Tag: hispanic outreach

Hundreds complete latest Faith Formation program in Spanish

Posted on by Bob Reddy

For the past six years the Hispanic Ministries outreach of the Diocese of Venice has strived to meet the needs of those desiring to be better formed in their Faith through a focused formation program, with hundreds participating each year.

Father Claudio Stewart, Diocese Hispanic Ministries Director, said this formation program has been recognized as one of the largest Diocesan-level outreach efforts in the nation which directly includes the Hispanic Catholic community.

 

The 2022-2023 Spanish Faith Formation Program sessions offered “The Gifts of the Holy Spirit,” as its latest series. This latest session completed instruction just prior to Easter.

Father Stewart said the series of “The Gifts of the Holy Spirit” was a natural follow-up to earlier faith formation offerings as more than 400 took at least one of the seven classes, with nearly 200 having earned certificates of completion.

 

With the support of Bishop Frank J. Dewane, the Spanish Faith Formation Program sessions were developed immediately following the local consultation process of the V Encuentro in 2016 and 2017.

 

The V Encuentro was a multi-year outreach initiated by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, with a goal of discerning ways for the Church in the U.S. to better respond to the needs of the growing Hispanic population. The process involved consultations at the Parish, Diocesan, regional and national levels. A final report was submitted to the Vatican in September 2019 with recommendations for inclusive action at all levels of the Church in the U.S. These actions are now being implemented.

The idea behind the initial three-step Spanish Faith Formation Program within the Diocese was to quickly help bridge the gap in formation for Hispanics in the Diocese for whom English is not their first language. This gap had created isolation among some, and the new program became empowering to Hispanic Catholics who often felt they were outsiders in the Catholic Church within the U.S., primarily due to the language difference.

 

The results were overwhelmingly positive as the program has shown there is a real desire for Hispanic Catholics to be formed in their Faith, Father Stewart explained. This is why the latest class was offered on the Gifts of the Holy Spirit and he was pleased that even during the pandemic the interest to participate remained high.

 

The initial three-year Faith Formation Program (2018-2020) included a series on the “Magisterium,” with a thorough explanation of the Catechism of the Catholic Church; “Revelation and Introduction to the Sacred Scriptures;” and the “History and Tradition of the Church.” After the initial three years, the offering in 2020-2021 was the “The Seven Sacraments,” and then in 2021-2022 “The Christian Virtues” was offered.

 

The benefit of having the formation program in Spanish allows the students the opportunity to better absorb the complexities of the Faith without the extra work of translating the information. This also helps streamline the instruction and allows for a more open discussion. At the conclusion of each program year, those who earned certificates are encouraged to use their new-found knowledge to evangelize in their Parish community.

 

The Faith Formation classes are divided into five geographic regions of the Diocese to allow easier access to the courses. Students are offered the option to participate in-person or online. Instructors included priests, women religious and deacons. Each level becomes increasingly more sophisticated, challenging the participants to take a fresh look at the Catholic Church. The seven weeks of the “The Gifts of the Holy Spirit” formation series were broken down as follows: General Notions – Fear of the Lord; Fortitude – Piety; Knowledge – Counsel; Science; Understanding; Wisdom; and Pentecost, the Feast of Love. Certificates will be distributed in June and July at regional locations.

 

“For next year the formation program will be focused on the National Eucharist Revival. The first part of the classes will be on the liturgy, history of the different parts of the Mass and the second part in theology of the Eucharist according to the Catechism of the Catholic Church and Desiderio Desidervi, an Apostolic Letter from Pope Francis,” Father Stewart said.

 

Other actions taken since the local V Encuentro sessions have encouraged a broader outreach and inclusion in existing Parish and Diocesan events. This means having sessions in Spanish at conferences, bilingual programs, and other steps that will help unify the Catholic Church in the Diocese of Venice. As this is the focus of Dioceses across the country, the goal is to create a stronger Catholic Church in the U.S.

 

Father Stewart said the lessons of V Encuentro remind all that there is not supposed to be a separate Faith for English speakers versus Spanish speakers, but we are all part of the same Universal Church – founded by Jesus Christ.

 

To learn more about other Diocese of Venice initiatives through the Hispanic Ministries Office, please email pastoralhispana@dioceseofvenice.org, or visit www.dioceseofvenice.org/offices/offices-departments/hispanic-apostolate.

Paschal Triduum celebrated throughout the Diocese

Posted on by Bob Reddy

Thousands of the faithful of the Diocese of Venice gathered at Parishes throughout the Diocese of Venice for a celebration of the Paschal Triduum (April 6-9, 2023).

The Paschal Triduum of the Passion and Resurrection of the Lord begins with the evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper (Holy Thursday), has its center in the Easter Vigil, and closes with Vespers (Evening Prayer) of the Sunday of the Resurrection (Easter).

The Mass of the Lord’s Supper at St. Paul Parish included the commemoration when Jesus Christ established the Sacrament of Holy Communion prior to His arrest and crucifixion. It also observes His institution of the priesthood. This Liturgy included the presentation of the oils blessed and consecrated by Bishop Frank J. Dewane during the April 12 Chrism Mass, at Epiphany Cathedral in Venice, which will be used for the Sacraments in the Parish throughout the year.  Later was the traditional washing of the feet, reenacting Jesus washing the feet of the Disciples. Following the Prayer after Communion, the Mass concluded with a procession to transfer the Holy Eucharist to a place of repose. This action left the tabernacle vacant until the Easter Vigil.

On Good Friday of the Lord’s Passion, the faithful at St. Leo the Great Parish in Bonita Springs participated in the Liturgy which included the reading of the Passion from the Gospel of John. Next was the presentation of the cross, brought forth by the priest and unveiled as the priest sang: “This is the wood of the cross, on which hung the salvation of the world,” and the congregation responded: “Come let us adore.” The faithful were then encouraged to come forward to venerate the cross. This was done by either touching, bowing, or genuflecting.

Either prior to, or after, the Good Friday Liturgy, many Parishes hosted the Stations of the Cross, sometimes led by children or including a dramatic retelling. For example, at Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish in Immokalee, the Living Stations began in a field behind the Parish church, and then travelled through the neighborhood as thousands participated. The Stations were inclusive to include the languages of the Parish (Spanish, English and Creole). By the time the procession returned to the Parish the crowd had swelled into the thousands.

Earlier on Good Friday, representatives from several Parishes in Sarasota County took part in the Sarasota Ministerial Association’s annual Good Friday Pilgrimage of the Stations of the Cross in downtown Sarasota. Representatives from 28 different congregations from 14 different denominations were present for the procession, which included approximately 900.

On Holy Saturday, the only Mass of the day is the Easter Vigil, which begins in darkness. However, several Parishes did host a blessing of the Easter baskets/food. This custom traditionally blesses food to be consumed at the first meal of Easter.

During the Easter Vigil, the Paschal Candle was lit and catechumens and candidates received the Sacraments and entered fully into the Catholic Faith. This year, a record 567 did so throughout the Diocese.

Bishop Dewane celebrated the Liturgy at Epiphany Cathedral in Venice. The Liturgy begins in darkness when a fire was lighted and Paschal Candle lit. The candle was then brought forward as the Deacon proclaimed “Christ, Our Light” three times. Starting from the main candle, the flames were shared person to person, lighting the interior of the Cathedral. Next was the Easter Proclamation, also known as the Exsultet, sung in darkness.

After the Exsultet, was the Liturgy of the Word, which included a number of readings from Genesis into the New Testament. The third part was the Baptismal Liturgy during which eligible Catechumens were baptized (216 throughout the Diocese) or a Profession of Faith (for candidates, those who were previously baptized but were entering fully into the Church, with 351 in the Diocese) for receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation.

Prior to the Confirmation, the Bishop blessed the holy water (removed after the Holy Thursday Mass), and after the faithful renewed their baptismal promises, they were blessed with holy water. At the Cathedral there were five candidates who came forward for their Confirmation. The Mass then continued as normal with the Liturgy of the Eucharist.

On Easter Sunday, several Parishes celebrated Mass at sunrise while extra Masses were added to accommodate the increased numbers common for this holiest of days.

Many Parishes also hosted fun for children which often included Easter egg hunts either on the Saturday or following a Children’s Liturgy on Sunday.

New Youth and Young Adult Director settles in

Posted on by Bob Reddy

Marthamaria Morales considers herself blessed to be a “Missionary in Paradise.”

Morales is the new Diocese of Venice Director of Youth and Youth Adult Outreach which means she will be journeying with young people in the Catholic Faith, a post she describes as one of the most exciting and rewarding experiences for a Church leader.

“My passion is to accompany those who serve the young people,” Morales said. “To provide opportunities for inspiration and faith sharing that models love, mercy, service, and solidarity. This means facilitating an encounter with Jesus in the other. You hope to offer opportunities for them to learn about their faith and be engaged, challenged and feel called by the love of Jesus to serve in the community and be peacemakers that inspire a whole new generation of Catholics with joy.”

Morales is still finding her way in the Diocese, visiting Parishes, meeting priests, religious, youth leaders, as well as youth and young adults all to create a plan under the leadership and vision of Bishop Frank J. Dewane.

“With their help and key input, a holistic action plan can be drafted,” Morales continued. “This will require hard work, commitment, determination, a common vision, and passion. I know that together we can accomplish a lot. I put all this in prayer, trusting in the Holy Spirit!”

An important aspect of Morales’ focus will be to help reconnect young adults to the faith, particularly those who disengage themselves when they complete the Sacraments, go off to college or enter the workforce.

“We cannot leave them to find a connection to the Church; we need to accompany them as they make the transition to this time in their lives,” Morales explained. This connection is essential and would be an extension of the work of Parish youth groups and an increased Catholic presence on local college campuses.

Born in California, Morales was raised by her grandparents in Guatemala. She is a graduate of the University of San Carlos de Guatemala and has many years of experience in the field of youth and young adult outreach and programs. Previously, she served as the Hispanic Ministry Director and Youth and Young Adult Director in the Diocese of Birmingham, Alabama. Her prior work experience includes time at the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, where she was a Poverty Education and Outreach Manager, as well as a producer and on-air talent for EWTN.

“I believe in the mission, and trust wholeheartedly that God is leading us,” Morales said. “My work allows me to dream big, empower and cultivate potential in others, while identifying their God-given gifts to work collaboratively.”

To accomplish this, Morales first led a Diocesan group to the National March for Life in Washington, D.C. on Jan. 19-20, 2023. She is also currently focusing right now on the Eucharistic Congress Youth Rally (high schoolers) on March 24 in Fort Myers. Looking ahead, she is coordinating the return of Totus Tuus (for elementary school kids and teens, in 12 different Parishes) and World Youth Day in Portugal this summer, taking a delegation of around 40 people representing the Diocese.

On the young adult side of her work, Morales is becoming actively involved in the Theology on Tap in Sarasota every third Thursday of the month and is in contact with young adult groups at Parishes in Lee and Collier counties.

Marthamaria Morales can be contacted at the Catholic Center in Venice at 941-484-9543 or at morales@dioceseofvenice.org.

Diocesan Eucharistic Congress March 24-25

Posted on by Bob Reddy

“A renewed personal encounter with Jesus Christ”

Catholics around the world are raised to be aware of the transforming power and mercy of Jesus in the Holy Eucharist – the Source and Summit of the Faith.

To this end, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops developed National Eucharistic Revival, a three-year revival of devotion to the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. The U.S Bishops believe that God wants to see a movement of Catholics across the United States, healed, converted, formed, and unified by an encounter with Jesus in the Eucharist—and sent out in mission “for the life of the world.”

The response of Bishop Frank J. Dewane and the Diocese of Venice is to host a special Eucharistic Congress from March 24 to March 25, 2023, at the Conference Center and Luminary Hotel on the riverfront of downtown Fort Myers. (More details and registration can be found at https://dioceseofvenice.org/eucharistic-congress/.)

The Eucharistic Congress, with a theme “The Word Made Flesh,” will encompass several parts, including three unique sessions. The first is for Diocesan Catholic middle school students; the second part is a Youth Rally for high-school aged teens; and the showcase event is for adult men and women and features special breakout sessions in English and Spanish as well as for both genders.

“The Diocesan Eucharistic Congress is an opportunity for the faithful of the Diocese to come together as one to jointly rekindle a living relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist,” Bishop Dewane said. “This is a time to grow deeply in your faith, along with others from the Diocese, accompanied by Jesus Christ.”

Elements of the Diocesan Eucharistic Congress include a procession with the Eucharist in a public setting, a significant amount of time for Eucharistic Adoration, substantial availability of the Sacrament of Reconciliation, talks and catechesis on important matters of faith, and the Holy Mass with Bishop Dewane.

“This is an opportunity for Catholics to bring those things which usually happen behind closed doors, in our Parishes, out into the wide open with the larger community,” explained James Gontis, Diocesan Director of Evangelization.

The schedule for the Congress and line-up of internationally acclaimed speakers will provide each participant the opportunity to become part of the great National Eucharistic Revival.

Gontis said it is expected that those who attend the Congress – be it middle schoolers, high schoolers, or adults – will leave “with their hearts and minds aflame for the love of Jesus, His Catholic Church, and especially the Most Holy Eucharist. Don’t miss the grace!”

Being part of the National Eucharistic Revival and Diocesan Congress is an invitation to the faithful from God to go on a mission, grow in faith, and be compelling witnesses of our Jesus’ love.

Everyone is invited to be a part of this exciting journey as the timing of this movement and the Diocesan Eucharistic Congress come at a critical moment for the Universal Church. The National Eucharistic Revival explains, this effort comes now, because the Church needs healing, and the world needs the Church.

“Scandal, division, disease, doubt. The Church has withstood each of these throughout our very human history. But today we confront all of them, all at once. Our response in this moment is pivotal,” National Eucharistic Revival documents state. “In the midst of these roaring waves, Jesus is present, reminding us that He is more powerful than the storm. He desires to heal, renew, and unify the Church and the world.”

As Pope Francis has stated, each time we are present before the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ it is “a renewed personal encounter with Jesus Christ.”

Don’t let this opportunity pass you by!

For more information about the schedule, and to register for the Diocesan Eucharistic Congress on March 24-25, please visit https://dioceseofvenice.org/eucharistic-congress/.

Diocese celebrates Christmas

Posted on by Bob Reddy

“When the angels went away from them to heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let us go, then, to Bethlehem to see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.” So they went in haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the infant lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known the message that had been told them about this child.” Lk 2:15-17

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.

This pause and time of reflection is at the heart of what Christmas is all about. This moment was celebrated throughout the Diocese of Venice in a variety of ways, most significantly through the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

Bishop Frank J. Dewane celebrated a pre-recorded TV Mass for the Homebound from St. Thomas More Parish in Sarasota. This hour-long Mass reaches thousands of those who are unable to attend Mass for a variety of reasons.

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.

During the Midnight Mass, Bishop Dewane reminded the faithful that we are part of Salvation History. “We are living it today and we have a contribution to make, however small, it is there to be made by each one of us.”

As a part of Salvation History, we are each given a mission and responsibility to serve the Lord as His plan is to unite us to Him, Bishop Dewane said.

“God has sought you and me,” the Bishop said. “In striving for the mission, He gives to us our responsibilities in life… In response, we need to establish and develop our relationship with Our Lord, Jesus Christ… Take this Christmas as an opportunity to reflect upon how it is you are responding to the call of the Lord. Reflect the Light of Christ continually, knowing the Child in the manger represents our Salvation, and everyone has a role to play in that History.”

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.

For example, at St. Michael Parish in Wauchula a living Nativity play on Dec. 17, 2022, included a donkey, horses and many angels and shepherds. This community celebration is organized by the religious women 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. This year’s celebration took on a special significance as many families are struggling after being impacted in their homes or work from Hurricane Ian on Sept. 28, 2022.

St. Agnes Parish and St. Elizabeth Seton Parish, both in Naples, hosted living nativity displays through which people walked or drove.

Christmas is also a time to help others so donations for the needy and the many impacted by Hurricane Ian 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.

Some Parishes collected general donations for organizations in the area, such as Catholic Charities, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul and others. Many gave from their heart and brought bags of items well beyond what was sought. Naturally, no donated item was turned away and it just meant more people were granted a Merry Christmas.

Catholic schools spent much of the month in preparation for Christmas with pageants, recitals, concerts, parties and other fun. At the same time, the schools teach the true meaning of Christmas, including needing to spread the love of Christ, that is in their hearts, out to the world.

Young carolers from schools in Port Charlotte, Bradenton, Sarasota and Fort Myers visited nearby assisted living facilities to spread holiday cheer.

In addition, each school has a service component where students do work, volunteer or raise funds or gifts to give back to the community. This effort goes into high gear during the Christmas Season.

For example, at St. Martha Catholic School in Sarasota, second graders partnered with the Department of Children and Families and Florida Guardian Ad Litem program that provides items to give foster kids a normal life. The students created cards, ornaments and filled gift bags for the foster children.

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.

At neighboring Cardinal Mooney Catholic High School, students in the school chapter of the St. Vincent de Paul Society came in during their Christmas break to pack donated toys, books and stuffed animals on the Mooney “sleigh,” and delivered them to boys and girls at Sarasota Memorial Hospital.

St. Charles Borromeo Catholic School in Port Charlotte and St. Elizabeth Seton in Naples each participated in the Wreaths Across America project. This effort puts Christmas wreaths on the graves of veterans in local cemeteries.

These are just a small sampling of how Christmas was celebrated throughout the Diocese of Venice.

Our Lady of Guadalupe celebrated across Diocese

Posted on by Bob Reddy

Throughout the Diocese of Venice tradition, prayer, reverence, and music marked the Feast Day of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Patroness of the Americas, of the New Evangelization, and of unborn children.

Celebrated on Dec. 12, the Feast is often linked to the Dec. 9 Feast of St. Juan Diego, the day in 1531 when Our Lady first appeared to the Saint near modern day Mexico City.

Parishes throughout the Diocese celebrated this special day with a variety of events including Masses, overnight vigils, large processions, early morning prayer celebrations, and outdoor festivities. Many of the activities included traditional music with elaborately dressed dancers, as large numbers of small children also dressed as our Our Lady or St. Juan Diego.

“Our Lady of Guadalupe means so much to me and so many others,” said Olivia Gomez of Jesus the Worker Parish in Fort Myers who participated in the Dec. 11, 2022, Mass and an outdoor festival. “My family has a great devotion to the Blessed Virgin. We pray to her each day. This gives us great comfort.”

That gratitude was magnified this year as the Fort Myers community was hard hit on Sept. 28 by Hurricane Ian. Gomez, whose home had roof and water damage, was out of work until just recently because the business where she worked was badly damaged.

“On this Feast Day, in a special way, we all join together to give thanks to Mary and to honor Her for the blessings we have received throughout the year, but especially since Ian,” Gomez said. “We have been truly blessed by the love and kindness of everyone in the community who have come together to rebuild.”

Carlos Diaz, of St. Paul Parish in Arcadia, also had home damage from river flooding after Ian and had to replace nearly the entire contents of his home.

“We needed clothes for the children and furniture,” Diaz said during the Parish outdoor celebration. “The Parish was our lifeline as Our Lady of Guadalupe shined Her light upon us all. We are doing great now. We really are blessed that it wasn’t worse. We are still in our home, which is better than many of our family and friends.”

At Epiphany Cathedral in Venice, Bishop Frank J. Dewane celebrated the Feast Day Mass. The Mass there was preceded by a procession around the church. Afterwards, the Bishop blessed a variety of religious articles and then everyone enjoyed a celebration in the Parish Hall.

Bishop Dewane expressed joy at the commemoration and how it represented the Universal nature of the Church, with Our Lady taking on a special meaning for all. “We honor Our Lady of Guadalupe and Her presence among us as this is an important moment that deserves our prayerful thanks and a true celebration.”

Celebrations also took place in many Parishes and schools throughout the Diocese. Huge crowds took part in a large procession from Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish through the streets of Immokalee, while at St. Peter the Apostle Parish in Naples the procession wound its way to the Parish from U.S. 41.

A smaller procession preceded a trilingual (English, Spanish, Creole) Mass which took place Dec. 11 at Frontier Park in Zolfo Springs for the faithful of St. Michael Parish in Wauchula and Holy Child Mission in Bowling Green.

Each Diocesan Catholic elementary school held a variety of celebrations to honor Our Lady of Guadalupe, many taking the opportunity to create a teaching lesson about the Universal Church and devotions to Our Lady.

Our Lady appeared, dressed like an Aztec princess, to St. Juan Diego, a poor widower who was on his way to Mass. She asked, in his native language, to have the Bishop of Mexico build a church in Her honor. Skeptical, the Bishop asked for a sign. Our Lady again appeared to St. Juan Diego who shared the request of the Bishop. So, Our Lady provided a sign, beautiful roses in the middle of winter which were placed in the tilma, a cloak made of cactus fibers, which St. Juan Diego wore. Upon his return to the Bishop, when Juan Diego opened the tilma, the roses fell to the floor, and an impression of Our Lady appeared on the tilma in the form of an indigenous woman. The image amazed the Bishop and all those present and word of this miracle quickly spread.

This apparition led to the conversion of Mexico almost overnight, when up to that time Catholic missionaries from Europe had made very little headway. The Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City was built on the site of the apparitions and is one of the most visited religious shrines in the world. It is also home of the actual tilma of St. Juan Diego, which can still be seen, with the image clearly visible, nearly 500 years later.

News Briefs from the week of Nov. 25, 2022

Posted on by Bob Reddy

Fort Myers Rabbi given Papal Knighthood

Rabbi A. James Rudin, co-founder of the St. Leo University’s Center for Catholic-Jewish Studies, became only the third American rabbi in history to be honored with the Papal Knighthood of the Order of St. Gregory for his work in interfaith relations at St. Leo University on Nov. 20, 2022. Rabbi Rudin, who is from Fort Myers, received the medal of the Order of St. Gregory from Auxiliary Bishop Mark O’Connell, of the Archdiocese of Boston. The investiture ceremony was conducted on behalf of Pope Francis in recognition of Rudin’s decades of work in building positive Catholic-Jewish relations throughout the world, fostering interreligious dialogue and understanding. Rabbi Rudin has spoken several times at interreligious gatherings within the Diocese of Venice, including the annual Yom HaShoah commemoration in Venice, as well as the Kristallnacht commemoration in Naples. Bishop Frank J. Dewane was among the honored guests for the investiture. Cardinal Sean Patrick O’Malley of the Archdiocese of Boston, originally was to conduct the ceremony on behalf of Pope Francis, but was unable to attend. The Center for Catholic-Jewish Studies was co-founded by Bishop John J. Nevins, founding Bishop of the Diocese of Venice.

“Blessings Bags” for Our Mother’s House

Girl Scout Troop 71404, which is located in North Royalton, Ohio, and is composed of 16 kindergarten girls who recently had a lesson on hurricanes, made “Blessings Bags” for moms and kids in the Diocese of Venice after hearing about Hurricane Ian.  The girls made 46 bags including 13 bags for moms with personal hygiene items, six bags for babies including items such as pacifiers, rattles, and hooded bath towels, and 27 bags for children, which included toys, writing pads, and crayons. The “Blessings Bags” were distributed to moms, babies and kids at Our Mother’s House in Venice on Nov. 17, 2022. The Catholic Charities programs provides residential support for new mothers who might otherwise be homeless. Upon receiving the “Blessing bags,” Shannon Hoyt, Our Mother’s House Program Manager said, “What an amazing, thoughtful thing for them to do! Thank you so much!”

Giving Tuesday, Nov. 29

The Tuesday after Thanksgiving (Nov. 29, 2022) has been traditionally recognized as Giving Tuesday, when people switch from their frenetic Christmas shopping to give back to local charities. Catholic Charities, Diocese of Venice, Inc. (www.catholiccharitiesdov.org), as well as each of the 15 Diocesan Catholic schools (https://dioceseofvenice.org/find-a-school/) are participating in this Giving Tuesday. Many of these organizations have challenges which can multiply your donation and better benefit a school or program. Please consider giving on Giving Tuesday.

Parish celebrates cultural diversity

St. John XXIII Parish in Fort Myers celebrated a multicultural Mass on Nov. 20, 2022, the Solemnity of Our Lord, Jesus Christ, King of the Universe. Prior to the Mass, women of the Vietnamese Catholic community performed a ceremonial dance in honor of Christ the King. The Mass included readings in Spanish, Filipino, and English, and music from each of the cultures. This Mass was originally scheduled for early October but was delayed due to the destruction caused to the Fort Myers area during Hurricane Ian. The celebration was one way to mark the ongoing recovery as well the diversity and unity of the Universal Church.

Students make blankets for the homeless

As part of a Reverse Advent Calendar Project, eighth graders at St. Martha Catholic spent the week before their Thanksgiving break making blankets for the homeless. A special thank you to the local JoAnn Fabric stores for making the fabric for the blankets available.

Science, art and food enhance classroom lesson

As part of a biology class at St. John Neumann Catholic High School in Naples on Nov. 16, 2022, students created a 3-D representative of a eukaryotic and prokaryotic cell, with a twist. The goal of the project was to develop and use the model to describe the function of a cell as a whole and showed ways that parts of cells contribute to the function. Then they ate the cells which were created out of a variety of food. This unique project was developed by teacher Elaina Gianello who used various aspects of the STREAM (science, technology, religion, engineering, art, and math) curriculum to make the lesson more engaging for the students.

Safety patrol recognized for hard work

The Safety Patrol team at St. Joseph Catholic School in Bradenton received a surprise visit on Nov. 16, 2022, from deputies from the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office. Each Safety Patrol member was presented with a Junior Deputy Badge and AAA Certificate. A Sheriff’s representative spoke to the Safety Patrol member to recognize the hard work and commitment these fourth-grade students have put into their positions.

Students make prayer ropes

Bishop Verot Catholic High School theology students in Fort Myers recently learned about prayer ropes and made them during an outdoor lesson on Nov. 15, 2022. These ropes are typically made with intricate knots, 33 of them to be specific – one for each year of Jesus’ life. A prayer rope is a loop made up of complex woven knots formed in a cross pattern, usually out of wool or silk. The students learned a little more about this tradition and got to enjoy some time outside of the classroom in the process during their theology class. Most commonly part of the practice of Eastern Orthodox monks and nuns, the prayer ropes are used to count the number of times one has prayed to Jesus.

News Briefs for Nov. 18, 2022

Posted on by Bob Reddy

Family Day in Wauchula

The 2022 St. Michael Parish Family Day on Nov. 12, 2022, in Wauchula, welcomed more than 130 families (over 250 participants to include parents and their children) for a beautiful day filled with guest speakers about parenting, a young adult guest speaker, and children learning about the Eucharist and how to have a stronger relationship with Jesus. There were family games and raffles. The day ended with a Eucharistic Procession and Holy Mass, and dinner. The day focused on prayer for the conversion of all, that they may seek God in the Eucharist to guide them as a united family.

Naples Scout recognized

Luke P. Rubino, a senior at Naples High School and St. Ann Catholic School Class of 2019, achieved Eagle Rank from the Boy Scouts of America-Southwest Florida Council/Alligator District with Troop 165, now affiliated with St. Ann Parish in Naples. Luke was also awarded the Good Citizenship Award presented by the Marine Corps League (E.T. Brisson Detachment #063) of Naples on Nov. 13, 2022, in the Parish Hall.

New altar servers blessed

Father Luis Pacheco, Pastor of St. Paul Parish in Arcadia, recently welcomed and blessed a new group of altar servers. The blessing took place Nov. 13, 2022, for the boys and girls who completed a training program. These servers will now be able to serve at Masses each week.

Naples students build bikes

More than 30 St. John Neumann Catholic High School students came together with Key and Kiwanis clubs from around the county to build bikes with the Bikes for Tykes Organization at Palmetto Ridge High School in Naples on Nov. 12, 2022. Students worked in teams of two assembling new bikes that were donated to local families. During the event, some of the students entertained the waiting children with face painting and games.

Fort Myers robotics team gains experience

The Bishop Verot Catholic High School robotics program hosted two local robotics teams to work on their designs and programming in Fort Myers on Nov. 5, 2022. The “Java the Hutt” team was incredibly helpful, as they brought their robot and helped the Verot teams get their bots built and programmed to move. The students learned about the latest version of a competition robot. The Cypress Lake team shared ideas and were instrumental in getting a playing field constructed, while advising about which materials to purchase and use to help construct future Verot robots. Events like this are vital to the growth of robotics in Southwest Florida.

Thanksgiving festival delights children

St. Martha Catholic School National Junior Honor Society hosted a Thanksgiving Festival for students in kindergarten through second grade in Sarasota on Nov. 14, 2022. The students decorated their own cookies, colored placemats, created turkeys, wrote what they are thankful for, played Thanksgiving Bingo and completed Thanksgiving Math.

 

Thousands attend Hispanic Fall Festival

Posted on by Bob Reddy

The Hispanic Fall Festival at St. Jude Parish in Sarasota returned from a two-year hiatus on Nov. 5, 2022, with a day filled with food, fun and entertainment.

This was the 18th Annual Hispanic Festival and an estimated 12,000 people descended on the Parish for this return event following a hiatus in 2020 and 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The annual festival is a celebration of both the individual nations and the unified culture of a diverse people. Held annually in early November, the day includes musical performances and ethnic dancers as well as food from many nations. Throughout the Parish grounds were tents full of a wide variety of foods that left many mouths watering.

The celebration of more than a dozen countries lasted from morning until sunset. Throughout the day, there were performances from a variety of countries, offering both folk and modern music and dance. Many wore shirts proclaiming to everyone their country of origin.

Alegria Fredrick, 12, enjoyed her papas rellenas from the Cuban food tent, which is a meat-filled potato ball. The highlight of the day for the young girl were the various dancers who wore colorful dresses. “It was so wonderful to see them dancing and singing to such beautiful songs.”

Father Celestino Gutierrez, Pastor of St. Jude, officially opened the Hispanic Festival with a prayer. This followed a “Parade of Flags” when each country represented at the festival was announced, and the respective flags brought forth cheers from the crowd.

As a bilingual Parish, the members of both the English and the Spanish speaking congregation participated and volunteered to staff the booths including a beverage stand run by youth from the Parish. This annual Festival is the oldest one in Sarasota County to feature authentic Latino food, music and culture.

Whether it was the food, the music, the dancing, or the joy of being around so many happy people, the Hispanic Festival was rated a massive success by any measure.

Thousands attend the event annually from as far away as Naples and Clearwater. It has become a much-anticipated event for the ethnically diverse Sarasota Parish. All of the proceeds of the Hispanic Festival go to support the various outreach efforts of St. Jude Parish, including a food pantry and other outreach efforts which help countless families throughout the year.

News Briefs for the week of Nov. 11, 2022

Posted on by Bob Reddy

Appointments

After consultation, Bishop Frank J. Dewane announces the following:

Father Kristian Villafaña is relieved of his duties as Temporary Administrator of Holy Cross Parish, Palmetto, effective October 18, 2022.

Father Nicholas Thompson, as Parochial Vicar at St. John the Evangelist Parish, Naples, effective November 1, 2022.

Father Binu Joseph, as Parochial Vicar at Sacred Heart Parish, Bradenton, effective November 3, 2022.

Catholic Mass to Honor Veterans Moved Due to Weather

The Diocese of Venice in Florida will celebrate its 13th annual Veterans Day Catholic Mass to honor veterans on Friday, Nov. 11, 2022. The Mass, originally scheduled to be held at The Sarasota National Cemetery, has been moved due to weather constraints. The Mass will now be celebrated at the nearby St. Patrick Parish, 7900 Bee Ridge Road, Sarasota. The Mass will begin at 3:30 p.m., with opening ceremonies at 3:15 p.m. All are encouraged to arrive early. Bishop Frank J. Dewane will be the principal celebrant of the Mass.

Mooney runner finishes second in States

Cardinal Mooney Catholic High School junior Addison Dempsey took the silver medal in the Class 2A girls Florida High School Athletic Association Cross Country State Championship on Nov. 5, 2022, in Apalachee Regional Park in Tallahassee. Dempsey crossed the 5,000-meter (or 3.1 mile) race in 17:54, just 11 seconds behind the winner. The Mooney girls’ team came in 25th overall, with Kate Ruaona placing 11th. The Sarasota boys finished in 20th, with the top runner, Christian Kline placing 37th. At the same event, the Bishop Verot Catholic High School runners from Fort Myers also participated, with sophomore Mackenzie De Lisle placing fifth. The boy’s team took fifth place overall, with the top runner, Grayson Tubbs, placing 16th. Congratulations everyone!

Students learn to fold American Flag

The Veterans of Foreign War Golden Gate Post 7721 visited St. Elizabeth Seton Catholic School in Naples on Nov. 4, 2022, to teach the eighth graders how to properly fold the American flag in advance of the school’s Veterans Day Tribute on Nov. 11.

Key Club members help neighboring school

More than 40 St. John Neumann Catholic High School students and Key Club members came together Nov. 7, 2022, to help with a beautification project at St. Elizabeth Seton. Students laid mulch on the playground and painted parking lot curbs and stops. Lots of fun was had amidst the hard work.

Tiger Trot a success

The annual Tiger Trot at Epiphany Cathedral Catholic School in Venice was a huge success. Held on Nov. 4, 2022, the event raised funds and everyone had a great time. Msgr. Patrick Dubois was in attendance to observe and blessed the Tiger Trot and cheer everyone on.

Thermal energy class was HOT!

Fourth grade science students at St. Martha Catholic School in Sarasota learned all about Thermal Energy the week of Nov. 1, 2022. The students each constructed their own solar oven and placed the components for s’mores in them before bringing them outside to cook. The result: the ovens worked, and everyone had a delicious snack created in their own oven!

Parish holds food fest

Our Lady of Grace Parish in Avon Park held its annual International Food Festival on Nov. 6, 2022. Delectable cuisine from around the world was up for selection including from countries such as Puerto Rico, the Philippines, Ireland, Mexico, Italy and many more. Parish pastor Father Ronnie Sison, who is originally from the Philippines, took time to visit each table and sampled many selections.

 Fun day in Bradenton

A fun time was had during “Silly String” festivities at St. Joseph Catholic School in Bradenton on Nov. 4, 2022. The fun was a follow-up celebration to the successful annual Eagle Run fundraiser held earlier in the month. The seventh-grade class, which had great success during the Eagle Run, also celebrated with a McDonald’s party.

 

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