By Karen Barry Schwarz, Special to the Florida Catholic
The faithful talked; the Diocese of Venice listened. From January to May of 2022, the Diocese of Venice hosted 12 Listening Sessions, including 11 live sessions at various Parishes throughout the Diocese and one virtual session. The events, most of which were attended by Bishop Frank J. Dewane, were fruitful, and inspiring.
These sessions were part of the Diocesan Phase of the XVI Ordinary General Assembly of Bishops, “For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation, and Mission,” as requested by His Holiness Pope Francis.
The passion expressed during the Listening Sessions for the Catholic Faith was ubiquitous, as was the enthusiasm for the synodal process.
Some were surprised that the Church was asking for their input, as this has not been the case historically. Some were even, at first, reluctant to share, feeling it was not their place to do so. But Pope Francis has called on the faithful to come forward, explaining synodality as “a way of being the Church today according to the will of God, in a dynamic of discerning and listening together to the voice of the Holy Spirit.”
“The Diocese found the participating faithful to be inspired and thoughtful in their responses to questions posed during the Listening Sessions, and in the open forum discussions when time allowed,” said Bishop Dewane. “Many also participated via the Diocese’s dedicated synod email address, sending in their thoughts. All comments were heard and appreciated.”
Overall, more than 1,000 of the faithful participated in the synodal process, including both young and old, women and men, English and Spanish-speaking. Findings were compiled in a detailed report shared with the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops in June. Similar sessions to those held in the Diocese of Venice were held around the country and around the globe; a synthesis of all Diocesan reports will be shared with the Vatican.
The Diocesan Synthesis Synod Report (a brief version of the full report) and the U.S. National Synthesis Synod Report were both made available in September 2022 and are available for review on the Diocese website at https://dioceseofvenice.org/offices/offices-departments/evangelization/diocesan-phase-of-the-synod-on-synodality/.
Diocesan Synod Synthesis
Within the Diocese of Venice, several themes emerged during the synodal process.
Participants were happy to report that they are proud to be Catholic and are eager to evangelize, but many felt they lacked the tools to do so. There was a general hunger for more catechesis and formation among all. Great interest was expressed in more detailed “refresher course” type information surrounding the celebration of the Mass, and many expressed great interest in the celebration of the Latin Mass, especially as it relates to reverence. Some saw the traditional Latin Mass as a “way back to reverence,” which many saw as missing from the Church today.
Concern was also shared regarding the centrality of and belief in the Holy Eucharist, and it was expressed that this tenet of the Church needs to be reinvigorated. Many also expressed the need for powerful homilies during Mass, explaining that a good homily can provide inspiration for the week ahead. Some put forth the idea that priests ought to marry, as this may spark more interest in the vocation among young men. Others expressed a concern that this would present a dilemma for priests, as they are already married to the Church. Some suggested that women play more of a role in the Mass, and the Church in general, raising the question of women as deacons, or even priests. Many pointed out that women already play a large role in the Church, leading many ministries.
There was concern expressed about several groups who likely feel marginalized by the Church, including women. Other groups identified as possibly being marginalized by the Church included those who identify as LGBT, those who are divorced, those who work full-time, and those who are not necessarily part of any well-established “group” or “clique” in their local parish. It was suggested, for example, that the process for welcoming divorced Catholics back to the Church be made clearer, and that there be more convenient daily Mass times for working people.
Although some felt those living in poverty were marginalized by the Church, the majority felt that the Catholic Church does a good job helping the poor, mentioning Catholic Charities and the fact that the Catholic Church is the largest private social service organization in the country.
The need to reach and engage young people was identified, with many feeling that young people drift away from the Church sometime between the Sacrament of Confirmation and the Sacrament of Marriage. Many felt that young people do not come back until it is time to baptize their own children, and then it may be too late to get them back.
There was a repeated call for continued and increased transparency in the Church, especially as it relates to sexual abuse and the wounds of the past.
Of interest, the U.S. Synthesis also had many of the same findings the Diocese found in its sessions/feedback and many of the same things emerged worldwide.
The Vatican recently published a document that highlights the results of the Synod worldwide and will guide the next stage of discussions in the Synod on Synodality.
The working document, titled “Enlarge the space of your tent,” covers issues across a broad spectrum, from the clergy sexual abuse crisis to Christian unity. The text calls for “a Church capable of radical inclusion” and says that many Synod reports from around the world raised questions about the inclusion and role of women, young people, the poor, people identifying as LGBTQ, and the divorced and remarried.
The 44-page working document is officially called the DCS (Document for the Continental Stage). It summarizes the reports shared with the Vatican by bishops’ conferences, religious congregations, departments of the Roman Curia, lay movements, and other groups and individuals.
Published on Oct. 27, the document aims to be “the privileged instrument through which the dialogue of the local Churches among themselves and with the universal Church can take place during the Continental Stage.”
Catholic News Service provided information for this report.
Inquirers must be Catholics in good standing and fully initiated into the faith for at least five years. If married, there must be evidence of a stable marriage for at least five years and the wife of an applicant must be willing to support her husband in this endeavor and to participate in a formation weekend program for at least the first two years. Single men must understand that deacons remain celibate following ordination.
To help ease the burden of the planning process, the Catholic Community Foundation of Southwest Florida has made available a free Personal Estate Planning Record Book. This record book is intended to help collect and organize important information and to serve as a valuable tool for your estate planner and loved ones. By being prepared, you will save both time and money. You will also simplify the process for those you love when they need to access your important life documents.
Bishop Frank J. Dewane presided over the Admission to Candidacy of 14 seminarians at Pope St. John XXIII Seminary, in Weston, Massachusetts, on Oct. 26, 2022. Among those admitted to candidacy was Diocese of Venice Seminarian Carlos Galeso. Each of the seminarians have been approved by their respective Bishops and will continue in their studies to become Catholic priests. Each man publicly expressed his intention to complete his preparation for Holy Orders and his resolve to fully invest himself to that calling.
The Incarnation Catholic School middle schoolers took part in a Science Fair in Sarasota on Oct. 28, 2022. The students did an amazing job impressing the judges, teachers and each other. Each student, or team, did various experiments and documented their results, including the purpose of the project, a hypothesis, materials and procedures to conduct the experiment, data collected and the results. This was all displayed, including various graphs and images, to be judged and available for others to learn.
St. Paul Parish in Arcadia celebrated World Mission Sunday, on Oct. 23, 2022, with a procession of children wearing traditional clothing representing the different regions of the world. The children then sat on the steps of the altar while World Mission Sunday was explained. World Mission Sunday is celebrated in all the local Churches as the feast of Catholicity and universal solidarity so Christians the world over will recognize their common responsibility with regard to the evangelization of the world.
St. Isabel Parish, which is located on a high point toward the east side of the island, had major damage. The church and parish hall are intact but had extensive water damage. Unfortunately, the Parish rectory was not so lucky. There is extensive damage with holes in the roof, as well as impacts from the surge which filled the entire building.
Father Martin said he expects to either set up a tent outside for Mass in the coming weeks, or that the hall can be repaired quickly to accommodate the Liturgy.
One of the reasons the damage wasn’t worse was attributed to the fact that the church had a major renovation and upgrade after Hurricane Charley ripped the roof off in 2004. A similar upgrade took place in the Parish Hall in 2016. All this held back the worst of the winds and most of the water.
Fortunately, Our Lady of Miraculous Medal Parish in Bokeelia was spared the surge and catastrophic damage. While the church and Parish Hall had damaged tiles and some water inside both buildings, the Parish chapel and education building suffered the most severe impacts. The chapel, which was the original church, had an air conditioning unit torn out, exposing the building to heavy rain which damaged the interior.
“The church is a place of reflection and comfort,” said Mary Davis, whose roof was partially torn off. “I feel so happy to be here and to see that the church is here and not badly damaged. It’s going to be okay. God was with us.”
About a third of those seeking help were regulars before the storm, the rest are those in dire situations after. Donated items that have been dispersed beyond food and water include air mattresses, sheets, pillows, diapers, tarps, blankets, fans and cleaning supplies of all sorts.
The Gospel reading for the 30th Sunday of Ordinary Time, Luke 18: 9-14, the parable of the tax collector and the Pharisee, was appropriate for those recovering from Ian, Father Mazur explained.
Many of these generators were distributed by Catholic Charities to families who suffered catastrophic damage from the hurricane in some of the hardest hit areas of the Diocese including Fort Myers Beach, Pine Island, Estero, Fort Myers, Cape Coral and beyond.
Olivia was impressed by the technology that comes in the compact-sized generators and how a few solar panels, laid out in the yard, will charge to full capacity in about two hours. “That is amazing. It is perfect for what we needed in the days after the storm when you can’t find gas anywhere.”
Eddie Gloria, Catholic Charities CEO, said the organization has been at the forefront of the disaster response and said he is thrilled to have this generous and much-needed help from Geneverse.
The final score of the hard-fought game was irrelevant as the two schools put aside their rivalry and came together in the wake of the devastating impacts of Hurricane Ian. The Fort Myers region was hard hit by Ian and many students, staff and faculty lost their homes. The Sarasota area did not have near as much damage, but impacts were felt, and the homes of several families were badly impacted.
This gesture did not go unnoticed. Just prior to the opening kick-off, the entire Verot football team and cheer squad, accompanied by their coaches, crossed the field carrying a banner which read “Thank You for Supporting our Bishop Verot Community.” The banner included the school logos as well as the signatures and individual “Thank you” messages from each player, cheerleader, coach and support staff.
This act of Christian character and class brought a roar of approval from the Mooney grandstands as the banner was brought forward and the two head coaches shook hands. As a Cardinal Mooney social media post after the game stated: “Sometimes it is so much more than football.”
Debris removal at Ascension Parish and the San Damiano Monastery of Saint Clare on Fort Myers Beach is well underway. The property was inundated with more than 12 feet of storm surge from Hurricane Ian on Sept. 28, 2022.
The property has no power or running water, so contractors brought their own generators to run some equipment. Additionally, crews are actively removing the remains of nine houses which littered the property after being pushed by the surge. The clearing of this debris will allow better access to the property which has been limited.
Furry friends are making special visits to the three Diocese of Venice Catholic Schools in Lee County following Hurricane Ian. The therapy dogs are visiting St. Andrew Catholic School in Cape Coral, St. Francis Xavier Catholic School in Fort Myers, as well as Bishop Verot Catholic High School, also in Fort Myers.
The first visit was to Bishop Verot on Oct. 19, 2022, where the dogs were brought to the school courtyard where students were able to pet and hug the dogs to their hearts content. These dogs also visited the elementary schools and are returning several days a week to ensure each student has time with the dogs.
Members of the St. John Neumann Catholic High School Key Club joined students from other Naples-area schools to package 50,000 meals with the group Meals of Hope on Oct. 22, 2022. Typically, these packaged meals would be sent off to needy countries around the world, but because of the impact of Hurricane Ian, the food will remain in Collier County to help victims of the hurricane. The Key Club at Neumann is a service club which participates in a variety of projects helping people in need throughout the community.
Catholic Charities, Diocese of Venice, Inc. is now providing water, ready-to-eat meals, baby items, hygiene kits, tarps, and other essential supplies for distribution in the parking lot behind the Ministry Center of St. Charles Borromeo Parish, 21505 Augusta Ave., Port Charlotte. The disaster distribution point opened on Oct. 19, 2022, and is open 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Monday to Saturday, in the parking lot behind the Parish school, at Augusta Avenue and Gates Avenue. Catholic Charities is currently operating six disaster distribution sites, down from a peak of 10 in the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Ian. The locations change as the needs of the community and the response transitions to more of a recovery mode in different areas.
More than 100 couples took part in this event which was intended to allow couples to grow together in holiness, learn to form their children in the Catholic Faith, enjoy a day of quality time with their spouse, and witness dynamic presentations.
