bishop frank dewane Archives - Page 23 of 85

High schoolers from Diocese rally to focus of the Lord

Posted on March 31, 2023March 31, 2023 by Bob Reddy

The superlatives from the 1,500 high school-aged Catholic teens who attended the Diocese of Venice Eucharistic Congress Youth Rally helped to best describe the day.

“Absolutely incredible!” “Amazing!” “Spiritual!” “Inspirational!” “Awesome!” “Powerful!” “Wonderful!” “Uplifting!” “Moving!” These are just some of the reactions from the teens who participated in the March 24, 2023, Youth Rally in Fort Myers.

The theme for the Eucharistic Congress was “The Word Became Flesh” (John 1:14), which served to remind the young women and men of the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist, and that the Lord knows them and calls each by name to follow Him.

The evening Youth Rally was bracketed by two high points, the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and an outdoor Eucharistic Adoration by candlelight in a neighboring amphitheater.

Bishop Frank J. Dewane said he was humbled by the presence of so many youth representing dozens of Parishes and each Diocesan Catholic high school.

“You have to know, the Lord works through you,” Bishop Dewane said. “You can be a sign for people. You have to know that you can’t just aimlessly fumble through life. The Lord prompts you in any number of positive ways. The Lord does that for you in a very powerful way, demonstrated by all of you being here. But, do you respond?””

When coming up with the National Eucharistic Revival (the impetus of the Diocesan Eucharistic Congress), the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops wanted to encourage the faithful to devote time to getting to know better Jesus Christ in the Eucharist, the Bishop explained.

“It is in a precise way, in the Eucharist, the Lord is given to us, and we receive Him,” Bishop Dewane said. “We must have the strength to spend time in front of the Eucharist – in Adoration – to learn precisely what it is the Lord asks of you.”

“Put yourself in a relationship with Jesus Christ, through the Eucharist,” the Bishop continued. “It is Christ. It is His Body and Blood. It is His Real Presence! What better place to go and spend some time with the Lord? Let the strength that Jesus Christ is, Let His presence, in the Eucharist, fill your heart, fill your mind, fill your soul with His indication of what it is He wants from you and for you to do in your life.”

The Mass, was for the Vigil of the Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord, appropriately as the Blessed Virgin is known as Mary, Mother of the Eucharist.

Organized by the Diocese Office of Evangelization, the day was filled with inspiring talks, worship music, opportunities for the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and an outdoor Eucharistic Adoration.

Prior to the opening Mass, the youth were uplifted by the music of The Vigil Project, which also performed inspirational music during the outdoor adoration where the teens knelt in the dark, holding candles and reciting prayers. Bishop Dewane concluded the Eucharistic Adoration by leading everyone in reciting the Divine Praises.

The featured speaker was Father Timothy Anastos, one of only 50 Eucharistic Preachers in the U.S. He reminded the youth how the Eucharist reveals that Jesus wants to be close to each of us, delights in us for all of our flaws and uniqueness, and He wants to be helped by us in spreading His glory into the world.

“So often we can think that Jesus is really far away, He’s up in heaven, he doesn’t really care about us, He’s doubted us,” Father Anastos said. “But in the Eucharist, the Lord reveals Himself. He comes down to us. At every single Mass He is present in the tabernacle. He is there waiting for us. He is there. He will never abandon us. You will always have access to Him.”

After a dinner break, the opportunity for the Sacrament of Reconciliation and breakout sessions took place. The youth were split into men and women sessions offered in English or Spanish. The men heard from Jimmy Mitchell and Joel de Loera, with a talk themed “Men as Defenders of the Faith.” Meanwhile the women heard a talk titled, “The Eucharist and Authentic Womanhood,” presented by Andrea Thomas and Mary Ann Weisinger-Puig.

The success of the day was apparent in the smiles and delight of the teens as they departed from the closing adoration with their friends preparing for their journey home.

“What can I say, but WOW! That was great! I wish all of my friends had been here. I want them all to experience something like this!” said one young lady before heading home from Our Lady of Grace Parish in Avon Park. She was overcome with emotion during the adoration, being among so many other teens who thought about Jesus in the same way that she did.

Middle school students come together

Posted on March 31, 2023March 31, 2023 by Bob Reddy

In colorful shirts, students from each of the 12 Diocese of Venice middle schools gathered as one group for the first time to pray, to sing, to praise Jesus, and to adore Him in the Blessed Sacrament.

The more than 1,000 middle school students were part of the kick-off event to the Diocese of Venice Eucharistic Congress on March 24, 2023, in Fort Myers.

Bishop Frank J. Dewane was there to greet the students as they arrived and said a special effort was made to ensure the middle schoolers were a part of this important moment in the Diocese, this Eucharistic Congress. The Congress is itself part of the larger U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops three-year National Eucharistic Revival.

“I have a beautiful view (from the stage), standing here, knowing you are ready to open your hearts to the Lord in the Blessed Sacrament,” Bishop Dewane said. “Each one of us here has an obligation to recognize the Eucharist, and to pray to the Lord in our life.”

In addition to music and inspirational speakers, the day concluded with an outdoor Eucharistic Adoration in the nearby amphitheater with live music by The Vigil Project.

There, the students, wearing their designated colored t-shirts were a sight to behold as they knelt in silence as the Blessed Sacrament was brought forward as music played in the background.

Bishop Dewane then led the closing Benediction, which included leading everyone in praying the Divine Praises.

“It was neat to see a bunch of students in other Catholic schools come together for a good message, love Jesus more through the Most Holy Eucharist,” said Cora, a student at St. Charles Borromeo Catholic School in Port Charlotte, who was impressed by the entire day.

Meanwhile, Blake, a student at Incarnation Catholic School in Sarasota said, “I liked being there with my class to learn about everything.”

Students from other schools used words to describe their experience with phrases such as: “Fun!” “Cool!” “Awesome!” “Incredible!” “Great!”

One of the highlights for the students was seeing Shevin McCullough, of Studio 3:16, a multi-media Catholic curricular program promoting the Gospel and biblical themes to students in an engaging and relatable way.

McCullough, who has a popular social media channel geared toward middle school students, energized the students with music and key phrases to get the students excited about God, the Church and the Most Holy Eucharist. He used easy-to-remember tips to keep the youth focused on the Lord in their lives, specifically trust, honesty, prayer, and truth.

Father John Belmonte, SJ, Diocese Superintendent of Catholic Education, opened by asking the students: “Do you love Jesus?” and the students responded with a resounding “Yes!” When asked “Do you love Our Lady?” the hall reveberated with a “Yes!” and finally they were asked “Do you love our Church?” and the hall boomed with “Yes!”

“That is what today is all about,” Father Belmonte said.

After hearing from McCullough, the students were split into smaller groups for breakout sessions. There they took part in a rotation of presentations, including: Catholic trivia; a talk from the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist of Ann Arbor, Michigan, and Diocese of Venice seminarians; and finally they heard from the Sister Servants of the Pierced Heart of Jesus and Mary of Miami.

The day also included hearing music and worship from The Vigil Project.

Earlier in the day, Bishop Dewane recognized an ongoing Devotional Project taking place this academic year in the Diocesan Catholic Schools. This project calls for an increased understanding of the Most Holy Eucharist, which has a component that encourages students to visit the Blessed Sacrament.

“So far, 50,073 is the number of times you and your classmates have visited the Blessed Sacrament in all of your schools,” the Bishop said. “I’m proud of that number, and I’m proud of you.”

Bishop Dewane said the students were “a late addition” to the Eucharistic Congress, but No. 1 in his book, as they were the first group to participate and the first to carry the power of what they learned about the Most Holy Eucharist forward in their daily life.

Six months since Ian – Progress being made as recovery continues

Posted on March 31, 2023March 31, 2023 by Bob Reddy

“We are making progress.”

This simple phrase, repeated in recent weeks by people throughout the Diocese of Venice, represents the resilience, hope and bright future as the region marks the six months since Hurricane Ian struck on Sept. 28, 2022.

The statistics from the National Weather Service do little to tell the scope of the impact of Hurricane Ian. Maximum sustained winds were 155 mph, the storm surge reached 18 feet, flooding rain exceeded 30 inches, and this was followed by catastrophic river flooding days later. The death toll in Florida was 148 (104 within the 10-county Diocese of Venice). In Lee County alone, 5,000 homes and businesses were destroyed and another 50,000 had significant damage with upwards of $60 billion in overall insured losses.

Ian took a heavy toll on the Diocese, with more than 800 reports of damage to various properties and significant damage to more than 400 structures.

Under the leadership of Bishop Frank J. Dewane, teams from the Diocese, as well as Catholic Charities, Diocese of Venice, Inc., were preparing for the hurricane’s arrival and then sprang into action by getting on the road assessing damage and taking action to mitigate further damage while also bringing emergency supplies to areas in greatest need.

The small staff of Catholic Charities, with the help of hundreds of volunteers, set up 10 distribution sites, with the help of the Parishes, where water, food and other supplies were distributed to more than 110,000 people during the initial weeks following the storm. That response has transitioned into long-term disaster recovery because within the 10-county Diocese more than 400,000 applications for FEMA assistance have been made.

Bishop Dewane praised the staff, Parish volunteers, and supporters of Catholic Charities for coming together in the wake of Hurricane Ian. “Catholic Charities accomplished a tremendous amount and did a great deal of work. There is much more that needs to be done, and the team is in position, on the front lines, making a difference each day.”

Joe Rego, Diocesan Director of Building and Construction, said that after mitigation work was done to prevent further damage to Diocesan properties, the long process of rebuilding began immediately.

“While there was a will and desire to work fast, the realities of the moment became immediately apparent,” Rego explained. “The issue across the area was that there are limited numbers of contractors and supplies available to do the work.”

Rego went on to say that priorities were placed on Fort Myers Beach, Sanibel, Pine Island, Fort Myers and elsewhere, but only so much could be done with the resources that were available immediately after the storm.

“Now, with more supplies and contractors available, the Diocese is ramping up work at every location,” Rego said. “We have contractors working as fast as possible at dozens of sites. Parishes and schools are now seeing the fruits of the hard work.”

With one exception, nearly all reconstruction is expected to be substantially completed by the fall. The exception is Ascension Parish and the adjacent Poor Clare Monastery of San Damiano on Fort Myers Beach, which experienced a 15-foot storm surge and destroyed all but two buildings.

“The two surviving buildings (the rectory and monastery convent) are safe and secure, but they both need to be rewired and have new pipes due to saltwater intrusion put in just to make them functional,” Rego said. “We are targeting the fall for that work to be done. The other buildings will be torn down and it will take several years for the rebuild to be complete.”

That overall reconstruction timeline is very similar to the aftermath of Hurricane Charley in 2004, when two Parish churches were destroyed, and it took four years for the reconstruction to be completed. However, as we all know, prices have risen substantially since 2004.

Bishop Dewane said that the amount of work already achieved in Parishes and Diocesan Catholic schools and other properties, has been impressive. During his travels throughout the Diocese, he regularly witnesses firsthand the progress being made in the hardest hit areas.

“While we want this work done as quickly as possible, we don’t have to look too far around the community to see that no one is rebuilding quickly,” Bishop Dewane. “But from that destruction strength and resilience bloomed, mixed in with lots of patience, as the recovery from Hurricane Ian continue.”

As the rebuilding and recovery from Hurricane Ian continues within the Diocese of Venice, the details of several of the large rebuilding efforts will be updated in the Florida Catholic.

For those interested in making a financial donation to the Diocesan response to Hurricane Ian, please visit www.dioceseofvenice.org/hurricaneian, or send a check to Diocese of Venice in Florida, ATTN: Hurricane Ian Relief, 1000 Pinebrook Road, Venice, FL 34285.

Englewood Pastor installed

Posted on March 31, 2023March 31, 2023 by Bob Reddy

Bishop Frank J. Dewane installed Father Robert Murphy as Pastor of St. Raphael Parish in Englewood on March 26, 2023, in the context of the Mass.

“To cater to the spiritual needs of the faithful of St. Raphael, it is appropriate that I come here to install your new Pastor,” Bishop Dewane said. “Father has been here a while, and you have come to know him, but I ask that you continue to pray for him as he continues on this path of leading your Parish into the future.”

St. Raphael Parish was established in 1964 and is in the southern end of Sarasota County near the Charlotte County border. Primarily a retirement and snowbird community, the Parish has more than 1,500 registered families. Father Murphy is the 10^th Pastor of St. Raphael.

As part of the installation process, Bishop Dewane first calls the priest to the ambo following the homily. The priest then recites, along with the faithful, the profession of faith, including an additional part solely for him. The priest then recites an Oath of Fidelity in which he promises to “adhere to the teachings, which either the Roman Pontiff or the college of bishops enunciate when they exercise authentic magisterium.” The installation also includes prayers to provide the new Pastor the wisdom and guidance from the Holy Spirit to lead the Parish.

The Bishop then presents the new Pastor to the faithful gathered. Documents are later signed by the Bishop, the new Pastor, and two official witnesses of the Parish Community, who serve as witnesses on behalf of all of the parishioners. Copies of these documents are put in the Diocesan files for the Parish and Father, while a copy is kept in the Parish records.

After Mass, Father thanked the Bishop for appointing him as Pastor, and the faithful of St. Raphael for being so supportive since his appointment as Administrator in 2019. Father Murphy also expressed his joy that his 101-year-old father, and his sister and brother-in-law, were present to see the installation. A reception followed in the Parish Hall.

Retired religious sister who served Diocese, dies

Posted on March 31, 2023March 31, 2023 by Bob Reddy

Sister Mary Regis (Constance) Krusniewski, School Sister of Notre Dame, a former longtime Diocese of Venice Director of Catechetical Ministries and later Vicar for Religious, died in Baltimore on March 26, 2023, at the age of 92.

Sister Regis was born in Baltimore to Agnes and Benjamin Krusniewski on Aug. 12, 1930. After 12 years of education in School Sisters of Notre Dame schools, she earned a degree in English from the College of Notre Dame of Maryland. She went on to earn two advanced degrees, first in history from Villanova University and then in administration of religious education from La Salle University. She made her vows as a School Sister of Notre Dame in 1952.

Sister Regis had nearly 20 years of experience as teacher and principal in Catholic schools in Maryland, Massachusetts and New Jersey. Beginning in 1971, she focused her work in Diocesan catechetical ministry (religious education), serving in New Jersey and Maryland before coming to the Venice Diocese in 1985.

Named Diocese of Venice Director of Catechetical Ministries in 1985, one year after the founding of the Diocese of Venice, she remained in that capacity until 2001, when she went on sabbatical for a year. Upon her return in 2002, she was appointed to serve as Vicar for Religious in the Diocese before retiring in 2007. Sister Regis remained active in promoting the School Sisters of Notre Dame in Baltimore.

Upon reaching her 50th anniversary of consecrated life in 2002, Sister Regis said, “I was attracted to the School Sisters of Notre Dame because of the women who taught me. I have always wanted to share my gifts in an educational setting… I have had wonderful experiences in ministry and as a member of the School Sisters of Notre Dame.”

Bishop Frank J. Dewane said the Diocese of Venice has been blessed to have had Sister Regis serve within its boundaries.

“May Almighty Lord reward her for hard work and complete dedication to serving others. Her valuable contribution in the Diocese of Venice Education Department and later in the Office for Religious will always be remembered,” Bishop Dewane said. “Please pray for the family of Sister Regis and the repose of her soul.”

Funeral arrangements will be in the Baltimore area and have not been finalized.

News Briefs for the week of March 31, 2023

Posted on March 31, 2023March 31, 2023 by Bob Reddy

Lenten school Masses continue

Following the Fourth Sunday of Lent, Bishop Frank J. Dewane continued to celebrate Mass for students at each of the 15 Diocesan Catholic schools during the Lenten Season. The most recent Masses were March 27, 2023, at St. Catherine Catholic School in Sebring, March 28 at St. Ann Catholic School and St. John Neumann Catholic High School, both in Naples, and March 29 at St. Elizabeth Seton Catholic School in Naples.

Fun STREAM day for students

The Bishop Verot Catholic High School Science National Honor Society hosted a STREAM (science, technology, religion, engineering, art, math) event March 27, 2023, on their Fort Myers campus for students from St. Francis Xavier Catholic School in Fort Myers and St. Andrew Catholic School in Cape Coral. The students each got a chance to interact with three different experiments. First, they learned about the principles of carbon dioxide by observing soda bubbles; next up was a lesson about everything plants need to grow; finally, things got a little messy as everyone learned how to make silly putty with shaving cream!!

Universal Diocesan Confession times ahead of Holy Week

Posted on March 27, 2023March 27, 2023 by Bob Reddy

With Holy Week just days away, it is not too late to ponder how well prepared we are for the Resurrection of the Lord on Easter Sunday.

One way to help in this effort is through participating in the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

To facilitate this requirement, every Parish in the Diocese of Venice will be open with a confessor present from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., on Friday, March 31, 2023, and from 9 a.m. to noon, Saturday, April 1. These opportunities, facilitated by Bishop Frank J. Dewane, are made available so that the faithful may find ample opportunity to receive God’s Mercy in the Sacrament of Reconciliation during the Lenten Season.

Bishop Dewane said that many people view the idea of confessing one’s sins as so unbearable that they either completely avoid the Sacrament or go infrequently.

“It is heartbreaking to hear stories from those who have avoided confession for many years after carrying around a burden,” Bishop Dewane said. “It is heartwarming to talk to people of all ages who go to confession and are relieved and overjoyed at the benefits. Some even scold themselves for missing such a beautiful Sacrament for so long.”

Throughout the Lenten Season, Parishes have offered extended hours for the Sacrament, in addition to offering Penance Services, where multiple priests from the region were made available to hear the confessions of a large number of people.

Pope Francis often speaks about the healing benefits of the Sacrament of Reconciliation, saying that he goes about once every two weeks. On March 17, Pope Francis spoke about the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

“In Confession, let’s give God first place,” the Holy Father said. “Once He is in charge, everything becomes beautiful and confession becomes the Sacrament of joy, not of fear and judgement, but of joy.”

As the Catechism teaches, the priest is acting in Persona Christi, the person of Christ, within the confessional. So, like presenting oneself at the altar to be nourished by Christ in the Eucharist, a person going to Confession, is not ultimately confessing to a priest, but confessing to and receiving forgiveness from Jesus Christ.

“The Lord comes to us when we step back from our presumptuous ego… He can bridge the distance whenever, with honesty and sincerity, we bring our weaknesses before him,” Pope Francis said. “He holds out his hand and lifts us up whenever we realize we are ‘hitting rock bottom’ and we turn back to him with a sincere heart. That is how God is. He is waiting for us, deep down, for in Jesus he chose to ‘descend to the depths.’”

The Pope emphasized that God waits for us, especially in the Sacrament of Penance, where he said the Lord touches our wounds, heals our hearts, and leaves us with inner peace.

Please contact your local Parish for additional available confession times.

Two Pastors installed in Sarasota

Posted on March 27, 2023March 27, 2023 by Bob Reddy

Two Parishes in Sarasota had much to be grateful for during the weekend of March 18-19, 2023, the Fourth Sunday of Lent (Laetare Sunday), when they were witnesses to the installation of their respective Pastors.

Father Paul Nguyen was installed as Pastor of St. Patrick Parish on March 18, while Father John Hoang was installed as Pastor at Our Lady Queen of Martyrs on March 19.

Bishop Frank J. Dewane installed both priests in the context of the Mass. Father Nguyen and Hoang have been serving their Parishes in the capacity of Administrator since 2020.

Bishop Dewane first thanked Fathers Nguyen and Hoang for answering the call to the priesthood, a call from the Lord, a giving over of themselves in a very particular way, so as to serve the People of God.

“You have come to know Father these past years but he needs your continued prayers and support,“ Bishop Dewane said. “A Pastor imparts knowledge of the Lord, and offers spiritual leadership and guidance, as you journey together into a closer relationship with God.”

St. Patrick Parish, located on Bee Ridge Road, east of Interstate 75, was first established in 1988, with the current church dedicated in 1992. The Parish Hall was competed in 1996.

Our Lady Queen of Martyrs Parish, located in a neighborhood just north of the Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport, was established in 1959 for the Diocese of St. Augustine. The current church building was built in 1984, and the original church was converted into a Parish Hall.

The Bishop then presents the new Pastor to the faithful gathered. Documents are signed by the Bishop, the new Pastor, and two official witnesses of the Parish Community, who serve as witnesses for all of the parishioners. These documents are kept at the Diocese in the Parish and priest’s files, while a copy is kept in the Parish.

Following the Mass, congratulatory receptions were held in the respective Parish Halls.

Longtime Pastor retires

Posted on March 27, 2023March 27, 2023 by Bob Reddy

Father Robert D. Tabbert has retired after serving as Pastor at three different Diocese of Venice Parishes. Father Tabbert has been a priest for 44 years, having been ordained in 1979.

For the past 16 of those years, Father Tabbert has been in Fort Myers as Pastor at St. John XXIII Parish. There he oversaw the construction of a new Parish Life Center, Adoration Chapel and a senior affordable housing project on the campus.

Prior to his arrival at St. John XXIII, Father Tabbert was Pastor at St. Ann Parish in Naples from 1996 to 2007, where he led the campaign which built the Jubilee Center and a major addition to the Catholic school.

In 1990, Father was named Pastor at St. Peter the Apostle Parish, also in Naples. He served there for six years and was instrumental in helping get the current Parish church built.

Father was born in 1953 in Chicago. He attended St. John Vianney College Seminary in Miami and St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary in Boynton Beach. He was ordained to the priesthood on May 19, 1979, for the Diocese of St. Petersburg (the Diocese of Venice was not erected until 1984) and his first Mass was celebrated at St. Andrew Parish in Cape Coral.

Early assignments for Father Tabbert included serving as Parochial Vicar first at St. Martha Parish in Sarasota and then at St. Jude Cathedral in St. Petersburg. He was then Director of Vocations for the Diocese of St. Petersburg and the first Director of Vocations of the Diocese of Venice. He also assisted at Epiphany Cathedral in Venice before being assigned as Parochial Vicar at St. Ann in Naples prior to his first assignment as Pastor in 1990.

A retirement message from Father asks for support and prayers for the next Pastor of St. John XXIII.

“I know that St. John XXIII Parish will continue to thrive, and I pray that your next Pastor will have your support and prayers. God bless you all.”

Emerald Ball dazzles

Posted on March 27, 2023March 27, 2023 by Bob Reddy

The 39th Annual Emerald Ball was a great success! Held on March 16, 2023, at the Ritz Carlton Tiburon in Naples, proceeds from the elegant evening will go to support the many programs of Catholic Charities, Diocese of Venice, Inc., in Collier County.

The annual event was forced to relocate from the Ritz Beach Resort due to the impacts of Hurricane Ian. The hurricane was on the minds of many as the community continues to recover from the storm which flooded coastal areas and wreaked havoc in the area.

The enthusiastic crowd was dressed in elegant eveningwear and the Ball included fine dining, lots of dancing, upbeat music, and a spirited live auction with the “Gift from the Heart” bringing in many enthusiastic bidders. The theme, “Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today. Let us begin,” was inspired by a quote from St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta.

Peggy Rodriguez, District Director, welcomed everyone to the evening and explained the different outreach work Catholic Charities is doing and continues to do for the community daily.

Bishop Frank J. Dewane presented the James A. McTague Humanitarian Award to Richard and Josephine (Dick and Jo) Rogan. The Rogan’s are active at St. Peter the Apostle Parish and volunteer in many different capacities. Dick has served as a member of the Catholic Charities Collier County Advisory Board and is past Chairman of the Catholic Charities Board. After Hurricane Irma in 2017, he helped mobilize and lead more than 300 volunteers to assist with relief efforts distributing food and water to more than 25,000 people.

Programs supported by the Ball include the Judy Sullivan Family Resources Center, Family Counseling Center, Golden Gate Senior Center, and Guadalupe Social Services, each offering a variety of targeted outreaches to help those in need.

Barbara L. Siniscalchi served as chair of the Emerald Ball Committee with the support of many co-chairs. Bishop Frank J. Dewane offered the opening invocation and presented the McTague Humanitarian Award.

If you would like to support the programs of Catholic Charities, Diocese of Venice, Inc., please visit www.catholiccharitiesdov.org.