the Blessed Virgin Mary has urged the recitation of the Holy Rosary in her apparitions, “especially in the face of the threats looming over the world.”
In May 2022 Pope Francis invited all Catholics and led the world in praying the Holy Rosary for peace in Ukraine and around the world from Rome’s Basilica of St. Mary Major.
As part of his prayer, the Holy Father said, “Today we raise our hearts to You, Queen of Peace: intercede for us with Your Son, reconcile hearts filled with violence and vengeance, straighten thoughts blinded by the desire for easy enrichment, on all the earth may Your enduring peace reign.”
Some host Parishes have announced additional aspects of their Rosary Congress. For example: St. Katharine Drexel Parish in Cape Coral (Oct. 1 to 2), will host a Divine Mercy Chaplet at 3 p.m. on Oct. 2; Ss. Peter & Paul the Apostles Parish in Bradenton, (Oct. 5 to 6) will host its Congress in the Chapel; Ave Maria Parish in Ave Maria (Oct. 6 to 7) will conclude their Congress with a Eucharistic Procession throughout the community following 5 p.m. Mass on Oct. 7; St. Agnes Parish in Naples (Oct. 6 to 7) will be having its Congress in an Adoration Chapel and those wishing to participate in the overnight hours need to contact the Parish for details about accessibility; and finally, Resurrection of Our Lord Parish in Fort Myers is hosting an abbreviated Rosary Congress from noon to 7 p.m., on Oct. 7, the Feast of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary.
More information regarding the Diocesan Rosary Congress may be found at www.dioceseofvenice.org or by contacting Jim Gontis at 941-484-9543 or gontis@dioceseofvenice.org.
Diocese of Venice Rosary Congress
Oct. 1 to 7, 2022
Saturday, Oct. 1 to Sunday, Oct. 2
- 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. – St. Katharine Drexel Parish, 1922 S.W. 20th Ave., Cape Coral, 239-283-9501
Sunday, Oct. 2 to Monday, Oct. 3
- 10:30 a.m. to noon – Christ the King Parish, 1900 Meadowood St., 1900 Meadowood St., Sarasota, 941-924-2777.
Monday, Oct. 3 to Tuesday, Oct. 4
- 8 a.m. to 8 a.m. – Epiphany Cathedral, 350 Tampa Ave., Venice, 941-484-3505,
- 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. – St. Elizabeth Seton Parish, 5225 Golden Gate Parkway, Naples, 239-455-6895,
- 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 a.m. – St. Francis Xavier Parish, 2157 Cleveland Ave., Fort Myers, 239-334-2161,
- 8:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. – St. Charles Borromeo Parish, 21505 Augusta Ave., Port Charlotte, 941-625-4754.
Tuesday, Oct. 4 to Wednesday, Oct. 5
- 8 a.m. to 8 a.m. – Our Lady of the Angels Parish, 12905 E. SR 70, Lakewood Ranch, 941-752-6770,
- 6 p.m. to 6 p.m. – St. Peter the Apostle, 5130 Rattlesnake Hammock Road, Naples, 239-774-3337.
Wednesday, Oct. 5 to Thursday, Oct. 6
- 8:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. – St. John the Evangelist Parish, 625 111th Ave. N.. Naples, 239-566-8740,
- 11 a.m. to 8 a.m. – Ss. Peter and Paul the Apostles Parish, 2850 75th St. W., Bradenton, 941-795-1228.
Thursday, Oct. 6 to Friday, Oct. 7
- 5 p.m. to 5 p.m. – Ave Maria Parish, 5068 Annunciation Circle, Ave Maria, 239-261-5555,
- 11 a.m. to 11 a.m. – Incarnation Parish, 1901 Bee Ridge Road, Sarasota, 941-921-6631,
- 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. – Our Lady Queen of Heaven Parish, 355 S. Bridge St., LaBelle, 863-675-0030,
- 8:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. – San Pedro Parish, 14380 Tamiami Trail, North Port, 941-426-2500,
- 8 a.m. to 8 a.m. – St. Catherine Parish, 882 Bay St., Sebring, 863-385-0049,
- 10 a.m. to 10 a.m. – St. Agnes Parish, 7775 Vanderbilt Beach Road, 239-592-1949,
- 2 p.m. to 2 p.m. – St. Frances Xavier Cabrini Parish, 12001 69th St. E., Parrish, 941-776-9097,
- 8 a.m. to 8 a.m. – Holy Cross Parish, 505 26th Palmetto, 941-729-3891.
Friday, Oct. 7
- Noon to 7 p.m., Resurrection of Our Lord Parish, 8121 Cypress Lake Drive, Fort Myers, 239-481-7171 (*Not 24 hours).
Friday, Oct. 7 to Saturday, Oct. 8
- 8 a.m. to 8 a.m., St. Patrick Parish, 7900 Bee Ridge Road, Sarasota, 941-378-1703.
There is much excitement about the recent Supreme Court decision on the new Texas law severely limiting abortions, but the faithful must remain vigilant, as has been witnessed by the many states proposing or passing legislation making abortion available at various stages of life.
Having prayerful witnesses in front of abortion facilities serves as a powerful message of hope for those mothers who may think abortion is the only alternative they have for their unborn child, explained Co-Coordinator Rick Hellenbrand. Participants also brought diapers to be given to needy moms through area pregnancy resource centers.
Father Carzon was appointed as Pastor of the Parish in August following the passing of Father Patrick Organ, who served as Pastor in North Port for 30 years. Bishop Dewane explained that the installation of a new Pastor is like a punctuation mark for the life of the Parish; as Father Carzon will now care for the various spiritual dimensions of the community.
The ceremony concluded 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. Those documents are split between the Parish and Diocese as well as the Pastor’s personnel records.
During a VDCCW Priest Appreciation Dinner on Sept. 16, 2022, at Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Venice, the members pledged to focus on better supporting the priests as they continue to serve the people of God.
Ellen Bachman, Past-Co-President of the VDCCW, reflected upon how a priest hears a call from the Lord to serve, and in doing so, he touches the lives of the faithful in many ways and that it is all our responsibility to ensure that they know they are appreciated.
Bishop Frank J. Dewane inspired students to use the Gifts of the Holy Spirit during Mass on Sept. 16, 2022, at Epiphany Cathedral Catholic School in Venice, and then on Sept 19 at St. Catherine Catholic School in Sebring. Bishop Dewane told the students how they need to work to hear a call from the Lord and respond in a particular way, using those Gifts of the Holy Spirit.
Congratulations to St. Ann Catholic School fifth Grader Nicholas Radosti for winning the 2022 Do the Right Thing Award, awarded by the Naples Police Department. Nicholas was nominated for this award because of his kind and honest heart. One day during Mass, Nicholas saw a teacher drop money on the ground. Nicholas made sure to find the teacher right when Mass ended and give the money back to her. Nicholas is a kind person who is filled with honesty and integrity.
St. John Neumann Catholic High School in Naples has been reaccredited by the Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops. The reaccreditation process included a Sept. 16, 2022, visit to the campus and an evaluation of the courses and programs offered at Neumann following state and national Catholic education guidelines. Each Diocesan Catholic school in accredited and the reaccreditation process takes place every seven years.
Students in a St. Martha Catholic School language arts class read Ray Bradbury’s dystopian novel “Fahrenheit 451,” as part of the STREAM (Science, Technology, Religion, Engineering, Arts and Math) curriculum which enhances the educational experience for students in multiple disciplines. As part of that curriculum, the Sarasota students engineered robotic dogs out of Lego bricks on Sept. 16, 2022. The dogs are based on the robotic dog featured in the novel. The students’ robot dogs were more cute than vicious, but they had a great time with the challenge!
St. Joseph Catholic School in Bradenton held its annual Eagle Run on Sept. 16, 2022. This fundraising event was a huge success as students of all ages participated in the run as well as other related activities all in support of the school. St. Joseph officials thanked the parents and community for their continued support of the school and this 2022 Eagle Run.
A weeklong celebration led up to the Bishop Verot Catholic High School football Homecoming Game Sept. 16, 2022, versus Gulf Coast High School in Fort Myers. The Vikings won 27-14. Prior to the game, the students participated in a variety of fun activities to boost the excitement for the students. This included a Spirit Day, fun and games and several dress-down days and competitions between boys and girls, the various houses, and grade levels, in the courtyard and gymnasium. A key component was schoolwide Mass.
Epiphany Cathedral Catholic School in Venice took time out on Sept. 15, 2022, to raise awareness and support for pediatric cancer. Donations will be given to the Children’s Cancer Center. Thank you to everyone who donated. Please keep all those currently battling cancers, and those in remission, in your prayers. Local businesses donated items which were then used in a raffle to raise the money.
It was on Sept. 10, 2017, when Hurricane Irma roared ashore near Marco Island and spread a swath of destruction through Naples, impacting thousands. That recovery still continues as the misery for some has been compounded by a global pandemic, a housing crisis, and rampant inflation.
Working at multiple locations across the county, SVdP Naples, and its dedicated volunteers, provide help for working families and individuals facing life’s unexpected challenges. This includes offering nutritious food and a friendly visit with homebound seniors and disabled neighbors, and critical advice and counsel for Collier County residents, young and old.
Schul explained that the home visit is always conducted by a team of trained Vincentians, and this gives caseworkers a more effective way to support and build stronger relationships with neighbors in need. This often results in better outcomes that not only relieve poverty but also bring emotional assistance to all concerned.
The Homeless Backpack Program was recently folded under the umbrella of SVdP Naples and retitled HOMe (Homeless Outreach Ministry etc.). This newly imagined program is designed to mitigate the suffering that the “unhoused” experience every day. Each Tuesday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Vincentians open the doors of the HOMe program, located at 3174 Tamiami Trail E., to approximately 40 neighbors and provide meaningful, tangible, and spiritual assistance. The program is done in partnership with Catholic Charities, Diocese of Venice, Inc., in Collier County as well as the Naples Homeless Coalition.
St. Peter the Apostle Parish in Naples hosted its annual 9/11 Memorial Mass on Sept. 11, 2022. The Parish is home to a 9/11 Cross made from the steel of the World Trade Center and has hosted a commemorative Mass each year since 2001. Father Gerard Critch, Pastor of St. Peter’s, served as a Chaplain at Ground Zero during the initial search and recovery process following the terror attacks in New York City.
The Knights of Columbus Saints Cosmas and Damian Council 13341 sponsored a First Responders Mass on Sept. 10, at Our Lady of the Angels Parish in Lakewood Ranch. Parochial Vicar Father Shawn Roser celebrated the Mass, and reflected on the continued importance of First Responders and those who answered the call to serve in the military following 9/11. A Blue Mass was celebrated at Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Venice on Sept. 11. Both Masses honored the work of First Responders, including law enforcement officials, firefighters, and emergency medical service personnel.
In Harrisburg, he oversaw classes, workshops and presentations on theological and Catholic teachings, evangelization and much more and previously directed Adult Religious Education and related programs and workshops.
In preparation for their upcoming diaconate ordination, the fourth-year class at Pontifical North American College (NAC) in Rome publicly professed the Faith of the Church and made an Oath of Fidelity in the presence of the NAC community on Sept. 13, 2022. Among those taking their oath was Diocese of Venice Seminarian Daniel Scanlan, who will be ordained on Sept. 29 at St. Peter’s Basilica. Please continue to pray for Daniel and all seminarians as they approach this milestone of their formation journey.
Students at St. Andrew Catholic School in Cape Coral were busy on Sept. 12, 2022, building Lego Education Spike Prime Robots in Robotics class. The robotics program at St. Andrew allows students to learn and excel using skills that will prepare them for the future. Eventually, teams will be formed to compete in completing various tasks or taking part in a robot obstacle course within the school, and as the year progresses, against other robotics teams from other Diocesan Catholic schools.
To honor the Blessed Virgin Mary on her birthday, Sept. 8, 2022, students at Ave Maria Catholic School and Donahue Academy in Ave Maria made special efforts to mark this joyful event. This outpouring of love for Our Lady included homemade cookies, handmade cards and paper flowers for the Mother of God. The kindergarten students also made private visits to a statue of Our Lady, offering their prayers and best wishes on Mary’s special day.
