bishop emilio biosca Archives - Page 3 of 3

Bishop Frank J. Dewane’s Statement on the appointment of the new Shepherd for the Diocese

Posted on July 9, 2026 by Bob Reddy

It is with gratitude to His Holiness Pope Leo XIV, that I announce in the Diocese of Venice in Florida, that Our Holy Father, following prayerful discernment is appointing a new Shepherd for the Diocese of Venice in Florida: Bishop-elect Emilio Biosca Agüero, OFM Cap., a priest ordained on May 21, 1994 for the Capuchin Franciscan Province of St. Augustine (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania). Having served in assignments for the Province, both overseas and within the United States, Bishop-elect has for the past seven years been the Pastor at the Shrine of the Sacred Heart Parish in Washington, D.C and has held numerous leadership positions within his Religious Community. Son of an immigrant family with 7 children, Bishop-elect is enthusiastic, with a strong pastoral spirit and particular devotion to the Virgin Mary and to serving the People of God. With all of you, I welcome him to our Diocesan family, which will be greatly blessed by his ministry, and I very much look forward to getting to know him as in just a few days he has shown himself to be a deeply spiritual and exceptional priest.

Our new Bishop is coming to a Diocese that is growing at a rapid pace with families and individuals that evidence a vibrant faith and diverse backgrounds. It has been a great joy for me to have ministered here for the past twenty years. I am pleased and very proud of the Catholic Community of the Diocese, who they are and who they are becoming, by their witness to Christ. This has become possible by the great pastoral care and service that the priests, both Diocesan and Religious, have provided.

In accord with canon law, I submitted my resignation to the Pope over a year ago on my seventy-fifth birthday, and, with the appointment of Bishop-elect Agüero, it is now formally accepted. As I retire, it is my plan to remain in the Diocese of Venice, which has become my home as it has for so many others from the Midwest. I can assure Bishop Emilio that he will not see occasional snowfall, just an occasional hurricane or two.

To the Priests, Deacons, and joy-filled laity, thank you all for being a wonderful family of faith, hope, and love. I look forward to my continued home here assisting the new Bishop pastorally, in any manner I can. I also look forward to more time for prayer, study and travel.

As of today, I am officially the Bishop Emeritus of the Diocese of Venice in Florida and have been appointed its Apostolic Administrator until the day of Bishop-elect Agüero’s ordination which will take place on July 11, 2026.

It is my great privilege to present to you Bishop-elect Emilio Biosca Agüero.

Coat of arms of Bishop Emilio Biosca Agüero, O.F.M. Cap.

Posted on July 9, 2026 by Bob Reddy

Blazon: Per fess Azure and Argent; in chief the arms of the Franciscan Order: upon a Latin cross Sable two arms in saltire, the one to dexter uncovered and the one to sinister habited on the Order of Saint Francis, both hands displaying the Stigmata, all Proper; in base the Sacred Heart of Jesus between and above on the dexter side the Immaculate Heart of Mary and to the sinister the Chaste Heart of Saint Joseph, one and two, all Proper.

Motto: ite ad joseph

Explanation

In the upper portion of the shield, the two crossed arms before a cross represent the bare arm of Jesus Christ crucified, the hand bearing the wound of crucifixion, reminding believers of Christ’s sacrificial love and redemption, and the arm of Saint Francis of Assisi clothed in simplicity, emphasizing poverty, humility, and discipleship. Saint Francis also bears the stigmata, the wounds of Christ, which he received on Mount La Verna in 1224. The cross behind the arms signifies that both Christ and Francis are united through the mystery of the Cross. It reflects the Franciscan desire to follow Christ completely, especially in humility, suffering, and love.

In the lower portion of the shield, the silver background represents transparency, truth, and justice. The Sacred Heart of Jesus symbolizes Christ’s divine love for humanity, self-sacrificing, merciful, and redemptive. It is usually shown aflame, in the passion, pierced, and crowned with thorns. The Immaculate Heart of Mary represents her pure and immaculate love, her obedience to God, and unity with her son’s mission. It is usually depicted pierced by a sword, recalling her sorrow and joy. The Chaste Heart of Saint Joseph signifies the faithful, protective, and self-giving love, marked by chastity, humility, and loving obedience to God’s will. The three hearts together symbolize that the human person is revealed through love and is made for self-gift and communion. It expresses that human love, marriage, and the family is a communion of persons, central to the new evangelization, that truth, goodness, and beauty are united. The red hearts also recall the first Franciscan Missionary Martyrs in 1220. When Saint Francis of Assisi heard of their deaths, he declared, “Now I can truly say that I have five Friars Minor,” recognizing in them the authentic spirit of humility, sacrifice, and evangelical love that he desired for his brothers.

The Bishop’s motto, ITE AD JOSEPH, is from Genesis 41: 55, “Ite ad Ioseph; et quidquid ipse vobis dixerit, facite.” (Go to Joseph; and whatever he says to you, do.” “Vayan a José y hagan lo que él les diga.”)

The coat of arms was devised by Bishop Biosca with advice from Very Rev. George E. Stuart and Georgina Wilkinson.

Official biography of Bishop Emilio Biosca Agüero, O.F.M. Cap.

Posted on July 9, 2026 by Bob Reddy

See below for Spanish

Third Bishop of the Diocese of Venice in Florida

Bishop Emilio Biosca Agüero, O.F.M. Cap., was born December 15, 1964, in Colorado Springs, Colorado, to Emilio Rodolfo Biosca and Maria del Carmen Agüero who were recent immigrants from Cuba. The third of seven children, his two older sisters were born in Cuba. He was baptized on Dec. 25, at St. Patrick’s Church in Pueblo, Colorado.

The family first resided in Pueblo, Colorado, then Kansas City, Missouri, where his father, already a practicing dentist in Cuba, worked and studied, graduating from the University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC) School of Dentistry. The family relocated near relatives in Virginia, where his father opened a practice. Bishop Emilio attended St. Anthony and St. Leo Catholic schools, and then Bishop O’Connell High School.

Bishop Emilio briefly studied at George Mason University then entered the Capuchin Franciscans in 1984 transferring to Borromeo College of Ohio in Wickliffe and earning a B.A. in philosophy in 1987. He made first profession of vows in Pittsburgh on July 16, 1988. He continued Capuchin Formation and theological studies at Oblate College in Washington D.C., making solemn vows on August 17, 1991, and earning an M.A. and M.Div. in theology. He was ordained to the diaconate on May 1, 1993, and served at St. John the Evangelist in Center City Philadelphia.

On May 21, 1994, at the Shrine of the Sacred Heart in Washington, he was ordained to the priesthood by then-Bishop Sean O’Malley, O.F.M. Cap., volunteered and was sent to serve in the Capuchin mission in Papua New Guinea. From 1994 to 2004 he served predominantly the Kewa and Wiri speaking peoples in the Kagua, Ialibu and Pangia areas of the Southern Highlands and became fluent in Melanesian Tok Pisin. During this period, he worked closely with lay leaders and catechists. From 2002-2004 he served as the Director of Novices for the Capuchin Novitiate in Pangia.

In preparation for the mission in Cuba, Bishop Emilio returned to the United States in 2005 and studied at the Pontifical John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and the Family at Catholic University in Washington, earning his STL degree (Licentiate in Sacred Theology), Magna Cum Laude.

In 2007, Bishop Emilio entered Cuba and served there for 12 years. He spent his first year in Havana, then three years as Pastor of La Pastora Parish in Santa Clara, and the last eight years on the eastern side of the country in the Diocese of Bayamo-Manzanillo, where he was Pastor of La Purisima Concepcion de Manzanillo.

Bishop Emilio was appointed Pastor of the Shrine of the Sacred Heart in Washington, DC on March 1, 2019. The Shrine of the Sacred Heart has 5,000 families and is culturally diverse, offering the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass in five languages each weekend (English, Spanish, Haitian Creole, Vietnamese, and Portuguese).

For the Capuchin Franciscans of the Province of St. Augustine, Bishop Emilio was elected as Third Councilor in 2022, and then as Provincial Vicar, First Councilor in 2025. He is fluent in English, Spanish and Melanesian Tok Pisin.

El Obispo Emilio Biosca Agüero, O.F.M. Cap., nació el 15 de diciembre de 1964 en Colorado Springs, Colorado, hijo de Emilio Rodolfo Biosca y María del Carmen Agüero, quienes habían emigrado recientemente de Cuba. Es el tercero de siete hermanos; sus dos hermanas mayores nacieron en Cuba. Fue bautizado el 25 de diciembre en la iglesia de San Patricio, en Pueblo, Colorado.

La familia residió inicialmente en Pueblo, Colorado, y posteriormente en Kansas City, Misuri, donde su padre, quien ya ejercía la odontología en Cuba, trabajó y continuó sus estudios, graduándose en la Facultad de Odontología de la Universidad de Misuri–Kansas City (UMKC). Más tarde, la familia se trasladó a Virginia, cerca de otros familiares, donde su padre abrió su consultorio dental. El Obispo Emilio cursó sus estudios en las escuelas católicas San Antonio y San León, y posteriormente en la Escuela Secundaria Bishop O’Connell.

El Obispo Emilio estudió brevemente en la Universidad George Mason antes de ingresar a los Frailes Menores Capuchinos en 1984. Posteriormente se trasladó al Borromeo College de Ohio, en Wickliffe, donde obtuvo el grado de Licenciado en Filosofía (B.A.) en 1987. Hizo su primera profesión de votos en Pittsburgh el 16 de julio de 1988. Continuó su formación capuchina y sus estudios teológicos en el Oblate College de Washington, D.C. Hizo su profesión solemne el 17 de agosto de 1991 y obtuvo la Maestría en Teología y Maestría en Divinidad. Fue ordenado diácono el 1 de mayo de 1993 y desempeñó su ministerio en la parroquia San Juan Evangelista, en Center City, Filadelfia.

El 21 de mayo de 1994, en el Santuario del Sagrado Corazón de Washington, fue ordenado sacerdote por el entonces obispo Sean O’Malley, O.F.M. Cap. Se ofreció como voluntario para la misión capuchina en Papúa Nueva Guinea, a donde fue enviado. Entre 1994 y 2004 sirvió principalmente a los pueblos de habla kewa y wiri en las regiones de Kagua, Ialibu y Pangia, en la provincia de Southern Highlands, y llegó a dominar con fluidez el tok pisin melanesio. Durante ese período trabajó estrechamente con líderes laicos y catequistas. De 2002 a 2004 fue Director de Novicios del Noviciado Capuchino de Pangia.

Como preparación para la misión en Cuba, el Obispo Emilio regresó a los Estados Unidos en 2005 y realizó estudios en el Instituto Pontificio Juan Pablo II para Estudios sobre el Matrimonio y la Familia de la Universidad Católica de América, en Washington, donde obtuvo la Licenciatura en Sagrada Teología (S.T.L.) con la calificación de Magna Cum Laude.

En 2007, el Obispo Emilio inició su ministerio en Cuba, donde sirvió durante doce años. Pasó su primer año en La Habana; luego fue durante tres años párroco de la parroquia La Pastora, en Santa Clara; y los últimos ocho años ejerció su ministerio en el oriente del país, en la Diócesis de Bayamo-Manzanillo, como párroco de la parroquia La Purísima Concepción de Manzanillo.

El 1 de marzo de 2019, el Obispo Emilio fue nombrado párroco del Santuario del Sagrado Corazón, en Washington, D.C. El Santuario del Sagrado Corazón cuenta con aproximadamente 5,000 familias y se caracteriza por su diversidad cultural, celebrando cada fin de semana el Santo Sacrificio de la Misa en cinco idiomas: inglés, español, criollo haitiano, vietnamita y portugués.

En la Provincia de San Agustín de los Frailes Menores Capuchinos, el Obispo Emilio fue elegido Tercer Consejero Provincial en 2022 y, posteriormente, Vicario Provincial y Primer Consejero en 2025. Habla con fluidez inglés, español y tok pisin melanesio.

Phone call ends legacy of 20 years

Posted on June 26, 2026June 26, 2026 by Bob Reddy

As the retirement of Bishop Frank J. Dewane approaches, he generously offered what it was like to get the call confirming his retirement and beginning the transition for a new Shepherd.

The call

When Bishop Dewane saw that he had a missed call from Cardinal Christophe Pierre, Apostolic Nuncio to the United States, he recalled, “I bet I know what this is about.” When the Bishop and Cardinal Pierre connected, it was indeed news that “the Holy Father (Pope Leo XIV) had accepted my resignation. The nuncio proceeded to give me the name of the new Bishop and asked that I call him to put things in motion for the transition and celebrations surrounding his ordination and installation of the new Bishop.”

Having reached the retirement age of 75 in March 2025, Bishop Dewane reflected that getting the news was not a shock per se, but it did stir in him a time to reflect and pray.

“As a Bishop, we are, in a sense, married to our Diocese and work for a number of years – for me almost 20 – investing a lot of time and of oneself, but then you realize change is good. A change in personnel, a change in the leaders, I think it’s a positive thing for all involved.”

Bishop Dewane said he is not the same person he was when he was appointed to the Diocese of Venice as Co-Adjutor Bishop in 2006.

“It is a natural thing in life to move on,” the Bishop said. “When I left positions before I wasn’t retiring, I was just moving on, so it is a little bit different in that regard.”

The reality of his retirement and acting as Bishop Emeritus and Apostolic Administrator for the Diocese during the transition has helped Bishop Dewane realize that big changes were coming to his life. “There were things you were responsible for, and now you are not. I still had confirmations that had to be done, because they are scheduled, but other events were put aside.”

Talking to the Bishop-elect

Cardinal Pierre provided Bishop Dewane with the contact information for Bishop-elect Emilio Biosca Agüero, O.F.M. Cap., and the two played phone tag before finally connecting.

The initial conversation was an opportunity for the two to get to know a little bit about each other. “He told me a little bit about himself, where he was assigned and how he was part of a religious order.”

Bishop Dewane said the call reminded him of when he was notified that he was going to be the Bishop of the Diocese of Venice in Florida. “I couldn’t help but think back on how I felt at the time I was told about my appointment and where I was going. I remember thinking, ‘I haven’t spent a lot of time in Florida. I don’t know too much about the Diocese. What do I do next?’”

The initial contact between Bishop Dewane and Bishop-elect Biosca mainly focused on setting the announcement date (May 13), and then setting a date for the ordination and installation, as well as where it would take place due to the ongoing reconstruction of Epiphany Cathedral in Venice.

This schedule had to be coordinated with the schedule of the new Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop Gabriele Caccia, as well as with the Bishop consecrators, and Bishop Biosca’s Provincial, Father Robert Marva, O.F.M., Cap.

During Bishop Biosca’s first visit to the Diocese, he stayed at Bishop Dewane’s house behind Cardinal Mooney Catholic High School in Sarasota which allowed the opportunity to talk in a less formal setting. The Diocesan Chancellor, Dr. Volodymyr Smeryk, served as an escort for Bishop Biosca when he went to see the site for the ordination and visited other locations.

Further contact has revolved around the plans for the various celebrations connected with Bishop Biosca’s ordination and installation.

“It is an exciting time for the Diocese. It is right that someone new can come in with fresh ideas and visions that will lead the faithful into the future,” Bishop Dewane said. “The new Bishop, as well as the faithful and clergy of the Diocese of Venice are in my prayers. May the Diocese continue to grow and flourish, bringing the Good News of the Gospel to our corner of the world.”

Newly appointed Bishop returns to Diocese

Posted on June 22, 2026 by Bob Reddy

Ordination/installation key information

The Ordination and Installation Mass of Bishop Emilio Biosca Agüero, O.F.M. Cap., will be held at 2 p.m., Saturday, July 11, at St. John XXIII Parish in Fort Myers. Out of necessity, due to high demand and capacity constraints, this event is by Invitation Only. Parishioners are encouraged to join us in prayer, via livestream. Both the Ordination Mass on July 11 and the Solemn Vespers at 5 p.m., Friday, July 10, will be livestreamed via the Diocesan website at https://dioceseofvenice.org/livestream/, or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/DioceseofVenice. Join us in prayer as we welcome Bishop Emilio to the Diocese of Venice!

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Bishop-elect Emilio Biosca Agüero, O.F.M. Cap., returned to the Diocese of Venice for the week of June 15-20, 2026, ahead of his July 11 Apostolic Ordination and Installation as the third Bishop of the Diocese.

During his time in Venice, the Bishop-elect became better acquainted with the Diocese through a series of meetings with Bishop Frank J. Dewane, Diocesan Chancellor Volodymyr Smeryk, and many other key Diocesan leaders. The Bishop-elect was only in the Diocese of Venice for a few days when his appointment was announced on May 13.

A key aspect of the new Bishop’s visit was the opportunity to have meetings with priests in the four Deaneries (regions) of the Diocese. These meetings allowed many Diocesan priests to meet Bishop Biosca in an informal setting where both sides learned more about each other. Additional meetings took place with religious men and women, Deacons, as well as a visit to Guadalupe Social Services of Catholic Charities in Immokalee.

Bishop Biosca is making an effort to learn about how the Diocese functions. The new Bishop is especially interested in learning the pastoral needs of the different Parishes as well as what pressing issues will demand his attention as soon as he takes over as shepherd of the Diocese in July.

When not on the road meeting priests, the new Bishop was able to begin to move into his residence in Venice. He also stood for his formal portrait and took part in interviews, in both English and Spanish, in anticipation of his coming ordination, in an effort to help the faithful of the Diocese get to know him.

Welcome, Bishop Emilio!