Neumann girls fall in State Semi Final
The Cardinal Mooney Catholic High School Lady Cougar Basketball Team will be playing for a State Championship after a Class 3A Semifinal victory Feb. 23, 2022, at the RP Fund Center in Lakeland. This a return trip to the State Championship game for the Sarasota team having a heartbreaking loss in 2021.
Just a few hours earlier, the St. John Neumann Catholic High School Lady Celtic Basketball Team from Naples fell in the Class 2A State Semifinal in Lakeland. This was the team’s first trip to the State Final Four since 2008.
Both Mooney and Neumann sent large contingents of students and faculty to cheer on their teams. Joining the students and faculty in the stands was Father John Belmonte, SJ, Diocesan Superintendent of Catholic Education.
On Feb. 18, at nearly the same time, the Mooney and Neumann girls won regional championships on their respective home courts, earning their berths into the State Final Four.
The Naples women faced Miami Christian, the defending State Champions, in the State Semifinals. The Lady Celtics lost 68-45, ending their dream season with a 23-6 record. While the final score suggests the game was never close, the Lady Celtics fought hard against a team that beat opponents by 174 points in the previous three games combined. The best Neumann player throughout the year was Leah Martin-Gonzales, a senior, who averaged 18.5 points per game with Sophia Mccartney, a sophomore, who averaging 16.3 points per game and 13 rebounds.
The Lady Cougars defeated King’s Academy of West Palm Beach 50-42 in their own Semifinal. The team lifted their season record to 19-6, having won their last six games to reach the Final. The team’s leading scorers are Olivia Davis and Keli Barret. The Class 3A State Final against Westminster Academy of Fort Lauderdale is at 4:30 p.m., Friday. Feb. 25 in Lakeland.
Please visit www.facebook.com/dioceseofvenice after the Championship game for an update on the Final.
The St. Catherine Catholic School Robotics Team demonstrated their skills on Feb. 15, 2022, in Sebring during a visit from Diocese of Venice Superintendent of Catholic Education Father John Belmonte, SJ, and Jennifer Falestiny, Diocesan Curriculum Specialist. The team has made remarkable progress in their skill level and has participated in a few competitions to hone their skills in preparation for a Diocesan Robotics Competition in May.
Congratulations to the seven Diocese of Venice Catholic high school seniors for advancing as Finalists in the National Merit Scholarship Program! The finalists are: Alexis Camina of St. John Neumann Catholic High School in Naples; Catherine Graham and Winston Fairchild of Donahue Catholic Academy of Ave Maria Parish; Hallie Monserez, Peter Etz and Sofia Cava of Cardinal Mooney Catholic High School in Sarasota; and Sophia Miller of Bishop Verot Catholic High School in Fort Myers. Finalists have an opportunity to continue in the competition for some 7,500 National Merit Scholarships worth more than $30 million. The process to become a Finalist includes submitting a detailed application with information about their academic record, participation in school and community activities, demonstrated leadership abilities, employment, as well as honors and awards received.
The Catholic-Jewish Dialogue of Collier County presents Rabbi Abraham Skorka, a longtime friend of Pope Francis, for a presentation at 3 p.m., Sunday, April 3, at St. John the Evangelist Parish, 625 111th Ave. N., Naples. With his return visit to the Diocese of Venice, Rabbi Skorka will describe his ongoing Catholic-Jewish dialogue with Pope Francis beginning while the Pontiff was Archbishop of Buenos Aires and which continues to this day. The program is presented by the Catholic-Jewish Dialogue of Collier County, the Diocese of Venice and the Jewish Federation of Greater Naples. Tickets are $18 per person in advance ($25 at the door if space is available). To purchase tickets, please visit 
The Mass was held Feb. 11, 2022, at St. Elizabeth Seton Parish. Among those present were the entire St. John Neumann Catholic High School student body, along with middle-schoolers from St. Elizabeth Seton Catholic School, St. Ann Catholic School, Royal Palm Academy, each in Naples, as well as those from Donahue Catholic Academy of Ave Maria Parish in Ave Maria.
The healing powers of the Incarnate Savior are profound, able to set one off to rekindle the graces given at birth and to live a new life moving forward. The Gospel reading of the day recounted the story of Jesus healing a deaf man with a speech impediment, described in graphic details in the Gospel of Mark: 31-37. “He took him off by himself away from the crowd. He put his finger into the man’s ears and, spitting, touched his tongue; then he looked up to heaven and groaned, and said to him, “Ephphatha!” (that is, “Be opened!”) And immediately the man’s ears were opened, his speech impediment was removed, and he spoke plainly.”
“It is my prayer that each one of you will look at today’s Gospel message and learn something about your spiritual wellbeing and the grace you need in your life,” the Bishop said. “We work at helping each other, anyone we see in need – and I know you do that well. However, it is also about looking to ourselves and understanding how Christ wants to help you grow spiritually, using the graces that have been bestowed upon you as you continue to become more the man or woman of God you are called to be in your life.”
Congratulations to Diocese of Venice Seminarian W. Pat Long, who was among 12 Instituted as an Acolyte on Feb. 9, 2022, at Pope St. John XXIII National Seminary in Weston, Massachusetts. The installation was presided over by Cardinal Wilton Gregory of the Archdiocese of Washington, D.C. The installation Mass plays an important role in the formation of the seminarians in their journey toward becoming priests. As an acolyte, each man’s primary role will be assisting the deacon and priest during Mass. They may also serve as Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion at Mass, bring Holy Eucharist to the sick, and participate in other tasks while aiding the priest and deacon during liturgical celebrations. Please join in praying for all of these men, but in particular Pat Long who is discerning his vocation to the priesthood for the Diocese of Venice.
Jordyn Byrd, a Cardinal Mooney Catholic High School basketball player recently reached the 1,000-point milestone in her career. She accomplished this milestone on Feb. 11, 2022, in Sarasota, during a victory which led to a regional playoff win. Jordyn also plays volleyball and in January was named 2021-2022 Gatorade Florida Volleyball Player of the Year. She has maintained a 3.72 GPA in the classroom and will begin her senior year of high school this fall. She has already committed to continuing her athletic and academic career at the University of Texas.
Future surgeons at St. Martha Catholic School in Sarasota showed their skills in Christina Via-Reque’s Kinder Cardiology on Feb. 10, 2022! These doctors scrubbed in and worked on their patients to practice reading, writing, colors, motor skills, sounding out words, math and more!
The Donahue Catholic Academy of Ave Maria Parish boy’s soccer dream season came to an end with a 2-1 loss in the Class 2A-Region 3 quarterfinal match on Feb. 9, 2022, to Bradenton Christian Academy. The Shamrocks’ Aidan Minter accounted for the only goal in the heartbreaking loss. The Shamrocks had earned a home field game by clinching a district title on Feb. 4. The team should be proud of their success and vow to do better next year.
Some 70 seventh graders from St. Martha Catholic School and St. Mary Academy in Sarasota enjoyed a Cougar Experience Day on Feb. 9, 2022, at Cardinal Mooney Catholic High School. In addition to a tour, the younger students took part in fun activities across the campus and heard from the high schoolers who shared what makes Mooney so special.
To ensure that students at St. Andrew Catholic School learn the necessary skills to function in a modern world, the use of iPads and technology is standard. However, experience using tools such as a microscope still serve a vital purpose in the learning process. On Feb. 9, the sixth-grade science class in Cape Coral used their microscopes to identify various elements as part of a larger STREAM (Science, Technology, Religion, Engineering, Arts, Math) curriculum. Of course, they were able to create images of the slide and save them on their iPads, but using the actual equipment made a real difference in the lesson.
One of the main highlights at many of the schools is Grandparents Day, a time to recognize and honor these key members of the faith community who pass down traditions, values, and the faith to the following generations.
“Our Diocesan Schools are vibrant Catholic communities which work to support children in a very supreme way, recognizing and promoting their greatest potential,” Bishop Dewane said. “God has given individual gifts to the students and our faculty and staff offer the opportunity for each individual to grow and develop into the man or woman of God they are called to be. Grandparents play a vital role in that.”
“In a world where the young are threatened in many ways, grandparents serve a role in the transmission of values and faith,” Bishop Dewane said. “The young respond to you by your presence while helping them strive to answer the call of God in their life.”
At Donahue Catholic Academy of Ave Maria Parish, the week ended on Feb. 5, with a traditional outdoor Eucharistic Procession which included the praying of the rosary and stations for Adoration.
For example, during a Feb. 3 celebration at St. Elizabeth Seton Catholic School in Naples, Father Belmonte learned how the school is using a Devotional Project to promote a celebration of the saints. To mark the occasion, dozens of students and teachers dressed as their favorite saints and shared stories about the life of the saint they represented.
Bishop Verot Catholic High School in Fort Myers celebrated Catholic Schools Week with an all-school Mass at neighboring St. Cecilia Parish, an Academic Quiz Bowl (won by the teachers), and the presenting of academic awards.
Following a 2021 hiatus, the Catholic Days at the Capitol was Feb. 1-2, 2022, wherein Catholics from across the state gather in Tallahassee to put their faith into action. Some 38 from the Diocese of Venice were among some 200 representing each Arch/diocese in the state. Both Cardinal Mooney Catholic High School in Sarasota and Bishop Verot Catholic High School in Fort Myers sent delegations to the Catholic Days gathering.
The high school groups were allowed a behind-the-scenes tour of both the House and Senate Chambers. The Cardinal Mooney students also had the opportunity to meet two Mooney Alumni, State Senator Joe Gruters and State Rep. James Buchanan, a special chance they enjoyed immensely.
The Competitive Cheer Team at Bishop Verot Catholic High School in Fort Myers took second place at the Class 1A Extra Large Varsity State Championships on Feb. 2, 2022, at University of Florida Exactech Arena at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center in Gainesville. Way to go!
The St. Michael Parish 2022 High School Youth Festival gathered more than 80 students in Wauchula on Feb. 5, 2022. The theme this year was “We are made to be great!” The day consisted of three talks given by Greg Stearns, an outdoor games tournament, prayer and quiet time with our Lord, the opportunity for confessions and Holy Mass. It was a beautiful day of fellowship.
Bishop Verot Catholic High School student Cornelia Ovren won BEST OF SHOW for her acrylic painting of The Triangle Waist Company at the Fort Myers Art Fest on Feb. 6, 2022. A team from Verot also won The Golisano Children’s Hospital Sunny and Sparkle award for their clever execution of Chalk Block’s theme: “Choose to Include” in the chalk art competitions. In the same competition, another Verot group took honorable mention for their chalk block “Come Together” tribute.
Several Diocesan Catholic high school sports teams won district titles recently. The Cardinal Mooney Catholic High School girls’ basketball team in Sarasota took the District title Feb. 4, 2022. The Mooney girls’ soccer team earned their own District title Feb. 3. The St. John Neumann Catholic High School girls’ basketball team in Naples also took their District title Feb. 4. Both boys’ and girls’ soccer teams at Bishop Verot Catholic High School in Fort Myers captured District titles Feb. 2.
During the week of Jan. 30 to Feb. 5, 2022, Diocesan Catholic schools celebrated their schools, their Parishes, the nation, vocations, their families and their teachers in a variety of ways.
The youngest of five children to receive a Catholic school education from kindergarten through high school (St. Joseph and Cardinal Mooney Catholic High School in Sarasota), Roddenberry credits that experience with her ability to overcome many obstacles in her life while achieving success.
Then it was on to meet the third-grade class of Juli Ferguson. There Roddenberry shared her story explaining how she loved going to St. Joseph and later Cardinal Mooney as both schools helped shape her into the confident young woman she is today. She noted that she started participating in pageants through the years and eventually became Miss Florida 2021 last June.
Roddenberry later had lunch with members of the St. Joseph Catholic School National Junior Honor Society, along with Father John Belmonte, SJ, Diocesan Superintendent of Catholic Education. The 22-year-old was Miss Tampa 2020, and an author of a children’s book and founder of “Be a LeadHER: Igniting the Spark Within.” She graduated from Cardinal Mooney in 2017. She represented Florida in the Miss America pageant in December 2021 where she finished in the top 10, her final pageant experience. The Miss Florida pageant is a scholarship program which Roddenberry said will help her finish her education nearly debt-free. She hopes to enter law school after her commitments as Miss Florida 2021 conclude.
During the weekend leading up to Catholic Schools Week, many Parishes throughout the Diocese hosted guest student speakers who were able to share how their school fosters a growth in faith, values, virtues, self-confidence, and much more.
St. Ann Catholic School in Naples had a Community Service Day on Jan. 31, where students collected trash outside City Hall and spent some time with Mayor Teresa Heitmann, helped to clean Cambier Park, Naples beaches, as well as the School and Parish properties.
Things have been busy at St. Andrew Catholic School in Cape Coral where students opened the week participating in a Math Olympics. Students participated in the “bobsled” and dividing and comparing decimals to determine fastest times. Just so everyone understands that Catholic Schools Week isn’t all serious – the second day was crazy hat day.
The Diocesan Hispanic Ministries Formation Program has returned with classes starting in January 2022 at several Parishes. The topic of study for these sessions is “The Christian Virtues” and a total of seven classes will be held weekly through Lent. Those who register and attend 80% of the classes will receive a Diocesan Certification.
A Memorial Mass was celebrated Jan. 27, 2022, for Father Dennis Cooney, longtime Pastor of St. Raphael Parish in Lehigh Acres, who died April 13, 2020. The death occurred during the early phase of the global pandemic and while a Funeral Mass was celebrated it was limited by the Parish to just 10 people at the time. Bishop Frank J. Dewane celebrated the Memorial Mass and spoke of Father Cooney’s spirited work in support of life from conception to natural death. Father Casey Jones, Pastor of St. Elizabeth Seton Parish in Naples, delivered the homily.
Families from all walks of life have recognized the benefits of a Catholic education, particularly those institutions in Southwest Florida. From August 2020 to January of this year, Catholic School enrollment across the Diocese of Venice increased by more than 700 students, over 14 percent. The surge of new residents across Florida certainly helped this remarkable growth. However, why have hundreds of families decided to enroll their children in Catholic schools rather than one of the public or private school counterparts?
CSW – Catholic Schools Week – provides a second key to the Diocese’s successes in enrollment and beyond. This year marks the 48th year nationally celebrating Catholic education. From January 30 through February 5, schools will celebrate their Parishes, our nation, vocations, our families and our teachers. Schools organize activities and public events to provide an opportunity to see the positive benefits of a Catholic education. Interested in attending one of these events? Visit 
