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News Briefs for Week of Sept. 3, 2021

Posted on September 1, 2021September 10, 2021 by Bob Reddy

Bishop Dewane continues to celebrate Mass for students

Bishop Frank J. Dewane continues celebrate Mass for the students in each of the 15 Diocese of Venice Catholic schools. The latest series of Masses took place Aug. 26, 2021 at Incarnation Catholic School in Sarasota; Aug. 27 at St. Charles Borromeo Catholic School in Port Charlotte; and Aug. 31 at both St. Elizabeth Seton Catholic School and St. Ann Catholic School in Naples.

Diocesan principals meet

The Diocese of Venice Office of Catholic Education hosted a Principal’s Meeting Aug. 26, 2021 at the Epiphany Cathedral Parish Hall. Father John Belmonte, SJ, Superintendent of Catholic Education, led the meeting and updated everyone on how the start of the new Academic Year has been going in the Diocese and how successful the COVID-19 safety precautions have been working. Father Jeff Puttoff, SJ, who assisted in recruiting and promoting the Step Up for Students Scholarship initiative in the Diocese, provided an update on that work which resulted in a more than 12% increase in enrollment. The principals also received updates on the implementation of a comprehensive curriculum update. Jennifer Falestiny, Diocese Director of Curriculum, spoke about training teachers in a variety of areas. Falestiny also focused on the work to expand the STREAM (Science, Technology, Religion, Engineering, Arts and Math) programs. This also included a progress report on the implementation of the robotics STREAM initiative which will include competitions starting in the fall. Bishop Frank J. Dewane joined the group for lunch.

Miss Florida 2021 grew up at Bradenton Parish

If the recently crowned Miss Florida 2021, Leah Roddenberry, looks familiar to you, it might be that she is a parishioner and a former altar server at Ss. Peter and Paul the Apostles Parish in Bradenton. Father Mark Heuberger, Pastor of Ss. Peter and Paul, congratulated Roddenberry during a Mass in early August and wished her luck for December, when she will compete in the 100^th Miss America competition. She graduated in 2017 from Cardinal Mooney Catholic High School in Sarasota and previously attended St. Joseph Catholic School in Bradenton. Congratulations, Leah! We’ll be cheering you on.

Students start garden

School gardens can make lasting differences in the lives of children. The lessons taught through these outdoor learning laboratories transcend gardening to impact children, their families and entire communities for years to come. St. Mary Catholic Academy Teacher A.J. Schiep engaged his students in this wonderful and meaningful activity on Aug. 26, 2021, in Sarasota. The new garden is just outside their classroom windows and the students used various gardening tools, getting their hands dirty, while preparing the soil for planting. The students will work on the garden throughout the year, following the progress and eventually eating the fresh food that grows.

Eighth graders display leadership

St. Francis Xavier Catholic School eighth-grade each year take part in Falcon Academy students where they are excited to display the skills they have developed throughout their years here while serving the school community. This leadership program includes journaling, discussion, and feedback exercises help students self-reflect on their experiences. During the year, they will explore patience, empathy, active listening, reliability, dependability, creativity, positivity, effective feedback, timely communication, team building, flexibility, risk-taking, and mentoring. Host teachers provide mentorship as the eighth graders embark on an exciting year St. Francis Xavier before heading off to high school! For their first session on Aug. 27, 2021, the older students introduced themselves to their younger counterparts with activities, presentations, and read aloud time. Some of the students played a Fun Friday game while working on color recognition and taking turns with the PreK Falcons. Although our eighth graders had a lot of nervous excitement at first, they eventually settled right into the role and had a blast!

Verot students have many Club opportunities

There are so many great ways to be involved at Bishop Verot Catholic High School in Fort Myers. Students discovered their many options at an Aug. 26, 2021 Club Fair. Clubs come in various forms and focus, such as Catholics in Action; National Honor Society; Model UN; Academic Team; Black and Gold Delegation; or American Sign Language. While others are more generalized, such as environmental, art, chess, math, creative writing, robotics, theater, debate, and more.

Football team takes part in pre-game Mass

The Cardinal Mooney Catholic High School football team took part in the traditional pre-game Mass before their opener on Aug. 26, 2021 in Sarasota celebrated by Chaplain Father Eric Scanlan. The home game was against Booker High School of Sarasota. The Mooney Cougars won 36-0.

Bishop inspires Catholic School students

Posted on September 1, 2021 by Bob Reddy

In the early portion of each Academic Year Bishop Frank J. Dewane celebrates Mass for the students at the 15 Diocese of Venice Catholic Schools.

The first of these Masses was celebrated Aug. 18, 2021 at St. Joseph Catholic School in Bradenton. It was appropriate that the school was chosen as the Diocese and the whole Church are still in the midst of a “Year of St. Joseph,” which continues until Dec. 8, 2021.

During each Mass, Bishop Dewane invokes the Holy Spirit to come down upon the students, faculty and staff for a safe and successful year.

The Bishop used the Gospel reading from the Mass on Aug. 18, which was of the parable of the “last shall be first and the first shall be last.” During the Gospel reading, it is explained that one must not be envious because it is perceived that the Lord is generous to others, but be grateful for the gifts received.

“Jesus is very generous,” the Bishop added. “Jesus gave us a good example… You and I are called to imitate Jesus and be generous in who we are and how we live out our life.”

This can be done by being kind to someone in the school who needs help, or perhaps generosity toward your parents in gratitude for the great sacrifice they make each day. “They give you their total love. Do you give that love in return? This is how you can be generous. It is who we are as children of God. As a student, be generous to your teachers, to your classmates and to all those you encounter throughout the day.”

Realizing that it may be easier to say “I will be generous in my life” than actually doing it, Bishop Dewane said “what we do that is most generous and most felt by others comes from the heart and comes from the Graces the Lord gives us to live out our life. It is just like us wearing the masks. No one likes it, but we do it to be generous to everyone else. Because we are concerned about others.

In this Year of St. Joseph, Bishop Dewane said the Protector of the Church and Foster-Father of Jesus, is a model to follow for his generosity in turning over his life in service to the Lord.

“Pray to St joseph to have that grace to be generous to be seen always as a giver in your life, one who lives that faith and in so doing gives to others a gift,” Bishop Dewane said.

Following the Masses, the Bishop took the opportunity to speak with the eighth-grade students, encouraging them to be the leaders at their school and they must lead by example as they are “big kids” the younger students look up to for guidance. and continue with their education at a local Catholic high school. He also took time to answer any of their questions and then stood for a photo with them.

It so happened that after Mass at St. Joseph Catholic School, the Bishop participated in an award ceremony. The school recognized the top three students from each grade for their participation and success in a summer problem solving competition. The program continues the tradition of academic excellence from the end of June to end of August by offering problems to solve in the subjects of math, language arts, science and social studies. In all, the students at St. Joseph completed 59,211 problems. In addition, after the Aug. 24 Mass at St. Andrew Catholic School in Cape Coral, the Bishop presented leadership pins to the eighth graders.

During this week, the Bishop also celebrated Mass for Ave Maria Catholic School in Ave Maria on Aug. 24, and St. Martha Catholic School and St. Mary Catholic Academy in Sarasota on Aug. 25. Additional Catholic School Masses are scheduled for late August and into September.

News Briefs for Week of Aug. 27, 2021

Posted on September 1, 2021September 1, 2021 by Bob Reddy

Bishop blesses Maria Vision offices

Bishop Frank J. Dewane blessed the offices of Maria Vision USA in Ave Maria on Aug. 23, 2021. Maria Vision offers a variety of faith-based programming with a mission to bring the light of the Gospel to the entire world with the vision of Mary Most Holy.

The programming includes the Holy Hour, daily Mass, weekly rosary, guest speakers and presentations. Maria Vision can be viewed in 12 million households in the United States on Direct TV channels 262 and 89 and through its website https://www.mariavision.us/.

Safety Patrol keeps little ones safe

Student Safely Patrols at St. Francis Xavier Catholic School in Fort Myers put their leadership skills to the test on Aug. 20, 2021. They greet (often by name) the Pre-Kindergarten-3, PreK-4, and Kindergarten students during morning drop-off. Separating from the ones they love the most can be tough for the youngest Falcons. Patrols assist students to class and ensure they are in the learning mindset when they arrive. For example, one of the Pre-K students didn’t want a walker and instead wanted to be a walker, so Safety Patrol members strapped on a bright yellow safety belt on the young lady, and she walked the Patrol to class. Whatever works, the team often says that welcoming all the smiling faces and exchanging greetings with the students during morning drop-off is the best part of our day. Well done!

Young scientists get hands-on

Scientists at St. Mary Academy in Sarasota participated in a hands-on experiment Aug. 20, 2021, where they used their senses as they smelled, touched and tasted marshmallows. Then the scientists asked questions, wanting to know what would happen if you put a marshmallow in the microwave for 30 seconds. They then recorded their results. The next day they had more questions and asked what would happen if we they marshmallows in different liquids like vinegar, water, soda, and cranberry juice. Students love hands-on experiments.

R.C.I.A. Workshop with R.C.I.A. teams

The Diocese of Venice Office of Religious Education is holding a Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA) Workshop led by Dr. Bill Keimig from Franciscan University at St. Leo the Great Parish, 28290 Beaumont Road, Bonita Springs, from 9 am.m to 3 p.m. on Sept. 23, 2021. The workshop will include the following: a walk through the four periods of the RCIA process – pre catchumenate, catchumenate, purification and enlightenment and mystagogy & the neophyte year; a walk through the three aspects of the catechumenal model – liturgical, catechetical, pastoral – with a fixed time in the event on each; plus opportunities for questions and answers. Lunch will be provided at no cost to participants. Contact Anne Chrzan, Diocesan Director of Religious Education for registration information at chrzan@dioceseofvenice.org.

VDCCW Priest’s Appreciation Dinner

The Venice Diocesan Council of Catholic Women Priest’s Appreciation Dinner is 6:00 p.m., Friday, September 17 at the Venetian River Club, 502 Veneto Blvd., Venice. The cost is $40. RSVP with a check by Wednesday, September 1 to: Ellen Bachman, 52414 Lansdowne Way, Palmetto, FL 34221. For more information, please contact Ellen Bachman at 941-721-7393 or pennyln99@aol.com.

Diocesan Catholic schools get into swing of new year

Posted on August 19, 2021August 19, 2021 by Bob Reddy

A few rain showers, rainbows, Mass, an eye on the tropics and thousands of students filing into the classrooms were just some of the highlights of the first week in the Diocese of Venice Catholic Schools 2021-2022 Academic Year.

Opening the schools during the ongoing global Pandemic continues to pose some challenges, but the comprehensive planning, hard work and the dedication of the staff at the Diocesan and local levels made the opening this year simple in comparison to 2020, explained Father John Belmonte, SJ, Superintendent of Catholic Education.

“We have many great initiatives that are being implemented across all of our schools and we are excited about a big increase in enrollment,” Father Belmonte exclaimed. “We couldn’t be happier with how everything is going.”

Diocesan Catholic Schools began instruction on Aug. 9, 2021, with some dividing the start days for students so that by Aug. 11 everyone had settled into the routine of instruction.

Father Belmonte reported that enrollment exceeded 5,100, up more than 15% over the 2020-2021 Academic Year. In addition, 10 of the 15 Diocesan Schools have wait lists and the others are seeing enrollment reaching levels not seen in more than a decade.

For the 2021-2022 Academic Year, a comprehensive update to the Diocese of Venice Curricular Standards is being put forth. This new plan builds on previously established standards and has more of an integrated faith component. In addition, this format allows teachers to focus on cross-curriculum integration of subject matters and for all work to be measurable for success for both the students and teachers in all grade levels.

Each teacher in core courses (English Language Arts, Math, Science and Social Studies) will be given the relevant standards. The effort integrates Catholic values and virtues through the Diocesan curriculum called, “The Gifts of Christ: Truth, Beauty, Goodness, Affability, Fortitude, Humility, and Prudence.” The results, Father said, will be enhancing the faith and academic life of the students and the entire Diocesan School Community.

“These new standards are creating a strong culture by providing each student a Catholic world view and building moral character that continues to help develop the creative imagination of each student,” Father Belmonte said. “This will be implemented into every subject.”

Other initiatives also getting a push is the integration of STREAM (Science, Technology, Religion, Engineering, Arts and Math) model into the classrooms. This project, fully supported through the generosity of Bishop Frank J. Dewane, will be placing students ahead of the curve in primary fields while continuing to promote core Catholic virtues by helping students to develop cognitive thought processes and gain skills such as leadership, communication, complex problem solving, teamwork and creativity.

To learn more about Diocese of Venice Catholic schools, please visit www.dioceseofvenice.org/education.

School celebrating 40 years with campus expansion

Posted on August 19, 2021August 19, 2021 by Bob Reddy

In the four years since Hurricane Irma devastated Southwest Florida and heavily damaged St. Elizabeth Seton Catholic School, the community has made a remarkable comeback.

The School, located in the Golden Gate neighborhood, had extensive roof and water damage from the Sept. 10, 2017 hurricane, with repairs taking more than 13 months. While there was a slight dip in enrollment following the hurricane, St. Elizabeth Seton Catholic School has made a remarkable comeback and is thriving, outgrowing its existing space with enrollment up 30 percent since 2017.

To accommodate the growth and mark the 40^th Anniversary of the founding of the School, a fundraising campaign to allow for campus expansion was started in March 2021, explained Gina Groch, Seton Communications Director. While the response has been good, much remains needed to raise the needed funds.

The first phase of the project, with funding secured, included the installation of a permanent portable classroom for additional middle school space. This will be installed in the coming months. In addition, during the summer months, the cafeteria was redesigned and transformed into the new related “Arts Center.” This will place under one roof the music and art classes, band, and the expansion of the STREAM (Science, Technology, Religion, Engineering, Arts, Math) program. The full conversion of the space is ongoing and will be completed later in the year.

The largest part of the expansion planned is the construction of a new administration building. Since Hurricane Irma in 2017, the administration offices have been operating out of a second-floor classroom. However, the new building will free up valuable classroom space and thus enhance the campus.

Details of the 1,971-square-foot project includes a secure, single point of entry for visitors, parents and students. New space will be provided for admissions, clinic, accounting, advancement, as well as offices for the assistant principal and principal. The finished building will allow greater visibility from the main road, giving a sense of welcome with an attractive entrance.

Groch said the support for the campus expansion program has been overwhelmingly positive with more than 220 donors so far, however the job is not yet complete.

“We continue to look for donors who believe in our mission and can help in our efforts to provide additional classroom and administrative space to support our growing enrollment,” Groch said. “No amount is too small or too large! All fundraising through this year will benefit the campus expansion. Our hope is to be able to improve the campus and build without any debt.”

If the goal is met by the end of 2021, the plan would be for the construction of the administration building to start in 2022.

For more information about St. Elizabeth Seton Catholic School, call 239-455-2262 or to support the campus expansion program, visit https://saintelizabethseton.com/giving/, or, checks may be made to: St. Elizabeth Seton Catholic School, Attn: 40th Anniversary, 2730 53rd Terrace SW, Naples, FL 34116.

Two Institute courses starting soon

Posted on August 19, 2021August 19, 2021 by Bob Reddy

The Institute for Catholic Studies and Formation, in partnership with the Diocese of Venice Office of Evangelization, is launching a new series of courses: “Feasting on God’s Word: Encounter with Sacred Scripture.”

These courses are designed for Catholics hungry to know more about the Bible. Each will last 10 weeks and encompass prayer, reading, study and discussion of Scripture.

“In this program, we will be teaching classes on both the Old Testament and New Testament with some online and some in-person at host Parishes,” Dr. John Gresham, Executive Director of the Institute for Catholic Studies and Formation said. “These offerings are for personal enrichment and have no graded assignments – the only homework is reading the Bible. As a student progresses, they will come away with a richer and deeper understanding of Scripture.”

The series begins this fall with two courses available, an online course on the Gospels and an in-person course on the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Old Testament). As structured, someone taking all six classes (three Old Testament and three New Testament) in the series will be able to cover the entire Bible in three years.

Gresham will be offering the online course “The Good News of Jesus Christ in the Four Gospels,” which begins on Sept. 13, 2021 and concludes on Nov. 21. Students can log on any time each week to watch the pre-recorded videos and to participate in the online discussion. Gresham is a convert to the Catholic Church and brings a rich knowledge of Scripture. He has taught at Franciscan University of Steubenville, Ohio, Kenrick-Glennon Seminary in St, Louis, Missouri, and Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit, Michigan.

Joshua Mazrin, Diocesan Director of Evangelization, is offering an in-person course titled, “Creation and Covenants: A Study of the Pentateuch.” Students will be guided through the Books of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. Classes are Monday evenings from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the St. Thomas More Parish Spirit Center Parish, 2506 Gulf Gate Drive Sarasota from Sept. 13 to Nov. 29 (except Sept. 27 and Oct. 11). Mazrin has an advanced theology degree from Franciscan University of Steubenville with additional advanced studies at Ave Maria University. He integrates Scripture, Theology, and Spirituality in his teaching.

Each 10-week course costs $100 payable online when you register. To register, visit the Institute website at https://institute-dov.org/ or call 941-766-7334.

The Old Testament and New Testament courses are not the only opportunity to learn from the Diocesan Institute. Read further to learn about a graduate level program, an online course about St. Joseph and an at home program for all.

Graduate level course offering

Registration is still open for a 16-week graduate level online course starting Aug. 24, that introduces students to the principles, practices, and sources of Catholic Theology. The course, “What is Catholic Theology? (Ecclesial Nature and Mission of Theology),” counts as a pre-requisite for those beginning the online MA in Theology and Christian Ministry at Franciscan University of Steubenville. Franciscan offers students from the Diocese of Venice a discounted tuition for this online MA. This course is also available to those who wish to attend for their own personal enrichment. For cost and other information and to register for the course visit https://institute-dov.org/ or call 941-766-7334.

Online St. Joseph Course still available

The Institute for Catholic Studies and Formation invites you to celebrate

During this ongoing “Year of St. Joseph” the Institute created a self-paced online course “Encountering St. Joseph with St. John Paul II and Pope Francis.” The class is still available for those interested and students can work at their own pace and includes short, pre-recorded videos, questions for personal reflection or group discussion, recommended resources and more.. The course covers John Paul II’s Apostolic Exhortation on the Person and Mission of St Joseph (Redemptoris Custos) and Pope Francis’ Apostolic Letter on St Joseph (Patris Corde). This course can be taken individually or in a group. The course fee is $35, and again, to register or for more information, please visit https://institute-dov.org/ or call 941-766-7334.

Franciscan at Home Online Workshops

The Institute also presents “Franciscan at Home,” online workshops for all who want to grow deeper in the Catholic Faith. This is a program sponsored by Diocese of Venice Parishes at no cost to the individual. Workshops are available on parenting, youth outreach, prayer, Catholic social teaching, Theology of the Body, Scripture and much more. Many workshops are available in Spanish. For more information, please call the Institute at 941-766-7334, or visit www.franciscanathome.org/institute-dov.

Diocesan Catholic Schools open

Posted on August 19, 2021August 19, 2021 by Bob Reddy

The first day for Catholic Schools in the Diocese of Venice was Aug. 9, 2021 and encompassed the usual mix of excitement, tears (children and parents) and reunions among friends.

“Love you!” “Miss you already!” “One more hug!” “Have a great day!” “Have fun!”

These were some of the words from parents and students as the first day carline was full of stops and starts at St. Charles Borromeo Catholic School in Port Charlotte. While the parents tried to figure out the proper carline procedures the students emerged from their respective family vehicles with ubiquitous backpacks and all having a bounce in their step and enthusiasm to get to class. Of course, there were a few stragglers who weren’t quite certain where their first class was, but teachers and middle school-aged escorts led the way.

For the youngest students, pre-kindergarten and kindergarten, some parents escorted their child into the classroom. Following a few last “First Day of School” photos, the parents left and everyone quickly settled into their seats. The teachers introduced themselves and expressed their excitement for the start of the new school year. Finally, the children, some new to the school, some longtime students, were introduced to the classmates – aka, their new friends.

A morning assembly in the courtyard, beneath the clock tower of St. Charles Borromeo, put the students in the right frame of mind for the day and the Academic Year as everyone joined in morning prayers, the Pledge of Allegiance, and a few birthday announcements. Then it was off to the classroom to learn and grow spiritually and academically.

The 15 Diocesan Catholic schools work conscientiously to provide Christ-centered learning experiences that are transportable to the real world and provide the opportunity for children to develop life-long learning skills and to be successful beyond the classroom.

Father John Belmonte, SJ, Diocese of Venice Superintendent of Catholic Education said the 2021-2022 Academic Year began with enrollment in excess of 5,100, a more than 15% increase over the previous year. In fact, Father Belmonte said 10 Diocesan schools have wait lists and the others are seeing enrollment reaching levels not seen in more than a decade.

“There was a focused effort to let the community in on the secret that Diocese of Venice Catholic Schools provide a top-notch education at all grade levels,” Father Belmonte said. “There are exciting things happening in our schools and families are starting to take notice.”

That excitement includes the expansion of the STREAM (Science, Technology, Religion, Engineering, Arts and Math) model in all classrooms. This is part of a larger partnership with FIRST® (For the Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology), the leading robotics competition in the world. This project, fully supported through the generosity of Bishop Frank J. Dewane, will be placing students ahead of the curve in primary fields while continuing to promote core Catholic virtues by helping students to develop cognitive thought processes and gain skills such as leadership, communication, complex problem solving, teamwork and creativity.

Another professional development effort for faculty and teachers is focused on addressing students with special needs. This is an important multi-phased effort to identify students who have difficulty learning in a traditional setting. The goal is to identify these students and provide them with the proper support necessary to ensure their success both academically and personally.

In addition, Diocese Catholic schools will continue to build their devotion to St. Joseph, as part of the ongoing “Year of St. Joseph.” This will be accomplished through an initiative planned to begin in October and will include bringing prayer and devotion to the home.

The first day of the new year was also a reminder that the global Pandemic was still present in society. Therefore, the optional mask policy was adjusted due to the severity of the Delta variant of the coronavirus. The temporary policy change, which includes a weekly review, also allows parents the option to choose online learning for their child.

Some parents expressed their concern with the temporary policy change by reaching out by phone, email and social media to both Bishop Dewane and Father Belmonte. Some even gathered at two schools while a few visited the Catholic Center. Father Belmonte personally spoke with many parents and reached out to others to explain how the decision came about.

As Father Belmonte and Bishop Dewane both noted in correspondence to families, it is the responsibility of each Diocesan Catholic school to ensure the safety of all students. As noted, the temporary change will be revisited on a weekly basis. When the health situation improves, masks will again become optional but highly encouraged.

New teachers receive warm welcome

Posted on August 11, 2021 by Bob Reddy

A large group of new teachers who have joined the Diocese of Venice for the 2021-2022 Academic Year were warmly welcomed during an orientation session on Aug. 2, 2021 at Epiphany Cathedral Parish Hall in Venice.

Father John Belmonte, SJ, Superintendent of Catholic Education, opened the meeting with morning prayer explaining that starting the day centered on God is part of our Faith tradition and focuses on what is important through the day. Father Belmonte later celebrated Mass for the group.

Throughout the day, the new teachers, who came to their new positions from a wide variety of personal and professional experiences and skills, learned about the history of the Diocese and the crucial role they will play in helping to build up the faith-life of the students and families with whom they will interact.

Bishop Frank J. Dewane addressed the new teachers, welcoming them and sharing his great respect for their answering the call be educators – taking the gifts they have been given to help others learn.

As Catholic School teachers, no matter what subject they teach, Bishop Dewane explained how they are now a primary contact for the students and families to the Diocese, a responsibility he expects them to take seriously in how they serve as teachers and as examples for the community.

To accomplish this, Father Belmonte said their work will reinforce the building of a “Catholic School Culture,” wherever they are assigned. A “Catholic School Culture” is the vision, values, systems, language, expectations, behaviors, and beliefs that increase a school’s and Diocese’s chances of accomplishing its strategy of fulfilling its mission: to introduce the world to its Savior.

“This is fundamental to what we do,” Father Belmonte said. “If students are getting a profound experience of a “Catholic School Culture,” then you have a much better chance of fulfilling your mission… (The Education Department and the Diocese) are here because we want all of you to have wild, unbridled success to accomplish that mission.”

Being a Catholic educator is no easy task in a culture where there are countless external influences as people are bombarded by messages that are contrary to the Faith. This, Father continued, makes it increasingly difficult to get out the message of our Catholic traditions, values and faith into the world.

“We are facing huge headwinds as a Church and as a culture,” Father Belmonte continued. “That just places, in my opinion, even more importance on what we do. In a sense it has never been more important to have you do what you do because of all the things our children and families face.”

Jennifer Falestiny, Diocesan Curriculum Specialist, presented information about the ongoing expansion project-based learning effort that is increasing the STREAM (Science, Technology, Religion, Engineering, Arts and Math) model. She described the new partnership with FIRST® (For the Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology), the leading robotics competition in the world. This project will be placing students ahead of the curve in primary fields while continuing to promote core Catholic virtues by helping students to develop cognitive thought processes and gain skills such as leadership, communication, complex problem solving, teamwork and creativity. The FIRST® program will be active in various capacities when schools open on Aug. 9, 2021, with full integration within a few years.

This effort was made possible through the generosity of Bishop Frank J. Dewane who made a major investment in student success through his pledge to provide all Diocesan Catholic schools with age-appropriate kits and robots using LEGO products to eventually compete at the highest levels of competition through FIRST®. This is all being done while integrating Catholic values and virtues through the Diocesan curriculum called, “The Gifts of Christ: Truth, Beauty, Goodness, Affability, Fortitude, Humility, and Prudence.”

During the orientation, the new teachers also took part in Diocesan Safe Environment training, and learned about their employee benefits from a representative of the Diocesan Human Resources Department, risk management, workplace safety, certifications process, as well as about standard and ethical conduct from Joseph DiVito, an attorney for the Diocese.

All Diocesan Catholic schools will open on Aug. 9. For more information about Diocese of Venice Catholic Schools, please visit https://dioceseofvenice.org/offices/offices-departments/catholicschools/.

Catholic schools preparing to open

Posted on July 30, 2021July 30, 2021 by Bob Reddy

Lesson plans are being drawn up and classrooms and being decorated as work is ongoing to ensure everything is ready for the start of the 2021-2022 Academic Year in Diocese of Venice Catholic Schools.

Father John Belmonte, SJ, Diocese Superintendent of Catholic Education, said that enrollment is up across the 15 Catholic schools in the Diocese and that several initiatives are moving forward to engage students to not only grow academically but, more importantly, spiritually.

In a July 23, 2021 letter to parents and guardians Bishop Frank J. Dewane and Father Belmonte announced the 2021-2022 Academic Year for Diocese of Venice Catholic Schools will start on time and will continue to provide Christ-centered education in-person, five days a week.

The letter also stressed that the priority remains to provide a safe and healthy environment for all students and employees.

Guidelines for the 2021-2021 school year include:

Prayers for the continued wellbeing of all students, as well as faculty and staff.
Masks for students, staff, and volunteers are optional but indeed highly encouraged.
It is understood that changes to these guidelines may be made at any time. The Diocese of Venice Department of Education will continue to monitor guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and other experts.
Vaccinations for Covid-19 are not mandated.
Social distancing protocols will not be required.

“The Diocese of Venice Department of Catholic Education strongly encourages families to continue following recommended preventative measures to reduce the spread of the virus and stay healthy,” the letter from the Bishop and Father Belmonte continued. “Let us be united in prayer for the safety and wellbeing of our students.”

The letter included gratitude to parents and guardians, as well as students, faculty, staff and volunteers, for the success of the 2020-2021 Academic Year. Additional gratitude was expressed for the patience and understanding of all as planning for the new school year progressed.

Meanwhile, Diocesan Catholic schools continue to be at the forefront in education with a curriculum that is STREAM-based (Science, Technology, Religion, Engineering, Arts and Math). This initiative has been a priority for many years and highlights religion as a dimension which help students have a superior academic experience rooted in the teachings of Jesus Christ. Father Belmonte stressed that the primary function of all Diocesan Catholic schools is to introduce the world to its Savior. This is being accomplished through the development of a strong Catholic culture at each school.

To further the STREAM aspect of Catholic education, Father Belmonte said the previously announced initiative involving robots, in a partnership with FIRST® (“For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology), is moving forward and will be integrated into each school and at every grade level.

All Diocesan schools were provided with age-appropriate kits and robots to compete at the highest levels of competition through FIRST®. These kits use LEGO products, such as Duplo blocks for the youngest students, and more traditional blocks for older students. Each progressive kit increases with difficulty and broadens the concepts learned in earlier years. Older students will build robots for competitions.

Keeping in line with the effort to build a strong Catholic culture, the initiative incorporates Catholic values and virtues through the Diocesan curriculum called, “The Gifts of Christ: Truth, Beauty, Goodness, Affability, Fortitude, Humility, and Prudence.”

This partnership with FIRST® was made possible through the generosity and vision of Bishop Dewane who made the initial investment of some 500 robots and other resources to the schools. “It is all about investing in our students because they are our mission and we want them to succeed; to become the leaders, the professionals, the faith witnesses of tomorrow,” Bishop Dewane said during the March announcement of the initiative.

The earlier cited growth in enrollment is directly related to the robot initiative. Parents of newly enrolled students have cited the visionary aspect of the program, with its Faith component, as a key factor in their decision to choose a Diocese Catholic school.

In addition to the robotics, Diocese Catholic schools will continue to build their devotion to St. Joseph, as part of the ongoing “Year of St. Joseph.” This will be accomplished through an initiative planned to begin in October which will include bringing prayer and devotion to the home.

Meanwhile, the different schools continue to work hard in preparing classrooms and other facilities to be ready for the return on students the week of Aug. 9. Among that work included the upgrade of facilities including fencing, landscaping, roofing, renovated classrooms and much more.

To learn more about Diocese of Venice Catholic Schools, please visit https://dioceseofvenice.org/offices/offices-departments/catholicschools/.

Catechists earn Certifications throughout the Diocese.

Posted on July 30, 2021 by Bob Reddy

More than 110 catechists from across the Diocese of Venice spent time during the summer earning basic certifications on topics including: “Scripture,” “Sacraments,” “Morality and Doctrine,” and “Methodology.”

These workshops, presented at 10 different Parishes in June and July were offered by the Diocesan Office of Religious Education through a partnership with Franciscan at Home. At each location there was a moderator who guided the group through the process of following the Franciscan at Home program which included instructional videos, as well as time for personal and small group discussion.

The group settings served to benefit everyone, as observed during one of the July 25, 2021 workshops on “Methodology” which took place at St. Joseph Parish in Bradenton. Participants reflected upon the entire summer series and praised the presentation of the work and the opportunity to learn as a group.

“This was very helpful,” said one participant who has been a catechist for more than 20 years. “I learned as much from the videos as from everyone else in the group. It provided me a new and exciting way to approach my students.”

Students covered the broader topics of the day in three one-hour session, breaking the programs broader topics into compressed, manageable parts while at the same time having the opportunity to learn and absorb the lessons in a more formal setting.

Sitting in for a portion of the final session at St. Joseph, their Pastor, Father Rafal Ligenza, praised the group for taking part in the workshops and their willingness to continue to learn the Faith. He expressed confidence in the long-term benefits to those in the Parish religious education programs.

“There is a saying in Poland about teaching,” Father said. “You teach Johnny so that you can form John. What you do will make a difference in the lives of your students whether they are small children in First Communion classes or participating in the RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults). Thank you for what you do.”

Anne Chrzan, Diocesan Director of Religious Education, said the Franciscan at Home program helps catechists meet basic certification requirements. The four courses covered during the summer are just a few of the more than a dozen available to all catechists online. The summer offerings were made available in the classroom setting because there had been some hesitancy by some to participate online. Therefore, Chrzan, along with the directors of religious education from eight Parishes, created the four-session summer series.

The topics of “Scripture,” “Sacraments,” “Morality and Doctrine,” and “Methodology” were the focus of the summer sessions, but Chrzan said there are a dozen other Franciscan at Home classes available online. Given the success of the summer classes, it is likely that a similar program will be offered in the future.

“The response was overwhelmingly positive,” Chrzan said. “Not just from the people taking the classes but from the DRE (directors of religious education) who led these sessions.”

Chrzan explained that of the 1,000 or so catechists in the Diocese the Franciscan at Home program offers a quick and easy way to help educators to learn about and be grounded in the Faith. This serves as a foundation for their success, and the success of their students, moving forward.

The Parishes which hosted the summer Franciscan at Home program were St. Ann and St. John the Evangelist in Naples; Resurrection and St. Cecilia in Fort Myers; St. Katharine Drexel in Cape Coral; Sacred Heart in Punta Gorda; St. Thomas More and Our Lady Queen of Martyrs in Sarasota; as well as St. Joseph and Sacred Heart in Bradenton (in Spanish).

For more information about upcoming offerings from the Diocese Office of Religious Education, please contact Anne Chrzan at 941-484-9543 or chrzan@dioceseofvenice.org.