From his work at the Vatican to frequent trips to Rome, Bishop Frank J. Dewane was blessed to have had the opportunity to meet and interact with four Popes. “It was my good fortune to have met several Holy Fathers. Of course, anytime you are in the presence of a Pontiff, it is a special experience. Often the encounters were quite brief but very meaningful.”
Bishop Dewane’s first encounter with a pontiff was while working at the Vatican for the Pontifical Council “Cor Unum” beginning in 1995. The then-Monsignor often had working lunches with St. John Paul II and the Holy Father would mention the Bishop from Green Bay where Bishop Dewane was ordained to the priesthood.
Later, while working as Under Secretary of the Pontifical Council of Justice and Peace, Bishop Dewane had regular meetings with Pope Benedict XVI. Pope Benedict later appointed Bishop Dewane to the Diocese of Venice. The two later met several times in Rome, at several World Youth Days, and during and Apostolic Journey to the United States in 2008. Each time, Bishop Dewane said he would be recognized by the Holy Father and they would have a brief chat.
When Pope Francis was elected in 2013, Bishop Dewane met the Holy Father during an “ad limina” visit with other Florida Bishops, as well as during a 2015 Apostolic Visit to the U.S., and at World Youth Days. Those meetings were brief, however the Holy Father always asked about what the Diocese was doing for the youth.
Bishop Dewane met with Pope Leo XIV, an American-born Holy Father, in October 2025 while on business in Rome. Again, although the encounter was brief, Bishop Dewane said he was struck by the Chicago accent and did extend an invitation for a visit to the Diocese. The request had a seriousness to it, because Pope Leo’s brother lives in Port Charlotte. The Holy Father explained that his busy schedule would likely not allow it.
