Tag: bishop frank dewane

Bishop Welcomes New Superintendent to the Diocese of Venice

Posted on by Bob Reddy

Staff Report

7/13/2018

Bishop Frank J. Dewane announced the appointment of Dr. Ben Moore, Ed.D., as Superintendent of Catholic Education for the Diocese of Venice, effective, July 2.

“I am very pleased that Dr. Moore has joined the Diocese of Venice in this leadership role. His extensive experience, skills, and passion for Catholic education will support the Diocese in its mission to continue providing the highest educational standards, while maintaining focus on Catholic instruction and identity” said Bishop Dewane.

In his new position, Dr. Moore will be responsible for the Office of Catholic Schools in the Diocese of Venice in Florida which consists of 16 schools and 4,777 students, the Institute for Catholic Studies and Formation, as well as the Office of Religious Education which supports sixty-one 61 parishes.

He is a seasoned professional with a successful record of leadership in education.  His career within education ranges from his most recent position as Superintendent of Portage Lakes Joint Vocational School District in Uniontown, Ohio, to prior assignments as District Director of Curriculum, Associate Principal for Curriculum and Technology; Director of Technology.  Earlier he taught Business and Information Technology Education as well as Special Education at the middle school level. He also served as Board President of St. Michael School Advisory Board in Canton, Ohio.

Dr. Moore is a graduate of Washington and Lee University with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration; he holds a Master of Science in Business Information and Technology Education from Virginia Polytechnic Institute, a post-Masters Certificate in Education Leadership from Virginia Commonwealth University and a Doctorate of Education in Leadership Studies from Ashland University.

Dr. Moore stated, “I am humbled and blessed to assume the role of Superintendent of Catholic Education of the Diocese of Venice. I am grateful for the opportunity to apply my education and experience in service of our faith. Partnering with families and schools I will work tirelessly in pursuit of our common goal to prepare all students to be servant leaders and disciples of Christ. I am excited to continue the tradition of excellence within the schools of the Diocese and I look forward to contributing to future success.”

Dr. Moore has recently moved from Ohio to Sarasota with his wife and his two daughters who will be attending St. Martha Catholic School and Cardinal Mooney High School in the Fall.

The Diocese of Venice in Florida, Office of Catholic Schools offers a superb education infused with Catholic values, teachings and traditions that are centered in Christ, rooted in the Gospel and alive in the Faith through 10 Grade Schools, three High Schools, one Special Education Grade School and one Academy K-12.  In addition, the Institute for Catholic Studies and Formation facilitates the need for both post-secondary professional development as well as comprehensive, lifelong and systematic formation for adults; and, the Office of Religious Education supports the 61 parishes in the Diocese through catechetical leadership and guidance in the faith formation of Adults, Youth and Children.

Please join in welcoming Dr. Moore to the Catholic Center and to the Diocese of Venice.

Diocesan Hispanic lay group leaders gather

Posted on by Bob Reddy

Staff Report

7/13/2018

Representatives from seven different Hispanic lay movements within the Diocese of Venice met with Bishop Frank J. Dewane on June 23 at Incarnation Parish in Sarasota.

The goal of the meeting was to update the Bishop on the activities of the different groups and to figure out ways to work together and with their local parishes, while always encouraging the faithful to keep a strong connection with Holy Mother Church.

Among the 23 attendees, Bishop Dewane was joined by Father Claudio Stewart, Director of the Hispanic Apostolate, and Father Jiobani Batista, Pastor of St. Margaret Parish in Clewiston and Spiritual Director of Emmaus.

The movements, represented were: Padres y Madres Orantes (Praying Fathers and Mothers); Council of Catholic Women (CCW); Cursillos de Cristiandad (Cursillo); Renovación Carismática (Charismatic Renewal); Marriage Renewal (MDS); Juan XXIII (St. John XXIII); and Emaús (Emmaus).

Representatives of each movement shared with the Bishop aspects of their particular charism and what they do locally to encourage more people to participate. A common theme of the movements is that each has a charism that is deeply spiritual with a stress on evangelization and key elements that include reaching out to those who are unchurched and perhaps marginalized.

Bishop Dewane said these movements serve an important role in the Church and the Parishes in which they exist. While some of the groups focus on individualized evangelization, the Bishop also encouraged them to seek to reach out to others and share their knowledge of the faith.

Praising the lay movement leaders, the Bishop said the Diocese is blessed to have them as they keep the charisms alive through a commitment and faith that is inspiring to others. However, he explained that they have a solemn duty to encourage participation and involvement at all levels, including those who might not be as active in the movement as others. “Reach out to them! Let them see the Spirit alive in you!!”

As movements leaders, they need to do more than organize retreats or larger gatherings for a select few, but to be open to bringing in new people to experience the richness of the Holy Spirit that emanates from each group.

During the meeting, Bishop Dewane also emphasized the need to communicate with parish priests to let them know about the group, their charism and to invite them to become involved.

Father Stewart spoke to the group about organizing events that include each chapter of a respective movement. “We have to remember the way of the Church, is a human service. It is very important to organize an event, but we organize events because of people.”

The meeting also covered the issue of finances and the need to improve Campo San Jose retreat center in Lake Placid.

Transitional Deacon prepares for Ordination

Posted on by Bob Reddy

Bob Reddy – Florida Catholic

Bishop Frank J. Dewane will ordain Transitional Deacon Shawn Roser to the priesthood at 11 a.m., July 14, Epiphany Cathedral, 350 Tampa Ave. W., Venice. Here Deacon Roser shares his journey to the Priesthood.

“From my earliest years, I have had the desire to serve others,” Roser explained. “In time, this grew into a yearning to share the love of Christ with them as well.  The first time that I thought about the priesthood was in second grade, when I received my First Holy Communion. I remember thinking that it would be incredible to be able to offer Mass and bring Jesus’ presence to others.  Time passed and the desire for priesthood mostly faded away, but the desire to serve others didn’t.”

Transitional Deacon Shawn Roser will be ordained to the priesthood on July 14 at Epiphany Cathedral.

Born in Lima, Ohio, he was raised Catholic and lived in Wapakoneta, Ohio, and then Fort Wayne, Ind., before moving to the Naples area at the start of high school. Although a 2002 graduate of St. John Neumann Catholic High School, Ave Maria is his adopted hometown, as his family moved there in 2009.

After high school, Roser attended Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, where he studied aerospace engineering and applied meteorology, with the intention of pursuing a career as a U.S. Air Force officer and astronaut. “It was then, during my college years and my involvement with Catholic campus ministry, that I experienced an awakening and renewing of my faith.  When Pope John Paul II died, I remember being inspired to reconsider the priesthood.”

Now 35, Roser credits a number of priests and religious for aiding in his discernment for a vocation to the priesthood. Specifically, Father Tim Daly, then Chaplain of the Embry-Riddle Catholic Student Union, provided guidance and prayers through the years. It is for this reason that Father Daly will be vesting Roser at the ordination.

“After some time, in prayer and discernment, I obtained my discharge from the U.S. Air Force Reserves, and pursued the priestly vocation, first with the Glenmary Home Missioners, and finally with the Diocese of Venice,” he explained. “Although I spent time dating and discerning the vocation to marriage before entering seminary, again and again, I felt the gentle but persistent call of the Lord to the priesthood.  In surrendering my will to Christ, I experienced great peace and clarity about my future path.”

While discerning with the Glanmary Home Missioners, Roser worked along with the poor and unchurched in Applachia and the rural South. “Later, I felt the Lord calling me back to Southwest Florida, where I delved back into studies and work. Eventually, the desire to serve God as a priest returned. I came to see that diocesan priests, in their work with those entrusted to them at the parish level, truly serve at the “front lines” of the struggle for holiness.  I too, wished to take part in this spiritual warfare and tend to Christ’s flock. Thus, I applied to become a seminarian for the Diocese. “

Roser took initial theology classes at Ave Maria University, and then at Pontifical College Josephinum in Columbus, Ohio. As a Diocesan seminarian, he earned a B.A. in Philosophy from St. John Vianney College Seminary, Miami, before being sent to the Pontifical North American College in Rome. There he earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Sacred Theology Degree from the Pontifical Gregorian University, and recently completed the one-year Spirituality Program at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas. In very early July, he returned to the Diocese.

When asked why he decided to discern a vocation to the priesthood, Roser explained: “For me, the priesthood is the laying down of one’s life in service to others, so that by following in the footsteps of Jesus, we may together journey to our eternal home of heaven. To be responsible for the salvation of souls, is an incredibly daunting task, but it is also one that fills me with joy and enthusiasm.  The more uncertain and confused the world becomes, the more clearly, I see that it is the Catholic Church and its teachings alone that stands solidly on the foundation given to it by Christ, through the Apostles. There is great comfort in that. I wish to do my small part in the great work of the New Evangelization.”

Family is very important to Roser; so he felt blessed to have had the support of his parents (Stephen and Mary Beth) and most of his family and friends. “I believe that my mother always thought that I’d become a priest.  Those who initially were uncertain or opposed to the call have really come around. Interestingly, when I first announced my decision to enter seminary, often it seemed that I received more support from non-Catholics than Catholics.  We must do more to promote a culture of vocations – it starts at home with the family!”

He admitted that the few weeks he has left to prepare for ordination are a bit surreal, knowing that his studies are finally done and nothing stands in his way to reach his goal. “What a wonderful privilege! Waiting to hear of my official priestly assignment and being assigned to the care of souls can seem a bit nerve-wracking, but I’m anxiously looking forward to parish ministry, celebrating the sacraments and serving parishioners!”

Once ordained, Roser said his greatest desire is to be a faithful parish priest who is a shepherd of souls and brings others to the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

Ordained a Transitional Deacon at the Altar of the Chair of St. Peter in the Basilica of St. Peter at the Vatican on Sept. 28, 2017, one of his first acts as a deacon was to serve as deacon at his mother’s funeral and the officiating at her interment. “It was a moving experience seeing the power of grace at work through the Church’s liturgy and sacramentals.”

While a seminarian for the Diocese, Roser had several pastoral assignments including: St. Andrew Parish, Cape Coral; Epiphany Cathedral, Venice; St. Leo the Great Parish, Bonita Springs; Ss. Peter and Paul Parish, Bradenton; and Incarnation Parish, Sarasota.

The ordination to the priesthood is considered one of the pivotal moments in the life of a Diocese. While an ordination is the final step to priesthood, it is not the conclusion of priestly formation, it is just the beginning.

“This is one of the most beautiful and often unseen Sacraments in the Church,” Bishop Dewane explained. “It is a public response to the Call to Holiness, which comes with great responsibility and accountability.”

During ordination to the priesthood the oridinand freely presents himself to serve God, the Church and the Bishop of the Diocese of Venice and his successors. They will also make a renewed commitment to celibacy and promise obedience. The reward for that choice is to have their life filled with the message of God.

Ordination details

What: Ordination to the Priesthood of Shawn Roser

When: Saturday, July 14, 11 a.m.

Where: Epiphany Cathedral, 350 Tampa Ave. W., Venice

By Whom: Presiding Prelate Bishop Frank J. Dewane

Other facts about Transitional Deacon Shawn Roser

Age: 35

Born: Lima, Ohio

Parents: Stephen and Mary Beth (deceased in 2017)

Interesting facts: 4th Degree Knight of Columbus; holds a private pilot’s license; First Lieutenant in the Civil Air Patrol; previously served in the U.S. Air Force Reserves.

Fun: Flying, bicycling, running, hiking, camping, canoeing/kayaking, visiting national/state parks and historic sites, reading, woodworking, cooking, etc.

Relax: Going to the beach, fishing, swimming, reading, etc.

June 20, 2018 Bishop Letter on current Immigration issue

Posted on by Bob Reddy

June 20, 2018

Dear Brothers and Sister in Christ,

This is a critical moment in our nation, a land of immigrants. We hear the cries of the children who are being torn away from their parents and family. As the political debate rages, action must be taken, and families need to remain together!

At its core, this is a moral issue, not merely a political debate. This is about the sanctity of the family, a bond that cannot be duplicated or replaced. While we may differ in our views on how to fix the immigration crisis, we can all agree that returning children to their parents must be of utmost priority.

Unlike many of you, I am not a parent, therefore I can only imagine the horror and suffering that takes place when children are torn from their parents’ arms. I can recall, as we all can, as a child the times when separated from our mother and/or father for any length of time – the anguish, the uncertainty and the deep hurt.

Children are being taken from their parents and detained on our border. They have no parent to comfort them as they are exposed to irreparable harm and trauma facing an uncertain future. Is this how we really want to treat children? Does this address basic human dignity? I hear this deep concern shared with me as I travel throughout the Diocese.

The family is the basic unit of society. When families are forcibly pulled apart, society is severely wounded. While every country has the right to secure and safe borders, it is the moral duty of us all to protect children. The government should not tear apart the family.

As brothers and sisters in Christ, pray for the children, parents and families who are suffering separation at our border. Pray that our country, the administration and the lawmakers find a solution to the immigration debate that makes sense and keeps families together.

I stand with my brother Bishops in asking you all to urge lawmakers to put aside politics and act for the moral good – reunite children with their parents!

Sincerely yours in Christ,

+ Frank J. Dewane

Bishop of the Diocese of

Venice in Florida

Donahue Academy graduates

Posted on by Bob Reddy

Bob Reddy – Florida Catholic

The final group of Diocesan Catholic High School graduates for 2018 received their diplomas and ceremoniously commenced the next chapter in their lives.

The graduates of the Rhodora J. Donahue Academy in Ave Maria first took part in a Baccalaureate Mass celebrated by Bishop Frank J. Dewane and other priests in the Ave Maria Parish Church.

During the Mass, Bishop Dewane noted that each had been given a gift of a Catholic Education that has fundamentally formed who they are as men and women of God. With a support system of parents, faculty and staff of the Academy, the Parish and the Diocese, the graduates are part of something much greater than themselves and as a result will never be alone in the world.

The graduation ceremony immediately followed the Baccalaureate Mass. Each of the 15 graduates will be going on to college. The group combined to earn $4.05 million in scholarship offers.

Valedictory Address was given by Clare Marie Williams who spoke about the blessings she received by being able to go to a Catholic School. The opportunity provided her with the chance to grow in her faith and gives her great comfort in the knowledge that she is supported by her family, friends, and the Lord. in all that she does.

The diplomas were presented by Academy Principal Dr. Dan Guernsey; Father Cory Mayer, Ave Maria Parish Pastor; and Dr. Kristy Swol, Diocese of Venice Director of Edcuation.

Traditional and Non-traditional Scholarships awarded

Posted on by Bob Reddy

By Bob Reddy – Florida Catholic

The 2018 Mary Fran Carroll Scholarships were recently announced by the Catholic Community Foundation of Southwest Florida Inc. This is the second year for the scholarship which was made possible through the Catholic legacy of Mary Fran Carroll and her generous gift to the Foundation.

As a result, seven traditional academic scholarships were awarded to recent high school graduates exclusively from Sarasota County. They are: from Venice High School, Bailey Jordan, Casey Lavalle, Emma Szablowski, and Sarah Zoetman; from Sarasota High School, Matthew Kowalczyk; from Cardinal Mooney Catholic High School, Keri McMahon; and from North Port High School, Samantha Novak. In addition three non-traditional academic scholarships were awarded to adult learners who are returning to school to obtain a degree. They are: Alijah Madkour of Incarnation Parish, Sarasota; Shannon Butler, San Pedro Parish, North Port; and Kristine (Kelli) Ottman, Epiphany Cathedral, Venice.

Matthew Kowalczyk, enrolled at the University of South Florida where he wants to become a physician’s assistant, said in his application that “helping people has been number one for me always. I was taught that in some circumstances it is more important to help others first and then yourself. This scholarship will help me focus on becoming a better student (with more studying time) as well as give me more time to do what I love which is giving back to the community.”

Emma Szablowski plans on majoring in Criminology at Florida State University and chose this particular career path due to her many moves during the last 18 years. Primarily living in the deep south “I have observed numerous situations where individuals were not treated fairly, primarily due to race. I want to make a difference once and for all for such civil rights issues. Also, I believe that a lack of religious life has led the demise of human compassion.”

Kristine “Kelli” Ottman, who was the catechist for the Holy Communion class at Epiphany Cathedral for 17 years, would now like to become a teacher. “My plan to achieve my career goal is to make a difference in the lives of children. I know that creating a strong foundation and a love for learning will offer the best opportunity to children. I have a passion for faith-based teaching. I am confident it builds the foundation for a child’s educational future as well as their character.”

The traditional scholarships were open to Sarasota County graduating seniors and recent high school graduates from private or public high schools who wish to pursue an undergraduate degree at any accredited college or university. In addition, the non-traditional scholarships were open to adult learners who were returning to school to obtain a college degree or vocational certification after being out of high school for several years.

The scholarships are named for a successful businesswoman who dedicated her life to her faith, to fun and to charity. Mary Fran Carroll retired as an executive with Northern Trust Co. in the late 1980s, before serving as CEO of Schroeder-Manatee Ranch for more than a decade. In that role, Carroll was responsible for much of the development of Lakewood Ranch, including the Sarasota Polo Club and the Lakewood Ranch Corporate Business Park.

Carroll gave a gift of $3.6 million to establish the scholarship fund to help others achieve career success through her legacy, explained Catholic Community Foundation Executive Director Michael Morse. Carroll was committed to providing opportunities to those individuals willing to work hard to make a difference in the community. This is the second year the $3,000 scholarships were awarded.

Scholarship applicants were asked to complete an online application and financial needs assessment in addition to submitting a clearly articulated career plan describing their chosen course of study. Traditional students needed to be accepted into an accredited college or university and non-traditional students needed to be accepted into an accredited college, university or vocational program.

The Foundation Scholarship Committee carefully reviewed applications before determining the worthiest applicants. The scholarship can be used for tuition, books and fees. Scholarships may also be renewed annually up to a total of five academic years for students maintaining a minimum unweighted GPA of 3.2 or greater, while also making progress toward their career goal. Scholarship recipients are strongly encouraged to complete an ethics course at some point in their college career.

May dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary

Posted on by Bob Reddy

Bob Reddy – Florida Catholic

The Blessed Virgin Mary’s path of faith and hope serves as an example to all.

This is just one of the reasons that the Universal Church dedicates the Month of May to the Blessed Virgin Mary. The month serves as an opportunity to reflect upon the season of the Liturgical Year which largely corresponds with the fifty days of Easter. Therefore, time should be taken to reflect on Our Lady’s participation in the Paschal mystery and in Pentecost at which point the Church has its beginning.

Pope Francis said “the message of hope contained in God’s blessing was fully realized in a woman, Mary, who was destined to become the Mother of God, and it was fulfilled in her before any other creature.” The Holy Father added that “our journey of faith is the same as that of Mary, and so we feel that she is particularly close to us.”

For this month of May, Pope Francis has called for lay people to use their creativity for the good of others, especially the most disadvantaged. The Holy Father applauded laity who bravely provide “reasons for hope to the poorest, to the excluded, to the marginalized… Let us pray together this month that the lay faithful may fulfill their specific mission, the mission that they received in Baptism, putting their creativity at the service of the challenges of today’s world.”

May is also the time when young Catholics often receive the Sacrament of Holy Communion for the first time. Parishes and Catholic Schools in the Diocese have May Crowning ceremonies in which a statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary is given a crown of flowers. On May 4, St. Martha Catholic School and St. Mary Academy in Sarasota joined together for a Mass and May Crowning which was a public commitment by the students to pray for the intercessions of the Blessed Virgin Mary throughout the month. As part of the crowning ceremony, bouquets of flowers gathered from each classroom were brought forward and placed in vases before the altar and statue of Mary. On May 7, Bishop Frank J. Dewane led a May Crowning prayer service for the staff of the Catholic Center in Venice.

To honor Our Lady in a special way in 2018, the Diocese of Venice Office of Evangelization invites everyone to the May 19 “Walk to Our Lady: A Marian Pilgrimage to the May Crowning.” This will be a 6.6-mile walk and public display of the faith from Our Lady of Lourdes Parish, 1301 Center Road, Venice, to Our Lady of Perpetual Help Retreat Center, 3989 South Moon Drive and will be followed by a May Crowning and lunch. (For more details, see information below.)

The Month of May should also be used as a time to renew a commitment to praying the Mysteries of the Rosary (Joyful, Sorrowful, Glorious and Luminous). Our Lady has 117 titles but selected this title at Fatima: “I am the Lady of the Rosary.” St. Francis de Sales said the greatest method of praying is to “Pray the Rosary.”

On the Fourth Sunday of Advent, Dec. 24, 2017, Bishop Dewane, in unity with the priests and faithful of the Diocese of Venice, formally consecrated the Diocese to Jesus through the Immaculate Heart of Mary. The consecration was the culmination of the structured 33-day “Diocesan Advent Journey to Jesus through Mary.” By this Act of Consecration, the faithful confided the Diocese and its good works to Our Lady so as to fulfill more readily the will of her Divine Son for His Church.

Our Lady is an important symbol throughout the Diocese. Our Lady of Mercy is the Patroness of the Diocese of Venice and is the name of a Parish in Boca Grande. In addition, Our Lady of Perpetual Help Retreat Center in Venice bears Her name, and numerous other parishes are named in honor Our Lady including: St. Mary, Star of the Sea, Longboat Key; Our Lady of the Angels, Lakewood Ranch; Our Lady of Grace, Avon Park; Our Lady of Guadalupe, Immokalee; Our Lady of Light, Fort Myers; Our Lady of Miraculous Medal, Bokeelia; Our Lady of Lourdes, Venice; Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Osprey; Our Lady Queen of Martyrs, Sarasota; and Our Lady Queen of Heaven, LaBelle.

Pope Paul VI wrote an encyclical in 1965 citing the Month of Mary devotion as a means of obtaining prayers for peace. May is the month during which the piety of the faithful has especially dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary, Pope Paul VI wrote, and May is the time for a “moving tribute of faith and love which Catholics in every part of the world [pay] to the Queen of Heaven. During this month Christians, both in church and in the privacy of the home, offer up to Mary from their hearts an especially fervent and loving homage of prayer and veneration. In this month, too, the benefits of God’s mercy come down to us from her throne in greater abundance”

The Christian custom of dedicating the month of May to the Blessed Virgin arose at the end of the 13th century. In this way, the Church was able to Christianize the secular feasts which were to take place at that time. In the 16th century, books appeared and fostered this devotion.

Pope Francis notes the Blessed Virgin Mary has always been present in the hearts, the piety and above all the pilgrimage of faith of the Christian people. “Our pilgrimage of faith has been inseparably linked to Mary ever since Jesus, dying on the Cross, gave her to us as our Mother, saying: ‘Behold your Mother!’ These words serve as a testament, bequeathing to the world a Mother. From that moment on, the Mother of God also became our Mother! The “woman” became our Mother when she lost her divine Son. Her sorrowing heart was enlarged to make room for all men and women, whether good or bad, and she loves them as she loved Jesus.”

WALK DETAILS

Walk to Our Lady: A Marian Pilgrimage to the May Crowning: Saturday, May 19, 7:30 a.m. check-in, 8 a.m., walk, Our Lady of Lourdes Parish, 1301 Center Road, Venice. In a public display of Faith and Devotion to the Blessed Mother, participants will process while praying the rosary 6.6 miles to Our Lady of Perpetual Help Retreat Center, 3989 S. Moon Drive, Venice. Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office will escort. Water, granola bars and bathrooms along the way. May Crowning prayer service will take place at conclusion of walk. This will be immediately followed by lunch of hot dogs and hamburgers. A bus will be available to provide shuttle transportation back to Our Lady of Lourdes Parish. Free, but advanced registration is required at https://dioceseofvenice.org and click on the Upcoming Events link. Contact Gail Ardy, ardy@dioceseofvenice.org, or Susan Laielli, laielli@dioceseofvenice.org, 941-484-9543.

Sacrament of Confirmation: More Perfectly Bound to the Church as a True Witnesses to Christ

Posted on by Bob Reddy

Bob Reddy – Florida Catholic

Through the Sacrament of Confirmation, Christian initiation is completed, as the recipients become more perfectly bound to the Church as a true witness to Christ.

This is how Pope Francis views Confirmation which he said is a Sacrament which must be understood as a continuation of the faith journey, beginning with Baptism, along with the Eucharist, to constitute a single saving event – Christian initiation – “in which we are brought into Christ who died and rose again, and become new creatures and members of the Church.”

Throughout much of history, these three Sacraments were celebrated together, at the end of the catechumenal path – normally on Holy Saturday. “It was a step-by-step process, first reaching Baptism, then Confirmation, and finally the Eucharist,” the Holy Father explained

The term ‘confirmation’ must remind one that this Sacrament involves growth from baptismal grace, Pope Francis continued. “It unites us more firmly with Christ; it completes our bond with the Church; it accords to us the special strength of the Holy Spirit to spread and to defend the Faith, to confess the name of Christ and never to be ashamed of His Cross.”

It should be noted that while the order of the Sacraments may have changed over time, “confirmation, like every Sacrament, is not the work of men, but rather the work of God, who takes care of our lives so as to mold us in the image of His Son, to make us able to love like Him,” the Holy Father added. “He infuses us with the Holy Spirit whose action pervades the whole person and all of life, as is shown by the Seven Gifts that Tradition, in the light of the Sacred Scriptures, has always made clear: Wisdom, Understanding, Counsel, Knowledge, Fortitude, Piety and Fear of the Lord. When we welcome the Holy Spirit into our hearts and allow it to act, Christ Himself is made present in us and takes form in our lives; through us, it will be He who prays, forgives, brings hope and consolation, serves our brothers, is close to the needy and the abandoned, who creates communion and sows peace.”

A group of young men and women recently completed their own final step of Christian initiation by being “sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit” during their Confirmation at St. Jude Parish in Sarasota on April 28. Bishop Frank J. Dewane used Holy Chrism oil to anoint the confirmandi.

This was repeated by Bishop Dewane throughout the year, with more 1,792 men and women receiving the Sacrament during since last fall at 54 different Parishes and in area prisons. An additional 398 women and men received the Sacrament of Confirmation at their home Parishes on Holy Saturday at the Easter Vigil.

Bishop Dewane told the confirmandi at St. Jude Parish that their sacramental life is key to who they are becoming by growing in the “Grace of God.” In order to do that, they must carry the Gifts of the Holy Spirit with them beyond the four walls of their Church. They must be doers of their Faith because there is nothing passive about being Catholic. The Sacrament of Confirmation is not an ending to the faith journey, but a beginning.

“You are on a journey to become women and men of God… We are each called to follow the lead Jesus gives us. You are old enough to do so freely in receiving this Sacrament,” Bishop Dewane added. “Allow this sacramental gift to enter into your life and carry the Holy Spirit with you from this point forward. You must each be changed by this encounter!”

During the Sacrament of Confirmation, the candidates renew their baptismal promises and then the Bishop, the attending priests, and all the faithful, pray that the Holy Spirit descend upon and remain on the Confirmandi. The Bishop then recites a prayer. Finally, the candidates are presented to the Bishop with their sponsor placing his/her hand on the candidates’ right shoulder. Then with his right thumb, the Bishop makes the sign of the cross on their forehead with the Holy Chrism oil and says “Be sealed with the Gift of the Holy Spirit.” The newly confirmed replies: “Amen.”

Choosing Confirmation names such as St. Jude, St. Edward the Confessor, St. Maria Goretti, St. Padre Pio, St. Patrick, St. Francis of Assisi, St. Peter, St. Martha, St. Theresa of Avila, St. Luisa, St. Juan Diego, St. Magdalena, and many more, the youth spoke about what it meant to receive this Sacrament which fully welcomes them into the full benefits of the Universal Church.

“This was an important day for me,” one young man explained. “I have struggled with my faith in the past, however, during my catechism classes I found myself realizing I had developed a special bond with Christ. That makes me very happy.”

One young lady who got emotional when the Bishop anointed her forehead explained that she was nervous because she had doubts about being worthy of the Sacrament. “When the Bishop made the sign of the cross on my forehead I immediately felt a calm and joy wash over me. That was very powerful.”

Pope Francis explains that when we are anointed with Holy Chrism we are conformed, “by the power of the Holy Spirit, to Christ, who is the only true ‘anointed one’ the Messiah, the Saint of God.”

The Holy Father often stresses how important it is that all children receive the Sacrament of Confirmation because while there is an important emphasis on the Sacrament of Baptism, there tends to be a less of a focus on the Sacrament of Confirmation. He explained that those who are only baptized remain at a halfway point, and do not “receive the Holy Spirit that gives us the strength to go forward in Christian life.”

The Sacrament of Confirmation requires good preparation – often years of study and spiritual growth – as it aims to lead candidates toward “personal adhesion to faith in Christ and to reawaken in them a sense of belonging to the Church,” the Holy Father added. He also reminded the faithful to thank the Lord for receiving the gift of confirmation. “Then ask Him for His help in living as true Christians, to always journey with joy according to the Holy Spirit that has been granted to us.”

The Diocese of Venice has a religious education program which emphasizes the importance of the Sacrament of Confirmation with a two-year program. The young women and men go through a process where they complete one phase of their faith journey and prepare to begin the next phase as with the fullness of their Baptism and as Christians who are called to be more and reflect the love and goodness Christ in their heart and soul.

In addition, through Epiphany Cathedral, there is Religious Education for Special Needs Individuals (RESI) program, which is an outreach for those with Special Needs. The program welcomes God’s children by acknowledging that all children can learn, pray and have a relationship with God. This program is specifically designed to meet the spiritual needs of persons with developmental disabilities and intellectual challenges and welcomes candidates from age 10 to adulthood. Through this program they are incorporated into the liturgical and sacramental life of the Church. On April 15, Bishop Dewane confirmed six individuals who completed the RESI program at Epiphany Cathedral.

New Church Dedicated and Blessed in Lakewood Ranch

Posted on by Bob Reddy

Bob Reddy – Florida Catholic

Richard and Monica Rice have been going to Our Lady of the Angels Parish in Lakewood Ranch since Mass was held in a nearby Lutheran Church where just a few dozen people initially attended.

Those days are long in the past as the Parish now has 5,133 individuals and 1,946 families. To accommodate the growth, a new 21,060-square-foot Parish Church was built and on April 22 Bishop Frank J. Dewane dedicated and blessed the people and the building, proclaiming it to be a sacred space from this day forward.

The Rice’s, and many others, were impressed by the Dedication Mass itself which has many parts that are unique and rich with tradition. “It was beautiful,” Monica Rice said. “It was really emotional at times. To have the Bishop come here for this was a special blessing. It is truly wonderful for the whole Parish Community.”

Bishop Dewane explained that a Church dedication and blessing has many parts the purpose of which is to solely and permanently dedicate the building as a sacred space. However, the more important part of a Church is the people who worship there. “I have a distinct advantage point to see the true beauty of this church today,” the Bishop said from the altar. “I don’t have to look up, but it’s right in front of me. It’s here. It’s all of you.”

The Bishop also noted that several hundred people were watching the Mass from the former church. “You simply outgrew it. And that’s a good thing!”

At the conclusion of the dedication and blessing, Parish Administrator Father Scheip, who has been at the Parish since early 2017, proclaimed: “Bishop we made it!” Father thanked the many people who were involved in the vision and contributions necessary in making the new Church possible. He also made a special point of joy to note that the Mass was the first time the parish had kneelers and everyone knelt.

“This is just the beginning. This is all for you. Priests come and go. Bishops come and go. But the people of God remain faithful and steadfast,” Father Scheip said.

The memory of previous Administrator Father Dan Smith, who died in 2016, was present throughout, as major aspects of the design of the Church were part of his vision. In addition, the chalice used during the consecration was Father Smith’s personal chalice.

The Dedication of a Church was done as part of a Mass and began with a procession from the former church to the new building of concelebrating priests, escorted by the Color Corps of the Knights of Columbus. Gathering outside of the Church, the Rite began with prayer and a hymn. Parish representatives then presented the Bishop with a certificate of dedication, copies of the architectural plans, and a ceremonial key.

The Bishop then said: “Go within His gates giving thanks, enter His courts with songs of praise.” The opening procession then began. Once inside, the next part of the Rite included the Bishop blessing the water in the Baptismal Font and then he, along with Father Scheip and Parochial Vicar John Haong, blessed the people with Holy Water as they are the spiritual temple of the Lord and so as to recall their Baptismal promises and repentance. This was followed by the sprinkling of the walls of the Church, marking the Church as a holy place from that day forward — before finally blessing the altar and the sanctuary.

The Mass then proceeded with some minor adjustments, such as the Litany of Saints replacing the general intercessions. Following the Litany, the rites of anointing, incensing, covering and lighting the altar followed. During the anointing, Bishop Dewane spread Sacred Chrism Oil – blessed at the Chrism Mass during Holy Week – first on the altar and then in the sign of the cross at four points on the walls of the Church. This is done to provide a sacred designation for the altar and Church. Next was the incensation of the altar to signify Christ’s sacrifice, and then of the nave of the Church and of the people throughout symbolizing “prayers rising up to the Lord.”

The new Church has a seating capacity for 1,074 people, doubling the seating capacity from the previous worship space, where weekly Masses have been held. The cruciform design comprises a hybrid pre-engineered steel building frame with a steel roof, and concrete masonry structural walls with cementitious stucco finish system and aluminum window systems.

The exterior design style borrows from Italian Renaissance and Spanish Mission Revival archetypes. There are prominent gold domed towers and central gold domed cupola with a cross frame central entrance gable. Both an interior and exterior focal point is a 11-foot 4-inch diameter rose window of Our Lady of the Angels, the patroness of the Parish, the beauty of which drew a great deal praise. It is located above a triple arched entrance canopy. Another lovely element is an oculus between the narthex and the nave which offer views of the rose window at the exterior wall. The church design features 68 exterior windows, which will soon display colorful stained glass.

Located on the west side of the Church, there is a Daily Mass Chapel, which will seat an additional 194 people. To preserve the history of Parish, all the Sanctuary items from the now Parish Hall, which has previously served as the worship space, will be placed in the Daily Mass Chapel, including the altar, tabernacle, cross, presider and assistant chairs, along with statue of Our Blessed Mother, as well as 18 of the stained-glass panels. On the south side of the Church is Adoration Chapel which will accommodate 30. The multipurpose building used as the church will now become the Parish Hall and undergo future renovations to include the installation of a new kitchen.

All construction was respectful of the natural habitat of the eagle’s nest, which made its home on Church property several years ago. There is a permanent 100’ protection zone around the nest, which was in place during construction of the new Church and required monitoring and certain restrictions to construction times.

McIntyre, Elwell & Strammer, of Sarasota, is the contractor, George F. Young, Inc., of Lakewood Ranch, is the civil engineer. The architect is parishioner John J. Holz of Plunket Rayisch Architects, LLP, of Sarasota.

Our Lady of the Angels Parish was first established in 1999 as a Mission Church of Our Lady Queen of Martyrs Parish was led by Third Order Regular Franciscan priests sharing worship space with a nearby Lutheran Church. The original church was opened in 2003 and has more than doubled the number of registered families in the past 10 years.

Ray and Robbie Phaneuf have been parishioners for four years and are impressed with the new Church, pleased that the hard work has paid off. “What a special day,” Ray said. “This has been a long time coming. With so many people moving to the area, we were crammed into the old church,” Robbie said. “Now we have a big open space to worship. Just perfect.”

Two of the newest parishioners, Julia Barreda and Kellen Braren, parishioners for just a few months, are excited to see the new Church. The couple is engaged to be married next February and Julia even remarked that the new Church is so beautiful that little will need to be done for the wedding. “It is already so wonderful. I don’t know if I would change anything.”

Hour of Remembrance reflects on Holocaust

Posted on by Bob Reddy

Bob Reddy – Florida Catholic
Many people in the United States observe Yom HaShoah, which is also known as Holocaust Remembrance Day. It commemorates the lives and heroism of the Jewish people who were slaughtered by the Nazis between 1933 and 1945.

Here in the Diocese of Venice, Bishop Frank J. Dewane hosts an annual interreligious gathering of Yom HaShoah: An Hour of Remembrance. This year the event was held on April 15 at Epiphany Cathedral, Venice, just a few days after April 11, the traditional Remembrance Day.

The powerful hour includes a symbolic reading the names of infamous concentration camps, a moment of silence, the lighting of 13 memorial candles, a guest speaker, presentations, music, and the commissioning of high school students to be a continuing voice for those lost in Holocaust.

Afterwards the guests went to a reception in the Parish Hall where there were also displays of research projects done by middle schoolers from Epiphany Cathedral and St. Martha Catholic schools. These covered topics of research on the stories of those whose lives were taken too soon, or of the incredible story of survivors.

Lisa Arnold said she had never been to a Holocaust Remembrance at a Catholic Church before and was impressed by the entire commemoration. “Millions were lost, but people forget. They forget the voices that were silenced. It is so good for us all to remember such a terrible time in the world. It can never happen again.”

Bishop Dewane spoke briefly about the need for such gatherings which bring together members of the Catholic and Jewish communities to recommit to the promotion of peace and solidarity among all peoples.

Using the example of a recent poll, the Bishop noted that two-thirds of American millennials (18-34), and 41 percent of adults as a whole, cannot identify what Auschwitz is. Another 22 percent of millennials said they haven’t heard of the Holocaust or are not sure whether they’ve heard of it. The numbers are discouraging, meaning the Holocaust is starting to fade for the collective memory.

“As generations inevitably die off, it is our responsibility to continue to raise awareness and that task has become ever greater,” Bishop Dewane continued. “Unless we do something and say something, those numbers will continue to rise and history will be repeated.”

One way to help avoid this is the ongoing effort of the Catholic Schools in the Diocese to have comprehensive program to educate middle and high school students on the Holocaust through various means, explained Dr. Kristy Swol, Diocese Director of Education. “It is hoped that by learning about the Holocaust, they learn about the past and also how to protect the future,” Swol concluded.

This year the featured guest speaker Auxiliary Bishop James Massa of Diocese of Brooklyn, and past-Executive Director of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Secretariat for Ecumenical and Interreligious Dialogue and later Consultor to the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, and a member of the Joint Working Group between the Holy See and the World Council of Churches.

Bishop Massa spoke about the need to properly develop one’s conscience to respond to injustices such as the Holocaust. Using the example of the White Rose Society, a group of university students who were publicly against the atrocities that the Nazi regime and did so by distributing leaflets at their school and throughout Munich, Germany in early 1943.

Bishop Massa noted that the courage of the group, of whom the most well-known being Sophie Scholl, is remembered for appealing to the conscience of their countryman. Sadly, for their actions, Sophie and others were executed by guillotine. Today they stand as martyrs who show that conscience really is essential in opposing evil and restoring justice in the world.

“Interfaith dialogue has among its great truths, the belief that we can share the richness of our respective traditions and strengthen our own identity within our own tradition,” Bishop Massa stressed. “Christians and Jews need one another. And together we need the followers of the world’s great religions to plant new seeds of interreligious understanding so that the soil of the 21st Century leaves no room for violence to sow. Heart must speak to heart. That is what we need today; to enter the conscience. Why do we do this? So that the world might be healed.”

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