Bishop F Dewane 2022 Easter Message from Diocese of Venice In Florida on Vimeo.
Please see below for the text of the Bishop’s message in English, Spanish and Creole
My Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Jesus Christ is Risen; Easter is our Triumphant Day. We share in Christ’s victory over sin and death. With Holy Mother Church, rejoice and be glad. As Christians worldwide celebrate Easter Day, I encourage the Catholic Faithful of the Diocese of Venice to manifest the joy of your Easter Faith.
With Alleluias ringing out in our Churches, may all lift their voices in praise of the Risen Lord and rejoice in the great things God has done for us through Christ’s Passion, Death, and Resurrection.
Let us not be afraid to embrace the Risen Lord; allow His words and deeds to reflect the light that erupted from the empty tomb early in the morning of the first Easter. Let that be the light that burns brightly in the hearts of all believers.
No matter the challenges you and I face, Easter reminds us that Jesus Christ is Lord, and we have life in his name. He is Risen!
May this Easter Season be a time of joy and hope for you and your family. I extend to you my Apostolic Blessing this Easter. May the grace of Our Lord Jesus Christ-Risen from the dead- come down upon you and remain with you forever! Amen. Alleluia!
Mis queridos hermanos y hermanas en Cristo,
Jesucristo ha resucitado; la Pascua es nuestro Triunfante Día. Con la Santa Madre Iglesia, gócense y alégrense, porque somos partícipes de la victoria de Cristo sobre el pecado y la muerte. Mientras los Cristianos de todo el mundo celebran la Pascua, invito a los Fieles Católicos de la Diócesis de Venice a manifestar la alegría de su Fe Pascual Dia.
Con Aleluyas resonando en nuestras Iglesias, que todos eleven sus voces en alabanza al Señor Resucitado y se regocijen en las grandes cosas que Dios ha hecho por nosotros a través de la Pasión, Muerte y Resurrección de Cristo.
No tengamos miedo de abrazar al Resucitado; permitamos que Sus palabras y mandamientos llenen nuestras vidas y reflejen la luz que brotó de la tumba vacía temprano en la mañana de la primera Pascua. Que esa sea la luz que arda intensamente en los corazones de todos los creyentes.
No importa los desafíos que usted y yo enfrentemos, la Pascua nos recuerda que Jesucristo es el Señor y que tenemos vida en Su nombre. ¡Él ha resucitado!
Que este Tiempo Pascual sea un tiempo de alegría y esperanza para ustedes y sus familias. Les extiendo mi Bendición Apostólica en esta Pascua. ¡Que la gracia de Nuestro Señor Jesucristo, Resucitado de entre los muertos, descienda sobre ustedes y los acompañe para siempre! Amén. ¡Aleluya!
Frè-m ak sè-m yo an Kris:
Jezikri leve soti vivan, Alelouya! Pak se jou triyonfan nou an. Nou patisipe nan viktwa Kris la sou peche ak lanmò. Avèk Legliz Manman Sen, fè kè nou kontan epi fè kè nou kontan. Kòm kretyen atravè lemond selebre Jou Pak sa a, mwen ankouraje Fidèl Katolik nan Dyosèz Venice pou manifeste lajwa Lafwa Pak ou a.
Avèk Alelouyas k ap sonnen nan Legliz nou yo, se pou tout moun leve vwa yo pou fè lwanj Senyè ki leve a epi rejwi nan gwo bagay Bondye fè pou nou grasa Pasyon, Lanmò ak Rezirèksyon Kris la.
Se pou nou pa pè anbrase Senyè ki leve a; pèmèt pawòl ak kòmandman l yo ranpli lavi nou epi reflete limyè ki te eklate nan tonm vid la byen bonè nan maten premye Pak la. Se pou sa se limyè ki boule nan kè tout moun ki kwè yo.
Kèlkeswa defi ou menm ak mwen rankontre, Pak fè nou sonje ke Jezikri se Senyè, e nou gen lavi nan non li. Li leve soti vivan!
Se pou Sezon Pak sa a vin yon tan lajwa ak espwa pou ou menm ak fanmi ou. Mwen bay ou benediksyon apostolik mwen Pak sa a. Se pou favè Jezikri, Seyè nou an, ki leve soti vivan pami mò yo, desann sou ou epi rete avèk ou pou tout tan! Amèn. Alelouya!
This celebration, which was witnessed by more than 1,000 of the faithful, including more than 350 students from Diocesan Catholic schools, marks the institution of the priesthood by Christ and is an expression of unity of the priests with their Shepherd, the Bishop of the Diocese.
The Chrism Mass, which takes place during Holy Week every year, is one of the most solemn and important liturgies of the Catholic liturgical calendar. The celebration not only brings into focus the historical context of the priesthood but is also an opportunity for the priests to recall their ordination and to reflect upon their ongoing priestly vocation. Having all the priests of the Diocese come together at the Chrism Mass, on the eve of the Easter Triduum, reminds priests of their calling to act in the person of Christ – In persona Christi. This is one of the few times that so many priests are gathered together for the Mass.
Bishop Dewane publicly thanked the priests for their continued service to the People of God throughout the Diocese of Venice for what they do each day. “We have to know the faithful People of God, the people for whom a priest is called to be anointed, and in turn for those he is set to anoint. Allow that joy to penetrate your life, allow it to go deep within your heart. This is a guarded joy –a sense of safety – guarded and guided by God, the Father.”
The poverty aspect isn’t only related to money, but the joyful sacrifice each priest makes when answering the call of the Lord in their life by “giving up” – according to the secular world – much to become a priest. But Bishop Dewane said “a priest is given much in return. Don’t look at the poverty; look to the richness the Lord gives.”
Regarding obedience, it must always be to the Church, which was set up as a hierarchy. “All are called to live it, know it, and let it be a comfort rather than something else,” Bishop Dewane said. “It is something we must internalize in our life – a strength – called for in union with God. We need to be obedient with our service, our availability, our readiness to go out and allow the Lord to make us the servant we are called to be. It is not easy. No one said it would be easy.”
“This fundamental Union with Christ is our gift,” Bishop Dewane said. “The Anointed One has anointed us, to still anoint others in the sacraments. This union with the Anointed One must be the hallmark of the things we do. Our response to the filling of the Holy Spirit in your life, in my life, must come from within; allowing us, always in Communion with Him, to act as an instrument of the Lord.”
The Bishop then challenged the Faithful present for the Mass, and across the Diocese, to be close to their priests – through prayer, through friendship, through supporting him in any way – and in the expressions of proper affection. “This goes a long way in the life of the priest, to let them know that the gift the Lord gave them sometimes takes a lot out of them. It is my prayer that you make them feel that they are the gift – a gift to the Diocese.”
While the Oil of the Sick and Oil of the Catechumens are blessed, the Sacred Chrism is also blessed consecrated; and each will be used at Parishes throughout the year in the administration of the Sacraments.
The Chrism Mass takes its name from the Sacred Chrism Oil, the most eminent of the three holy oils, which the Bishop consecrates and blesses for use by Parishes of the Diocese. Bishop Dewane described the oils as “Oils of Gladness” which represent the indelible mark each bestows.
Throughout the Lenten Season, Parishes have offered extended hours for the Sacrament, in addition to offering Penance Services, where multiple priests from the region are available to hear the confessions of a large number of people.
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.
Rabbi Abraham Skorka and Pope Francis have served as examples of friendship and interreligious dialogue because they have lived out the call of Nostrae Aetate which acknowledges the Church’s bond with the Jewish people.
Bishop Frank J. Dewane also addressed the Catholic-Jewish Dialogue gathering, talking about the noble mission of the group.
St. Katharine Drexel Parish in Cape Coral hosted a 40-hour Devotion April 2, to April 4, 2022. This devotion included Adoration, the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, praying the Holy Hour and concluded with a Mass. Father Ricky Varner, Pastor at St. Katharine Drexel, stressed the importance of focusing on the Lord through Eucharistic Adoration. The 40-hour Devotion was spilt into blocks of time throughout the three days to allow for more people to participate and benefit from spending prayerful time in the presence of the Lord.
Bishop Verot Catholic High School students in “Medical Interventions,” a third-year course in the Biomedical Sciences program in Fort Myers, visited Neogenomics on April 1, 2022, to better understand the application of the research they are doing in class and learn about potential career paths.
Catholic schools in the Diocese of Venice pride themselves on offering programs in all areas of study including science. Seventh graders at St. Catherine Catholic School in Sebring were studying DNA and genetics on March 30, 2022. As part of the lesson, they extracted their own DNA, using dried skin, and observed it in the school’s STREAM (Science, Technology, Religion, Engineering, Arts and Math) lab. Classes like this enable students to learn more about not only the world around them, but also about themselves: students identify themselves as unique through their DNA and, in particular, as children of God.
A March 31, 2022, field trip to Florida Gulf Coast University in Estero by fifth graders from St. Francis Xavier Catholic School in Fort Myers helped the young students learn about wildlife that is native to Florida. The program, called the “Panther Posse,” brings in wildlife experts to share images and research that is ongoing about the Florida panther as well as other wildlife, including black bears. The presentation is a mix of fun and hands-on science. Students learned to identify trail markings of different wildlife as well as what dangers the wildlife face from pollution and interaction with people. The students left the program as newly launched naturalists and scientists.
Students at the different schools in Lee County heard from a specialist the week of March 29, 2022, about how to navigate technology and social media in today’s world. Robert Hackenson Jr. of Dynamic Influence spoke with students at St. Andrew Catholic School in Cape Coral, St. Francis Xavier Catholic School in Fort Myers as well as at Bishop Verot Catholic High School in Fort Myers. These lessons provided basic tips on the pitfalls of providing too much information about yourself online. The safety aspects could not be overstated as online predators try to manipulate people of all ages to endanger the users in different ways. Hackenson used age-appropriate examples to ensure the students understood these dangers. One of the focuses was on Social Media Land Mines, which included never revealing your location, details about your home or private life and much more.
Student groups from St. Andrew Catholic School in Cape Coral and St. Francis Xavier Catholic School in Fort Myers were given a sneak peek of the musical “Cinderella” at Bishop Verot Catholic High School on April 1, 2022. Two special previews were offered for the younger students who saw the elaborate production by the Verot Theater Department. Afterwards, the students were able to meet some of the cast and people who worked behind-the-scenes to make the show happen. Full performances were offered throughout the subsequent weekend.
Pope Francis wrote to all the Bishops in the world, asking them to join him in offering “a solemn Act of Consecration of humanity, and Russia and Ukraine in particular, to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.” The Act of Consecration took place on the Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord, when the Angel Gabriel told Mary that she would conceive and bear “the Son of the Most High” through the power of the Holy Spirit.
In a nearly full Cathedral, including students from Epiphany Cathedral Catholic School, Bishop Dewane remarked how important it was that the faithful gather “as a people of God, brothers and sisters in Christ, in response to the Holy Father. We gather to pray for the conflict going on in the Ukraine and the suffering that has been inflicted upon the people of Ukraine. It is a Consecration of humanity, as the Holy Father put it – in particular for those in Russia and Ukraine. This is a gesture of not just the Pope, Bishops, or priests, but of the Universal Church.”
For example, students at St. Catherine Catholic School in Sebring joined in the Consecration by praying the rosary. Students at Bishop Verot Catholic High School in Fort Myers gathered in their courtyard to recite the Act of Consecration. At Incarnation Parish in Sarasota, the faithful, as well as students from Incarnation Catholic School joined together. The Consecration also included time for Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.
Pope Francis said during remarks from Rome that the consecration “is no magic formula but a spiritual act… It is an act of complete trust on the part of children who, amid the tribulation of this cruel and senseless war that threatens our world, turn to their Mother, reposing all their fears and pain in Her Heart and abandoning themselves to Her.”
Bishop Dewane added that the Act of Consecration “is about people who are suffering. The Lord calls us to be His instruments and to pray and to call upon our Faith; to call upon Christ; to call upon the saints; to intervene to relieve that suffering that we see so much of – also intervene in that war in Ukraine.”
The practice of Consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary is closely linked to the apparitions of Our Lady of Fatima. During the third apparition, on July 13, 1917, the Blessed Virgin Mary told three visionaries that God sought to establish the devotion to Mary’s Immaculate Heart in the world, stating that if this request was not granted, Russia would “spread her errors throughout the world, causing wars and persecutions of the Church.” Pope Francis, and previous Popes, have led various consecrations to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, for example, St. John Paul II’s consecration of Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary on March 25, 1984.
Bishop Dewane has stressed the importance of continued prayer for those suffering. Also, the Diocese of Venice has made it possible for the faithful to contribute toward charitable relief and assist in providing humanitarian aid, as well as necessary recovery efforts.
Bishop Frank J. Dewane celebrated the Mass for the gathered members which represented 10 different Legion of Mary praesidiums from across the region.
Janine Marrone, who serves as President of the Manasota Curia and a member of the praesidium at Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Venice, said the gathering is a great boost of energy and vitality for the Legion of Mary.
The Legion of Mary is a worldwide organization of lay Catholics focusing on Marian spirituality and apostolic works. It is the largest apostolic organization of lay people in the Catholic Church, with millions of members in nearly every country of the world.
Celebrated on March 25, 2022, the Solemnity marks the Angel Gabriel’s appearance to the Virgin Mary (Luke 1:26-38), and his announcement that the Blessed Virgin has been chosen to be the Mother of Our Lord, and Mary’s willing acceptance of God’s Holy Plan.
Following the Oath of Fidelity and Profession of Faith, an Investiture Ceremony took place wherein Middendorf was bestowed with the Seal of the Office of the President of Ave Maria University by Board of Trustees Chairman Patrick Rainey. Prior to this, Father David Vidal, Pastor of Ave Maria Parish, and others representing the students, faculty, alumni and Board of Trustees, spoke highly of the appointment of Middendorf as the new President of the University.
Participants come to the Diocesan Listening Sessions focused and ready to share where they believe the Holy Spirit is guiding the Church today. The latest Listening Sessions took place in Naples on March 24, 2022, at St. Elizabeth Seton Parish and March 28 at St. John the Evangelist Parish. Discussions were both positive and passionate.
Bishop Dewane has stressed during each Session how important it is to respond to the Synod, and the questions posed, in the context of what the Holy Spirit is asking of us, and can only be accomplished with an open heart, mind and soul. Bishop Dewane encouraged the faithful in attendance to share their dreams for the Church, and when the floor was open for a free discussion, many shared their hopes and dreams for the Universal Church.
