Kaya Meadows, Epiphany Cathedral, Special to the Florida Catholic
Epiphany Cathedral in Venice hosted a party in celebration of the second shepherd of the Diocese of Venice, Bishop Emeritus Frank J. Dewane, on Saturday, July 25, 2026. The event in Bishop Dewane’s honor was organized to recognize and celebrate His Excellency’s retirement, and his dedication to the Catholic Church, the Diocese of Venice, and Epiphany Cathedral for the past two decades. The event was held at Pelican Pointe Gold and Country Club in Venice on the 20th anniversary of the Bishop’s episcopal ordination.
Bishop Dewane opened the reception, addressing more than 300 parishioners by saying, “We, the clergy, have done a lot over the past 20 years but none of this would have been possible without you, the church, the heart and hands of the diocese.”
Msgr. Patrick Dubois, Epiphany Cathedral rector, thanked Bishope Dewane for his years of faithful service as leader of the diocese. Msgr. Dubois also noted that Bishop Dewane has helped to physically reshape the cathedral through the reconstruction project which is set to be completed by Thanksgiving.
As the hundreds of Epiphany Cathedral parishioners in attendance lined up to offer their best regards to Bishop Dewane, parishioner Vee Chiulli recalled her 40 years attending daily Mass and getting to know Bishop Dewane. “Naturally, I loved him for 20 years,” says Chiulli. “I’ve watched him grow up.”
Just as he has done so many times outside Epiphany Cathedral after celebrating Mass, Bishop Dewane stood and spoke to every person who came to wish him well. The Bishop seemed moved by the outpouring of affection from the parishioners and thanked Epiphany Cathedral for being his home church.
Current Resurrection Choir members and Arimetheans, Gerry Gosselin and Nancy Whitmore spoke of their part in Bishop Dewane’s 2006 ordination in the choir. “126 diocesan choir members sang at his ordination, and we were two of them!” said Whitmore.
Whitmore also spoke of the time her husband was in the hospital, and Bishop Dewane came to visit. “I get goosebumps thinking about it,” she said detailing her call to the diocese asking for Bishop Dewane to come see her husband. Whitmore received a call later that night from her husband who said, “you will never believe who came to visit me.”
Throughout his time as bishop of the Diocese of Venice, Bishop Dewane touched countless lives and celebrated many important Masses at Epiphany Cathedral, such as the ordinations of priests and deacons, as well as the annual Chrism Mass, where the sacred sacramental oils are blessed and consecrated for use by all parishes for the next year, and where all priests gather to renew their priestly vows.
Epiphany Cathedral is “the seat of the bishop.” The word cathedral originates from the word cathedra, (from Latin for “seat”), which is home to the bishop’s official chair. This chair symbolizes the bishop’s teaching authority, pastoral office, and leadership over the local diocese.
