birthday Archives - Diocese of Venice

Diocese wishes Pope Leo XIV Happy 70th birthday

Posted on September 22, 2025 by Bob Reddy

The response to a call to participate and pray for Pope Leo XIV on the occasion of his 70th birthday, Sept. 14, 2025, was abundantly joyful.

Diocese of Venice participated as a group in a worldwide effort to generate an outpouring of prayer for Pope Leo with 2,376 praying offerings sent to the Vatican. This effort started as a partnership with OSV News and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, the Pontifical Mission Societies, Relevant Radio and others to create a spiritual birthday bouquet for the Holy Father. The Spiritual Bouquet, called “Pizza and Prayer,” was made up of a variety of prayer options from a full novena, to a Holy Hour, to a rosary.

Included among 2,376 prayer offerings sent to the Vatican for our new Pope on behalf of the Diocese of Venice, were 589 Masses, 735 Rosaries, 459 Chaplets of the Divine Mercy, 127 Novenas, 224 Liturgy of the Hours, 242 Holy Hours, and hundreds of other prayers and intentions, including dozens of well wishes for the Holy Father from Diocese of Venice families.

“There were prayers and other offerings from both young and old alike, including 4th and 5th grade classes, middle school classes, high school classes, OCIA classes, and even an entire college fraternity, who attended 40 Masses, prayed 41 Rosaries, 25 Chaplets of Divine Mercy, 41 Liturgy of the Hours and 41 Holy Hours,” said Karen Barry Schwarz, Diocesan Director of Communications. “Thank you, everyone, for being part of the Spiritual Bouquet from the Diocese of Venice, and for being part of the Diocese! You are the Church! God Bless Pope Leo! P.S. Just about everyone said they’ll be having pizza in the Holy Father’s honor on his brithday!”

A thank you goes out to all who participated in the Diocese’s Spiritual Bouquet for Pope Leo’s birthday.

Faithful from Diocese send Pope Leo birthday wishes

Posted on September 12, 2025 by Bob Reddy

The Diocese of Venice is participating as a group in a worldwide effort to generate an outpouring of prayer for Pope Leo XIV on the occasion of his milestone 70^th birthday, and his first birthday as Pope, celebrated Sept. 14, 2025.

OSV News has partnered with the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, the Pontifical Mission Societies, Relevant Radio and others to create a spiritual birthday bouquet for the Holy Father. The Spiritual Bouquet, called “Pizza and Prayer,” is made up of a variety of prayer options from a full novena, to a Holy Hour, to a rosary.

“Each prayer effort will be noted, collated, and sent to the Holy Father,” explained Karen Barry Schwarz, Diocesan Communications Director. “The Diocese will be submitting offers as a group, and we’d love for everyone to be a part of it!”

To have your prayer offerings included, please submit your prayers by 5 p.m., Friday, Sept. 12, at https://dioceseofvenice.org/spiritual-bouquet-for-pope-leo/.

As for the pizza part of the “Pizza and Prayer,” the faithful are encouraged to pray together and then grab a slice of pizza in honor of one of Pope Leo’s favorite treats.

Through Sept. 11, more than 380 had already submitted their intention to pray for Pope Leo. Several Diocese of Venice Catholic School classrooms also submitted their intentions to participate, with the St. Mary Academy in Sarasota noting that the middle school classes are excited to offer a Divine Mercy Chaplet.

The following are a few of the comments shared with the prayer intentions:

“Happy Birthday Pope Leo! I feel honored and blessed that we share the same birthday!”
“Happy Birthday Pope Leo XIV! Our family hopes you have a very special and happy day as you turn 70. Many blessings and a prayer for good health as you guide our church in the years to come. We will have pizza in your honor. God Bless!”
“You are in my thoughts and prayers. I know you carry a heavy burden. I pray that Our Lord and Our Mother Mary may lighten your load. Thank you for your “yes” to be our Holy Father. I love you and you’re doing a great job. May you be blessed in all that you do.”

Happy Birthday Bishop Dewane

Posted on March 14, 2025March 14, 2025 by Bob Reddy

To mark the 75^th birthday of Bishop Frank J. Dewane, the staff of the Catholic Center in Venice gathered for a celebratory luncheon at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Retreat Center in Venice on March 12, 2025. Bishop Dewane turned 75 on March 9.

Bishop Dewane reflected that his 75^th birthday was a good number to reach and that he feels blessed by God for reaching this milestone. He also noted that he is grateful to have received many birthday greetings from family and friends.

During the luncheon, several speakers spoke about their time in service under Bishop Dewane. Speakers included Diocesan Vicar General, Msgr. Stephen E. McNamara; Chancellor, Dr. Volodymyr Smeryk, Communications Director, Karen Barry Schwarz; Catholic Charities, Diocese of Venice, Inc. CEO, Stephen Root; and Catholic Community Foundation of Southwest Florida, Inc. Executive Director, Michael Morse.

Born and raised in Denmark, Wisconsin, a farming community near Green Bay, Bishop Dewane was ordained to the priesthood on July 16, 1988, for the Diocese of Green Bay. He served as a priest in the Diocese until 1991 when he was appointed to serve as a member of the Permanent Observer Mission of the Holy See to the United Nations in New York City, during which time he represented the Holy See at several international conferences. In 1995, he was transferred to the Pontifical Council “Cor Unum,” and was later appointed Under Secretary of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace.

On April 25, 2006, Pope Benedict XVI named Bishop Dewane Coadjutor Bishop of the Diocese of Venice in Florida, and on January 19, 2007, Bishop Dewane was installed in his current role as the Bishop of the Diocese.

Bishop Dewane serves on several committees at the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and is a member of the Board of Directors of the Franciscan Foundation for the Holy Land.

Happy 75^th Birthday Bishop Dewane!