The journey of the Easter Season is concluded, and the Holy Spirit has descended to provide the gifts of wisdom, knowledge, understanding, fortitude, counsel, piety and fear of the Lord.
Celebrated this year on May 19, 2024, the Solemnity of Pentecost Sunday marks an important transition in the lives of the Apostles and clarifies their mission in creating the Lord’s Church on earth and is traditionally viewed as the founding of the Church. Pentecost, which literally means 50, falls 50 days after Easter and is 10 days after the Ascension of the Lord. As a symbol of Pentecost and the Holy Spirit, the clergy wear red vestments on this day.
“This is one of the greatest Feast Days of the Church in the context of Salvation History,” Bishop Dewane said. “It is when Jesus establishes His Church on earth … the descent of the Holy Spirit, by the Father and the Son, signals the commencement and founding of the Church and all its works.”
This celebration commemorates when the Apostles, though still afraid, accepted the Holy Spirit and their role in carrying the message of the Lord into the world, the Bishop said.
“We too have a role to play in the continuation of that Church,” Bishop Dewane continued. “We must all be doers of our faith. It is the Holy Spirit, and the love conveyed from God, that binds the world together. That love wills the good for the other, we must respond to that love. Be men and women of prayer. Go to your Parishes every Sunday and be an integral part of the community of believers, because that community is less without your gifts and your talents.”
Those gifts of the Holy Spirit are sealed in the faithful through the Sacrament of Confirmation. Therefore, Pentecost is the time when those who have been baptized and are seeking to be more fully united to Christ within the Church receive the Sacrament of Confirmation at cathedrals around the world.
At Epiphany Cathedral, Bishop Dewane bestowed the Sacrament upon 108 women and men candidates representing 24 Parishes across the Diocese. These candidates were unable (for whatever reason) to be confirmed at their own Parishes during the past several months.
Bishop Dewane thanked the candidates for coming forward to be confirmed and said that the Sacrament of Confirmation must change them as they have been given a new beginning in their lives; they are making a permanent commitment that comes with corresponding responsibilities.
During the Sacrament of Confirmation, the confirmandi renewed their baptismal promises, which Bishop Dewane said is done to publicly proclaim who they are as Catholics and to have the courage, hope, faith and perseverance to be true followers of Christ.
As the Rite continues, the Bishop says an introductory prayer and asks all to join him in praying for the candidates and then he recites an additional prayer pertaining to the Gifts of the Holy Spirit. Finally, the candidates are requested to come forward, with their sponsor placing their right hand on the candidate’s right shoulder. Then with his right thumb, the Bishop makes the sign of the cross on their forehead with the Holy Chrism Oil and says “Be sealed with the Gift of the Holy Spirit.” The confirmed reply, “Amen.” At this point, the Bishop says, “Peace be with you,” and the newly confirmed responded “And with your spirit.”
One woman from San Pedro Parish in North Port expressed her joy of being confirmed by the Bishop. “I feel so blessed to be here, to present myself to the Bishop and become a full participant in the Catholic Faith.”
A younger man from St. Andrew Parish in Cape Coral explained how his Faith journey took place with the encouragement of his mother who recognized the importance of receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation. “I started the instruction, unsure if it was what I wanted. After today, I can thank my mother for being there and understanding what I needed in my life.”
Bishop Dewane first thanked the parents and guardians for entrusting their children to one of the Diocesan Catholic high schools for four years of their education, and then congratulated the graduates for their own accomplishments.
For Cardinal Mooney, commencement took place at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Center in Sarasota, with 159 graduates. The Valedictorian was Lauren Burd and the Salutatorian was Tyler Ruben. This group earned nearly $10 million in scholarships and completed more than 17,500 service hours.
The fourth Diocesan Catholic high school, Donahue Catholic Academy of Ave Maria Parish in Ave Maria will hold their Baccalaureate Mass and Commencement Exercises on May 24.
The recipients of the Mary Fran Carroll, Coseglia, Schaerf, and Schwarz Scholarships were recognized for their outstanding academic achievements and for their commitment to continuing their education in pursuit of wide-ranging career paths such as education, medicine, business, engineering and more. The Foundation Scholarship Committee carefully reviewed 85 applications before determining the winners. Many of the Foundation Board members were present for the luncheon.
“For those who think abortion should be legal, it already is, in the state of Florida,” Espenscheid said. “The Heartbeat Protection Law is a reasonable law and restricts abortion but for those circumstances which we know most people – even some Catholics – feel should be considered. There is no need to expand the law and remove the commonsense protections for women, and minors, that are currently in place.”
The graduates of the Ave Maria School of Law in Naples were told by Bishop Frank J. Dewane to go forward and allow the Holy Spirit to inspire them in their life, during a Baccalaureate Mass at St. Agnes Parish in Naples on May 10, 2024. Bishop Dewane also told them to follow the path of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the patroness of the school, who accepted in faith what the Lord asked. “Faith is a virtue – a welcoming and cherishing bond with Jesus Christ,” the Bishop said. “That is what makes us men and women of faith. Let it grow in your heart as you launch into a new life after having been given this tremendous opportunity and experience here at Ave Maria School of Law.” The commencement was April 12, Ascension Sunday and Mother’s Day, at Artis-Naples.
Of the more than 17,000 Parishes nationally, only 43 Parishes were selected by the NFCYM to take part in the pilot program nationally. The Diocese of Venice is blessed to have six participating, including: Epiphany Cathedral in Venice; St. Paul in Arcadia; St. Peter the Apostle in Naples; St. Joseph in Bradenton; Our Lady Queen of Heaven in LaBelle; and St. Catherine in Sebring. The program with the Diocese is being facilitated through the Youth and Young Adult Outreach Office, under the auspices of the Office of Evangelization.
“Sometimes the way we do youth ministry is not necessarily what is best for young people,” Montenegro said. “For 23 years I have seen plenty of young people coming through the Confirmation program and right after they are confirmed they act as if they graduated from the Catholic Church, and they don’t come back anymore. Or, after they go to university, and someone challenges them on their faith, that’s it, they don’t know how to believe anymore. The reason why I am here is because I also want to see how we can help young people get engaged to the Catholic Church.”
During a reception following Mass, Bishop Frank J. Dewane presented dozens of Scouting Religious Awards, with some Scouts receiving multiple honors.
“That groundwork was prepared for you by the accumulated knowledge you received here at Ave Maria University,” Bishop Dewane said. “Seek God in your lives. Let that be the glory of life for you as graduates.”
