A new leadership program created for teenagers who serve the Church got off to a strong start with its first gathering on April 28, 2022, at Epiphany Cathedral in Venice.
Eager teens learned about the new “Young Catholic Leaders” program, which is a post-Confirmation Religious Education course for teenagers who have been confirmed and want to continue the learning about Catholic Identity. The first meeting was just the beginning of a journey, as these teens will meet several times a year and discuss some of the bigger questions facing young people today.
“The idea is to be gathering young people together to learn about the Catholic Faith, beyond what they already know,” said program organizer Anne Chrzan, Diocesan Director of Religious Education “Then they will learn how to share that newfound knowledge with other people.”
At this introductory session, each of the teens was invited by various religious educators at the Parish-level having been identified as potential future leaders within the Church. Each student has been asked to have a Catholic mentor – someone who is fully initiated, participates in weekly Mass, daily prayer, and service to the community. The teens also learned about a newly online course, developed specifically for them, which includes five lessons on discernment, reflective prayer, spiritual gifts and leadership.
Chrzan said the “Young Catholic Leaders” program is dedicated to Blessed Carlos Acutis who was a young Catholic leader who had a strong devotion to the Eucharist. He died of leukemia at the age of 20.
“All of us are asked to emulate saints and work toward holiness,” Chrzan said. “Having a young man as a role model who is in the process of becoming a saint gives the ‘Young Catholic Leaders’ someone to honor, pray to and ask for intercessions.”
The group also heard from Jimmy Mitchell, Campus Minister from Tampa Catholic High School, who shared his experiences of ministering to teenagers, many of whom never knew the Catholic Faith.
Mitchell shared his own journey of discovering the Catholic Faith and explained how the teens each need to learn what the Lord is calling them to do in their lives.
“Each of us, in our own unique circumstances, have the opportunity to be a modern Apostle,” Mitchell said. “But you have to be people of prayer. If you don’t pray, you don’t have Christ. That is non-negotiable. From there, you have to know and love the Faith, and you have to be able to defend it. This can be done with a prayer life, because when you have a prayer life and also a habit of study your head and your heart will start to collide, or better yet work together – that’s what the world needs – Apostles whose heads and hearts are alive fully formed and on fire.”
Mitchell cited the key marks of a modern-day Apostle: prayer, study, integrity, joy, zeal, humility, reliability, obedience, normalcy, beauty.
“God is calling you to be saints in our times,” Mitchell added. “To achieve this, the resolution you can make right now, is that you will advance your prayer life and let that zeal and love for the Lord take you to another level.”
The “Young Catholic Leaders” will have four regional gatherings throughout the year centered on being a Catholic teenager in today’s secular world, Chrzan explained.
Additional Diocesan-wide quarterly meetings will consist of Catholic leadership development, addressing the following topics:
- What is Faith? How do I know if God exists?
- How can I remain a Catholic when I leave home and start college or a career?
- Philanthropy – The Catholic Church and the mission to help the poor. Learn about Catholic Charities and our responsibilities as Catholics to help the Church.
- Vocations: What does having a calling mean to me and my friends?
Just for attending the introductory meeting, the teens were each given a gift bag, which included a backpack with the “Young Catholic Leaders” logo, as well as a water bottle, a rosary, a how to pray card, a St. Benedict bracelet (rosary on the wrist), a journal book, and a stress ball with the inscription: “With God, all things are possible!”
Chrzan explained that the goal is to have the leaders understand that they are not just part of a Parish-based group, but part of a Diocesan-wide initiative and their service to the Church will reach far beyond what they have done in the past.
The inaugural “Young Catholic Leaders” meeting for the southern part of the Diocese will be in early June at St. Agnes Parish in Naples. For more information about the coming meeting or becoming a “Young Catholic Leader,” contact Anne Chrzan at 941-484-9543 or chrzan@dioceseofvenice.org.
The Golden Rose Awards were presented during an April 30, 2022, luncheon at Epiphany Cathedral in Venice. The Golden Rose Award seeks to recognize the basic tenets of the Council of Catholic Women – spirituality, leadership and service.
“We recognize those girls who exhibit outstanding qualities in spirituality, leadership ability, while also completing a meaningful service project,” Weiss said. “We received a great response and are proud to honor these young ladies with the Golden Rose Award.”
The St. Andrew Catholic School Veggie Races capped off STREAM Night on April 28, 2022, in Cape Coral. The night included a variety of STREAM (Science, Technology, Religion, Engineering, Arts, Math) demonstrations throughout the schools. The highlight was the end of the evening Veggie Races. These races pit students against each other with racecars designed exclusive with vegetables – with a few skewers to hold everything together. The track was an inclined ramp with parallel lanes for the two competitors. The goal was to first get to the bottom without the racecar falling apart and then going as far as possible down the track. A great time was had by all as the students had use creativity and practicality to create a successful racecar.
Third graders at St. Catherine Catholic School in Sebring made pinecone birdseed feeders as part of a project to their Plants and Animals Science Unit on April 29, 2022. The patron saint of animals, St. Francis of Assisi, built bonds of love with all of the kinds of creatures in the animal kingdom. However, St. Francis had a special relationship with birds, who often followed him around and rested on his shoulders, arms, or hands as he prayed or walked around outside.
On April 30th, the middle school boys and girls track teams at Donahue Catholic Academy of Ave Maria Parish in Ave Maria, competed at their conference championships on April 30, 2022, and both teams came home Champions. Way to go teams!
Dedicated by St. John Paul II, Divine Mercy Sunday honors St. Faustina’s vision of Jesus Christ – His message of love and peace for the world. For many in the Diocese of Venice, the Feast of Divine Mercy takes on a powerful meaning when they participate in a private or public prayer called the Chaplet of Divine Mercy.
St. Faustina wrote in her diary what Jesus told her: “I desire that the Feast of Mercy be a refuge and shelter for all souls but especially for poor sinners. I pour out a whole ocean of graces upon these souls who approach the fount of My Mercy… let no soul fear to draw near to Me, even though its sins be many.”
At St. William Parish in Naples, Divine Mercy Sunday included the traditional afternoon prayer service. This opened with a procession with the Color Corps of the Knights of Columbus followed by children and adults who placed red and white flowers before the image, then the image was blessed with holy water. Next, was an Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, a reflection from Father Steven Clemente, a recitation of the Divine Mercy Litany, and singing of the Divine Mercy Chaplet. The prayer service concluded with a veneration of the image of Divine Mercy. A large painting of the Divine Mercy image, created in 2019 for the Parish by Rosalie Polivika Ramstead, was on display during the prayer service.
During the prayer service at St. William Parish several reflections and passages from the diary of St. Faustina were read. At the conclusion, the faithful were invited to come forward and pray before the image of Divine Mercy.
Citing Pope Francis, who said the sins of clerical abuse of minors has a toxic effect on Faith and hope in God, Msgr. Dubois said some have maintained their Faith “while for others the experience of betrayal and abandonment has led to a weakening of Faith in God. It is the great miracle of hope which prevails against the deepest darkness that can be present in our lives. Our loving Lord is forever on the side of all who suffer, of all the victims – particularly the defenseless and abused child – bringing healing to so much pain and hurt.”
These women are represented by the Venice Diocese Council of Catholic Women (VDCCW) serving as an example of a heartfelt commitment to serve the Church while dedicating themselves to being open to the Holy Spirit.
Bishop Dewane praised the VDCCW for coming together and giving witness to the Faith by how they are believers and followers of Jesus Christ who are called forth to reach out to others.
VDCCW acts through its membership to support, empower, and educate all Catholic women in spirituality, leadership and service. Council programs exude Gospel values and serve the needs of the Church and society in the modern world. To exemplify this, the VDCCW is a strong supporter of the Diocesan seminarians and again presented a check to Bishop Dewane for the Diocesan Seminarian Fund.
The afternoon keynote was presented by Tessie O’Day, Relationship Development Manager for Cross Catholic Outreach, on the work of her organization as it works to provide support (including food, water and shelter) for the needy around the world. The organization has recently focused much of its effort supporting refugees from the war in the Ukraine, which is being coordinated through the Vatican. O’Dea also spoke about the continuing success of the Boxes of Joy program which include toys, clothing, school supplies, a rosary and the story of Jesus. Jeanne Berdeaux, Diocese of Venice Respect Life Director, was presented with the VDCCW Our Lady of Good Counsel Award, which goes to recipients for their lengthy service in support of the CCW.
Just in time for Easter, the youth made more than 100 lunch bags that were distributed to the homeless in the area. This outreach is part of a new service club which has been included in the ongoing religious education classes.
Previously, the youth worked on other service projects. These included supporting the Eucharistic Ministers who visit the hospital by making get well cards for the sick they visit. The club also colored placemats (and laminated them) for the Knights of Columbus Thanksgiving Dinner which is offered annually for those in need or alone.
Father Russell Ruggiero died at his home in Lakewood Ranch on April 18, 2022, at the age of 59. Father Ruggiero was ordained to the priesthood on May 29, 2010, at Epiphany Cathedral in Venice. He served as Parochial Vicar at Ss. Peter and Paul the Apostles Parish in Bradenton, San Marco Parish in Marco Island, and St. John XXIII Parish in Fort Myers. Father served as Administrator of St. Elizabeth Seton Parish from Jan. 8, 2017 to Oct. 19, 2018 before taking a leave of absence. A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on April 25 at Ss. Peter and Paul the Apostles Parish. Father Mark Heuberger, Pastor of Ss. Peter and Paul was the main celebrant with Bishop Frank J. Dewane in attendance. Please pray for the repose of the soul of Father Ruggiero and the consolation of his family. May his soul and the souls of all the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in eternal peace.
A MDS (Matrimonio, Diálogo y Seguimiento – Matrimony, Dialogue and Follow-Up) Wedding Retreat took place at Campo San Jose Retreat Center in Lake Placid on April 22-24, 2022. MDS, a Catholic-based Spanish-language enrichment program directed to all married couples which is designed to improve communication in the conjugal life for the couple. Participating couples are paired with mentor couples to help them daily live out their Sacramental Marriage, accompanied by Jesus. These intensive retreats are offered several times a year and the couples and their mentors have follow-up contact to ensure the lessons have a lasting impact. Father Claudio Stewart, Diocesan Director of the Hispanic Apostolate addressed the retreatants offering encouragement.
The St. Charles Borromeo Catholic School Robotics team from Port Charlotte has been preparing for their very first competition which takes place on May 14 in Fort Myers. These students have been working extremely hard and coming up with different strategies for this upcoming competition against other teams from throughout the Diocese. The students are working hard to build a strong team while developing skills in programming, modeling and design, all needed to ensure a successful competition.
With the assistance from members of the St. Elizabeth Seton Catholic School National Junior Honors Society, students returned from their Easter break on April 19, 2022, to vote on their favorite Sunshine State books. They did this by using real voting machines. Students from all levels, pre-kindergarten-3 through eighth grade, had the opportunity to vote. The machines were programmed to allow the students to choose from the different books. Everyone had fun using the machines while also learning about books and the voting process.
Cardinal Mooney Catholic High School students in Sarasota continued its 10-year partnership with the Miracle League of Manasota by continuing the service outreach on April 23, 2022. The goal of the Miracle League is to provide opportunities for differently-abled children and adults to play baseball. Members of the Mooney club volunteer each weekend, giving back by teaching various skills and being vocal cheerleaders for those who take part in the program.
The annual House Olympics at St. John Neumann Catholic High School in Naples took place on April 22, 2022, with Raley House taking the victory. Teams from each house participate in a variety of fun and games competing for points and ultimately a victory over their fellow competitors. Neumann has four “Houses” which serve as a form of student government, dividing students into different teams. Throughout the year these teams earn points for success in various academic and athletic individual and team competitions. The House Olympics is just one of the latest competitions. The championship team will be announced at the end of the year. This system was implemented to help younger students become more familiar with Neumann as freshman and through the years the older students serve as mentors to their House members.
This celebration comes after the holiest of weeks which began with the entrance of Jesus into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday and included the institution of the Eucharist (Communion) during the Last Supper, Institution of the Sacrament of Holy Orders as well as the betrayal by Judas on Holy Thursday and the suffering and death of Our Lord on Good Friday. The Resurrection on Easter completes the journey for Jesus but it is just the beginning of a new journey of belief and hope for the Faithful, Bishop Frank J. Dewane explained during the Easter Vigil Mass on April 16, 2022, at Epiphany Cathedral in Venice.
The Bishop noted the Gospel reading from the Vigil provides guidance to carry the message of Easter forward. The Gospel of Luke (24:1-12) tells the story of the women who were going to care for the body of Jesus, thought to be deceased, in the Jewish custom and found the stone rolled away from the tomb. The Gospel then reads: “but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were puzzling over this, behold, two men in dazzling garments appeared to them. They were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground. They said to them, ‘Why do you seek the living one among the dead? He is not here, but he has been raised. Remember what he said to you while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be handed over to sinners and be crucified, and rise on the third day.’ And they remembered his words.'”
Bishop Dewane said we all need to look back to Scripture and recall those words, at that moment. “All of us need to ponder the power of the Resurrection in our life. We need to have hope. Yes, we can be afraid at times, but we cannot be deterred. The women who came to the tomb of Jesus were afraid, but they had hope. We must allow the same to happen to us, as with shouts of joy, proclaim the Risen Lord, whose power can roll back the stones – those obstacles to living out a true life of faith in Jesus Christ. This Risen Lord gives us the grace we need to go forward to be the messengers of Christ’s Word – the messenger of the Resurrection of the Lord – Alleluia! Christ is Risen!”
During this Vigil Mass, the faithful hear the story of Salvation proclaimed in numerous Scripture readings first from the Old Testament (Genesis and Exodus) and then from the New Testament. It is also at this time at the Vigil Mass that the Bishop and priests baptize and confirm Catechumens and Candidates. There were 397 women and men who entered fully into the Catholic Church at Parishes throughout the Diocese.
One of these candidates was Samantha Valerie Caballero who received the Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and First Holy Communion from Bishop Dewane at Epiphany Cathedral. Caballero was emotional after becoming fully Catholic. “I feel blessed to have grown close to the Lord, Jesus Christ in my life,” she said afterwards.
The celebration of Easter is not confined to a single day; in fact, throughout the next 50 days the Easter Season is celebrated “in joyful exultation as one Feast Day, or better as one ‘great Sunday.’”
