installation Archives - Diocese of Venice

The Rite of Ordination of a Bishop

Posted on July 24, 2026July 24, 2026 by Bob Reddy

Promising to “guard the deposit of faith pure and entire” and to “encourage the holy people of God and to guide them in the way of salvation,” Bishop Emilio Biosca Agüero, O.F.M. Cap., was ordained to the Order of Bishops July 11, 2026, as the third bishop of the Diocese of Venice in Florida.

More than 1,700 witnessed the 2 ½ hour bilingual liturgy at St. John XXIII parish in Fort Myers included family and friends of the new bishop, the faithful from throughout the diocese, members of men’s and women’s religious orders, the Knights and Dames of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, the Color Corps of the Knights of Columbus, and many more.

Archbishop Thomas Wenski of Miami was the principal consecrator of the new bishop. Co-consecrators were Cardinal Sean O’Malley, O.F.M. Cap., Archbishop Emeritus of Boston, as well Bishop Frank J. Dewane, Bishop Emeritus of the Diocese of Venice.

The Rite of Episcopal Ordination during the Mass followed the proclamation of the Gospel according to John (21:1-19) where Jesus appears to his disciples at the Sea of Tiberias. He cooks them breakfast, leads a miraculous catch of fish, and commissions Peter to lead His Church, foreshadowing Peter’s eventual martyrdom.

Present for the ordination were two cardinals, two archbishops, 17 bishops and more than 150 priests participating in the Mass, including Cardinal Wilton Gregory, Archbishop Emeritus of Washington, and Archbishop Gabriele G. Caccia, the Vatican’s apostolic nuncio to the United States.

The rite included the Presentation of the Elect, during which Bishop-Elect Emilio was led to the presence of Archbishop Wenski while Father Joseph Doherty, an assisting priest, addressed Archbishop Wenski, requesting the ordination.

Next was the reading of the Apostolic Letter by Archbishop Caccia, who said it was a great joy for him to be in the Diocese of Venice and assured the faithful of the spiritual closeness, affection and blessing of the Pope Leo XIV.

“This young and growing local church now receives the new shepherd whom the Lord, through the minister, the successor of Peter, entrusts to its care,” said Archbishop Caccia, also thanking Bishop Dewane for his 20 years of service in the diocese. The archbishop then described the path Bishop Emilio, as a Capuchin Franciscan, had taken to this point, serving in Papua New Guinea, Cuba, and Washington, D.C. “Through this varied path the Lord has formed in you a heart ready to go where he asks, close to the poor and marginalized and eager to draw people to Christ.”

Archbishop Caccia then read an English translation of the papal mandate in which Pope Leo appointed Bishop Emilio, which is inscribed in Latin.

The new bishop then processed through the church, showing the papal mandate to the Diocesan College of Consultors, the presbyterate of the Diocese of Venice, to the concelebrating bishops, the faithful and to his family.

Next, Bishop-elect Emilio stood before Archbishop Wenski, who questioned the bishop-elect concerning his resolve to carry out the duties and responsibilities of the Office of Bishop, known as the Promise of the Elect. The answers to the first eight questions were “I do” and to the last, “I do, with the help of God.” (See the Promise of the Elect below.)

The episcopal ordination of the new bishop included prayers, chanting of the Litany of Supplication, the laying on of hands and anointing with Sacred Chrism. The Litany of Supplication, during which Bishop-elect Emilio lay prostrate on the floor before the altar, included the addition of several saints which have inspired Bishop Emilio, including St. Anthony of Padua, St. Lawrence of Brindisi, St. John Neumann, St. Peter To Rot, St. Clare of Assisi and others.

As part of the episcopal ordination, Bishop Emilio received the symbols of his office – the Book of the Gospels, which represents his responsibility to preach “with all patience and sound teaching;” a ring, signifying his fidelity to the Church; a miter that represents the “unfading crown of glory” he will seek by serving Christ; and crozier (pastoral staff) representing his role as a spiritual shepherd.

After Communion, the new bishop walked through the church, holding his new shepherd’s staff and blessing his family, friends and the faithful of the Diocese of Venice who came to witness and celebrate the ordination and installation of their new bishop.

The Mass continued as usual with Bishop Emilio addressing the faithful at the conclusion.

A recording of the livestream of the Episcopal Ordination of Bishop Emilio, as well as the Solemn Vespers, can be viewed online at https://dioceseofvenice.org/livestream.

The Promise of the Elect of Bishops

Dear brother, do you resolve to carry out until death with the grace of the Holy Spirit the office entrusted to us by the Apostles and to be passed on to you through the laying on of our hands?
Do you resolve to proclaim the Gospel of Christ faithfully and unfailingly?
Do you resolve to guard the deposit of faith pure and entire according to the tradition preserved always and everywhere in the Church from the time of the Apostles?
Do you resolve to build up the Body of Christ, his Church, and to remain in her unity, with the Order of Bishops, under the authority of the successor of the blessed Apostle Peter?
Do you resolve to render obedience faithfully to the successor of the blessed Apostle Peter?
Do you resolve, as a devoted father, to encourage the holy People of God and to guide them in the way of salvation together with the Priests and Deacons, your fellow ministers?
Do you resolve, for the sake of the Lord’s name, to reach out in kindness and mercy to the poor, to strangers, and to all those in need?
Do you resolve, as a good shepherd, to seek out the sheep who stray and to gather them into the Lord’s fold?
Do you resolve to pray without ceasing to almighty God for his holy people and to carry out the office of High Priest without reproach?

The answers to the first 8 questions were “I do” and to the last, “I do, with the help of God.”

Bishop Emilio’s remarks after his ordination

Posted on July 24, 2026 by Bob Reddy

“Loving and Knowing”

Peace be with you.

I would like to begin this new time with words from the prayer of St. Francis before the Crucifix at San Damiano that has accompanied my vocation from before entering the Capuchins. It is a prayer of confidence and a prayer of searching:

“Most High, Glorious God, bring light to the darkness of our hearts,

give us right faith, convinced hope, perfect charity, wisdom and understand Lord,

that we might know and follow your holy and true command.”

With profound gratitude, I am keenly aware that the office of bishop is to be embraced under the passion, death and resurrection of the good shepherd, Jesus Christ, our Savior. I give thanks to Almighty God, whose providence has brought us together on this blessed day.

Your Excellency, Most Reverend Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Gabrielle Giordano Caccia, I express my filial gratitude to our Holy Father Pope Leo, for the confidence he has placed in me through this appointment. I am grateful for the kindness you have shown to our Bishop Emeritus Frank Dewane, to me, to my family and the care you have shown for our local church.

Your Excellency, our Metropolitan Archbishop Thomas Wenski, I offer heartfelt gratitude to you for Your leadership, wisdom, and fraternal support. You are a gift to the Church in Florida, and I look forward to working with you.

Your Eminence Cardinal Sean O’Malley who has honored us with his inspiring homily and the testimony of his life, our capuchin brothers of the Province of St. Augustine, my family and so many of our mutual friends have cherished your spiritual fatherhood for many years. Gracias de Corazon.

Your Eminence Cardinal Wilton Gregory, father and friend of the priests wherever he has served, thank you for kindness and leadership.

Our beloved Bishop Emeritus Frank Dewane, with particular affection, I thank you. For nearly two decades you have shepherded this Diocese with steadfast faith, pastoral charity, and unwavering commitment. I am grateful to receive from your hands this beautiful Diocese that is vibrant in faith, growing, and filled with the gifts of its people. I am thrilled to meet and support the 25 diocesan seminarians which you and Father Alex Pince have prayerfully accompanied. Please know of my deep respect, gratitude, and prayers for you as I continue to seek your counsel.

Bishop Emeritus Alvaro Beyra, of the Diocese of Bayamo-Manzanillo, Cuba, thank you for making this sacrificial and even painful visit from Cuba to Florida. I have greatly benefited from serving in your Diocese for eight years, learning to generate clear ideas, maintaining a firm pastoral work ethic and seeking to live and work very close to the faithful.

Bishop Emeritus Felipe Estevez, of St. Augustin, Bishop Emeritus Ocatavio Cisnero of Brooklyn, New York, and Mons. Jose Felix Perez of La Habana and Matanzas, Cuba, thank you for being such intrepid disciples of our Venerable Fr. Felix Varela and living as faithful sons of Our Lady of Charity.

To my beloved parents, who celebrate 65 years of marriage, and to my family and friends: come visit southwest Florida and stay, “… so that where I am you also may be.”

My brother bishops, Capuchin brothers, priests, deacons, consecrated women and men, dear family and friends, and especially the faithful of this beloved Diocese of Venice.

As I have learned, the Diocese of Venice has a remarkable history that reaches back long before it was canonically established in 1984. There is evidence that men and women were present in this part of Florida at least 14,000 years ago. About 2,000 years before the European explorers appeared in the Gulf, most of this land was home to the Calusa people, whose remarkable civilization flourished along Florida’s southwest coast. History tells of their ingenuity, resilience, and deep knowledge of these waters. They engineered canals and established one of the most politically complex hunting and fishing societies in North America.

It was here, too, that some of the earliest encounters between the peoples of the Americas and Europe took place. Spanish explorers navigated these shores in the sixteenth century, and among them were Juan Ponce de Leon, Hernando De Soto and Pedro Menéndez de Avilés, whose efforts to establish missions reflected the Church’s earliest desire to proclaim the Gospel in this land. Those first encounters were marked by both hope and hardship, by courage and misunderstanding, reminding us that history is always a call to humility and to reconciliation.

In 2009, on the occasion marking the 25th anniversary of the Diocese of Venice, Bishop Dewane wrote:

“As we celebrate this momentous milestone, it is an opportune time to recall and reflect upon the many blessings which this young Diocese has received and give thanks. At the same time, we contemplate our continued growth and ever-promising future, for the greater glory of God.”

On May 13th, a few weeks ago, when I was presented as the next Bishop of the Diocese of Venice, I observed how Bishop Dewane introduced me with such kindness and joy to so many of his coworkers. I found myself identifying with him. One day too, I will do the same, to another new shepherd of the Diocese. It was a realistic reminder that Jesus Christ alone is the Good Shepherd, and we are blessed to be entrusted, for a time, with the care of His flock.

St. Augustine wrote:

“Let those who feed Christ’s sheep not seek their own interests, but the interests of Jesus Christ. Let them not say, ‘These are my sheep,’ but ‘Christ’s sheep.’ Let them feed them as Christ’s sheep, not as their own” (Sermon 46, 30).

This is the vocation of every shepherd in the Church: to love Christ’s people, to care for them with tenderness, to strengthen the weak, to seek the lost, to accompany the suffering whether wealthy or whether poor, to proclaim the Gospel faithfully, and always place the good of the flock above personal interests.

The shepherd belongs to the people, and together shepherd and flock, belong to Christ.

To my dear friends and parishioners at Sacred Heart in Washington, to my dear friends from Cuba, and as far away as the Southern Highlands of Papua New Guinea, in gratitude, I share this profound message of FAITH & HOPE from Mons. Adolfo Rodriguez Herrera, in the inaugural discourse of the ENEC in February 1986:

“…no tenemos ni la primera palabra ni la última palabra de todo, pero creemos que existe una primera y una última palabra de todo y esperamos en Aquel que la tiene, el Señor. En El miramos con serena confianza el futuro siempre incierto, porque sabemos que mañana, antes de que salga el sol, habrá salido sobre Cuba y sobre el mundo entero, la Providencia de Dios.”

“… we have neither the first word nor the last word on anything, but we believe that there is a first and a last word on everything, and we hope in the ONE who has it, the Lord. In him we look with serene confidence at the always uncertain future, because we know that tomorrow, before the sun rises, the Providence of God will have risen over Cuba and over the whole world.”

To our beloved priests, deacons, religious and faithful of the Diocese of Venice, as your new bishop, I will study and research everything I can about our Diocese. I will begin to know you and pledge to love and respect you, so that I may know you more deeply.

That LOVE IS, ITSELF, A MODE OF KNOWING, and that we come to know more deeply through love than through conceptual knowledge has a long and rich tradition in Catholic spiritual theology.

Saint Bonaventure (1221–1274) wrote:

“Seek not understanding that you may believe, but believe that you may understand… Ask grace, not instruction; desire, not understanding; the groaning of prayer, not diligent reading; the bridegroom, not the teacher.” (Itinerarium Mentis in Deum, VII, 6).

The great Saint Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274) also distinguished between knowledge acquired by study only, and a deeper knowledge that comes through love and connaturality, that is, through sharing in the reality known. He applied this especially to the gift of wisdom given by the Holy Spirit. This means that we come to know divine things not only by reasoning but through charity that unites the soul to God. He wrote: “Charity causes friendship between man and God.” (Summa Theologiae, II-II, q. 23, a. 1) Through friendship comes a kind of experiential knowledge unavailable to detached observation.

Saint Catherine of Siena (1347–1380) consistently taught that love is the means by which we truly come to know both God and others. In “The Dialogue,” St. Catherine writes that Christ told her: “It is by love that you come to know Me, for I am Love.” (The Dialogue, Treatise on Divine Providence.) and “The soul cannot live without love. She always wants to love something because love is the stuff she is made of.” (Dialogue, Chapter 51)

Although expressed differently, these Doctors of the Church converge on a remarkably consistent principle:

Love does not replace reason;

Love perfects reason by giving us a participation

in the one we desire to come to know.

I ask now for your prayers and support as during the next six months, especially, I try to come to know you by visiting and loving you.

Through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of Mercy, and of all the saints, let us move forward together with confidence. May God bless each one of you, and may He bless our beloved Diocese for many years to come.

Newly appointed Bishop returns to Diocese

Posted on June 22, 2026 by Bob Reddy

Ordination/installation key information

The Ordination and Installation Mass of Bishop Emilio Biosca Agüero, O.F.M. Cap., will be held at 2 p.m., Saturday, July 11, at St. John XXIII Parish in Fort Myers. Out of necessity, due to high demand and capacity constraints, this event is by Invitation Only. Parishioners are encouraged to join us in prayer, via livestream. Both the Ordination Mass on July 11 and the Solemn Vespers at 5 p.m., Friday, July 10, will be livestreamed via the Diocesan website at https://dioceseofvenice.org/livestream/, or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/DioceseofVenice. Join us in prayer as we welcome Bishop Emilio to the Diocese of Venice!

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Bishop-elect Emilio Biosca Agüero, O.F.M. Cap., returned to the Diocese of Venice for the week of June 15-20, 2026, ahead of his July 11 Apostolic Ordination and Installation as the third Bishop of the Diocese.

During his time in Venice, the Bishop-elect became better acquainted with the Diocese through a series of meetings with Bishop Frank J. Dewane, Diocesan Chancellor Volodymyr Smeryk, and many other key Diocesan leaders. The Bishop-elect was only in the Diocese of Venice for a few days when his appointment was announced on May 13.

A key aspect of the new Bishop’s visit was the opportunity to have meetings with priests in the four Deaneries (regions) of the Diocese. These meetings allowed many Diocesan priests to meet Bishop Biosca in an informal setting where both sides learned more about each other. Additional meetings took place with religious men and women, Deacons, as well as a visit to Guadalupe Social Services of Catholic Charities in Immokalee.

Bishop Biosca is making an effort to learn about how the Diocese functions. The new Bishop is especially interested in learning the pastoral needs of the different Parishes as well as what pressing issues will demand his attention as soon as he takes over as shepherd of the Diocese in July.

When not on the road meeting priests, the new Bishop was able to begin to move into his residence in Venice. He also stood for his formal portrait and took part in interviews, in both English and Spanish, in anticipation of his coming ordination, in an effort to help the faithful of the Diocese get to know him.

Welcome, Bishop Emilio!

New Pastor installed at St. Francis Xavier in Fort Myers

Posted on October 24, 2025 by Bob Reddy

Bishop Frank J. Dewane installed Father Steven Clemente as Pastor of St. Francis Xavier Parish in Fort Myers on Oct. 19, 2025, in the context of the Mass.

“I ask that you pray for Father to have the grace needed as he takes on the task in leading St. Francis Xavier Parish,” Bishop Dewane said. “I also ask you, the parishioners, to do your best to support Father when you can. You are not going to agree 100% of the time, but that’s okay. In the end you have to come together and support Father in whatever path he chooses.”

St. Francis Xavier Parish dates to the 1870s when the Catholic community was originally served by traveling Jesuit priests from the Tampa area. The original name of the Fort Myers mission was Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary when Masses were celebrated in a stable and a private residence. The name was changed to St. Francis Xavier in 1890 when the first church in Fort Myers was built. With the construction of the second church, the Parish was established in 1910. The current church was built in 1961 and renovated in 1977. The original steeple for the first Parish church was restored and sits as a monument on the Parish property. St. Francis Xavier Catholic School opened in 1938. The Parish includes 1,000 families and offers Mass in English and Haitian-Creole.

Bishop Dewane initiated the installation process by calling Father Clemente to the ambo following the homily. Father then recited an Oath of Fidelity in which he promises to “adhere to the teachings, which either the Roman Pontiff or the College of Bishops enunciate when they exercise authentic magisterium.” Father Clemente then recited, along with the parishioners, the profession of faith, including additional parts solely for him. The installation also included prayers to provide the new Pastor the wisdom and guidance from the Holy Spirit to lead the Parish.

Documents were then signed by the Bishop, the new Pastor, and two official witnesses of the Parish Community, who serve as official witnesses on behalf of all of the parishioners. Copies of these documents are put in the Diocesan files for the Parish and Father, while a copy is kept at the Parish. Bishop Dewane then presented Father Clemente as the new Pastor to the gathered faithful to enthusiastic applause.

After Mass, Father Clemente first thanked Bishop Dewane for the honor of appointing him and trusting him to lead St. Frank Xavier, while also thanking the faithful for being so supportive since his assignment to the Parish in 2022.

Father Clemente said that when he first arrived at St. Francis Xavier, he asked the faithful to join him in building a vision for the future of the Parish, a journey that continues to this day.

“It takes faith and it takes people to pull it off,” Father said. “We have done some amazing things here and I want to thank you for helping me do that.”

A reception followed in the Parish Hall.

Priest of Venice Diocese ordained as bishop for the military archdiocese

Posted on May 16, 2025May 16, 2025 by Bob Reddy

Auxiliary Bishop Gregg M. Caggianelli becomes the first U.S. bishop ordained after election of Pope Leo XIV

Jean Gonzalez – The Florida Catholic

After witnessing her son vested in episcopal garb, Barbara Caggianelli began to cry happy tears as she said, “Thank you God.”

The emotional moment was one of many for a local priest described as a wonderful son, great preacher, and man of God with a deep sense of prayer, who became ordained as a bishop to serve the Armed Forces.

For three decades, Father Gregg M. Caggianelli had served in the military as a chaplain and active reservist, earning the rank of colonel in the U.S. Air Force. On May 9, 2025, he became the first U.S. bishop ordained after election of Pope Leo XIV. Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio of the Military Services, USA, ordained the Diocese of Venice priest as an auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA, at St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary in Boynton Beach, where the new bishop has served for years as a priest, professor and administrator.

“I’ve been in the military longer than I’ve been in the seminary so it’s my two worlds colliding,” Bishop Caggianelli said after his ordination.

Along with serving as a professor of homiletics, Bishop Caggianelli served as dean of formation, which he said gave him the heart to care about how the priests are doing, “especially our military chaplains who are isolated, by themselves.” His role to encourage the priests “to encourage love among their people” will continue in his role as episcopal shepherd. In that sense, he said the Parable of the Good Shepherd has even more meaning as a bishop.

“Whenever we are given a new challenge, a new responsibility, new opportunity, it is Jesus calling us to go deeper, really calling all of us to go into deeper waters to trust him more, to follow him, and to proclaim that he is risen from the dead,” Bishop Caggianelli said. “I love (the servicemembers) very much. I’m inspired by their service and their dedication.”

In his homily, Archbishop Broglio spoke about the divided secular world, where life after death, judgement, truth and even the existence of God are questioned. Many times, the impact of the Gospel is diminished. He urged his “little brother” to take the words of Pope Leo XIV to heart when he said we are called to unity and to mission.

“Those must remain special watchwords to you,” the archbishop said. “Jesus praised that the disciples be enveloped in the father’s love, which makes them holy and empowers them for their mission in the world.”

Archbishop Broglio spoke about the symbols of the new office given during the ordination — the ring, mitre and crozier. He said while the symbols draw attention during events and Mass, they should not draw attention away from Jesus Christ, who is always the “center of our attention and the object of our life pilgrimage.”

“With mitre, staff and ring, embrace the people and lead them to that kingdom that does not pass away. Consecrate them in the truth for his grace is sufficient for us.”

Unity and mission should be at the forefront of ministry among servicemembers, which will be challenging the archbishop shared. As one of five auxiliary bishops now serving with Archbishop Broglio, they bring the Gospel to 1.8-million Catholics worldwide in all branches of the U.S. Military and those hospitalized in the nation’s VA medical centers or working for the government as civilians beyond U.S. borders. That translates to miles to travel, many communities to visit, and “misunderstandings to clarify.” But the mission is steadfast: To respond to the “special challenge to stir to flame the gift of God that stirs in us first in the waters of baptism.”

“We are challenged to rekindle the faith of so many men and women who have drifted away and whose embers of faith have grown cold. Be a father to them and draw them back into the life of grace,” the archbishop said.

Bishop Caggianelli was ordained as a priest of the Diocese of Venice, and its own episcopal shepherd, Bishop Frank J. Dewane served as a co-consecrator, along with David L. Toups of Beaumont, Texas, former rector of the Boynton Beach seminary. Among the other bishops who laid hands upon the priest’s head invoking the Holy Spirit were prelates of the Military Archdiocese and from across Florida, including Archbishop Thomas Wenski of Miami, Bishop Gerald M. Barbarito of Palm Beach, Bishop William Wack, CSC, of Pensacola-Tallahassee, retired Bishop Felipe Estevez of St. Augustine, and Auxiliary Bishop Enrique Delgado of Miami.

“Bishop Gregg, welcome to the episcopal brotherhood,” Bishop Wack said, describing the newly ordained as a hard worker but very down to earth, and a joyful person.”

Sitting with the new bishop on the altar were Father Alfredo I. Hernández, rector and president of the seminary, and Msgr. Robert R. Cannon, retired chaplain for the U.S. Air Force and a fellow priest of the Diocese of Venice. Bishop Caggianelli credited Msgr. Cannon for encouraging his discernment of priestly vocation.

With his experience as a chaplain, as a serviceman himself and as a professor, Msgr. Cannon said his friend’s appointment was a “perfect fit.”

“We have been dear friends for very long time,” said Msgr. Cannon, who previously served as chancellor for the Military Archdiocese. “He’s very funny and has a great sense of humor. He works hard, he loves Jesus, he’s smart. He loves people. He will be a fine bishop.”

After completing the semester at the seminary, Bishop Caggianelli will stay local even though he is now incardinated in the Archdiocese for the Military Services. He will serve military installations across the state of Florida.

The seminary lived-streamed the celebration on social media where it can still be viewed at https://www.svdp.edu/live or https://www.facebook.com/SVdPSem.

Earlier version of story

BOYNTON BEACH | Gregg M. Caggianelli was ordained an auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA, at St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary, where the new bishop — an active reservist and colonel in the U.S. Air Force —vhas served for years as a priest, professor and administrator.

Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio, of the Military Services, celebrated the ordination through the laying of hands and the invocation of the Holy Spirit. He anointed the new bishop’s head with oil, placed the bishop’s ring on his right ring finger, and presented him with the miter and crosier under the prayerful gaze of a packed congregation in St. Vincent’s Chapel.

In his homily, noting that “the secular age has blinded many to the idea of truth, life after death, and judgment,” Archbishop Broglio implored Bishop Caggianelli to spread the truth of the Gospel: “Pope Leo has called us to unity and mission. As the first U.S. bishop ordained after his election, those must remain special watchwords for you. To borrow from Saint John Neumann, if we have accepted the truth of Christ and committed our lives to him, there can be no separation between what we believe and the way we live our lives. Our every thought, word, and action must be directed to the glory of God and the spread of his kingdom…. With miter, staff, and ring, embrace this people and lead them to that kingdom that does not pass away. Consecrate them in the truth, for His grace is sufficient for you.”

Prior to the ordination, Bishop Caggianelli, 57, made a public profession of Catholic faith, and he took the oath of fidelity. His ordination brings to five the number of auxiliary bishops now serving with Archbishop Broglio in his ministry to 1.8-million Catholics worldwide in all branches of the U.S. Military and those hospitalized in the nation’s VA medical centers or working for the government as civilians beyond U.S. borders.

Dozens of priests and bishops — including the co-consecrators Bishops Frank J. Dewane of Venice and David L. Toups of Beaumont, Texas — were on hand at the celebration along with family and friends of the new bishop. Along with Bishop Dewane, Florida prelates on hand included Archbishop Thomas Wenski of Miami, Bishop Gerald M. Barbarito of Palm Beach, Bishop William Wack, CSC, of Pensacola-Tallahassee, retired Bishop Felipe Estevez of St. Augustine, and Auxiliary Bishop Enrique Delgado of Miami.

Sitting with the new bishop on the altar were Father Alfredo I. Hernández, rector and president of the seminary, and Msgr. Robert R. Cannon, retired chaplain for the U.S. Air Force and AMS chancellor. Both Msgr Cannon and Bishop Caggianelli served as priests of the Diocese of Venice. Bishop Caggianelli credited Msgr. Cannon for encouraging his discernment of priestly vocation.

The seminary lived-streamed the celebration on social media where it can still be viewed at https://www.svdp.edu/live or https://www.facebook.com/SVdPSem.

New Pastor installed in Clewiston

Posted on February 13, 2025 by Bob Reddy

Bishop Frank J. Dewane installed Father Jean Woady Louis as Pastor of St. Margaret Parish and Santa Rosa de Lima Mission in Clewiston on Feb. 9, 2025, in the context of the Mass.

Bishop Dewane explained that the installation of a new Pastor is like a punctuation mark for the life of the Parish – a new era under the stewardship of Father Woady.

“We do this installation because a Pastor is called upon to lead people closer to God through the areas of evangelization, worship of God and the caring for the poor,” Bishop Dewane said. “Father has to be many things to many different people and I ask that you continue to support him and pray for your Pastor and your priests as they serve all of you.”

St. Margaret Mission in Clewiston had its beginning in the late 1920s when the first permanent priest was assigned to minister to the sacramental needs of families in the growing farming community on the south shores of Lake Okeechobee. Prior to that time, travelling priests had intermittently visited the area to celebrate Mass in various homes. A church was built and dedicated in 1931, and the mission was established as a Parish on Aug. 7, 1931, as part of the then-Diocese of St. Augustine. The Parish Hall was dedicated in 1967. Today, Mass is celebrated in both English and Spanish. St. Margaret and Santa Rose de Lima Mission are served by women religious from the Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of Light (MHML). The Parish is also home to offices of Catholic Charities, which offer a variety of services, including a weekly food pantry. There are approximately 400 families in the Parish.

Santa Rosa de Lima Mission was developed for the growing Catholic community in Montura Ranch Estates, just south of Clewiston. Initially, the community was administered by priests serving at St. Margaret and Our Lady Queen of Heaven Parish in LaBelle, with Mass first celebrated in a barn and then a community center before a permanent sanctuary was purchased in 2002. It was at that time Santa Rosa de Lima became a formal Mission of St. Margaret Parish. The Mission serves about 100 families and Mass is only celebrated in Spanish.

Bishop Dewane initiated the installation process by calling Father Woady to the ambo following the homily. Father then recited an Oath of Fidelity in which he promises to “adhere to the teachings, which either the Roman Pontiff or the college of bishops enunciate when they exercise authentic magisterium.” Father Woady then recited, along with the faithful, the profession of faith, including additional parts solely for him. The installation also included prayers to provide the new Pastor the wisdom and guidance from the Holy Spirit to lead the Parish.

The Bishop then presented Father Woady as the new Pastor to the faithful gathered. Documents were signed by the Bishop, the new Pastor, and two official witnesses of the Parish Community, who serve as official witnesses on behalf of all of the parishioners. Copies of these documents are put in the Diocesan files for the Parish and Father, while a copy is kept at the Parish.

After Mass, Father Woady first thanked Bishop Dewane for the honor of appointing him and trusting him to lead St. Margaret Parish and Santa Rosa de Lima Mission, as well as the faithful for being so supportive since his appointment in 2021.

“This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad,” Father Woady said. “I am blessed to be part of this beautiful community that has welcomed me into their hearts.”

A reception followed in the Parish Hall.

New Pastor installed in Fort Myers

Posted on February 6, 2025 by Bob Reddy

Bishop Frank J. Dewane installed Father Jaybalan Raju as Pastor of St. John XXIII Parish in Fort Myers on Jan. 26, 2025, in the context of the Mass.

“We are all called to go forth, responding every more faithfully to the Lord,” Bishop Dewane said. “That is why I have asked Father to be here – to lead all of you in that spiritual life, to lead each of you in your individual response to the Lord. For this reason, Holy Mother Church calls for a Pastor to accomplish that in each Parish. Father has to be many things to many different people and I ask that you continue to support him and pray for your Pastor and your priests as they serve all of you.”

St. John XXIII Parish was established in 2002, and the first Masses were held in a gymnasium of the Noonan Academy. A new church, which seats 1,350 in the main sanctuary and 350 additional in the Chapel, was dedicated on April 9, 2005, on 40 acres, just north of Daniels Parkway, where there is now a church, Parish Center, rectory and Adoration Chapel. Masses are celebrated each week in English, Spanish and Vietnamese. The Parish has more than 3,700 families. Father Raju is the third Pastor of St. John XXIII Parish.

Bishop Dewane initiated the installation process by calling Father Raju to the ambo following the homily. Father then recited an Oath of Fidelity in which he promises to “adhere to the teachings, which either the Roman Pontiff or the college of bishops enunciate when they exercise authentic magisterium.” Father Raju then recited, along with the faithful, the profession of faith, including additional parts solely for him. The installation also included prayers to provide the new Pastor the wisdom and guidance from the Holy Spirit to lead the Parish.

The Bishop then presented Father Raju as the new Pastor to the faithful gathered. Documents were then signed by the Bishop, the new Pastor, and two official witnesses of the Parish Community, who serve as official witnesses on behalf of all of the parishioners. Copies of these documents are put in the Diocesan files for the Parish and Father, while a copy is kept at the Parish.

After Mass, Father Raju first thanked Bishop Dewane for the honor of appointing him and trusting him to lead St. John XXIII Parish, as well as the faithful for being so supportive since his appointment in 2023.

“I am full of gratitude from the Lord, as this is a special year for me and for all of us,” Father Raju said. “This is a Jubilee Year and this is the year I celebrate 25 years of my priesthood. This is the best gift God has given me… I am really blessed.”

A reception followed in the Parish Hall.

Pastor installed in Boca Grande

Posted on October 6, 2023October 6, 2023 by Bob Reddy

Father Anthony Hewitt was installed as Pastor of Our Lady of Mercy Parish in Boca Grande by Bishop Frank J. Dewane on Oct. 1, 2023.

Bishop Dewane explained that the installation of a new Pastor is like a punctuation mark for the life of the Parish; a new era under the stewardship of Father Hewitt.

“We do this installation because a Pastor is called upon to lead people closer to God through the areas of evangelization, worship of God and the caring for the poor,” Bishop Dewane said. “These are areas for which Our Lady of Mercy has a strong reputation and under Father Anthony’s leadership, I know you will continue to do these well.”

The Bishop reminded the faithful of Our Lady of Mercy of the need to support the new Pastor, and all of the priests, as they cannot do their daily ministry without such backing.

As part of the installation process, the priest first recites a profession of faith for all to hear, including an additional part solely for him. The new Pastor then recites an Oath of Fidelity and promises to “adhere to the teachings, which either the Roman Pontiff or the college of bishops enunciate when they exercise authentic magisterium.” The installation also includes prayers to provide the new Pastor the wisdom and guidance from the Holy Spirit to lead the Parish.

The ceremony concluded with the signing of documents by the Bishop, the new Pastor, and two official witnesses of the Parish community, who serve as witnesses for all of the parishioners. Those documents are split between the Parish and Diocese as well as the Pastor’s personnel records.

Our Lady of Mercy was founded in 1950 as a Mission of St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Grove City and elevated to a Parish in 1988. The Parish was established to serve the pastoral needs of both permanent and seasonal residents of the island community.

Father Hewitt, who previously served at the Parish as a Parochial Vicar, was appointed Pastor of the Parish in July following the retirement of the founding Pastor, Father Jerome Carosella.

In addition to the parishioners of Our Lady of Mercy, Father Hewitt was blessed to have his parents and other family members present. A celebratory reception was held in the Parish Hall.

Pastor installed in Palmetto Parish

Posted on September 21, 2023September 21, 2023 by Bob Reddy

An installation of a new Pastor is a punctuation in the life of a Parish.

Bishop Frank J. Dewane installed Father Teofilo Useche as Pastor of Holy Cross Parish in Palmetto, on Sept. 17, 2023, in the context of the Mass.

“You knew him as your Pastor in the past, and he has returned,” Bishop Dewane said. “This Parish is of two cultures, two languages (English and Spanish), two gifts that come together, respectfully, one for the other. It is a beautiful sight to see.”

Bishop Dewane told the faithful how important a Pastor is to the spiritual development of the Parish, particularly one that is as culturally rich as Holy Cross.

“Father is here to help you grow into a closer relationship with Jesus Christ,” Bishop continued. “It is my prayer that you continue your support of Father well into the future as your Parish continues to thrive.”

Father originally served at Holy Cross from 2003 to 2011, appointed first as Administrator, then as Pastor. He was appointed to St. Leo the Great Parish in Bonita Springs in 2011 before going on to St. Maximilan Kolbe Parish in Port Charlotte in 2013.

Enhancing the celebration, the installation of Father Useche was just a few days following the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross (Sept. 14), the Parish Feast Day.

The history of Holy Cross dates to 1956, when the first Mass was celebrated at the Palmetto Women’s Club. A new church was built on U.S. 41, north of the town and was dedicated in 1958. Due to growth, the Mission was elevated to Paish-status in February 1960. The current church was dedicated in 1989. The Parish has more than 1,000 families and Mass is celebrated in English and Spanish each weekend.

The ceremony concludes with the signing of documents by the Bishop, the new Pastor, and two official witnesses of the Parish Community, who serve as witnesses for all.

At the conclusion of Mass, Father Useche thanked the faithful of Holy Cross for being so supportive upon his return and considers them all part of his extended family. Among the well-wishers for the Mass were family and friends, as well as faithful from St. Maximilian Kobe Parish, where he had served as Pastor from 2013 to 2023.

A reception celebration was held in the Parish Hall. In addition, prior to Mass, and after Mass, dancers in traditional garb performed.

Englewood Pastor installed

Posted on March 31, 2023March 31, 2023 by Bob Reddy

Bishop Frank J. Dewane installed Father Robert Murphy as Pastor of St. Raphael Parish in Englewood on March 26, 2023, in the context of the Mass.

“To cater to the spiritual needs of the faithful of St. Raphael, it is appropriate that I come here to install your new Pastor,” Bishop Dewane said. “Father has been here a while, and you have come to know him, but I ask that you continue to pray for him as he continues on this path of leading your Parish into the future.”

St. Raphael Parish was established in 1964 and is in the southern end of Sarasota County near the Charlotte County border. Primarily a retirement and snowbird community, the Parish has more than 1,500 registered families. Father Murphy is the 10^th Pastor of St. Raphael.

As part of the installation process, Bishop Dewane first calls the priest to the ambo following the homily. The priest then recites, along with the faithful, the profession of faith, including an additional part solely for him. The priest then recites an Oath of Fidelity in which he promises to “adhere to the teachings, which either the Roman Pontiff or the college of bishops enunciate when they exercise authentic magisterium.” The installation also includes prayers to provide the new Pastor the wisdom and guidance from the Holy Spirit to lead the Parish.

The Bishop then presents the new Pastor to the faithful gathered. Documents are later signed by the Bishop, the new Pastor, and two official witnesses of the Parish Community, who serve as witnesses on behalf of all of the parishioners. Copies of these documents are put in the Diocesan files for the Parish and Father, while a copy is kept in the Parish records.

After Mass, Father thanked the Bishop for appointing him as Pastor, and the faithful of St. Raphael for being so supportive since his appointment as Administrator in 2019. Father Murphy also expressed his joy that his 101-year-old father, and his sister and brother-in-law, were present to see the installation. A reception followed in the Parish Hall.