With the flick of a shovel, Bishop Frank J. Dewane and members of the Fort Myers City Council celebrated the start of construction of the St. Peter Claver Place Apartments.
This first phase of the project, being constructed in partnership with National Development of America, Inc. (NDA), includes 136 affordable two- and three-bedroom units with the total buildout reaching 214 units. The ceremonial groundbreaking ceremony took place April 11, 2023, and is the result of seven years of meetings, negotiations and financing, ultimately serving as a clear example of the best in public-private partnerships.
“This is a great, great project. I want to thank all the different partners, most importantly the Diocese of Venice,” said Fort Myers Mayor Kevin Anderson during the groundbreaking ceremony. “Totally, 214 units may not seem like a lot when you look at the demand, but it is. It’s huge! It’s a big chunk that’s been added to the inventory. Not only that, we have taken a vacant piece of land and we are collectively going to turn that into something really nice that gives people a place to live, hopefully a place they can call home.”
Bishop Dewane said St. Peter Claver Place is being constructed for the working people of Fort Myers.
“We see throughout Fort Myers people are in need of housing, particularly rental housing. The market is tough. It is difficult for families to find good accommodations, a place to raise their children and know that they are safe and secure. We want to contribute to that by what we undertake here, by what we do with NDA and with the city. We do it for the residents who live here and that is important to all of us. They are the reason why we are here. We are not here because someone is Catholic. We are Catholic and that’s our call; to reach out to others and to help them,” Bishop Dewane said.
Rick Miller, President of NDA, said that the St. Peter Claver Place Apartments is an example of perseverance, as the concept of the project began more than seven years earlier because of the increased demand for affordable rental housing in the Fort Myers area. The first meetings with the city were in 2016 and started the process of rezoning and permitting. The biggest challenge was getting financing for affordable housing.
“We (at NDA) are different than the other guys. Our goal is to provide quality housing at rental rates that working people can actually afford. Today, if something new gets built, the rental rates are well beyond the reach of the working people of this area. St. Peter Claver Place is different; the financing structure allows us to charge rates between $600 and $1,300 per month, a fraction of what people are paying now,” Miller said.
The timing of the groundbreaking comes on the heels of a Florida Atlantic University study released on April 6 which found that for February, the Cape Coral-Fort Myers metropolitan area had the largest year-over-year rent increase in the U.S. at 13.59%. The average Cape Coral-Fort Myers rent for February was $2,283.51.
St. Peter Claver Place residents must qualify depending on their financial status, making between 30% and 60% of the city’s average median income. For 2022, that was $83,200, with qualifying salaries based on last year’s numbers being annual incomes between $25,000 and $50,000.
Fort Myers City Councilwoman Teresa Watkins Brown said housing is the No. 1 issue the Council deals with each day. “There are people who cannot find a place to live. Either it is too much, or not decent. I’m elated that this project is here.”
The final deal for the project was approved days before Hurricane Ian struck the area on Sept. 28, 2022, which Miller explained made a difficult process even more difficult.
“We are well underway and will be on schedule for completion by the end of 2023. Our budget was largely out of control because of difficulty of getting materials and supplies, but we got the support needed to get this project going,” Miller said.
Michele Hylton-Terry, Executive Director of Fort Myers Community Redevelopment Agency, described St. Peter Claver Place as a remarkable affordable housing project, that was supported through the use of tax increment rebate financing.
“Our agency has played a crucial role in bringing this development to life, demonstrating the power of public-private partnerships and addressing affordable housing and the needs of our community. This project not only provides safe, high-quality homes for hardworking families but also contributes to the revitalization of our city, boosting our local economy and creating a more inclusive and vibrant community. Let (St. Peter Claver Place) not only symbolize the opening of new doors to these families who will call this place their home, but let it also be the beginning of a new chapter for our city, one marked with growth, resiliency and unity.”
A number of additional dignitaries were present for the groundbreaking ceremony, including City Councilman Johnny Streets, who echoed the praise for the project. There were other city staff as well as community supporters who were instrumental behind-the-scenes in helping to achieve the success of what is becoming St. Peter Claver Place. Also present were representatives from Catholic Charities, Diocese of Venice, Inc., as well as priests and religious who serve at nearby Jesus the Worker Parish and St. Francis Xavier Parish.
The project is located on Michigan Avenue, within the Dr. Martin Luther King Boulevard Redevelopment Area of Fort Myers, and is adjacent to AFCAAM of Catholic Charities, Diocese of Venice, Inc., an after-school youth mentoring program. The name, St. Peter Claver Place, is derived from the former Catholic Mission which was located on the property until the early 2000s.
St. Peter Claver (1580-1654) was a Jesuit missionary known as patron saint of slaves, African missions and interracial justice. St. Claver spent his life serving enslaved Africans who were brought to Columbia during the 17th century.
The Diocese of Venice has a long partnership with National Development of America, having worked together to create two projects in Arcadia: St. John Paul II Villas, an affordable housing project for seniors completed in 2019, as well as Casa San Juan Bosco, a single-family housing project for farmworkers completed in 2016.
Phase 1 of St. Peter Claver Place is expected to be completed by the end of 2023 with occupancy shortly afterward. The second phase of 78 units is pending financing.
More than 70 Scouts from across the Diocese of Venice took part in the annual 10 Commandment Hike on Sept. 24, 2022, at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Retreat Center in Venice. The Scouts walked the grounds, go from station to station where they were taught the lessons of the 10 Commandments, not just what they are, but also how not to violate them. Diocesan Scout Religious Award Coordinator Bob Paquette said he hoped the Scouts would gain valuable lessons that they can apply to their everyday life. A special patch was presented to each Scout after they were blessed by Diocesan Scout Chaplain Father Lawton Lang of St. Thomas More Parish in Sarasota.
A Spanish-language marriage retreat took place Sept. 25, 2022, at St. Paul Parish in Arcadia. There were 60 couples who heard from speakers about the importance of having Christ accompany the couples as they live out their Sacramental Marriage, joined in union with God. Father Luis Pacheco, Administrator at St. Paul, said the retreat was a blessed time for all of the couples.
St. Cecilia Parish in Fort Myers hosted the blessing of a new Marian statue on July 31, 2022. The statue of Mary was donated courtesy of Retired Pastor Father Stanley Dombrowski, Oblate of St. Francis de Sales, and his sister Mary. Father Dombrowski led the blessing ceremony for the statue which sits outside, under the portico at the entrance of Marian Hall. The statue was dedicated to their parents, Stanley and Mary Dombrowski.
Members of the John XXIII Retreats Movement gathered at Campo San Jose Retreat Center in Lake Placid on July 31, 2022, to celebrate the conclusion of another retreat. More than 25 men took part in the three-day retreat with their family and others taking part on the final day for the closing Mass. This makes more than 1,000 who have returned to the faith in the Diocese of Venice through the John XXIII Movement. The Movement is a private international association of laity, with the goal of leading marginalized communities to God. After completing an initial retreat, participants are encouraged to attend faith-formation classes and weekly meetings to strengthen their faith and personal relationship with God. Rooted in Eucharistic Adoration, the ministry serves the Church and its people through love, surrender, and sacrifice. For more information about the John XXIII Movement, please contact Father Stewart at 
Every day, Catholic Charities, Diocese of Venice, Inc., serves its most vulnerable population by feeding, housing, empowering, and helping all in need. This summer, you can be the one that makes a difference. Your acts of kindness have the power to transform lives and leave a positive impact in our community. Catholic Charities, “Summertime and the Giving is Easy Appeal” is asking for your support. The giving is easy! Your gift will make a positive impact on our less fortunate brothers and sisters! Please visit 
Would you know how to help a pregnant woman in need? Maybe it’s your neighbor, cousin, niece, sister, granddaughter, or daughter. Maybe it’s someone you see in a store, restaurant, or church. Perhaps she is crying, looks distraught or is obviously being treated poorly by someone. Through a new national initiative from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) called Walking with Moms in Need, now you will know how to help. Walking with Moms in Need teaches the faithful how to help pregnant women in need, starting by letting them know they are not alone. The nationwide Catholic program calls every parishioner to learn the names of their local pregnancy help centers, the first responders for women with unexpected or difficult pregnancies. If you know of someone who is pregnant and needs help immediately, visit 
A three-year revival of devotion to the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist begins with the Diocesan phase, from June 19, 2022, through June 11, 2023. During the Diocesan Year, there will be a series of events and retreats that encourage the renewal of the Church “by rekindling a living relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist.” The pinnacle of the coming year will be a Diocesan Eucharistic Congress on March 24 and March 25, 2023. This event, which is in the early planning stages, will take place at the Convention Center and Luminary Hotel on the Fort Myers riverfront. The National Eucharistic Revival is a focused effort by the U.S. Catholic Bishops to revive a devotion to and belief in the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. To learn more about the National Eucharistic Revival, visit 
Most women who choose abortion eventually realize that they made the wrong choice and face a lifetime of regret. Even if they confess this sin to a priest, they often find it difficult to accept God’s forgiveness and forgive themselves. Project Rachel is the Catholic Church’s program to help women and men come to terms with an abortion decision and find the hope and healing they need. Watch for more on post-abortion healing in the next edition of The Florida Catholic. For confidential help in English and Spanish, call 941-412-5860 or email 
Because of the lengthy process of making and creating each section of a window, some as tall an 14-feet, these windows are often the last additions when a new Parish Church is completed.
Father Sebastian Szczawinski, Administrator of Our Lady of the Angels, blessed the windows during a Mass on July 24. He thanked the faithful for their support and patience and said that it was well worth the wait.
The mouth-blown glass, coming from factories in France and Germany, is made by hand and eventually folded down to a very thin sheet. The Pickel studio has many color shades and pieces that work together with lead once a client, such as Our Lady of the Angels Parish, approves the final design.
The annual St. Agnes 5K Walk for Life was in person and huge success this year in Naples on Nov. 20, 2021. The purpose is to promote a respect life message and to raise funds for the pro-life cause which encourage healthy living (body and soul). Among the walkers was the Pastor, Father Bob Kantor. The 2020 event was a virtual walk.
From time to time a Parish requires a new Pastor and on this occasion the Bishop will appoint – after consultation with the Priest Personnel Board – and install this new leader marking a new chapter in the life for the faithful.
The Bishop asked that the faithful listen to their Pastor and accept decisions that are made. While they may not always agree with all of his decisions, they must strive to understand that any action is based on prayerful contemplation and the good of all centered on Christ.
The dedication will be followed by a barbecue lunch. All are invited to attend this special event in the life of the Diocese of Venice. However, space is limited and RSVP for the dedication is required via the website at 
Bishop Frank J. Dewane led a blessing and groundbreaking ceremony on April 28, 2021 with a group of about 25 parishioners present to cheer on the project.
The new Parish Center will be approximately 30,000 square-feet, include two auditoriums and a pre-function space, classrooms, offices, conference rooms, catering kitchen and elevator. The project is expected to take a year.
Bishop Dewane began the groundbreaking with a brief prayer service, as well as blessing the construction site with holy water. As a continuation of the groundbreaking, Bishop joined Father Ratzmann, as well as representatives of the contractors and a few dignitaries, to turn dirt with special shovels.
