Stained glass windows have a long history in the Catholic Church, with the earliest surviving examples dating to the 7th century. The windows were used in churches to enhance their beauty and to inform the viewer through narrative or symbolism about key moments in Salvation History.
Because of the lengthy process of making and creating each section of a window, some as tall an 14-feet, these windows are often the last additions when a new Parish Church is completed.
Such was the case at Our Lady of the Angels Parish in Lakewood Ranch which was dedicated and blessed by Bishop Frank J. Dewane on April 22, 2018. The only stained-glass window in place on that date was a 11-foot 4-inch diameter rose window of Our Lady of the Angels, the patroness of the Parish. It is located above a triple arched entrance canopy.
The church design at Our Lady of the Angels features more than 60 exterior windows, which were bare and open to the sunlight and gradually filled in by professionals from Conrad Pickel Studio Inc., of Vero Beach. The final gap, located above the south transept exit, were installed on July 22, 2022, revealing the image of the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
This key window caused much comment prior to the installation, as at certain times of the day the open window would allow direct sunlight either onto the altar or onto the choir during Mass.
Of course, after the installation of the new stained glass, the view transformed from stark sunlight to a colorful image of Our Lady.
Father Sebastian Szczawinski, Administrator of Our Lady of the Angels, blessed the windows during a Mass on July 24. He thanked the faithful for their support and patience and said that it was well worth the wait.
“It is a real delight for me to realize there are those who are willing to sacrifice in making a Church more beautiful,” Father Szczawinski said. “After more than three years, this church is officially finished.”
The faithful applauded this pronouncement and following the Mass many remained behind to admire the windows, four of which were installed the previous week. Some of the reactions included: “Stunning!” “What amazing colors!” “Perfect!”
Paul Pickel, President of Conrad Pickel Studio Inc., said the company designed and fabricated the 24 sanctuary windows over a period of 3 ½ years. Present for the moment were the staff of the studio as well as the artist, Lyn Durham.
The mouth-blown glass, coming from factories in France and Germany, is made by hand and eventually folded down to a very thin sheet. The Pickel studio has many color shades and pieces that work together with lead once a client, such as Our Lady of the Angels Parish, approves the final design.
Durham said she offers a scale color drawing, with the lines denoting where color transitions and lead lines are to be placed. She then physically makes a full-size sketch. Once the glass is laid out, she hand-etches the glass, painting figures and faces. Any parts of the glass where there is a bright white shining through the etchings is called flashing. This requires a delicate touch on Durham’s part but creates a dramatic effect. This can be seen in the clothing of Mary in some windows, or in the stars of night scenes.
The windows, paneled to custom fit each window section from the inside, were installed by two men on scaffolding. With well-practiced ease, as the final screw was placed, those gathered from Pickel Studios, as well as a group of staff and volunteers from the Parish, let out a small cheer and applauded the completion of a job well done.
The front section of the main sanctuary has six key scenes of the life of Jesus including the Nativity, Holy Family, Holy Child Jesus in the Temple, the Last Supper, and Resurrection. The transepts have images of Our Lady in scenes from Jesus’ life and crucifixion, the Annunciation and Assumption among others, as well as under her various titles, such as Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Our Lady of Guadalupe and more. Each window has a title marker at its base.
The poignant and emotional Rite places Fathers Chami, Portorreal and Young in a new rank as they are raised to the Order of the Presbyterate where they will now celebrate the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, confer the Sacraments and teach the Gospel.
“Holiness has to be the greatest gift you developed within your relationship with Jesus Christ – you took it into the seminary, and you bring that out to be here today,” the Bishop said. “It is your holiness that will be supported by your daily prayer life… Let that holiness be present always in your life… Let it be a mark of who you are as an example for others.”
When the Rite of Ordination began, the elect were called forth by Father Shawn Roser, Diocesan Vocations Director, and upon hearing their names, each stood and answered “Present.” After the homily, individually, the ordinandi knelt before the Bishop so as to promise respect and obedience to him and his successors. They then prostrated before the altar for the Litany of Supplication/Litany of Saints. The whole assembly joined in the prayer which invoked the intercession of the Saints in heaven.
The Bishop then laid his hands on the head of each man and prayed silently. All of the priests present followed to participate in this part of the Rite. Next was the Prayer of Ordination. These combine to form an essential part of the Liturgy of the Sacrament of Holy Orders.
The palms of the new priests were then anointed with the Sacred Chrism by Bishop Dewane, the sign of the special anointing of the Holy Spirit who will make their ministry fruitful. Next, the Bishop presented each new priest with the chalice (wine) and paten (bread) which they are called to present to God in the Eucharistic sacrifice saying: “Receive the oblation of the holy people, to be offered to God. Understand what you do, imitate what you celebrate, and conform your life to the mystery of the Lord’s Cross.” He repeated this commission, once each for the newly ordained priests.
During the ordination, Deacons Chami, Portorreal and Young freely presented themselves to serve God, the Church and the Bishop of the Diocese of Venice, and his successors. They also made a promise to celibacy and a promise to obedience. The reward for that choice is to serve the people of God.
Father Chami, 28, was born in Montreal, Canada, but raised in Naples, Fla. since the age of 4, and was an accomplished swimmer in high school and is a longtime parishioner of St. William Parish in Naples. He first seriously heard the call to the priesthood while at Florida State University. Since joining the Diocese as a seminarian, Deacon Chami graduated from St. John Vianney College Seminary in Miami and then studied at the Pontifical North American College in Rome. Within the Diocese, he has served pastoral assignments at St. Leo the Great Parish in Bonita Springs, Incarnation Parish in Sarasota, Sts. Peter and Paul the Apostles Parish in Bradenton, and St. Francis Xavier Parish in Fort Myers. Father has been appointed as Parochial Vicar of Holy Cross Parish in Palmetto, effective July 18 until September 30. Father then returns to Rome to complete his Licentiate Studies at the Pontifical Atheneum of St. Anselm.
Rodriguez’s life began as the daughter of migratory farm workers that settled permanently in Immokalee in 1972. She married young, had children, and soon experienced the familiar financial hardships her parents shared.
Upon receiving the “Against All Odds” Award, Rodriguez said she will always have that sense of gratitude and appreciation knowing that she can help those who seek assistance from Catholic Charities each day.
In a message for this special Day, the Holy Father address the elderly, reminding them that those in old age have an important mission in life. They are called to be “artisans of the revolution of tenderness” and to “set the world free from the specter of loneliness and the demon of war”. Furthermore, the Pope invites them to rediscover this stage as “the gift of a long life.” In addition, the Vatican has announced that those who celebrate this special day are eligible for a plenary indulgence.
Speaking to grandparents at a special Mass at. St. John Neumann Catholic High School in Naples on Nov. 5, 2021, the Bishop said: “Grandparents sing the praises of God in the traditions they pass down and in how they live their life. Let the light of the Holy Spirit make it more… let it be the goodness that personifies who you are as more the man or woman of God you are called to be.”
Franciscan University’s 27th annual St. John Bosco Conference for Evangelization and Catechesis, with a theme of Jubilee, took inspiration from Luke 4:18-19, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor … to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
Sister Marianne Baehr, a Sister of St. Joseph of Carondelet, and longtime teacher at St. Mary Academy and St. Martha Catholic School in Sarasota, died at St. Joseph’s Provincial House, Latham, New York on July 10, 2022, at the age of 80. Sister Marianne entered the Sisters of St. Joseph in 1960, professing vows final vows in August 1967. She gained a degree from the College of Saint Rose, Albany, New York, and an advanced degree in education from SUNY Cortland, New York. For many years Sister ministered as a teacher and administrator in the schools of the Diocese of Syracuse, Sister Marianne moved to the Diocese of Venice when her brother, Father David Baehr, retired to the area. Within the Diocese, Sister Marianne was a teacher at both St. Mary Academy and St. Martha Catholic School between 2005 and 2017 before her retirement retiring to the Provincial House in Latham. A Mass of Christian Burial took place on July 20, 2022, at the St. Joseph’s Provincial House. Sister Marianne was predeceased by her parents and brother, Father David. Please pray for the repose of the soul of Sister Marianne Baehr.
Hundreds gathered for the 3rd Congress of Emmaus (Emaus) held July 16, 2022, at St. Leo the Great Parish in Bonita Springs. The event, which was in Spanish, was for those who have completed an Emmaus weekend retreat in the past and served as an opportunity to renew and recapture the fire that grew in them during their first retreat. This was the first Congress of Emmaus since 2019. The gathering at St. Leo the Great included music and reflections with a particular focus on the Eucharist, with Adoration and the Chaplet of Divine Mercy. The day culminated with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. The Emmaus retreat program is a Diocesan-approved retreat weekend that takes place three times a year in both English and Spanish. It is open to all men and women ages 20 or older seeking to grow in their relationship with Christ regardless of their present level of faith and practice. To learn more about Emmaus retreats across the Diocese, contact your local parish or email 
Two members of the Knights of Columbus, Father John J. Walsh Council 7052, of Venice, presented a check for $4,550 to Bishop Frank J. Dewane at the Catholic Center in Venice on July 12, 2022. The money was collected to support the Ukrainian Relief Fund of Catholic Relief Services, which is the designated agency in the U.S. to work with local Church partners to distribute lifesaving supplies like food and water. Anyone interested in supporting Ukrainian Relief can send Donations to the Diocese of Venice, with “Ukraine” indicated in the memo or note line at the following address: Diocese of Venice in Florida, Ukraine Relief, 1000 Pinebrook Road, Venice, FL 34285, or visit 
Every day, Catholic Charities, Diocese of Venice, Inc., serves its most vulnerable population by feeding, housing, empowering, and helping all in need. This summer, you can be the one that makes a difference. Your acts of kindness have the power to transform lives and leave a positive impact in our community. The Catholic Charities Summertime and the Giving is Easy Appeal is asking for your support. The giving is easy! Your gift will make a positive impact on our less fortunate brothers and sisters! Please visit 
Would you know how to help a pregnant woman in need? Maybe it’s your daughter, granddaughter, niece, cousin, sister, or neighbor. Maybe it’s someone you see in a store, restaurant, or church. Perhaps she is crying, looks distraught or is obviously being treated poorly by someone. Through a new national initiative from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) called Walking with Moms in Need, now you will know how to help. Walking with Moms in Need teaches the faithful how to help pregnant women in need, starting by letting them know they are not alone. The nationwide Catholic program calls every parishioner to learn the names of their local pregnancy help centers, the first responders for women with unexpected or difficult pregnancies. If you know of someone who is pregnant and needs help immediately, visit 
A three-year revival of devotion to the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist begins with the Diocesan phase, from June 19, 2022, through June 11, 2023. During the Diocesan Year, there will be a series of events and retreats that encourage the renewal of the Church “by rekindling a living relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist.” The pinnacle of the coming year will be a Diocesan Eucharistic Congress on March 24 and March 25, 2023. This event, which is in the early planning stages, will take place at the Convention Center and Luminary Hotel on the Fort Myers riverfront. The National Eucharistic Revival is a focused effort by the U.S. Catholic Bishops to revive a devotion to and belief in the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. To learn more about the National Eucharistic Revival, visit 
Most women who choose abortion eventually realize that they made the wrong choice and face a lifetime of regret. Even if they confess this sin to a priest, they often find it difficult to accept God’s forgiveness and forgive themselves. They will often confess the same sin over and over. Project Rachel is the Catholic Church’s program to help women and men come to terms with an abortion decision and find the hope and healing they need. Watch for more on post-abortion healing in the next edition of The Florida Catholic. For confidential help in English and Spanish, call 941-412-5860 or email 
A donation to support Catholic Charities is an opportunity for the faithful to make an immediate and positive impact on those in need throughout the Diocese, said Bishop Frank J. Dewane.
Step forward to support a child’s success. A child without access to technology is like a child learning without books.
But it is hard to study if you’re hungry. In Florida, one in five children struggles with hunger. Together, we can fight food insecurity by providing food to children, families, and seniors to end hunger in our community.
By providing stable housing, you can take the first step in helping individuals and families achieve security and balance not just to survive but thrive.
With a theme of “Fearless,” the goal of the 14th annual Ave Maria University Youth Conference was to allow high school-aged youth to come to know God in a more personal way as well as to learn how to touch the lives of others through their own life. Many young men and women from throughout the Diocese of Venice participated in the Conference and they were joined by youth from each part of Florida and beyond.
The weekend was not just simply listening to inspirational speakers and musicians who encouraged the young people to become more involved in their faith and to be guided by the Word of Christ; it was an interactive experience meant to awaken the Holy Spirit for the Conference goers.
Bishop Dewane said he prayed the youth took advantage of the Conference and that they “will go forward for the Lord, and the Lord with them.”
Following the Mass, Bishop Dewane took part in a large group picture and other individual and Parish-centered photos, while the youth thanked him for celebrating the Mass and offering his inspiring words. In return, the Bishop again challenged them to live those words each day.
