The four Diocese of Venice Catholic high schools graduated 416 into the world during a three-week span in May 2023.
This group, as they are each year, is impressive for their accomplishments earned through sacrifice, hard work and commitment in mind, body and soul.
Bishop Frank J. Dewane celebrated the four different Baccalaureate Masses and noted how the Diocese is proud of the graduates and made a point to recognize the role of parents and grandparents of the graduates as well as gratitude for entrusting their children to Diocesan Catholic high schools for their education.
“It is my prayer that the academic and spiritual education you each received will serve to guide you into the future as men and women of God,” Bishop Dewane said.
An astounding 99 percent of the graduates are heading off to higher education at some of the top colleges and universities in the land. Dozens were recognized for their academic prowess with many graduating with honors. Of note, four have opted to join the military and one accepted an appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy.
As a group, these graduates gave back to the community with more than 52,000 service hours while also garnering more than $43.2 million in scholarship offers.
In addition to academic awards, many of these students were scholar athletes with several earning state titles in a variety of sports. More than 50 of the graduates were offered scholarships to continue their athletic career at the next level.
These results are even more striking when you realize the Class of 2023 was completing its freshman year in high school when the Covid-19 global pandemic struck. In addition, these students also endured the impacts of Hurricane Ian on Sept. 28, 2023. The storm damaged the homes of the families of many students throughout the region, with the worst impacts in Lee, Collier, Charlotte and Sarasota counties.
At Cardinal Mooney Catholic High School in Sarasota, the graduation was May 12, and the Valedictorian was Michael Ramsamooj and Salutatorian was Michael Yencik. The Baccalaureate Mass was celebrated at Incarnation Parish in Sarasota on May 11.
The St. John Neumann Catholic High School Commencement Exercises were May 21 at the Naples school, with the Baccalaureate Mass at St. William Parish on May 20. The Class Valedictorian was David Schummer and the Salutatorian was Isabella Fernandez.
The graduation for Bishop Verot Catholic High School in Fort Myers was May 22, with the Baccalaureate Mass at St. Katharine Drexel Parish in Cape Coral. Verot had 38 students recognized as top graduates, and among those, Caroline O’Halloran presented the introductory address, and the commencement address was by Cameron Caangay.
The Donahue Academy of Ave Maria Catholic School graduation was May 26 at the school in Ave Maria, with the Baccalaureate Mass at Ave Maria Parish. Andrew Graham was the class Valedictorian and Michael Long was the Salutatorian.
This group, as they are each year, is an impressive bunch. Among these graduates, 99 percent are heading off to higher education at some of the top colleges and universities in the land.
As a group, these graduates earned more than 40,000 services hours and $42 million in scholarship offers. Seven were identified as National Merit Scholars and many others graduated with honors.
At Cardinal Mooney Catholic High School in Sarasota, the graduation was May 13, and the Valedictorian was Halle Monserez and Salutatorian was Peter Etz. The Baccalaureate Mass was celebrated at Incarnation Parish in Sarasota.
The graduation for Bishop Verot Catholic High School in Fort Myers was May 21, with the Baccalaureate Mass at Resurrection Parish. Verot had 32 students recognized as top graduates. Grace Marie Smith offered the introductory address, and the commencement address was by Anna Latell.
Donahue Principal Dr. Daniel Guernsey opened the procession of graduates before the Mass, celebrated at Ave Maria Parish, by playing the bagpipes, a tradition he does each year.
Following Mass, the festivities moved to the nearby school, with the graduation taking place in the gymnasium. In addition to family, students from the upper grades were present for the presentation of diplomas. Catherine Graham was the class Valedictorian and Winston Fairchild was the Salutatorian, both of whom were National Merit Scholarship Finalists.
The Verot graduation included 32 who were recognized as Summa Cum Laude. There were also six sets of twins. The Introductory Address was presented by Grace Marie Smith, a Summa Cum Laude graduate and recipient of the St. Francis Medal of Honor, the top award presented at graduation.
The Commencement Address was by Anna Latell, also a Summa Cum Laude graduate. The Baccalaureate Mass was May 20 at Resurrection Parish, with Father John Belmonte, SJ, Superintendent of Catholic Education, as the main celebrant.
The graduating class earned some $11 million in scholarship offers and had more than 16,000 service hours. Three families were recognized for having at least four children to graduate from Verot.
The Class Valedictorian is Ella Bartels and Salutatorian is Madeline Vickers. The Baccalaureate Mass was May 19 at St. Ann Parish, with Father Belmonte, also serving as the main celebrant.
Perhaps just as impressive as the academic achievements, this class completed 12,630 hours of community service. There were three families recognized at graduation for having sent at least three children to Neumann. Due to storms in the area, the traditional cap toss was held inside.
There were 120 graduates who received their diploma. The Valedictorian was Halle Monserez and Salutatorian was Peter Etz. The Commencement Address was given by Leah Roddenberry, Mooney Class of 2017, and current Miss Florida.
The Baccalaureate Mass was celebrated May 11 at Incarnation Parish with Most Rev. Bernard Hebda, Archbishop of the Archdiocese of St. Paul-Minneapolis, as the main celebrant (His nephew is a 2022 Mooney graduate).
Ahead of each graduation, Bishop Frank J. Dewane celebrated a Baccalaureate Mass, sharing a hope-filled message that they must each “go forth with God as your guide and let Faith, hope and love be your path through life.”
“What you have done is an accomplishment,” Bishop Dewane stressed. “Your future may be uncertain, but your Faith is not uncertain. I say this to the Class of 2021, God goes with you. That is where your Faith resides. The house of hope in your life. The source of love that lasts forever. What is most important is who you are within. Your Faith can stay with you and make you strong. But it is you, the Class of 2021, that have to be the doers of your Faith. Your pastors can’t do it for you. Your parents can’t do it. Your teachers can’t do it. Graduation means all of that is up to you now.”
Encouraging the graduates to go forward with their Faith, Bishop Dewane reminded them that they need to continue to go to Mass, to live the Commandments, receive the Sacraments often, go to confession, to actualize the presence of God in their lives, and to witness it to those around them.
Bishop Dewane expressed his gratitude to the parents of the graduates for entrusting their children to Diocese of Venice Catholic high schools. He also publicly thanked the teachers and faculty for their commitment to the students and being their guides along their spiritual and academic journey.
The Cardinal Mooney Catholic High School Baccalaureate Mass was May 12, at Incarnation Parish in Sarasota while the Commencement Exercises were held May 14 at LECOM Park in Bradenton. The Bishop Verot Catholic High School Baccalaureate Mass was May 14 at St. Andrew Parish in Cape Coral and the Commencement was held May 15, in their Viking Stadium in Fort Myers. The St. John Neumann Catholic High School Baccalaureate Mass was May 17 at St. John the Evangelist Parish in Naples and Commencement was May 18 on their football field.
