“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came to be through him, and without him nothing came to be. What came to be through him was life, and this life was the light of the human race; the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” John 1:1-5
The opening passage to the Gospel of John was read on Christmas Day at churches throughout the world, reminding all that the birth of Jesus Christ was from God, bringing forth life, a light of the human race.
This moment was celebrated throughout the Diocese of Venice, most significantly through the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.
Bishop Frank J. Dewane celebrated a pre-recorded TV Mass for the Homebound from Incarnation Parish in Sarasota with the students from Incarnation Catholic School present. This hour-long Christmas Mass reaches thousands of those who are unable to attend Mass for a variety of reasons.
During this Mass, Bishop Dewane said we, the human race, were created so we would be attracted to the light.
“Jesus is the light, not just when it is totally dark, but He brings the light to our world,” Bishop Dewane said. “He is the star that led the shepherds to the manger. His true light allows us to come out of the shadows and darkness and into the world.”
By allowing Christ to be the light in our lives we are called to the Covenant, enlightened in how we must live our lives, the Bishop continued.
“We have been given a great opportunity to let the light overcome the darkness in our lives,” Bishop Dewane said. “I encourage everyone to take advantage of this great opportunity at Christmas to renew our commitment to go forward to testify and magnify the Light of Christ into the world in how we live our lives each day.”
The manger, or Nativity scene, symbolizes the celebratory focus of the Christmas Season – Jesus Christ. Several Diocesan Parishes, and each Catholic school, took time to have a retelling of the birth of Jesus with young children and in some cases with live animals.
For example, St. Michael Parish in Wauchula held a living Nativity play on Dec. 21, 2024, included a donkey, horses and many angels and shepherds. This community celebration is organized by the religious sisters who serve the Parish, the Sister Servants of the Lord and the Virgin of Matara, and includes a festival and the distribution of gifts for the children in the area.
As part of the St. William Parish HOPE (Homeless Outreach Program for Empowerment) ministry, volunteers from St. William and St. Peter the Apostle Parishes, in partnership with Catholic Charities, hosted a Christmas Lunch for the homeless in Naples. The luncheon took place on Dec. 23 at the Judy Sullivan Family Resource Center of Catholic Charities. Hot meals were provided along with music and décor to ring in the Christmas spirit. Each guest attending received gifts donated by parishioners.
Likewise, St. Raphael Parish in Lehigh Acres, in partnership with the Rotary Club of Lehigh Acres, offered a free holiday meal on Christmas Day. The meal featured traditional holiday favorites, including ham, mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing and a variety of sides — perfect for bringing some festive cheer to your day.
Christmas is also a time to help others so donations for the needy were piled high and distributed. The most common form of collecting items for needy children is through an Angel Tree, where the ornaments are a wish list item for a child or family.
At Our Lady of Light Parish in Fort Myers, the generosity of the faithful was impressive as the Parish Hall was full of wrapped packages that were later delivered to the community. As noted in a social media post to the Parish, “Everything we have is a gift from God in one way or the other, and to see such giving is heartwarming.”
Catholic schools spent much of the month in preparation for Christmas with pageants, recitals, concerts, parties, and other fun, such as creating handmade presents for family members or building and decorating gingerbread houses. At the same time, the schools teach students the true meaning of Christmas, including bringing the love of Christ, that is in their hearts, out to the world.
The hope generated by their actions hasn’t gone unnoticed. Parents and community members have commented on the teachers’ unwavering example of Christ-like love, and their choice to prioritize others, reminding us all of what Christmas is truly about.
Passed through generations, the retelling of the coming of Our Lord, Jesus Christ, in such a humble way, born in a manger to reign over the world, should cause everyone to pause and reflect on the gifts of grace that have come to each one of us.
Bishop Dewane also celebrated Christmas Eve and Christmas Day Mass at Epiphany Cathedral in Venice. At the Midnight Mass, the Bishop brought forth the Child Jesus and placed Him in the manger as “O Come All Ye Faithful” was sung.
The manger, or Nativity scene, is a celebratory focus of the Christmas celebration. Several Diocesan Parishes and each Catholic school took time to have a retelling of the birth of Jesus with young children and in some cases with live animals.
Meanwhile, the eighth graders at the school and nearby Parish, worked together to learn about Catholic social teachings, to help those in need. The results were amazing. The Sarasota youth created 140 gift cards and handmade Christmas ornaments for the elderly residents at a Catholic Charities facility; donated 100+ blankets for the homeless; made Get Well/Christmas Cards for those in the hospital; collected and donated toys and household items for needy families; stocked pantries with food and supplies; and much more.
Father Arthur J. Espelage, OFM, former Judicial Vicar of the Diocese of Venice, died Dec. 9, 2022, in Columbus, Ohio at the age of 78. Born in Cincinnati, Father Espelage attended St. Francis Seminary in Cincinnati before entering the Franciscan novitiate on Aug. 15, 1962, and then entered Duns Scotus College in Southfield, Michigan, where he made his solemn vows on Aug. 16, 1966. He was ordained to the priesthood on June 12, 1971, at St. Leonard College in Centerville. He later earned a JCB, then JCD in canon law from Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. As a priest, Father Espelage served in New Mexico, Ohio, and Palm Beach. In 2008, Father Espelage was named Judicial Vicar for the Diocese of Venice, a position he held until 2014. He then served at St. Meinrad School of Theology before taking a position as Adjutant Judicial Vicar for the Diocese of Tucson. A Mass of Christian Burial Friars is at the St. Anthony Friary and Shrine in Cincinnati on 11 a.m., Jan. 16, 2023.
Two Cardinal Mooney Catholic High School graduates have been recognized for earning perfect scores on their college-level Advanced Placement® Exams in spring 2022, an achievement announced in December. Hallie Monserez and Madalyn Shuck are among an elite group of students, two of the only 306 in the world, to earn every point possible on an AP Research Exam and receive the maximum score on each portion of the exam. AP Exams are scored on a scale of 1 to 5 and they received the top score of 5. Furthermore, both Hallie and Madalyn received their Mooney AP Capstone Diploma, along with six other Mooney seniors, upon graduation in Sarasota in May 2022. AP Capstone is a diploma program from the College Board based on two yearlong AP courses: AP Seminar and AP Research. Both courses prepare students for college and career success through the development of critical thinking, academic research, collaboration, presentation, and time management skills.
The St. Vincent de Paul Charlotte District Council recently received a donation of $12,000 from Florida State District 75 Rep. Michael Grant, which includes Charlotte County. The Society of St. Vincent de Paul provides services for those who are struggling with poverty, homelessness and hunger, and has been actively involved in the community and has met the increased demands since Hurricane Ian.
Rhodora J. Donahue, a strong supporter of Catholic education, died Dec. 12, 2022, in Naples at the age of 97. The matriarch of a large family (13 children, 84 grandchildren and 168 great-grandchildren), was married to the late John F. Donahue. Rhodora lived in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area (Ligonier) for many years before settling in Naples in 1986. In Naples, the couple was a strong supporter of St. Ann Catholic School, St. John Neumann Catholic High School, St. Elizabeth Seton Catholic School and later the Royal Palm Academy (a school affiliated with the Diocese in Naples), and finally the Rhodora J. Donahue Academy of Ave Maria Catholic School in Ave Maria was established and named in her honor. A Mass of Christian Burial took place Dec. 21, 2022, at St. Paul Cathedral, Pittsburgh.
The 21st Annual Catholic Charities Christmas Appeal is continuing through January 2023. A donation to the Appeal strengthens Catholic Charities ability to provide much-needed support, for those recovering from Hurricane Ian, or who need any type of assistance in the region. This outreach is accomplished through more than 35 programs in locations throughout the 10-county Diocese. These programs annually support more than 100,000 individuals and families in ways both large and small. To support the Christmas Appeal, please visit 
Mary Alice (Manning) Wasmer, co-founder of the St. Ann School Foundation Fashion Show, died Dec. 12, 2022, in Naples at the age of 98. Born and raised in Ohio, she married John “Jack” C. Wasmer, Jr., and they had seven children. Wasmer was active in the arts in the Cleveland area and transferred that passion to Florida, moving to Naples permanently in 1986. A patron of the arts, a gallery at Florida Gulf Coast University in Estero is dedicated to the family. Mary was dedicated to the support of children and Catholic education, championing events for inner city schools in Cleveland. In Naples, she continued her work with St. Ann Parish and the St. Ann School Foundation for several decades. Wasmer co-founded the Foundation fundraising fashion shows and was an honorary chair of the Foundation galas. A Mass of Christian Burial took place Dec. 17, 2022, at St. Ann Parish.
For details on youth choirs or musical accompaniment, please contact the Parish via the phone number or website listed for further information.
St. Joseph Catholic School Jr. Catechists shared their faith Dec. 9, 2022, as they taught their younger classmates about the Holy Eucharist in Bradenton. The Jr. Catechists were promoting a Diocesan-wide devotional project “The Most Holy Eucharist: The Riches of His Glorious Inheritance.” The theme corresponds with the ongoing National Eucharistic Revival, led by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, as well as a promotion ahead of the Diocesan Eucharistic Congress and Youth Rally on March 24-25, 2023. The 15-week project is intended to bring to our students a deeper awareness and more ardent love of our Lord’s Real Presence in the Holy Eucharist.
The St. John Neumann Catholic High School YACHT Club welcomed the representatives from the Salesian high schools in Florida (Immaculata-LaSalle High School in Miami and Cristo Rey Tampa Salesian High School in Tampa) to the Naples campus on Dec. 10, 2022, for the annual Salesian DEC Retreat – Day Everyone Connects! The theme was Home for the Holidays! The YACHT Club (Youth And Christ Helping Together) is an instrumental component of the Neumann Campus Ministry Program. The mission of the club is to invite all students to the fullness of Christ’s love through service to others. Students plan and implement retreats, prayer services, liturgies, and more.
The Bishop Verot Catholic High School Viking Football Team fell in the FHSAA 2S Final Four on Dec. 2, 2022, ending the season for a team seeking the school’s first state title in its 60-year history. The team dominated most games, bring much needed smiles to the faces of the community devastated and overwhelmed by the impacts of Hurricane Ian. Undefeated Florida State University High Seminoles defeated Verot 38-28 in Tallahassee. The Vikings ended the season 10-3 having claimed the 2S Region 4 Final over Frostproof on Nov. 25. This was their first regional title since 1994. The best seasons in Verot history came in 1990 and 1994 when the teams reached the championship game. When the Vikings departed the Verot campus on Dec. 1, the entire student body came out to cheer them on. Enroute to Tallahassee, the team bus took a short detour to visit St. Francis Xavier Catholic School in Fort Myers where those students also cheered on the team. In a statement to the Fort Myers News-Press, Bishop Verot Coach Richie Rode said, “This has been a resilient group all year that continued to fight against a really good team… We’re disappointed in the moment, but we’ll be proud of what we did.” Great season!!
Jordyn Byrd, a senior at Cardinal Mooney Catholic High School in Sarasota, has been named the Florida Dairy Farmers Class 3A Volleyball Player of the Year. Jordyn was also named the FACA District 16 3A Player of the Year. She received the identical honor as a junior and was also named 2022 Florida Gatorade Player of the Year. Jordyn is committed to playing at the University of Texas in the fall of 2023. and Coach Chad Davis was named the District 16 3A Coach of the Year.
The 2022 Atlantic Hurricane Season will be long remembered by the faithful of the Diocese of Venice as the time when Hurricane Ian struck the shores of Southwest Florida on Sept. 28, 2022. Many lives were lost, many more lost homes or their livelihoods and still more are recovering and rebuilding. While many sent monetary donations or items to help in the hurricane relief and recovery, still more offered their prayers. The Diocese of Venice opened up an offering of a “Spiritual Bouquet” for those who wished to offer a special prayer for the victims of Ian. The practice was for a person to commit or pledge a “flower” of prayer to offer in union with others doing the same. These flowers of prayer offerings can take a wide variety of forms, such as a Rosary, a Divine Mercy Chaplet, a Holy Hour, litanies, novenas, or Holy Communion intention. An initiative of the Diocese Evangelization Office, participation in the “Spiritual Bouquet” was offered online through Nov. 30, the official end of the 2022 Hurricane Season. In all, 2,399 offerings were made for those who suffered in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian; 310 submissions were made, allowing participants to do a variety of actions. These actions were broken down as follows: 432 Mass Remembrances; 417 Holy Communions; 126 Visits to the Blessed Sacrament; 821 Rosaries; 31 Divine Mercy Chaplets; 147 Stations of the Cross; 203 Novenas and Litanies; and 222 Acts of Penance. Thank you to everyone who participated in this special outpouring of prayer.
The members of the Cardinal Mooney Catholic High School symphonic orchestra spread the joy of Christmas by performing for shoppers at University Town Center (UTC) in Sarasota on Dec. 5, 2022. The musicians helped shoppers get into the spirit of the holiday ahead of a performance on Dec. 7 in the School Music Hall.
