An annual initiative of the Diocese of Venice Department of Education is the development of the devotional and prayer lives of its students through a Diocesan-wide devotional project.
For 2025-2026 the devotional project is about the Sacred Heart of Jesus, which focuses on teaching the more than 6,700 Diocesan Catholic school students about the Sacred Heart of Jesus in a continued effort to help each student grow closer to the Lord.
The focus on the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus is supported by Bishop Frank J. Dewane, who has encouraged the Catholic schools devotional project since its inception in the 2020-2021 academic year.
Father John Belmonte, SJ, Diocesan Superintendent of Catholic Education, and Dr. Jennifer Falestiny, Diocesan Curriculum Director, conducted a Junior Catechist Training session on Oct. 17, 2025, at Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Venice.
The training was for eighth grade leaders from each of the Diocese’s 12 elementary schools. In the coming months, these Junior Catechists will go into the classroom to teach their younger schoolmates about the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and how to grow closer to the Lord.
Father Belmonte celebrated the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass for the students, teachers and parents. Following the Mass, Father Belmonte led the catechists in consecrating themselves to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus.
“This year, you will be giving your classmates the opportunity to teach about the love of God through the Heart of Christ, and giving them hope, which is a theological virtue,” Father said. “We live in a world where there is little faith in God’s power and a presumption that God does not care. We can be saved – God does save us by the power of His love, the grace given to us through the sacraments of the Holy Mother Church. A state of grace is a real possibility. The grace of God is abundant as we are drawn to His Love.”
The Junior Catechists training focused on the tools each will use to teach their classmates the fundamentals about a devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The lesson begins by asking the fundamental question – ‘What is a heart?’ and builds upon the idea of Jesus’ Sacred Heart, and what that means. The students will examine the various symbols: crown of thorns, flames, cross, rays of light, and wound, which combine to become a visual representation of His Divine Love – a love that never ends.
Included in the training kit are lesson plans, a 3-D lighted Sacred Heart model, a painting of Jesus and the Sacred Heart.
“Each of these lessons are differentiated by grade level and customized to make the Sacred Heart of Jesus cool and accessible for everyone,” Falestiny said. “We are taking something they already know and building on that.”
As in previous years, the devotional project will include an art competition. Students will be encouraged to produce artwork based on our Catholic artistic tradition around the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The Junior Catechists and art contest winners will gather in the spring for a Mass and reception.
This is the sixth year Diocesan Catholic schools have participated in a devotional project, with 2024-2025 focused on Angels, more specifically on Guardian Angels, 2023-2024 on the Most Holy Rosary, 2022-2023 on the Most Holy Eucharist, 2021-2022 on the Saints and the Blessed Virgin Mary, Queen of Saints, and 2020-2021 on St. Joseph.
Grace Breen, who has been recognized for artwork for the past three years, was proud to be honored for her artwork, which she said was very personal. Having a special place in her heart for St. Michael the Archangel, the saint is at the center of the piece, holding his shield and wearing armor while standing atop a volcano, which Grace said showed Michael conquering evil powers. At the top of the image, she included St. Raphael and St. Gabriel. In addition, there is God on His throne, in front of the host and in the background is the Holy Spirit, a visual representation of the Holy Trinity. A golden ribbon, held by God, represents the fabric of time.
