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News Briefs for Week of March 6, 2021

Posted on March 5, 2021March 5, 2021 by Bob Reddy

Something BIG is coming to DOV Catholic Education

The Diocese of Venice Catholic Education Department will be making a big announcement regarding the future of Catholic Schools within the Diocese and an exciting new partnership which will propel all students into the forefront of STREAM (science, technology, religion, engineering, arts, math) focused education. An event featuring Bishop Frank J. Dewane and Father John Belmonte, SJ, Diocesan Superintendent of Catholic Education, will be livestreamed from the St. Martha Catholic School Zazarino Center at 10 a.m., March 10, 2021 via the Diocese of Venice Facebook page.

Students helped victims of Texas disaster

Helping Texas Recover! The proceeds from the Feb. 27, 2021 St. John Neuman Catholic School Cowgirl & Cowboy themed dress down day are going to the Austin Area Urban League to aid relief efforts. Along with fellow community-based organizations, the League plans to help provide shelter, food, clothing, and more to those impacted by the cold. Our Celtics even held a fashion show at lunch to show off their best western attire and compete for some gift cards!

Free Tele Mental Health Counseling Services available

Catholic Charities, Diocese of Venice Inc. is offering Mental Health Counseling for adults and children provided by licensed mental health therapists. If you or someone in your family are feeling stressed, anxious, overwhelmed, depressed or helpless, we can help. For more information, please contact the number for your area Sarasota/Manatee/DeSoto/Hardee/Highlands counties: 844-385-2407; Charlotte/Lee/Hendry/Glades counties: 844-385-2423; Collier County: 844-385-2404.

Knights Fish Fry in Sarasota

The Knights of Columbus, Our Lady of Victory Council #3358 at 4880 Fruitville Road, Sarasota, is hosting Lenten Fish Fry Fridays from 4:30 p.m.-7 p.m. to March 26. The meal includes your choice of hand battered fish (fried or baked) or fried shrimp with a roll, coleslaw and a choice of french fries, rice or macaroni and cheese. The cost is $12 for adults, $8 children and under age 4 are free. There is a $2 charge for seconds on fish. Desserts and soft drinks are also available for $1 each. The Columbus Hall also has a full cash bar with soda, beer, wine and liquor. There is a weekly 50/50 Raffle. Take out and curb service are available as well as limited seating in the Hall. Social distancing and masks are required. All are welcome!

Easter Triduum Retreat and Monthly Days of Prayer

The Our Lady of Perpetual Help Retreat and Spirituality Center in Venice continues to offer single days of prayer and overnight retreats in a safe, tranquil setting along the Myakka River. A Monthly Day of Prayer is offered on both the second Sunday and the second Wednesday of each month (March 10 and 14). The Easter Triduum retreat begins with supper on Holy Thursday (April 1) and ends with breakfast on Easter Sunday (April 4). The liturgies of the Lord’s Supper, Way of the Cross, Commemoration of the Lord’s Passion, Easter Vigil, and Sunrise Easter Liturgy are celebrated. Confessions are available. For more info or to register, call Denise Riley at 941-486 0233, ext. 3004, or visit www.olph-retreat.org and click on “Schedule of Events.”

Student learn to be athletics trainers

The Bishop Verot Catholic High School HOSA-Future Health Professions Club in Fort Myers hosted their first taping workshop Feb. 23, 2021 where students were able to learn about sports medicine. The athletic trainer taught the students a technique for taping the hand/wrist.

Faith and Wine Lee County March 18

The next gathering of Faith and Wine Lee County will be a virtual Zoom event beginning at 7 p.m., March 18, 2021. The speaker is Cy Kellett, the host of Catholic Answers Live, who will present “Whatever Happened to the Modern World?” Advanced registration is required at https://faithandwineleecounty.com.

Rite of Election: Catechumens, candidates welcomed

Posted on February 26, 2021 by Bob Reddy

When the Easter Vigil takes place on April 3, 2021, the Diocese of Venice will be welcoming 314 who will become Catholic and enter the Church.

One major step in this journey occurred on Feb. 21, 2021, when the Rite of Election was held on the first Sunday of Lent. This annual tradition is a formal Rite in which catechumens are presented and their names are entered into the Book of Elect. Candidates are also present as part of their calling to continuing conversion.

“I am humbled to stand before you catechumens and candidates, you come here to Holy Mother Church to publicly pronounce your “Yes!” to Jesus,” Bishop Frank J. Dewane said. “You declare yourself today that this is what you want to do. I welcome you and I trust that your sponsors, the priests, DREs (Directors of Religious Education), and parish representatives, have guided you well. I say thank you to all for your presence and the support that you give.”

Bishop Dewane reminded the catechumens and candidates at Epiphany Cathedral in Venice on Feb. 21, 2021 that the Rite of Election is not just a gathering of people who have chosen a religion, but a deeper commitment, made by a free choice.

“My prayer is that you are here today because you are convinced in your mind, heart and, most importantly, your soul, that the Catholic Church offers you the fullness of Christianity in a very clear way, and you are content and are willing to live it out in that way,” the Bishop stated.

He warned them that they will struggle during this process, but they must stand fast in their conviction to find the time in their lives to open themselves to hear Jesus Christ within their hearts.

Details of the Rite of Election were adapted this year to comply with social distancing requirements necessitated by the Pandemic. Instead of one large gathering at the Cathedral, this year there are four celebrations of the Rite presided over by Bishop Dewane, one in each Deanery (regions within the Diocese). The first, at the Cathedral accommodated those from the Northern Deanery, while later the same day the Rite took place at St. Catherine Parish in Sebring for the Eastern Deanery. On Feb. 28, additional Rites will take place at Our Lady of Light Parish in Fort Myers for the Central Deanery, and then at St. Peter the Apostle Parish in Naples for the Southern Deanery.

To accommodate social distancing, sponsors did not sit or stand next to their catechumens this year unless they were spouses or members of the same household. During the Act of Admission, sponsors extended a hand toward their catechumen, instead of placing a hand on the catechumen’s shoulder, as in past years.

The Rite of Election also is called the enrollment of names, because each catechumen writes his or her name in the Book of the Elect. When the catechumens from each Parish were called forward, a sheet with the signed names was carried by one catechumen and presented to the Bishop. Instead of shaking hands with each catechumen, as was done in past years, this year Bishop Dewane welcomed them with a respectful bow.

The catechumens and candidates are part of the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA). These catechumens are the unbaptized and unchurched who inquire about becoming part of the Roman Catholic Faith. Many times, 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. They have been meeting weekly since last fall – in many cases on Zoom – to share their faith journeys and learn about the Catholic Church. Children and teens ages 7 to 17 participate in similar groups geared to their own age ranges.

After completing the Rite of Election, the catechumens continue their spiritual formation throughout the remainder of Lent, a period of purification and enlightenment – the final, intense preparation for the reception at the Easter Vigil of the Sacrament of Initiation – Baptism, Confirmation, and the Holy Eucharist.

For candidates, those who have been baptized in the name of the Trinity, the Catholic Church does not require re-Baptism. Candidates have already experienced a journey of Faith. 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 or Sacrament of Reconciliation. They participate in appropriate religious education classes, often with the catechumens, and will receive any missing Sacraments at the Easter Vigil.

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

‘Follow Me:’ Men’s Conference inspires

Posted on February 26, 2021February 26, 2021 by Bob Reddy

Each encounter with the Lord, whether through prayer, Mass or by attending a conference, must fundamentally change us in our hearts, minds and souls.

How we respond to the ‘Call of the Lord’ in our life was a central theme of the 2021 Diocese of Venice Men’s Conference, Feb. 20, 2021 at Bishop Verot Catholic High School in Fort Myers.

Larry Montreux of Resurrection Parish in Fort Myers left the Conference with a new perspective on how he lives his Faith.

“I think I am a good Catholic, but I know I can do more,” Montreux explained. “Christ needs to be at the forefront of my life. It is a struggle, but I know Jesus is there and that provides great comfort.”

The Conference featured speakers were Patrick Madrid, of Relevant Radio fame, and Joel Stepanek who is Vice President of Parish Services for Life Teen International. Both focused their talks about what it means to be a Catholic man and how to respond to the “Call of the Lord’ in their life as well as how to talk about their Faith with family members.

New to the Conference was a question and answer session with Bishop Frank J. Dewane joining Madrid and Stepanek. Questions covered a wide assortment of topics including how to respond to answer questions.

Bishop Dewane took direct questions about the impacts of the Pandemic on the Diocese including about when he would lift the dispensation of the obligation of attending Mass for those who are sick or vulnerable or have a fear of getting sick, something Bishop said was much closer than far away. “The reality is that some exceptions will still be necessary.”

Bishop Dewane celebrated the closing Mass for the Conference and stressed that he prays the men have grown closer to the Lord during the day and will leave the event with open hearts and minds to hear the message of Christ in their lives.

The Gospel Reading of the day, LK 5:27-32, was appropriate, the Bishop noted, for the Conference: “Jesus saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at the customs post. He said to him, ‘Follow me.’ And leaving everything behind, he got up and followed him.”

“It is a command, more than a question,” Bishop Dewane added. “It is not by chance that you are here. You have answered a ‘Call of the Lord.’ Just as you and I have made mistakes, the disciples were sinners… The Lord didn’t come to just call the virtuous. He has you and I in mind, because we are sinners. Christ loves us all the same.”

Christ wants us to change our life for the better, the Bishop continued, but it’s not going to keep the Lord away from us. “It may keep us away from Christ. That is our problem and we must strive to overcome that… Let that ‘follow me’ be part of who we are as men of God. You have to hear it, because Christ is saying it over and over again throughout the day.”

The Conference opened with Eucharistic Adoration, which continued throughout the day in a nearby classroom. The opportunity for Confession was also available all day. Aspects of the Conference were adapted this year to comply with social distancing requirements necessitated by the Pandemic. These included extra space for seating during the talks and lunch, as well as limiting the total number of participants.

Women’s Conference March 13

Registration remains open for the 2021 Women’s Conference! The Conference will feature speakers Kimberly Hahn and Mary Ann Weisinger-Puig at Bishop Verot Catholic High School, 5598 Sunrise Drive, Fort Myers on Saturday, March 13. The day begins at 9:00 a.m. (doors open at 8:00 a.m.) and ends with Mass celebrated by Bishop Frank J. Dewane at 2:00 p.m. Confession will be available all day. Register at www.dioceseofvenice.org/adultconferences.

Bishop ignites 40 Days Spring Campaign

Posted on February 26, 2021 by Bob Reddy

The 40 Days for Life Spring Campaign seeking an end to abortion in the U.S. commenced on Ash Wednesday. Present at the opening vigil in Fort Myers were more than 200 people, including students from two Diocese of Venice Catholic Schools.

Bishop Frank J. Dewane was at the head of the vigil on Feb. 17, 2021, encouraging everyone present to be strong as they stand up to end an evil that plagues society: the taking of innocent life. “It is part of our Lenten journey to give ever more to life in every way, and participation in this vigil is an important step,” Bishop Dewane said.

Students from Bishop Verot Catholic High School and Donahue Academy of Ave Maria took part in the vigil. First, they took part in an opening procession as escorts of a statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary to a podium across from the Planned Parenthood abortion facility. The students then led the praying of the rosary and heard from several speakers who shared their passion for life while holding up signs such as “Pray to End Abortion,” “Smile, Your Parents Chose Life,” and more.

The sight of the students filled the hearts of the older participants with joy upon hearing that the youth were part of the respective school’s Pro-Life club. The students are actively learning and sharing what they know about Church Teaching and the sanctity of all life from conception to natural deaths with their peers, while participating in a variety of other activities throughout the year.

“It is heartwarming to see the young people out here,” said 72-year-old Susan Byrd of St. Cecilia Parish in Fort Myers. “It is their generation that is being harmed and we need them to take up the mantle in speaking out for the unborn.”

One Bishop Verot student said she was proud to be a part of the opening for the 40 Days for Life Spring Campaign and plans to return during the coming weeks. “We were not able to go to the national March for Life because of the Pandemic, but I am so glad we could be here. The message of life needs to be heard here!”

Another 40 Days for Life Spring Campaign can be found in Sarasota, where more than 80 took part in the opening vigil. The two Diocesan campaigns are part of the larger national effort which this year include 567 cities and continues through March 28.

Bishop Dewane said that many make the issue of life a political one, when in reality it is a moral issue.

“Failing to protect life is a moral evil that threatens the dignity of each and every human being in the world today,” the Bishop continued. “For this reason, the Catholic Church and U.S. Bishops have been unwavering and outspoken in their stance on this issue.”

For more information about how you can participate in the 40 Days for Life Spring Campaign within the Diocese, go to www.40daysforlife.com and click on the location nearest you. You can also contact your Parish Life Coordinator for specific information about your Parish’s commitment days.

Ash Wednesday: Lenten Journey begins

Posted on February 26, 2021February 26, 2021 by Bob Reddy

The opening of the Lenten Season began with the traditional Ash Wednesday Mass, starting a journey which ends prior to the celebration of the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday, April 1, 2021.

During this journey, one must take time to live the Lenten Season in a particular way, looking internally and answering the question: What more can I do to respond to the goodness of the Lord in my life?

Bishop Frank J. Dewane addressed this issue at St. John XXIII Parish in Fort Myers where he celebrated Mass on Feb. 17, 2021. The Bishop spoke of the need to “up the personal spiritual ante” during Lent, with a renewed focus on the pillars of the Season, prayer, fasting and almsgiving.

“We have to take a look at our lives and do more,” Bishop Dewane said. “Am I acting in a prayerful spirit? Is my fasting more than just a diet or the elimination of something inconsequential, or are you changing the way you live your life in a meaningful way? Is my almsgiving more than giving money, because there are so many more things we can do now to help, especially in this time of the Pandemic?”

The Pandemic may make the Lenten Journey different in terms of how we live out that call of Christ, but is all about our response to the Lord, the Bishop continued.

“Yes, we live in a difficult time, but take that experience and let it make us be more demonstrative of the love from which we were created and called, by giving to those around us, reflecting the light of Christ in our lives,” Bishop Dewane concluded.

According to Pope Francis, Lent is about more than the little sacrifices we make, but about realizing where our hearts are oriented, and turning them back toward relationship with God.

“Lent is a journey that involves our whole life, our entire being,” the Holy Father said during an Ash Wednesday Mass at the Altar of the Chair in St. Peter’s Basilica. The Pope advised people to reflect on stories of conversion in Sacred Scripture to know how to start the journey of the Lenten season.

Necessitated in response to the Pandemic, the distribution of ashes was changed to avoid direct contact. Therefore, ashes were sprinkled on the head of the penitents rather than in the sign of the cross on the forehead. This change was directed by the Vatican Congregation for Divine Worship and Discipline of the Sacraments and is a practice which is common in Europe.

Opportunity for Confession in Diocese

Additional times for the Sacrament are also offered so that the Faithful may find ample opportunity to receive God’s mercy. Parishes also could combine to have an evening prayer service with additional priests present to offer the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Check with your local Parish for additional reconciliation times.

Lent: A time to renew our hearts

Posted on February 10, 2021 by Bob Reddy

The Lenten Season always has special meaning, it is a time for prayer, fasting, and almsgiving in preparation of celebrating the Paschal Mystery of our Faith.

In the midst of ongoing impacts during the COVID-19 Pandemic, Pope Francis reminds us that it is “a favorable time to prepare to celebrate with renewed hearts the great mystery of the death and resurrection of Jesus, the cornerstone of our personal and communal Christian life. We must continually return to this mystery in mind and heart, for it will continue to grow within us in the measure that we are open to its spiritual power and respond with freedom and generosity.”

Lent lasts for 40 days – excluding Sundays – from Ash Wednesday (Feb. 17, 2021) to the evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday, which this year falls on April 1. It is a reminder of Christ’s 40 days of temptation and fasting in the desert, and of Israel’s 40 years of wandering in the desert.

The Season of Lent has a twofold character: first, by recalling or preparing for baptism and secondly, by penance, it disposes the faithful, who more diligently hear the word of God and devote themselves to prayer, to celebrate the paschal mystery.

Fasting, almsgiving, and prayer are the three traditional disciplines of Lent. The key to fruitful observance of these practices is to recognize their link to baptismal renewal. We recall those waters in which we were baptized into Christ’s death, died to sin and evil, and began new life in Christ. Tips to achieving this include praying the rosary, going to Mass more often, reading the Bible, and going deeper in our relationship with Christ. In addition, give alms and volunteer your time, as a way to profoundly reflect the Light of Christ while assisting our brothers and sisters in Christ.

During Lent, it is also common to participate in a retreat or pray the Stations of the Cross, allowing the opportunity for one to refocus on the Lord in different ways. While the Pandemic may have curbed some of these opportunities, please check with your local Parish for these and other Lenten activities.

At the Easter Vigil (April 3), a group of catechumens and candidates will be coming into full communion with the Church. Bishop Frank J. Dewane presides over the celebration of the Rite of Election. This annual tradition is a formal Rite during which catechumens are presented and their names are entered into the Book of Elect. Normally one ceremony takes place each year, but due to concerns related to the Pandemic, the Rite of Election in 2021 will occur in four locations over two weekends. The first pair on Feb. 21, at Epiphany Cathedral in Venice and St. Catherine Parish in Sebring, and then on Feb. 28, at Our Lady of Light Parish in Fort Myers and St. Peter the Apostle Parish in Naples.

The precept of confessing grave sins and receiving Holy Communion at least once during the Lenten Season indeed merits recalling for all the Faithful. To facilitate this requirement, every Parish in the Diocese of Venice will be open with a confessor present from 4-8 p.m., Friday, March 26, and 9 a.m. to noon, Saturday, March 27. Additional times for the Sacrament are also offered so that the Faithful may find ample opportunity to receive God’s mercy. Parishes also could combine to have an evening prayer service with additional priests present to offer the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Check with your local Parish for additional reconciliation times.

Dates of note

On Ash Wednesday, Feb. 17, the Congregation for Divine Worship and Discipline of the Sacraments has provided guidance on the distribution of ashes amid the Pandemic. Ashes will be sprinkled on the top of the head of the faithful, rather than applying a cross on their foreheads which necessitates contact. The formula will be said only once, at the beginning of the distribution, applying it to all in general: “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” Following this, the guidance states that the Priest then cleanses his hands, puts on a face mask and distributes the ashes to those who come forward. The Priest takes the ashes and sprinkles them on the head of each one in silence.

On the Solemnity of St. Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary, March 19. The Solemnity of St. Joseph comes in the midst of the ongoing Diocese of Venice “Year of St. Joseph.” Bishop Dewane consecrated Diocese to the Saint on March 19, 2020, in the context of the Pandemic. The Saint is the Protector of the Universal Church. This celebration will continue through Dec. 8, 2021 in the wake of Pope Francis’ dedicating a “Year of St. Joseph.”

On the Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord, March 25, many Parishes add additional Mass to accommodate this day. The day also marks the start of the annual Novena for Mass for Life, a special opportunity to meditate on the progressive development of Our Lord in His mother’s womb.

Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord, March 28, is the day the Church remembers Christ’s entrance into Jerusalem. The commemoration with the blessing of the palms and procession, is a ritual action that marks our own entry into Holy Week. Due to the Pandemic, great care will be taken in the distribution of the palms and will vary by Parish. Please contact your local Parish for questions.

During Holy Week, the annual Chrism Mass take place at Epiphany Cathedral at 10:30 a.m., March 30. The Chrism Mass is the largest gathering of priests in the Diocese and a time when they join Bishop Dewane in a celebration of the unity of the priesthood and when the holy oils used in the Sacraments are blessed and consecrated.

REGULATIONS ON FASTING AND ABSTINENCE

Ash Wednesday, Feb. 17, and Good Friday, April 2, are days of fast and abstinence. All Fridays of Lent are also days of abstinence from meat.

Fasting is to be observed on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday by all Catholics between the ages of 18 years and 59 years (inclusive). On a fast day one full meal is allowed. Two smaller meals, sufficient to maintain strength, may be taken according to each one’s needs, but together they should not equal another full meal. In the context of observing the fast, eating between meals is not permitted, but liquids are allowed. If possible, the fast on Good Friday is to continue until the Easter Vigil (on Holy Saturday night) as the “paschal fast” is to honor the suffering and death of the Lord Jesus, and to prepare ourselves to share more fully and to celebrate more readily His Resurrection.

Abstinence from meat is to be observed by all Catholics who are 14 years of age and older on Ash Wednesday and all Fridays of Lent, including Good Friday.

(Note: If a person is unable to observe the above regulations due to ill health or other serious reasons, they are urged to practice other forms of self-denial that are suitable to their condition.)

Sacrament of Holy Matrimony a Beautiful Vocation

Posted on February 10, 2021 by Bob Reddy

The Sacrament of Holy Matrimony is a sacred bond between a man and a woman which reflects the honor, love, commitment and fidelity each demonstrates for the other.

In celebration of that commitment each year Bishop Frank J. Dewane invites couples married 25, 30, 35, 40, 45 and 50+ years to a Mass in their honor as witnesses to a beautiful vocation for younger generations to see and admire.

“I stand before you truly joyful and truly humbled by the commitment you live each day,” Bishop Dewane said Feb. 6, 2021 at one of two Masses celebrated at Epiphany Cathedral in Venice. “It is not just a celebration of the numbers you have accomplished, but of your presence here today and to your dedication, one to the other. You wouldn’t be here if Christ wasn’t at the center of your commitment to each other.”

As examples for others within their own family and society, the Bishop said that the life that married couples live, in kindness and fruitfulness, is unique in what it contributes to society.

“You have made society rich – with your forgiveness, compassion and love for one another,” Bishop Dewane added. “Know that the Lord sees that and gives you the strength to be that example; the silent preachers of something that is good and permanent.”

Masses are celebrated each year in the northern and southern sections of Diocese of Venice so as to accommodate those wanting to attend. In 2021, to allow for social distancing due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, two Masses were celebrated Feb. 6, 2021 at Epiphany Cathedral in Venice. An additional two Masses, at 10 a.m. and noon, on March 6, 2021, will be celebrated at St. Leo the Great Parish in Bonita Springs. (Registration is through your Parish.)

For the two Masses in Venice, there were 126 couples present – married a combined 6,571 years – with six celebrating 70 or more years of marriage. The longest married couple was Donald and Nonna Rassier of Epiphany Cathedral. On Oct. 2, 2021, they will celebrate their 73 years together.

During the Mass, the married couples renewed their wedding vows. In addition, each couple was presented with commemorative certificates, signed by the Bishop, for their enduring commitment to marriage.

Alex and Lynn Franklin of St. Patrick Parish in Sarasota have been married for 40 years and have four children and 12 grandchildren. Lynn Franklin was thrilled to be present for such a beautiful Mass and thanked Bishop Dewane for ensuring the Mass took place even during the Pandemic.

The couple credits their longevity to their faith and communication. “We talk about everything, openly and honestly,” Lynn Franklin explained. “She means everything,” Alex Franklin quipped. Lynn quickly added that by communicating the couple remains focused on their life together. “It is a good life, grounded in our love of God and our whole family.”

A reception followed the Mass with lunch and the opportunity to have complimentary pictures taken with the Bishop.

Present for the Mass were six couples celebrating 70 or more years of marriage:

73 years

Donald and Nonna Rassier, Epiphany Cathedral;

71 years

James and Maria Nixon, Epiphany Cathedral;

Leon and Ann Reser, St. Francis of Assisi Parish, Grove City;

70 years

Thomas and Dolores Mortorana, Epiphany Cathedral;

John and Rita Riebel, Epiphany Cathedral;

Russell and Gianina Stanley, St. Bernard Parish, Holmes Beach.

Also present were two couples celebrating their anniversary on the day of the Mass:

Ken and Diane Neyer, Epiphany Cathedral, 50^th Anniversary; and Guido and Sharon Leutem, Ss. Peter and Paul the Apostles Parish, Bradenton, 61^st Anniversary.

News Briefs for the week of Feb. 10, 2021

Posted on February 10, 2021February 10, 2021 by Bob Reddy

Men’s Conference Feb. 20 in Fort Myers

There is still time to register for the 2021 Diocese of Venice Men’s Conference on Feb. 20, at Bishop Verot Catholic High School, 5598 Sunrise Drive, Fort Myers. Featured speakers include Patrick Madrid and Joel Stepanek. Madrid hosts the “Patrick Madrid Show” radio program on Relevant Radio each weekday, is the author of 26 books, including “Why be Catholic?” and is a research fellow of the St. Paul Center for Biblical Studies. Stepanek is also an author and the Vice President of Parish Services for Life Teen International where he guides several teams that support Catholic parishes in creating and sustaining vibrant youth ministries that form passionate Catholic evangelists and disciples. The Conference is 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. (doors open at 8 a.m.) with Mass celebrated by Bishop Frank J. Dewane. Confession will be available all day. For more information or to register visit www.dioceseofvenice.org/adultconferences.

“A Seminarian Story” seventh installment available

The Diocese of Venice in Florida Office of Vocations launched a video series titled, “A Seminarian Story,” to celebrate the 16 Seminarians currently in formation for the Diocese. The first seven videos have been released and more will follow approximately every few weeks. The most recent video is about Seminarian Alan Baldarelli who is in formation at St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary in Boynton Beach and is currently serving a Pastoral Year at Epiphany Cathedral in Venice. Developed with the assistance of the Diocese Communications Department, the goal of the series is to inspire others to follow in the path to the priesthood or religious life, as well as encourage the faithful to continue to support the seminarians as they continue their formation process at different seminaries. “A Seminarian Story” featuring David Alan Baldarelli can be found at https://vimeo.com/508944522.

Order of Malta holds retreat

The Knights and Dames of the Order of Malta took part in a retreat which began with Mass celebrated by Bishop Frank J. Dewane on Feb. 5, 2021 at St. Ann Parish in Naples. The retreat was led by Father George Ratzmann, Pastor of St. William Parish in Naples.

40 Days for Life begins Ash Wednesday

Join other Christians from Ash Wednesday, Feb. 17 through March 28, for the spring 40 Days for Life campaign. This Campaign encompasses 40 days of prayer and fasting for an end to abortion. Stand and peacefully pray during vigils in the public right-of-way outside Planned Parenthood in Fort Myers or Sarasota. For more information, go to www.40daysforlife.com and click on the location nearest you.

Migrant Care Grants deadline Feb. 28

Grant requests for funding of projects in 2021 are available from the Foundation for the Care of the Migrant Poor now and need to be submitted no later than Feb. 28, 2021. To be considered by the Board of Directors for a Grant, the project must clearly be seen as a service to the migrant poor or new immigrants. Preference will be given to those projects under Catholic auspices. Applications can be submitted by going to the Foundation page on the Diocese website at https://dioceseofvenice.org/offices/organizations/foundation-for-the-care-of-the-migrant-poor/.

Ash Wednesday Day of Prayer

Our Lady of Perpetual Help Retreat and Spirituality Center, 3989 S. Moon Drive, Venice, is offering its Monthly Day of Prayer on Ash Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2021. The day begins at 9:30 a.m. and includes two conferences, a simple lunch, Eucharistic Adoration, Mass with distribution of ashes, and opportunities for the Sacrament of Reconciliation in a safe, tranquil setting along the Myakka River. For more information or to register, please call 941-486-0233 ext. 3004, or visit the website at www.olph-retreat.org and click on “Schedule of Events.”

Collier Parish starts Golden Jubilee Celebrations

Posted on February 3, 2021 by Bob Reddy

The Golden Jubilee celebration of the establishment of San Marco Parish on Marco Island began with Mass and a blessing of the new statue of St. Mark, patron saint of the Parish and Diocese of Venice.

Bishop Frank J. Dewane celebrated the Mass, with the assistance of the priests of the Parish, including Father Timothy Navin, Pastor of San Marco Parish since 2004.

Father Navin said the timing of the beginning of the Golden Jubilee nearly coincides with the first Mass on Marco Island, which took place on Feb. 6, 1966 in the ballroom of the Marriot hotel. A mission church of St. Ann Parish in Naples, the new San Marco changed locations multiple times before the Parish was formally erected in 1971.

Noting that anniversary celebrations are always a good time to bring a Parish community together, Bishop Dewane recognized that togetherness means something different during the challenging times of the COVID-19 Pandemic.

“We may not all be able to be together physically, but we are together in our Faith,” Bishop Dewane said. “This is a time to look back and see what has been achieved in those 50 years and those who have gone before. It is also a time to look forward, as the Parish rededicates itself with new initiatives in service to the Lord.”

The Bishop said the Parish community must strive to hear the “Word of God, taught through the authority of Jesus Christ, and live it to the fullest as this year of celebration continues.”

After Mass, Bishop Dewane blessed the new statue of Saint Mark the Evangelist to the delight of the faithful who applauded and cheered at the conclusion of the blessing.

The bronze statue was created by world renown sculptor Timothy Schmalz and is 74 inches tall and weighs 700 pounds. Additional work done to the front entrance of the Parish includes a pedestal for the statue, a new walkway and extensive landscaping.

Claire Banks, who has been a seasonal parishioner at San Marco for the past 10 years, said the celebration and statue dedication are a bright spot for everyone. “It is great to be part of this celebration. While 50 years is a long time, I’m 76, so that doesn’t seem very long. No matter, it’s a wonderful day and I hope San Marco is here in another 50 years and beyond.”

Father Navin reflected upon this moment which marked the start of a year of celebrations marking 50 years: “Thank God for the many blessings bestowed upon our Parish and especially for the faith, sacrifice and service of all those priests, religious, deacons and people who have gone before us,” “May we follow in their footsteps and pass on this great legacy to a future generation of Marco Islanders.”

San Marco Parish has 2,400 families and serves many seasonal visitors. The Parish also serves the Everglades City community with Holy Family Mission. Since its establishment, the Parish was also the parent Church of St. Finbarr Parish in Naples, which was established as a mission in 2000 and became a Parish in 2010.

For more information about San Marco Parish, please visit http://sanmarcochurch.org.

Catholic Schools Week off to strong start

Posted on February 3, 2021February 3, 2021 by Bob Reddy

Students from Cardinal Mooney Catholic High School in Sarasota started off Catholic Schools Week 2021 on Sunday, Jan. 31, by visiting and speaking before the faithful at Masses in different Parishes. At St. Catherine Catholic School in Sebring, the principal and select teachers and students were recognized during Masses on Jan. 31 as well.

This was the start of a week celebrating Catholic Education at the 15 Catholic Schools in the Diocese of Venice. As the week progresses, there were days to celebrate the family, the community, the nation, vocations and more.

In a video message marking Catholic Schools Week, Bishop Frank J. Dewane said it is a fun and exciting time to celebrate Catholic Schools within the Diocese. “It is a celebration of the values and high standards that are part and parcel of Catholic Schools… Our Catholic Schools have been and will always be a place where they will learn about God’s dream for them.” (Bishop Dewane’s Catholic Schools Week message can be found following this link https://vimeo.com/507098738.)

Epiphany Cathedral Catholic School students heard a video message from the Vice Mayor of Venice who proclaimed the week of Jan. 31-Feb. 6, 2021 at Catholic Schools Week.

Bishop Verot Catholic High School in Fort Myers started the week off with an Academic Awards A-Team challenge, a trivia competition with teachers in front of the entire student body on the football field.

St. Francis Xavier Catholic School, also in Fort Myers, kicked off Catholic Schools Week with the celebration of the 100th day of school. Students were encouraged to either wear a shirt with 100 items on it, or dress like a 100-year-old.

Throughout the week, students will be participating in various projects to support the community including fundraising and collections to help Catholic Charities, veterans, homeless, those who are sick due to the COVID-19 Pandemic and much more.

Please check the Diocese of Venice Facebook page to follow some of these events and be sure to check the Feb. 12, 2021 e-Edition of The Florida Catholic for a complete wrap-up of Catholic Schools Week activities.