Survivors share vivid accounts of perils they faced as children
On the night of Nov. 9-10, 1938, members of the Nazi party sponsored anti-Jewish riots (pogroms) which attacked Jewish persons and destroyed Jewish owned property in Germany and Austria. Known as “Kristallnacht, the Night of Broken Glass,” this event is regarded by historians as “the Night the Holocaust began” in Europe, which ultimately led to the murder of more than six million Jews.
To ensure no one ever forgets those events and to stand united in saying “Always Remember!” “Never Forget!” and “Never Again!” the Catholic-Jewish Dialogue of Collier County (CJD) hosted its 22nd annual “Kristallnacht: The Night of Broken Glass” commemoration Nov. 9, 2025, at Temple Shalom in Naples. The event was co-sponsored by the Diocese of Venice and Jewish Federation of Greater Naples, GenShoah of SWFL, and the Holocaust Museum and Janet G. and Harvey D. Cohen Education Center.
Marty Gauthier, Co-Chair of the CJD, shared the regrets of Bishop Frank J. Dewane, who was unable to attend the important interreligious commemoration due to a meeting of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. Gauthier emphasized that Bishop Dewane has always been, and remains, wholeheartedly committed to the mission of the Catholic-Jewish Dialogue.
Gauthier also shared the mission of the CJD, which is to promote an understanding of the mutual and shared history of the Catholic and Jewish faiths, and to advance acceptance of their differences and commonalities in a setting of respect, trust, faith, and hope.
During the commemoration, Erin Blankenship, President and CEO of the Holocaust Museum & Cohen Educational Center in Naples, introduced a Kristallnacht film, which included firsthand accounts of the “Night of Broken Glass.” During the horrific night, the organized Antisemitic acts of violence damaged or destroyed more than 1,400 synagogues, vandalized thousands of Jewish-owned businesses, broke into Jewish people’s homes, and desecrated religious objects. The rioters also humiliated, assaulted and killed hundreds of Jewish people. In addition, 26,000 were arrested and sent to prisons and concentration camps. This was the end, at this time in history, of any hope of having Jews continuing to safely live in Germany.
The annual commemoration included a candle lighting ceremony. Nine candles were lit by Gen Shoah (first- second- and third-generation Holocaust survivors), joined by teens from St. William Parish in Naples. Each lit their candle for the victims of the Holocaust and for a brighter future.
Among the survivors to speak was Heinz Wartski, who was 9-years-old living in Danzig, Germany, when Kristallnacht took place. He recounted how terrifying it was to be a witness to the destruction of his community and the burning of the synagogue. His family emigrated to Italy on fake passports before the start of World War II. There the family joined the Italian partisans fighting fascism before being liberated by Allied troops. He later served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War and is a disabled veteran.
Another speaker was Robert Hilliard, 100-years-old, a World War II U.S. Army veteran who helped liberate a camp. Hilliard shared that while serving in post-war Germany, he, and a fellow soldier, became outspoken advocates for the care of the Jewish liberated survivors of the Holocaust by the U.S. Army. He reported the mistreatment of survivors and corruption in the U.S. military, eerily similar to how they were treated by the Nazis. Hilliard’s efforts gained national attention, forcing President Harry S. Truman to direct a more humane treatment of the Holocaust survivors.
Antonio Giacalone, a member of the St. William Parish youth group, was among the teens to speak, “As a Catholic teenager, I stand in sorrow. Though I come from a different faith, I mourn the Jewish lives lost. Their memory matters to me, to all of us. May this light (of the candle) shine as a light that we may never forget their suffering and that we will stand against hatred in every generation.”
Also participating in the commemoration was Father Mark Harris, who, along with Rabbi Mark Gross of the Jewish Congregation of Marco Island, recited the Mourner’s Kaddish. The closing benediction was offered by Rabbi Ammos Chorny of Beth Tikvah Congregation in Naples.
The CJD is affiliated with Jewish Federation of Greater Naples and the Collier County Parishes of the Diocese of Venice.
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Catholic-Jewish symposium coming to Ave Maria and Naples in December
The Catholic-Jewish Dialogue of Collier County, a longstanding Southwest Florida interfaith partnership, is hosting a panel of distinguished theologians, professors and clerics to discuss the impact of the historic document that changed 20 centuries of Catholic-Jewish relations. Bishop Frank J. Dewane is among the panelists. The two-day symposium, titled “Nostra Aetate – 60 years: A new path for Catholic-Jewish relations,” will be held at 2 p.m., Dec. 6, 2025, at Ave Maria University, and 2 p.m., Dec. 7 at the Jewish Federation of Greater Naples, 4630 Pine Ridge Road, Naples. The same program will be presented for two consecutive days. This is the 60th anniversary of Nostra Aetate (In Our Time), a Catholic document created during the Second Vatican Council. Among other things, the document repudiated anti-Semitism and the charge that Jews were collectively guilty for the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. It calls for interfaith dialogue to promote a better understanding of each other’s faith, emphasizes the spiritual connection of humanity, promotes a mutual respect among all religions, and rejects all forms of discrimination and antisemitism. Register for the symposium at www.jewishnaples.org.
Koenigsberg was nearly eight when Allied forces liberated the Netherlands in 1945 and he later reunited with his parents, but he never saw his grandfather and many other family members again. During those two years in hiding, his home was a small cottage in a Nazi-controlled village in southern Holland, hidden away by the Snijckers, a sympathetic couple with four children of their own.
The guest speaker is John Koenigsberg, who will share his Holocaust survival story. In the spring of 1943, 5-year-old John was brought to the home of Johannes and Anna Snijckers by the Dutch resistance. The Catholic family protected John despite the risk of great personal danger by the occupying Nazis. Koenigsberg was lovingly accepted by “Mama and Papa” Snijckers as their fifth child and was welcomed by the couple’s other four children as their little brother. He attended the same Catholic primary school as the other children and was reunited with his parents at the end of the war.
Bishop Frank J. Dewane celebrated Mass for the Knights and Dames of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem on Oct. 29, 2024, at Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Venice. The Order is entrusted with the mission to serve as witnesses to the Christian faith, and as supporters and protectors of the Church and the living Christian communities in the Holy Land. Bishop Dewane praised their commitment to the people of the Holy Land, which is needed now more than ever as war continues in the region. The annual Mass is celebrated as close as is possible to Oct. 25, the Feast of Our Lady of Palestine, the Order’s Patroness.
The Legion of Mary Manasota Curis held a day of prayer Sept. 28, 2024, at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Retreat Center in Venice. The day included the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, Sacrament of Reconciliation and talks. Bob Wilson, Director of St. Paul Street Evangelization, spoke about how to speak with family and friends who have questions about the faith. Wilson said those who disagree with Church Teachings on any topic, disagree with God. “Jesus and the Catholic Church are one entity. Jesus is the head and Church is the body.” Wilson also discussed common questions Catholics face regarding our beliefs, such as praying to saints and the Blessed Virgin Mary. “We do not worship Mary and the saints, we honor them. When we are praying to Mary, we are asking her to intercede on our behalf. Asking her Son to pray for us.”
St. Michael Parish in Wauchula celebrated the Feast of the Archangels as part of a larger celebration on Sept. 28, 2024, the eve of the Feast Day. The celebration included a process around the Parish grounds leading into a bilingual Mass (English and Spanish). This was followed by a Parish festival. The three archangels whom the Church honors by name are Saint Michael, Saint Gabriel, and Saint Raphael. St. Michael was the archangel who fought against Satan and all his evil angels, defending all the friends of God. He is the protector of all humanity from the snares of the devil. Within the Diocese of Venice, there is also a St. Michael the Archangel Parish in Sarasota. St. Gabriel announced to Zachariah the forthcoming birth of John the Baptist, and to Mary, the birth of Jesus. His greeting to the Virgin, “Hail, full of grace,” is one of the most familiar and frequent prayers of the Christian people. St. Raphael is the archangel who took care of Tobias on his journey. There are two Parishes in the Diocese which have been bestowed with that name, one in Lehigh Acres and the other in Englewood.
The Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops has produced two new voter resources for the faithful to consider during the November 2024 General Election. First, is the Florida Conference Voter Guide which provides information about Catholic teaching, offers considerations on key topics, and poses questions regarding current issues to assist voters in evaluating candidate positions or political party platforms: 
Calling all Catholic engaged and married couples! Join Bishop Frank J. Dewane for the fourth annual Diocesan “Together in Holiness” marriage conference, 8 a.m. to 2:45 p.m., Oct. 19, 2024, at Church of the Resurrection of Our Lord, 8121 Cypress Lake Drive, Fort Myers. The Conference, a collaboration between the Diocese of Venice and the St. John Paul II Foundation, is a great opportunity for all Catholic engaged and married couples in the Diocese to gather for a day dedicated to prayer, conversation, fellowship, and reflection on the beautiful vocation of marriage. Registration is now open for the day-long event which includes a Mass and Marriage Blessing celebrated by Bishop Dewane, and inspirational talks by Catholic speakers Renzo & Monica Ortega, Rev. Alex Pince and Mallory Smyth. Childcare, as well as full and partial scholarships, are available. To register or for further information, please visit 
To learn what authentic, non-confrontational, joyful evangelization looks and sounds like, be sure to attend the upcoming workshop with Adam Janke, Vice President of St. Paul Street Evangelization. The workshop is 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Sept. 28, 2024, at Church of the Resurrection Parish, 8121 Cypress Lake Drive, Fort Myers. Mass will be offered at 8 a.m. in the Parish Chapel. There will also be an optional “Live Lab” experience from 4 p.m.- 5 p.m., giving participants the chance to put into practice what they have just learned. Saint Paul Street Evangelization is a non-profit, grassroots organization that has mobilized thousands of ordinary Catholics to take the Gospel to the public square and be instruments of God in the salvation of souls. The one-day Basic Evangelization Training is open to all adult parishioners from any Catholic Parish. Registration is $25 and includes a light breakfast, lunch and all training materials. Please register at 
Kristallnacht recounts the attacks on Jewish communities throughout Germany on Nov. 9-10, 1938. The Kristallnacht commemorative event memorializes the six million Jews and millions of others who were exterminated during the Holocaust.
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!”
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.
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.
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.
To remember those events, the Catholic-Jewish Dialogue of Collier County hosted its annual “Kristallnacht: The Night of Broken Glass” Nov. 5, 2022, at Temple Shalom in Naples. The event was co-sponsored by the Diocese of Venice and Jewish Federation of Greater Naples, GenShoah of SWFL, and the Holocaust Museum and Janet G. and Harvey D. Cohen Education Center.
“Each one of us has a responsibility to take action when we see anti-Semitism,” Bishop Dewane continued. “It isn’t just for the Dialogue group to resolve. It isn’t just for a Parish or synagogue. It’s for all of us to come together when we see the negativity that can rears its head, just as it did so many years ago when Kristallnacht foreshadowed what the world never thought could happen (the Holocaust) – and it did happen. You and I have responsibilities to speak out and to speak up.”
