Bishop celebrates Mass for students in Venice, Ave Maria and Sarasota
Bishop Frank J. Dewane recently celebrated Mass for students at three Diocesan Catholic schools, visiting Epiphany Cathedral Catholic School on Sept. 14, 2023, Dohue Academy of Ave Maria Catholic School in Ave Maria on Sept. 18, and Cardinal Mooney Catholic High School in Sarasota, Sept. 19. Bishop Dewane continues to be impressed by the increased enrollment at each of the schools as the students’ filled churches, auditoriums, and gymnasiums. The Bishop is also continuing to invoke the Holy Spirit to descend upon the students as they go forth into the 2023-2024 Academic Year. When eighth graders are present, Bishop Dewane takes time to speak to this group, offering words of encouragement and taking questions. At Ave Maria Catholic School, the Bishop visited a few classrooms and spoke to students, while also inspecting the results of a recently completed expansion project.
Mass celebrated to honor first responders
Our Lady of Light Parish in Fort Myers hosted a Blue Mass on Sept. 16, 2023, to honor all first responders for their sacrifice and service to the community. Among those honored were law enforcement officers, firefighters, paramedics, emergency managers, and more. The opening ceremony, prior to the Mass, included music from the Guns & Hoses Pipes & Drums of Southwest Florida, a Lee County Sheriff’s Office Color Guard, and the singing of the National Anthem. Also present was the Knights of Columbus Honor Guard and members of the Knights on Bikes. This Mass takes place annually and occurs as close to Sept. 11 as is practical, being an appropriate moment to honor first responders. At the conclusion of the Mass, medals and rosaries were blessed. For the firefighters and paramedics present, there were St. Florian medals and red rosaries, while St. Michael the Archangel medals and blue rosaries were given to law enforcement officers. A reception followed in the Parish Hall.
Prospective students visit high school
Eighth grade students at St. Francis Xavier Catholic School in Fort Myers had fun during a visit to Bishop Verot Catholic High School on Sept. 14, 2023. Students who were interested in going to Bishop Verot next year had the opportunity to see what a day is like being a Viking. Students were able to sit in on a class, see campus by way of a scavenger hunt (led by some freshmen students from St. Francis), get a first-hand look at what being a student at Verot is really like. All of that was topped off with pizza for lunch.
Mooney athlete clocks fast time
Addison Dempsey, a senior at Cardinal Mooney Catholic High School in Sarasota, clocked the fastest time in the state of Florida for this cross-country season, so far, with her third-place finishing time of 17:38 at the Adidas XC Challenge on Sept. 16, 2023, in Cary, North Carolina. Considered one of the top distance runners in Florida, as a junior, Addison took the silver medal in the November 2022 Class 2A girls Florida High School Athletic Association Cross Country State Championship in Tallahassee.
Scientific method taught in Naples classroom
The students who attend Diocese of Venice Catholic schools are ensured of a well-rounded education where they have the opportunity to mix science experiments with lessons on the faith and the virtues. At St. Elizabeth Seton Catholic School in Naples, eighth graders learned to use the scientific method to gain knowledge by designing fun experiments in class on Sept. 18, 2023. The students investigated how different brands of soap make bubbles with larger diameters. Catholic schools offer a comprehensive STREAM (science, technology, religion, engineering, art and math) learning model which is combined with the Diocesan curriculum called, “The Gifts of Christ: Truth, Beauty, Goodness, Affability, Fortitude, Humility, and Prudence,” creating students equipped to succeed in the world of today.
Service club makes impact on community
Members of the St. John Neumann Catholic High School Key Club took time out of their busy schedules on Sept. 16, 2023, to volunteer their time packing food for Meals of Hope in Naples. The 47 students packed 12,096 healthy meals that will make a real impact on the life of many people. Key Club moderator Susan Cavness organized the project, and the participation reflected the willingness of the students to improve the world.
