Ordinary Time has come to an end and the Season of Advent is upon us. This Season, which marks the beginning of the Church’s Liturgical Year of the Church, commences on Sunday, Nov. 29, 2020 and will come to an end on Christmas Eve, Dec. 24.
Advent is a time of preparation and expectation. The Church describes Advent as a season “of devout and expectant delight.” In Universal Norms on the Liturgical Year, the Church says, “Advent has a twofold character, for it is a time of preparation for the Solemnities of Christmas, in which the First Coming of the Son of God to humanity is remembered, and likewise a time when, with remembrance of this, minds and hearts are led to look forward to Christ’s Second Coming at the end of time” (39). In Advent, we look forward not only to the commemoration of Christ’s birth at Christmas, but also to His return.
Pope Francis described Advent as the time “we begin again and it returns us to the horizon of hope, a hope that does not disappoint because it is founded on the Word of God. A hope that does not disappoint, simply because the Lord never disappoints! He is faithful,” just as we are called to be faith-filled, thus faithful.”
Hope is needed during this ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic. Bishop Frank J. Dewane said it may become easy feel down and isolated because of restrictions necessitated by the Pandemic. This may cause the spiritual preparation, to which each of us is called during the Advent Season, to slip through the cracks.
“Staying focused on Advent is critical,” Bishop Dewane said. “As a unique Liturgical Season, Advent is a time for prayer and reflection. Therefore, it is doubly important to follow the lead of our ancestors who prepared their hearts spiritually for Christ, so must Advent prepare us for the Second Coming of Christ and that presence in our daily life.”
Those who have returned to their Parish for Mass and other activities should consider taking part in Daily Mass for the readings build up to the joyous celebration of Christmas. For those who remain home, consider watching a livestreaming Mass, or, if that is not possible, follow along with the daily readings through the Magnificat or the Bible.
One symbol popular in Churches for this Season is the Advent Wreath. By tradition, it is often found either in the narthex (gathering area) or, as is more common, near the ambo of a Church. Having a wreath in the home can be a unifying symbol for families. The liturgical color of Advent is a particular shade of purple, a color which is most often associated with royalty. This color is used to symbolize the anticipation of the birth of Christ, who is our King and Savior.
Each Sunday of Advent, an additional candle of the wreath is lit, with the rose-colored candle lit on the Third Sunday of Advent. This Sunday, best known as Gaudete Sunday, derives its name from Scripture: “Gaudete in Domino semper” (“Rejoice in the Lord always”), and marks the mid-point in the Season. The change in color provides encouragement to rejoice as we continue our spiritual preparation – especially prayer and fasting – for Christmas.
To help prepare for the Nativity of Our Lord and Savior, one should find time to pray each day. Pray for those, and with those, you love. Whether in person or via a virtual connection, praying together gives one strength. Remember to also pray for your Parish and the Diocese, as well as for all those who are suffering during this most challenging time. Prayers should intensify as one gets closer to Christmas. Particular prayers are provided by the Holy Mother Church (called the O’ Antiphon and readily available online) for the period of Dec. 17, 2020 to Christmas Eve, which uniquely prepare us for the coming celebration.
Advent Season is also a great time to prepare one’s soul for the birth of Christ by taking advantage of the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Many Parishes offer special times during Advent for the celebration of the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Contact your Parish for details and times.
Finally, this is a perfect time to deepen one’s knowledge of the Faith. Review the Catechism of the Catholic Church, read the Bible, listen to inspirational speakers online. By living one’s Faith more fully, and sharing it with those around us, it will allow one to make Advent a worthy preparation for the coming again of Christ into the world.
That mission was celebrated with a dedication and blessing ceremony of the Outreach Center by Bishop Frank J. Dewane on Nov. 21, 2020. Participating in the ceremony were staff, volunteers, supporters and local government officials (including Hardee County Manager Lawrence McNaul), as well as the Servant Sisters of the Virgin Matara, the religious sisters who serve at St. Michael Parish. Among the supporters’ present were members of the Our Lady of the Angels Knights of Columbus.
As part of the ceremony, a prayer service, which included Bishop Dewane first incensing the exterior and interior of the building as well as blessing the building with holy water. The was followed by comments for key people involved in the Outreach Center.
Another example of a need is that of musical instruments. Thanks to a donation of a grand piano, the Outreach Center does offer piano lessons. However, only a few children are learning to play, while other music lessons are limited to teaching basic notes and rhythm. The wish list includes Yamaha electric pianos (with headphones) as well as other instruments, so as more children can learn at the same time.
Bishop Dewane assigned the task of praying more. This, of course, includes the prayers said during Mass but to go beyond that. Prayer, the Bishop said, is a way to talk with the Lord, “Tell God what you are concerned about. Share your fears and worries. But also share what you are happy about and be sure to give thanks to the Lord so as to acknowledge the gifts you have been given by God.”
After the Mass, there was a ceremony to induct students into the National Junior Honors Society. After which the Bishop spoke to the eighth graders and answered their questions.
As the Church celebrates the Solemnity of Christ the King and Advent approaches, please accept my pastoral greetings and concern for you, the good Faithful in the Diocese of Venice. My prayer is that the preparation for the Lord’s coming in the Advent Season will enliven our hope in the promises of Christ.
The annual Diocese of Venice Memorial Mass held on Veterans Day had an altered format because of the Pandemic, taking place at Epiphany Cathedral in Venice for a small group of people while being livestreamed, versus an outdoor event at Sarasota National Cemetery.
Bishop Dewane noted that a veteran is called upon to do many things, as they proclaim liberty to captives, bringing glad tidings to the lowly and telling them they are free. Even when their active service is complete, veterans continue to give back to the community in which they live. At the same time, the Bishop said praise should also go to the families of those who serve, who make their own sacrifices in support of veterans.
For this reason, Bishop Frank J. Dewane invites the Permanent Deacons and their wives to participate in a Memorial Mass each year as a time to pray for, honor and remember the Deacons and their wives who have before us. The 2020 Mass was celebrated on Nov. 3 at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Retreat Center in Venice and was livestreamed for those who were unable to attend in person. Today, there are more than 60 Permanent Deacons, many seasonal, living and serving throughout the Diocese.
“We are comforted by a hope-filled promise that everyone who lives in Christ will be raised on the last day,” Bishop Dewane added. “Each one has responded to the invitation of the Lord to live in a certain way and be a beacon of hope in the community. Take that hope and live it by reaching out to the community of believers.”
Leadership of the Southwest Florida Guild of the Catholic Medical Association met with Bishop Frank J. Dewane on Nov. 5, 2020 at the Catholic Center in Venice. The leadership provided Bishop Dewane with their annual report on their latest activities.
This was the message given from Florida Department of Correction (FDOC) State Chaplain Johnny Frambo to Diocesan Prison Outreach Volunteers during a gathering on Oct. 30, 2020 at St. Maximilian Kolbe Parish in Port Charlotte.
This effort was facilitated by Diocesan Prison Outreach Co-Coordinators Bob Hiniker and Joe Mallof, with the assistance of Anne Chrzan, Diocese Director of Religious Education. Items for upload include the Mass and religious education programming and other materials which focused on the teachings of the four pillars of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. This meant that the effort was developed from scratch and uploads to the tablets through the FDOC. This religious education programming is part of a larger effort to increase access to Catholic content for prisoners in the state facilities during the Pandemic and beyond.
Bishop Dewane, who celebrated Mass for the volunteers, praised the group for choosing to answer a specific call from God to serve the incarcerated, those who are often marginalized or forgotten by society.
“As judges, lawyers and legal experts, your vocation is a most noble one and it ensures the good order of society,” the Bishop continued. “The work that you carry out pertains directly to express God’s will, God’s love for all people through justice which is due to every human being. The law is indeed a noble vocation.”
