Tag: bishop frank dewane

News Briefs for the Week of April 1, 2022

Posted on by Bob Reddy

Two to be ordained Transitional Deacon April 2

Diocese of Venice Seminarians Michael Young and Alan Baldarelli Jr. will be ordained to the Transitional Diaconate, along with nine others, at 11 a.m. April 2, 2022, at St. Joan of Arc Parish in Boynton Beach. Young is studying at Pope St. John XXIII National Seminary in Weston, Massachusetts, while Baldarelli is studying at St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary in Boynton Beach. Presiding over the ordination is Bishop David Toups of the Diocese of Beaumont. The liturgy will be livestreamed at www.svdp.edu/live. As newly ordained Transitional Deacons, these men will be assigned to Parishes where they will exercise their ministry in preparation to become priests. Among many duties, they will preach, perform baptisms, witness marriages, as well as preside over wakes and funerals. Please join in praying for Michael and Alan as they take this important step in their vocational journey.

40th Anniversary celebration a success

St. Elizabeth Seton Catholic School’s 40th Anniversary Celebration Gala & Auction was a great success in Naples on March 26, 2022. Parents, priests, parishioners, and other supporters attended the event at the Spirit Center of St. Peter the Apostle Parish. It was a fun night of fellowship, dinner, music and dancing with silent and live auctions, and a Call to the Heart to fund a second Kindergarten classroom in the fall. Demand for enrollment at Seton is at an all-time high creating a great need for additional classroom and administrative space. The event raised approximately $200,000 benefiting the school’s ongoing Campus Expansion Program to meet the needs of the many families desiring quality Catholic education for their children. For more information about the school’s expansion plans, visit www.Saintelizabethseton.com/Giving.

Genocide survivor shares story of loss and forgiveness

Immaculée Ilibagiza, a Rwandan genocide survivor and author, was the guest speaker at the annual Faith & Ale – Faith & Wine Joint Event in Lee County at St. John XXIII Parish in Fort Myers on March 24, 2022. Approximately 650 heard Immaculée’s presentation as she shared her amazing story of being a survivor of the Rwandan genocide. In addition to sharing the details of having lost her parents and brothers, her message centered around the topic of faith, hope and forgiveness. Faith & Wine Lee County is a Catholic faith lay-group which unites women of all backgrounds. A related program, Faith & Ale, is a Catholic men’s group and will host its final gathering of the season on April 21 at St. John XXIII Parish, 13060 Palomino Lane, Fort Myers, for a presentation by Dan Hesse on the topic, “Can Catholic Values Save Capitalism?” Hesse is a retired CEO of AT&T Wireless Services and Sprint. The program begins at 6 p.m., with pizza and refreshments for a $10 donation. Reservations are required – please register online at www.faithandale.com.

History project develops special skills

Second grade students at St. Joseph Catholic School in Bradenton completed a biography research project on March 25, 2022, which included making a presentation and dressing up as the historical figure they researched. The students also created posters, a wax museum and essays about the person. Among the historical figures chosen were Abraham Lincoln, Amelia Earhart, St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta and the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Gala supports Cardinal Mooney

Race for the Roses Gala, benefiting Cardinal Mooney Catholic High School in Sarasota, was held March 25, 2022, at the Grove in Lakewood Ranch. Supporters dressed in their favorite outfits fit for a day at the Kentucky Derby. Proceeds were targeting the creation of a new science and physics labs. Ginger Judge was this year’s recipient of the School Sister’s of Notre Dame Award for her continuous support of Cardinal Mooney.

Ave Maria students run for gold

The girls track team of Donahue Catholic Academy of Ave Maria Parish came home from the Immokalee Meet on March 23, 2022, with seven gold medals, two silvers, five bronzes and winning the meet overall! The boy’s team did well, too, earning multiple medals and an overall third place team finish. Special recognition goes to Freshman Izzy Meyer who brought home three gold medals. The results are impressive taking into account this is only the second year the school has had a track team.

Care packages for needy

On March 28, 2022, students at St. Andrew Catholic School in Cape Coral partnered with the St. Vincent de Paul Society to create “care packages” for the needy of Southwest Florida. The students had been collecting the items for weeks leading up to a packing session. Items included various products that promote personal hygiene.

Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday Televised Mass

The Diocese of Venice in Florida will air the televised Palm Sunday (April 10) and Easter Sunday (April 17) Masses, each for a full hour. The Masses can be viewed at 9 a.m. on the CW Network in Sarasota, Manatee, Desoto, Charlotte, Hardee and Highland counties, and at 10:30 a.m. on FOX-4 in Charlotte, Lee, Collier, Hendry, Glades and Desoto counties. The Mass is also available on the Diocese of Venice website at www.dioceseofvenice.org/tvmass.

Diocesan-wide Opportunity for Sacrament of Reconciliation

As the Lenten Season progresses, the precept of confessing grave sins and receiving Holy Communion at least once during the Lenten Season merits a reminder to all. To facilitate this requirement, every Parish in the Diocese of Venice will be open with a confessor present from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., on Friday, April 8, and from 9:00 a.m. to noon, Saturday, April 9. Check with your local Parish for additional confession times or the availability of a Penance Service. These opportunities 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.

Chrism Mass April 12

The Diocese of Venice Chrism Mass, which takes place during Holy Week every year, will be held at 10:30 a.m., Tuesday, April 12 at Epiphany Cathedral, 350 Tampa Ave. W., in Venice. During this Mass, the faithful of the Diocese join the Priests, Deacons and Bishop for the blessing of the Holy Oils which are used in the administration of the Sacraments at each parish throughout the year. Priests and Deacons celebrating 25 and 50 years of Ordination are recognized at this Mass. All are encouraged to attend in support of our clergy and to participate in this important Holy Week celebration.

The 2022 Priest and Deacon Jubilarians are:

  • 50 years – Msgr. Joseph Stearns, Father Adrian Wilde, O. Carm., Father David Foley, and Deacon Ray Barrett.
  • 25 years – Father Hugh McGuigan, OSFS, Father Patrick O’Connor, OSFS, Father Leszek Sikorski, Deacon Henry de Mena, and Deacon Mark Miravalle.

Mass for Victims of Child Abuse

April is Child Abuse Prevention Month, and in conjunction with the Secretariat of Child and Youth Protection of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), the Diocese of Venice will hold a Mass for Victims of Child Abuse for the 15th consecutive year. The Mass will take place at 8 a.m., Wednesday, April 20, 2022, at Epiphany Cathedral, 350 Tampa Ave. W., Venice. The Mass will be live-streamed, and all are welcome to attend as we come together to pray for the victims of abuse.

Diocese to join Pope Francis in solemn Act of Consecration March 25

Posted on by Bob Reddy

Karen Barry Schwarz – Special to the Florida Catholic

Bishop Frank J. Dewane will join Pope Francis on Friday, March 25, 2022, in “a solemn Act of Consecration of humanity, and Russia and Ukraine in particular, to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.”

The Consecration will take place at Epiphany Cathedral, 350 Tampa Ave. W., Venice, beginning at noon with the Prayer of Consecration and followed by the Mass. All are invited to participate. The Consecration and Mass will also be livestreamed via Facebook.

At around the same time – 5 p.m. in Rome – Pope Francis will be reciting the Prayer of Consecration in St. Peter’s Basilica. Pope Francis has invited all of the world’s bishops to join him in this important moment of prayer.

“It is asked that all the Faithful offer prayer at that time, or some time on March 25, to join in the Consecration,” said Bishop Dewane. (Please visit https://dioceseofvenice.org/solemn-act-of-consecration-requested-by-pope-francis-to-occur-in-venice-march-25/ for the text for the Act of Consecration in English and Spanish.)

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, including Pope St. John Paul II’s consecration of Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary on March 25, 1984.

March 25 marks the Solemnity of the Annunciation, 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.

To view the live streamed Mass that Bishop Dewane will celebrate at noon on Friday, March 25, please visit www.facebook.com/dioceseofvenice. In addition to prayer, should some want to offer financial assistance for humanitarian aid and recovery efforts in the Ukraine, please visit www.dioceseofvenice.org/giving.

Catholic Charities releases Annual Report – 224,868 assisted in 2020-21 fiscal year

Posted on by Bob Reddy

One of the things which makes Catholic Charities Diocese of Venice Inc. unique is how much of an impact its services and programs have on local communities. During the 2021 fiscal year a dedicated group of workers and volunteers helped improve the lives of 224,868 individuals and families with more than 30 specialized programs that are focused on providing aid improving lives.

The 2021 Catholic Charities Annual Report was released in March 2022 detailing the dollars spent and reflecting on the stories of the lives that were positively impacted through the social service agency in the 10-county area.

Catholic Charities was presented with a new set of challenges in 2021. Eduardo Gloria, Interim CEO/Chief Operating Officer of Catholic Charities, said in 2021, the Catholic Charities Board of Directors recognized that areas of greatest need had shifted significantly due to the pandemic.

“Working closely with the Leadership Team, the Board focused on new strategies to best serve our community,” Gloria said. “The most urgent need was housing. In 2021, Catholic Charities provided shelter to 1,534 individuals, up 117 percent from the previous year, and provided food to 209,784 individuals, increasing food pantry services by 33 percent. Human trafficking, immigration, and youth services were also concerns that intensified during the year.”

Catholic Charities, Inc., Diocese of Venice, reevaluated the areas of need and created a new set of priorities to ensure that all of the services offered remained on target to fulfill the changing needs of our community. These priorities were established to continue the mission of Catholic Charities and offer services to have the most significant impact.

To accomplish this, during the 2020-2021 fiscal year Catholic Charities focused its expenses of $9.1 million on six priorities: food security, housing, antihuman trafficking, behavioral health, immigration and youth formation.

Bishop Frank J. Dewane remarked that the work of Catholic Charities was part of a collective effort in support of the community. “While the pandemic took its toll on all of us, we’ve also witnessed unexpected wonders responses, such as our community’s continued generosity, even when faced with their own increased burdens. Our volunteers and donors never gave up and offered their time and support in abundance.”

When breaking down the numbers of those helped by Catholic Charities in the 2021 fiscal year, the results have been remarkable:

  • 209,784 – pantry and food services provided to individuals
  • $1,582,255 – dollars of direct assistance provided
  • 5,058 – behavioral health services provided
  • 3,653 – services for victims of human trafficking
  • 1,538 – families, children and individuals housed
  • 3,820 – calls for help
  • 5,662 – services to seniors

While the numbers are impressive, behind each statistic is a real person who is struggling struggled and when they turned toward Catholic Charities for help.

Here are remarks from some of the people being helped:

  • “I am beyond grateful to Catholic Charities for going the distance. Through the Rapid-Rehousing Program, I was able to get affordable housing and Housing Authority benefits. Once I moved into my new home, the Senior Support program gave me new bedsheets that were donated to the program, as a housewarming gift! Thank you, Catholic Charities, for making sure I have sanctuary in my life.” – Maria, Senior Support Services and Rapid-Rehousing
  • “It has only been a few months since I have moved into Our Mother’s House, but it has already been life changing. After years of being taken advantage of and being abused, I took a leap of faith and found myself in the comfort of Our Mother’s House. In a short amount of time, my son and I are both thriving, and I have found my voice again. Our Mother’s House has brightened our future and restored my belief in humanity.” – Bethany, Our Mother’s House
  • “I arrived in this country from Venezuela in June 2016. In my country, I was a lawyer, but I have been working as an Uber driver here. Since I don’t speak English well, it’s been difficult getting back in my field, but Catholic Charities helped me! In Through the Empowerment Program I was able to take English classes and study Immigration. They gave me the encouragement I needed. I’m very grateful that I can finally see my dreams coming true.” – Carmen, Empowerment Program

Gloria said that the Catholic Charities team is committed to positively impacting the community. They plan to continue to respond quickly and pivot to meet any new demands.

To read the full 2020-2021 Annual Report, or to support the programs, please visit www.catholiccharitiesdov.org.

Jubilee year coming in 2025

Posted on by Bob Reddy

Preparations are beginning within the Universal Church for the upcoming Jubilee year, due to be held in 2025.

The Jubilee was announced in late February, and in light of the recent Covid-19 pandemic, which left no country unscathed, Pope Francis writes that he has chosen the motto “Pilgrims of Hope,” for the Jubilee.

The Holy Father said his hope is that we can recover “a sense of universal fraternity and refuse to turn a blind eye to the tragedy of rampant poverty that prevents millions of men, women, young people and children from living in a manner worthy of our human dignity.” This highlight of hope by the Holy Father comes at a time of war in the Ukraine.

Pope Francis noted that “the Jubilee has always been an event of great spiritual, ecclesial, and social significance in the life of the Church.” The Holy Father recalled that ever since the year 1300, which marked the first Holy Year, “God’s holy and faithful people has experienced this celebration as a special gift of grace, characterized by the forgiveness of sins and in particular by the indulgence, which is a full expression of the mercy of God.” Initially instituted by Pope Boniface VIII, the Jubilee years were initially every 100 years, and then following Biblical precedent, every 50 years, and finally every 25 years.

Pope Francis then recalled “the Great Jubilee of the year 2000,” describing it as having “ushered the Church into the third millennium of Her history.”

In that regard, the Holy Father continued, St. John Paul II had “long-awaited and greatly looked forward to that event, in the hope that all Christians, putting behind their historical divisions, could celebrate together the 2,000th anniversary of the birth of Jesus Christ, the Savior of humanity. Now, as the first 25 years of the new century draw to a close, we are called to enter into a season of preparation that can enable the Christian people to experience the Holy Year in all its pastoral richness.”

The Holy Father said that a significant step on this journey was already taken with the celebration of the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy (2016), “which allowed us to appreciate anew all the power and tenderness of the Father’s merciful love, in order to become, in turn, its witness.”

A key part of a Jubilee is the opening of the Holy Door, Pope Francis said. These are special doors at the Vatican, and key Basilicas, which are only opened during Jubilee years. As part of tradition of the Jubilee, the faithful, frequently at the conclusion of a lengthy pilgrimage, draw from the spiritual treasury of the Church by passing through the Holy Door and venerating the relics of the Apostles Peter and Paul preserved in Roman Basilicas. During the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy, Holy Doors were designated at each Cathedral worldwide, as well as at designated pilgrimage Churches (Epiphany Cathedral in Venice and Our Lady of Mercy Parish in Boca Grande).

Pope Francis reminds us that true hope is not built on human words or assurances, but on God’s Word and His promise of salvation and eternal life. “We must fan the flame of hope that has been given us and help everyone to gain new strength and certainty by looking to the future with an open spirit, a trusting heart and far-sighted vision. The forthcoming Jubilee can contribute greatly to restoring a climate of hope and trust as a prelude to the renewal and rebirth that we so urgently desire; that is why I have chosen as the motto of the Jubilee, ‘Pilgrims of Hope.’”

The Catechism of the Catholic Church (1817) states “Hope is the theological virtue by which we desire the kingdom of heaven and eternal life as our happiness, placing our trust in Christ’s promises and relying not on our own strength, but on the help of the grace of the Holy Spirit.”

A request for comments in response to the question “What does hope mean to you?” was shared on social media. Here are a variety of the responses:

  • “Hope inspires confidence for the future.”
  • “Hope is contagious. Hope sparks optimism, optimism creates action and actions driven by hope, bring positive change.”
  • “Hope is the feeling I get when – faced with success, sadness, worry, joy, etc. – I realize that God is truly in control, and all I need is God.”
  • “Hope is wielding confidence in the face of despair.”
  • “Hope represents my beliefs in my Faith and what is instilled in my core and what I not only practice but live. My hope living in today’s world is to totally surrender and uplift all brokenness to the foot of the Cross and in turn I shall see a world that is kind, living in Peace and with total fullness of love in our hearts. That is my hope.”
  • “My hope for the Jubilee year is that a renewed sense of appreciation for marriage as an awesome, holy vocation would sweep across the land. That parents and grandparents would reclaim and celebrate the dignity and duty that comes with Holy Matrimony by occupying that irreplaceable role of forming children in faith. That families would embrace the holy mission to live as disciples and be the light the world so desperately needs so that all may come to know Christ and the saving Gospel.”

Pope Francis said our pilgrimage towards the Jubilee “will express and confirm the shared journey that the Church is called to make, in order to be ever more fully a sign and instrument of unity in harmonious diversity. It will be important to foster a renewed awareness of the demands of the universal call to responsible participation by enhancing the charisms and ministries that the Holy Spirit never ceases to bestow for the building up of the one Church.”

Please visit www.dioceseofvenice.org for the latest updates on the coming Jubilee year.

“Pope’s Rabbi” coming to Naples April 3

Posted on by Bob Reddy

The Catholic Jewish Dialogue of Collier County is honored to present Rabbi Abraham Skorka, the “Pope’s Rabbi,” for a talk about his ongoing 25-year friendship with Pope Francis.

All are invited to attend the program which is co-sponsored by the Diocese of Venice and Jewish Federation of Greater Naples. The presentation will take place at 3 p.m. Sunday, April 3, 2022, in the ballroom of St. John the Evangelist Parish, 625 111th Ave. N., Naples. Doors open at 2:30 p.m.

Rabbi Skorka will describe his 25-year “deep and sincere friendship” with Pope Francis, dating to when then-Auxiliary Bishop Jorge Bergoglio was elevated and appointed as Archbishop of Buenos Aires. At the time of their first meeting, Rabbi Skorka was the leading Rabbi in Argentina as Rector of the Seminario Rabínico Latinoamericano (Latin American Rabbinical Seminary, in Buenos Aires.

The friendship, which continues to this day, began a dialogue that became an important component of both their personal lives and responsibilities as clergy. They collaborated in writing a book and engaged in 31 television discussions.

According to Rabbi Skorka, “Our personal dialogues had taken on the mission of spreading a culture of dialogue throughout society in as many ways as possible.”

In an interview with Richard Price of the Catholic Jewish-Dialogue of Collier County, Rabbi Skorka shared how he and the future Pope began their lasting friendship.

“In the beginning, there were differences between our ages and positions,” the Rabbi said. “My title as Seminary Rector was hardly on a par with the Archbishop of one of the most important Catholic communities in the world. It was he who overcame this disparity by unreservedly opening himself up to me. He paved the way. We not only began to dialogue but, most importantly, we began to work to spread the practice of dialogue in all aspects of our lives and responsibilities.”

A turning point in the friendship and ongoing dialogue occurred in 2004, when Rabbi Skorka invited then-Cardinal Bergoglio to deliver a message to his synagogue community, in anticipation of the day of Rosh Hashanah.

“His message to my synagogue in 2004 went on to develop the idea of the encounter between the individual and God, and of the importance of memory in that relationship. He alluded to the essence of Jewish belief expressed during this most holy season, the Days of Awe: to believe in the Creator who relates to each person and remembers each individual. In fact, I was astonished to hear this sermon. (His) message on this occasion could well have been the reflections of a Rabbi to his community.”

The Rabbi went on to say that Pope Francis has a profound ability to identify with the Jewish experience. This was evident in his instinctive understanding from the very beginning that dialogue between Catholics and Jews would become untenable if Catholics harbored any thought of “converting” Jews to Jesus Christ.

“As he would say years later as Pope Francis, ‘There was a basis of total trust [between us], because we knew in our conversations—and I want to highlight this—neither of us negotiated our own identity. If we had, we would not have been able to talk. It would have been a sham. … Neither of us attempted to convert the other.’ I cannot overstate the importance of this sensitivity, which is a pre-condition for the mutually enriching dialogue that he and I experienced,” Rabbi Skorka concluded.

For those interested in hearing more of this story, please consider attending the Catholic-Jewish Dialogue of Collier County presentation of Rabbi Skorka on 3 p.m. Sunday, April 3, 2022, in the ballroom of St. John the Evangelist Parish. Tickets are $18 in advance and are available by visiting https://jfgn.regfox.com/rabbi-skorka. Note: if seats are available on the day of the program, tickets will be sold at the door for $25.

Diocesan Listening Sessions building bridges

Posted on by Bob Reddy

Halfway through the Diocesan Phase of “For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation, and Mission” and the ultimate goals have not changed – to ignite minds, to warm hearts, and to restore strength in the common mission of the Universal Church.

The faithful taking part in the Diocesan Listening Sessions come prepared to answer the fundamental concept of what the Holy Spirit is saying to the Church today. The latest Listening Sessions took place March 14, 2022, at St. John XXIII Parish in Fort Myers and March 16 at Sacred Heart Parish in Punta Gorda. The feedback continues to be both positive and passionate.

The format of the Listening Sessions includes an opening prayer and remarks from Bishop Frank J. Dewane and then to lively table discussions. Each Session concentrates on questions inspired by 10 Synod themes supplied by the Vatican. Participants are also able to share additional comments privately through the Synod email, synod@dioceseofvenice.org.

Among the 10 themes under consideration is “Celebration.” This is described by the Synod as follows: “Journeying together is only possible if rooted in the Church’s communal listening to the Gospel and the celebration of the Eucharist. A synodal Church discerns how prayer and liturgical celebration inspires and empowers the community’s active participation in our communal mission.” Other themes include: “Companions on the Journey,” “Listening,” “Speaking Out,” and more.

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.

Each session is being recorded to allow for proper documentation. The information gathered at the Diocesan Listening Sessions, as well as from direct or follow-up comments from the faithful, will be synthesized into a document which will be shared with the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, and ultimately the Vatican. Similar Listening Sessions are being held across the country and around the globe.

The St. John XXIII and Sacred Heart Listening Sessions were the fifth and sixth of 12 planned through May, with the next two taking place in Naples, first on Thursday, March 24, St. Elizabeth Seton Parish, 5225, Golden Gate Parkway, and then Monday, March 28, St. John the Evangelist Parish, 625 111th Ave. N., Naples.

Locations for the Sessions were selected based on geography and population to cover as much of the Diocese as possible. Additional Listening Sessions will take place through May and will include a newly scheduled virtual session from 10:30 a.m. to noon, Wednesday, May 25.

To register for any of the Listening Session, including the virtual session, please visit https://dioceseofvenice.regfox.com/2022-synod-listening-sessions. For additional Synod details, please visit www.dioceseofvenice.org.

Listing of 12 Diocese of Venice Listening Sessions

(Completed) Feb. 9, St. Thomas More Parish, Sarasota (Eng.);

(Completed) Feb. 16, Epiphany Cathedral, Venice (Eng./Sp.);

(Completed) Feb. 22, Ss. Peter and Paul the Apostles Parish, Bradenton (Eng./Sp.);

(Completed) March 3, St. Andrew Parish, Cape Coral (Eng./Sp.);

(Completed) March 14, St. John XXIII Parish, Fort Myers (Eng.);

(Completed) March 16, Sacred Heart Parish, Punta Gorda (Eng.);

Thursday, March 24; St. Elizabeth Seton Parish, 5225, Golden Gate Parkway, Naples (Eng./Sp.).

Monday, March 28, St. John the Evangelist Parish, 625 111th Ave. N., Naples (Eng.);

Monday, May 9, St. Catherine Parish, 820 Hickory St., Sebring (Eng./Sp);

Monday, May 16, St. Agnes Parish, 7775 Vanderbilt Beach Road, Naples (Eng.);

Monday, May 23, Our Lady Queen of Heaven Parish, 355 S. Bridge St., LaBelle (Eng./Sp);

(NEW) Virtual Session from 10:30 a.m. to noon, Wednesday, May 25.

To register for a Listening Session of the Virtual Session, please visit https://dioceseofvenice.regfox.com/2022-synod-listening-sessions. Email synod@dioceseofvenice.org for any questions or comments regarding the Listening Sessions.

Prayer for the Synod: Adsumus Sancte Spiritus (We stand before You, Holy Spirit)

We stand before You, Holy Spirit,

as we gather together in Your name.

With You alone to guide us,

make Yourself at home in our hearts;

Teach us the way we must go

and how we are to pursue it.

We are weak and sinful;

do not let us promote disorder.

Do not let ignorance lead us down the wrong path

nor partiality influence our actions.

Let us find in You our unity

so that we may journey together to eternal life

and not stray from the way of truth

and what is right.

All this we ask of You,

who are at work in every place and time,

in the communion of the Father and the Son,

forever and ever. Amen.

 

Parish marks 15 years

Posted on by Bob Reddy

While 15 years may not seem as it is such a long time to most people, for the faithful of St. Agnes Parish in Naples, reaching this milestone was cause for celebration.

Bishop Frank J. Dewane celebrated Mass on March 12, 2022, 15 years to the day the Bishop erected St. Agnes as a Parish, which had been a Mission of St. John the Evangelist Parish from 1999 to 2007.

The vibrant Parish has 5,244 registered families, and while the Church holds about 1,500 people, there are eight Masses each weekend during the winter months, including one at a high school 10 miles away. Because of this reality and continued growth of the area, there are plans for St. Agnes to establish a Mission farther east in Naples in the future.

“We’re so pleased to have Bishop Dewane here,” said Father Bob Kantor, Pastor of St. Agnes. “We celebrate 15 years of life as a Parish and you see beautiful aspects here… there are many new faces, including many of you who have come to the Parishes over the years. We welcome you, whether you’re a parishioner for a short time or all of those 15 years or well beyond.”

Father Kantor thanked Bishop Dewane for his assignment in Naples noting that “the people are wonderful and have been a blessing to me and we have done our best to serve God.”

Bishop Dewane spoke about how it is appropriate to celebrate milestones in the life of a Parish, pausing to look back at what has been accomplished and to look forward to where the Parish is going, particularly, one that continues to grow. The Bishop reflected how the Parish was able to overcome considerable debt in its early years thanks to the generosity of the faithful who had confidence in the vision of Father Kantor and his advisors.

“The life of a Parish is very cyclical, as you follow the footsteps the Good Lord has set generations before,” Bishop Dewane said. “The Catholic population is growing, and many people are moving in and now, today, you find yourself in another role – you are now looking toward a Mission Church.”

The Bishop noted that the faithful are what St. Agnes Parish is all about, as their presence and contribution to the faith community are what make a Parish thrive.

“St. Agnes only grows and changes by your personal response to a call to holiness as you each strive to grow closer to the Lord,” Bishop Dewane said. “St. Agnes started out as a vision by a few, including Father Thomas Glackin of St. John the Evangelist Parish; but it is the faithfulness of the people of God here at St. Agnes Parish who stepped forward to say we can handle it and have carried it forward to today and will do so into the future.”

The original St. Agnes Mission was established in October 1999 with Masses held at two different area schools. The current Parish Church was dedicated as a worship site in 2006, a few months before the Mission was elevated to a Parish. A Parish Hall was later established on a neighboring property.

A 15th Anniversary celebration Mass included the full choir, which is normally present for Sunday morning Masses. Following the Mass, a Gala was held at the Vineyards Country Club.

News Briefs for the Week of March 18 2022

Posted on by Bob Reddy

Living rosary launches students into Spring Break

On March 11, 2022, the student body of Cardinal Mooney Catholic High School in Sarasota participated in praying a living rosary as a lead up to Spring Break. A living rosary consists of people representing each bead of the rosary. Each person then leads one prayer of the rosary. Different grade levels represented different decades, including one in Spanish. This was the last group gathering for the students before going on Spring Break.

Ukraine Relief

As the world continues to pray for peace and for the victims of the war in Ukraine, the Diocese of Venice has made it possible for the faithful to support charitable relief and assist in providing humanitarian aid, as well as necessary recovery efforts. Donations may be sent to the Diocese of Venice, with “Ukraine” indicated in the memo or note line at the following address: Diocese of Venice in Florida, Ukraine Relief, 1000 Pinebrook Road, Venice, FL 34285, or visit https://dioceseofvenice.org/ways-to-give/ and click the donate button. Also, please keep the people of the Ukraine in your prayers.

Students take part in leadership retreat

St. John Neumann Catholic High School students, along with Sister April Hoffman, FMA, attended the Salesian Leadership Retreat the week of March 7-11, 2022. The retreat is run by the Salesian Sisters of St. John Bosco, which is the same religious order that leads Neumann. The group stopped in Hoboken, N.J., for a little sightseeing excursion before traveling to Haledon to meet up with more of the Salesian family. While on the retreat, the warm-weather Neumann Celtics also got a taste of snow during a tour of New York City.

Artist makes mark at Naples school

Local artist, Marcus Zotter, is at it again. He painted another amazing mural on an interior wall of the St. Ann Catholic School library. The artwork incorporates the images of five current students. Earlier in the school year, Zotter created a dolphin-themed mural on a nearby exterior wall.

Gravity and eggs = SCIENCE

1st Graders at St. Martha Catholic School in Sarasota conducted an Easter Egg Gravity Investigation on March 11, 2022. The young scientists have been learning about gravity and after making their predictions, they did a variety of tests with different types of fresh and plastic eggs on a ramp, at varying levels and kept track of the results in a data table.

Books Team places third

Three sixth grade girls represented St. Joseph Catholic School in Bradenton as the first ever Battle of the Books Team. The students were Anya, Bailey, and Kimberly. On March 11, 2022, the team competed against other Manatee County Schools at Braden River High School. Teams earned points by answering questions about the 15 Sunshine State Young Readers Award Books for 2021-2022. As first-time competitors, the St. Joseph girls took third place. Congratulations!

Rite of Election – More than 400 set to enter Church at Easter Vigil

Posted on by Bob Reddy

A group of women and men who will join the Catholic Church within the Diocese of Venice at the Easter Vigil were recognized during the annual Rite of Election at Epiphany Cathedral on the first Sunday of Lent on March 6, 2022. This annual tradition is a formal Rite during which catechumens are presented and their names are entered into the Book of Elect.

The 156 catechumens (individuals who are not yet baptized) were joined by an additional 247 candidates (already-baptized Christians preparing for confirmation and First Eucharist), who also participated in the formal ceremony and are recognized during the celebration for answering the call to their continuing conversion. The Cathedral was nearly at capacity as many family members were also present to show their support.

The Rite of Election was presided over by Bishop Frank J. Dewane who said he was humbled by the large number present and complimented each for making the commitment to publicly announce the call of the Holy Spirit in a particular way by becoming active members of the Catholic Church in the Diocese of Venice. “You are the brave and courageous. The Spirit of the Lord is upon you.”

The catechumens and candidates, who were recognized by Bishop Dewane, are on a continuing journey that will culminate when they come into full communion with the Catholic Church at the April 16 Easter Vigil Mass in their respective Parishes.

The group represent 45 Parishes in the Diocese of Venice and are accompanied by tens of thousands of others across the country that will also join the Catholic Church this year. St. Peter the Apostle Parish in Naples, Jesus the Worker Parish in Fort Myers, and Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish in Immokalee had the largest groups of catechumens and candidates.

Bishop Dewane said that each of the catechumens and candidates were responding “to a call within their soul that said to them: ‘I need to be baptized.’ ‘I need to become more active in my Faith.’ ‘I need to give a greater witness as to who the Lord calls me to be in my life.’”

Bishop Dewane said this process should be a conversion of the heart, as each catechumen and candidate must prevent outside influences, such as things, people or objects, standing in their way of developing their relationship with the Lord.

“Go forward knowing the Holy Spirit will aid you in this journey,” the Bishop added. “You have been called to be catechumens and candidates… it is human nature to stumble along the way – but keep working to become ever more that man or woman of God you are called to be.”

The catechumens are part of the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA). RCIA is for those who are unbaptized and unchurched, who come to inquire about becoming part of the Roman Catholic Faith in a process that takes about a year. Often catechumens are those who have begun to seek and understand God in their lives and have been led by the Holy Spirit to become Catholic. RCIA is a journey of discovery and faith. This is most commonly done is three distinct phases: discernment, acceptance into the catechumenate along with purification and enlightenment.

Each catechumen will go through a series of scrutinies during which they examine their readiness to accept Christ and the Catholic Faith in the form of the Sacraments of Initiation (Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation). This time culminates at the Easter Vigil when the catechumens are received through Baptism into the Catholic Church. The final period of the RCIA is the time of “Mystagogy” (post-baptismal catechesis). During the weeks following the Easter Vigil, the newly initiated live more profoundly their experience of Baptism and the Eucharist as they begin the journey of discipleship and their growing union with Christ.

For candidates, those who have been correctly baptized with a Trinitarian formula, the Catholic Church does not require re-Baptism. Candidates have already experienced a journey of faith and have an understanding of how Jesus leads us to the Father through the work of the Holy Spirit. In fact, many have been attending Mass with their families for years but may have never received the Sacrament of Holy Communion or the Sacrament of Confirmation.

The candidates are invited to the Cathedral for the Rite of Election as a form of welcome, but because they are already in the Book of the Elect as baptized Christians, they do not bring their names forward; but to symbolize that baptism, and as a sign of their continuing conversion, they come forward and make the sign of the cross with holy water.

Everyone is encouraged to pray for and welcome the catechumens and candidates at their own parish as they continue their journey of discovery in their Faith.

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