The newly establish “Sunday of the Word of God” was an opportunity for Bishop Frank J. Dewane to reflect upon the importance of Scripture in the life of all faithful.
Speaking during a Mass at St. Agnes Parish in Naples on Jan. 26, Bishop Dewane noted that Pope Francis designated this Third Sunday of Ordinary Time to refocus the faithful on the Bible. The Bishop stressed that this designation is not a onetime happening, but instead is the beginning of what the Holy Father prays will be a renewed appreciation and understanding of Sacred Scriptures by all Catholics.
“Don’t see it as a burden, but as an opportunity to come to better know and understand the life of Jesus Christ, because when you do, you must be changed,” the Bishop added.
St. Jerome translated the Bible, back in his day, into Latin, making it more widely accessible, said that “ignorance of Scripture, is ignorance of Christ,” something Pope Francis stressed when designating the “Sunday of the Word of God.”
The Scripture we have is inspired by the Holy Spirit, Pope Francis explained. For this reason, the faithful must not just learn the words but the context and the significance and tradition of Scripture. The mere ability to quote the Bible does not guarantee the capacity to understand sacred Scripture.
Pope Francis said that Scripture cannot be interpreted or understood outside of that tradition which began in the early days the Church at the time of Christ.
For this reason, when one reads a passage of Scripture, “let the Holy Spirit unfold it within your mind, where you have an intellect; more profoundly within your heart where you worship the Lord and love God,” Bishop Dewane added. “Allow the Holy Spirit to help you to understand the meaning of Scripture in your own life, in the lives of those around you and beyond.”
“One cannot just read Scripture like a book,” Bishop Dewane stressed. “It is not just any book – it is the Living Word – it is the life of Our Messiah, Our Savior Jesus Christ. It is through Scripture that one can point to the origins of the Sacraments. It is all there to rediscover.”
As part of “Sunday of the Word of God,” Bishop Dewane gave a general blessing of Bibles which the faithful were asked by the Holy Father to bring to Mass. The Bibles were then to be “enthroned” in a place of prominence in their home, in order to emphasize the honor and sacred nature of the texts.
Bishop Dewane encouraged everyone to read Bible passages each day, and that there are no excuses in not doing so because with the availability of applications of smartphones, the Bible is just a few clicks away.
During the Jan. 28-30 Catholic Days at the Capitol, Bishop Frank J. Dewane gave a legislative briefing to participants from across Florida. A group of nearly 50, including students from each Diocesan Catholic high school traveled for this important lobbying opportunity.
The Order of Malta – American Association, held and Board of Counsellors meeting in Naples in late January. Bishop Frank J. Dewane celebrated a Mass for the group on Jan. 27 at St. William Parish.
Bishop Frank J. Dewane celebrated Mass at St, Agnes Parish in Naples on Jan. 26, the Sunday of the Word of God. During the Mass, Bishop Dewane offered a special recognition for the Knights on Bikes, a club of Knights of Columbus which includes avid motorcycle enthusiasts. Members took part in the opening and closing processions of the Mass. At the conclusion, the Bishop blessed special key chains with a cross. Each member wears a vest with patches that read: “In God We Trust and Ride” and “In Service to One. Inservice to All.”
St. Agnes Parish in Naples, honored Law Enforcement Officers, Fire Fighters, and First Responders, both active and retired with a Blue Mass on Jan. 25. Dozens of officers attended with their families to honor first responders who died in the line of duty and to pray for the safety of those still serving. The guest homilist was Father Sean Connor, Chaplain of the Boston Police Department. During the final blessing Father Michael Orsi, Parochial Vicar of St. Agnes, blessed medals of St. Michael the Archangel to give out to all the first responders for protection.
Catholic Charities Diocese of Venice Inc. and the Knights of Columbus hosted The Goldtones Jan. 25 at the first ever North Port Sugar Bowl Show of Shows. Playing songs from 50s and 60s The Goldtones entertained an enthusiastic crowd at the North Port Performing Arts Center at North Port High School. The Sugar Bowl Fund helps support families in crisis, providing emergency financial assistance for low-income families in Sarasota, Manatee and Charlotte counties. The Sugar Bowl Fund is a community partnership between Catholic Charities and the local Knights of Columbus Councils. The goal of the fund is an attempt to keep families together, self-sufficient and relieved of some of the pressures that cause greater hardship. Financial assistance can include help for car repairs, medical bills, utilities, rent or mortgage payments as well as relocation fees. The North Port Show of Shows was the first in this part of the area, similar events have been taking place for several years in Venice each fall and in Bradenton each Spring.
The response from the students to the 35th Anniversary Student Showcase Competition was impressive and overwhelming as a select committee went through 277 submissions to choose the winners. Announced in mid-January, the winners and honorable mention for each category were as follows:
Each of the winners will receive a $100 gift card and be presented with a certificate a ribbon and later an ice cream truck will come for a formal celebration. The honorable mention recipients will each receive a ribbon and certificate.
Bishop Frank J. Dewane stressed the importance of this reality when speaking about the meaning and symbolism that we must recognize and accept that on Christmas Day, “the Savior, the Messiah, is sent to us. In so doing, you and I become children of God.”
A common pre-Christmas celebration at several Parishes in the Diocese is “Las Posadas,” a tradition from Mexico and Central and South America where the Nativity story is retold over the course of nine days. The highlight of the novena is one larger centerpiece gathering. One of the more elaborate celebrations occurs at St. Michael Parish in Wauchula. This year, the celebration was postponed due to weather until Jan. 4. In the retelling of the Nativity story, more than 100 youth participated.
The events and activities listed represent a mere fraction of what took place in December at Parishes and schools across the Diocese of Venice.
Nearly 1,000 people from throughout the Diocese of Venice attended the Mass which was celebrated by Most Rev. Max Leroy Mésidor, Archbishop of Port-Au-Prince, Haiti, with Bishop Frank J. Dewane in attendance. There were several additional priests from the Diocese of Venice who concelebrated as well as priests from St. Leo the Great Parish
The Archbishop encouraged those gathered to remember the sacrifice of Haitians and to use the example of Mary, for she said ‘Yes’ to God with courage and grace. He added that they should feel confident in relying on Mary, the Holy Mother of God, to give them the strength to be sons and daughters of Jesus Christ.
In a gesture of gratitude toward Bishop Dewane, Archbishop Mésidor noted that the Haitian Catholic Community within the Diocese of Venice is in good and capable hands and thanked Bishop Dewane for his support.
Bishop Dewane also thanked and recognized the Haitian priests serving in the Diocese for their continued dedication and passion for caring for the faithful, in particular those in the Haitian community. “The work you do does not go unnoticed,” the Bishop added.
For the Haitian community, Jan. 1 is both a spiritual day, and an emotional day commemorating such an important day in their homeland. It was in 1803 that the Haitians defeated the largest and most powerful army at the time, the army of Napoleon, in Cap-Haitien. Haiti became the second country in the Americas to declare its Independence.
In 2019 hundreds of widows and widowers were recognized during the first Mass at Epiphany Cathedral in Venice. The response was overwhelmingly positive and was described by several as beautiful and touching.
The concept for the Mass grew out of the annual Mass honoring couples celebrating significant wedding anniversaries. Those Masses, which will be held Feb. 1 at Epiphany Cathedral in Venice and February 29 at St. Leo the Great Parish in Bonita Springs, are extraordinarily popular. At the conclusion of one such Mass, a volunteer noted that she would have attended the anniversary Mass but for the fact that her spouse had recently passed away. This planted the seed for what has now become the annual Widows and Widowers Mass. (Registration for the Anniversary Masses is through your Parish.)
The Diocese of Venice Respect Life Office is co-sponsoring several events to mark the 47th tragic anniversary of the Roe v. Wade U.S. Supreme Court decision which opened the door for abortion in the United States.
In addition, the U. S. Catholic Bishops invite everyone to join thousands of Catholics nationwide for 9 Days of Prayer for Life, a novena from Jan. 21-29 for the protection of human life. Each day’s intention is accompanied by a short reflection and suggested actions to help build a Culture of Life. You can receive daily pro-life prayers via e-mail or on your phone via text. For further information, visit 
On Jan. 5, the Feast of the Epiphany of the Lord, the Feast Day of Epiphany Cathedral in Venice, Bishop Frank J. Dewane presided over a tri-lingual Mass (English, Spanish and Polish). This annual tradition includes the different language communities that are based at the Cathedral. At the beginning of the Mass, Bishop Dewane blessed the Cathedral where it is inscribed 20+C+M+B+20 (the year and the initials of the three magi) above the main interior entrance to the Church.
