More than 500 FOCUS (Fellowship of Catholic University Students) missionaries and staff were commissioned to serve the Church during the coming year during a ceremony presided over by Bishop Frank J. Dewane
The commissioning was part of the annual FOCUS New Staff Training which took place at Ave Maria University. Bishop Dewane celebrated Mass for the group on June 10, 2021.
The Gospel reading for the Mass was from the conversion of the Apostle Matthew, which Bishop Dewane said was apt as it is the moment when Jesus summons Matthew and says, rise up and “Follow me!”
“Matthew becomes a new man by rising in response to the Lord,” the Bishop continued. “I pray each one of you has taken the opportunity in deciding to be a missionary by rising up to the expectation God has for you. You have to go out and decide the type of missionary you are going to be and then live that response by going forward as a new creation in the Body of Christ.”
Father John Lager, OFM Cap. and FOCUS National Chaplain, said the missionaries are being sent to preach the Gospel and make disciples for Jesus Christ accompanied by the prayers of the faithful.
As part of the commissioning, Father Lager first called each missionary to stand by naming the Dioceses in which they will serve. Next, Father read out the colleges and universities to which the missionaries are assigned.
“All missionaries and staff will accept the official teachings of the Holy Father on matters of faith and morals and the Pope’s authority as the head of the Catholic Church. As a positive expression of Catholic character, a public Profession of Faith and Oath of Fidelity is part of our service.”
Following the Profession of Faith and Oath of Fidelity by the missionaries, Bishop Dewane gave the group a final blessing noting how the Lord sent His Apostles to proclaim the Gospel to all peoples. FOCUS is now sending forth new messengers of salvation and peace, marked with the sign of the cross.
Following the commissioning, Bishop Dewane blessed special crosses which were given to each FOCUS member identifying them as a missionary.
Father Lager concluded by noting that the missionaries are now in the hands of the Lord and urged them to “be zealous, be bold, be Jesus to others.”
Bishop Dewane concluded the Mass by thanking the missionaries for their “generous yes. You are a beautiful sight. You are in my prayers as you go forward remembering to continue to hear that voice of Christ in your life.”
FOCUS is a Catholic apostolate whose mission is to share the hope and joy of the Gospel. FOCUS missionaries encounter people in friendship, inviting them into a personal relationship with Christ and accompanying them as they pursue lives of virtue and excellence. Through Bible studies, outreach events, mission trips and discipleship, missionaries inspire and build up others in the faith, sending them out to live out lifelong Catholic mission wherever they are. Each year some 800 FOCUS missionaries serve on more than 150 campuses across the U.S. and Europe, as well as seven parishes for good measure.
The opening of Mass on the Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion, begins with the Procession with Palms and a reading of the Gospel of Mark (11:1-10), describing the scene of the entrance of Jesus into Jerusalem days before He was put to death and resurrected . This opening is followed by the blessing of the palms and marks the start of Holy Week with the Easter Triduum beginning at sunset on Holy Thursday and continuing until the Great Easter Vigil.
Bishop Frank J. Dewane celebrated Mass on the Vigil of Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion, March 27, 2021, for the students and faculty of Ave Maria University. Following Mass was a community celebration of the Feast Day of the University, the Annunciation of Our Lord, moved from March 25 to the weekend to allow everyone to participate. The outdoor festivities included a barbeque dinner as well as musical entertainment.
Mass was celebrated outdoors on the Academic Mall in front of the Thomas & Shelby Prince Building, home of the St. Mother Teresa Museum, on the Feast of St. Bartholomew, an original Apostle who was brought to Jesus by the Apostle St. Philip.
The students must also follow the example of St. Philip by inviting their friends to meet the Lord by attending Mass. “We are all called to be evangelists. We do this by the example in how we live your lives in celebration of Our Savior.”
Ice comes to the University with a deep passion for Catholic, liberal arts education, many years of experience as an executive in the corporate and private sectors as well as Catholic non-profit organizations, with an impressive background of fundraising in Catholic higher education at Franciscan University of Steubenville. He currently serves as chief executive officer of Catholic Charities of Kansas City-St. Joseph (Missouri), a position he has held since 2017. Ice and his wife, Mary, are parents of seven children ages 10 to 29, and grandparents of one.
On May 2, the staff of the Diocese of Venice Catholic Center gathered for a May Crowning ceremony led by Bishop Frank J. Dewane. The ceremony included a few songs and a Litany to Our Lady. In the Catholic tradition, May is devoted to Our Lady and many Diocesan parishes and a retreat center are dedicated to Mary.
On April 29, the Cape Coral Chamber of Commerce Excellence in Education Awards ceremony took place at the Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre in Fort Myers. The chamber recognized educators and students in 30 Cape Coral elementary, middle and high schools. St. Andrew Catholic School Art teacher, Diana Villadolid, and eighth grader, Jackalyn Flynn, were honored for excellence as educator and student. Villadolid has taught Art at St. Andrew for 15 years. She facilitates the students’ participation in community art events such as those sponsored by the Alliance of the Arts and the Edison Ford Estate. She also serves as the school’s Marketing Director. Jackalyn Flynn will be graduating from St. Andrew Catholic School in May and has won awards for tennis (Cape Coral Parks and Recreation-First Place), soccer (SACS First Place team), art (Alliance of the Arts), and a three-time Sunshine State Luncheon attendee for achieving top levels in reading. She plans to attend Bishop Verot High School. She would enjoy becoming a writer or story editor someday.
Bishop Frank J. Dewane celebrated the Baccalaureate Mass for the Ave Maria University graduating class on May 3 in Ave Maria. The Bishop encourages the graduates to carry Christ with them always beyond college and into the next phase in their lives. Having the Lord by their side will give them the strength to overcome any obstacle they may face in the future.
