In less than two weeks since his episcopal ordination, Bishop Emilio Biosca Agüero, O.F.M. Cap., has strived to learn as much about the workings of the diocese as possible while also bringing a message of renewal directly to the faithful.
Bishop Emilio said he is taking this approach, which has served him well in the past to understand what is currently being done, include to best assess the needs of each parish.
In an amazing display of determination and endurance, Bishop Emilio is scheduled to visit all 61 parishes by the end of August.
Naturally, the first visit was to Epiphany Cathedral in Venice on July 12 where the new bishop celebrated his first public Mass and met with the faithful at a reception and later with priests, deacons, staff, volunteers and parishioners, all to learn about the parish and its people.
Since that time, between July 16 and July 22, parish visits have taken place at St. Columbkille in Fort Myers, St. James and Santiago Mission in Lake Placid, Our Lady of Grace in Avon Park, Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Osprey, St. Michael the Archangel in Sarasota, St. Joseph in Bradenton, St. Raphael in Englewood, St. William in Naples, Sacred Heart in Bradenton, St. Bernard in Holmes Beach and St. Mary, Star of the Sea in Longboat Key.
“I’m getting to know a little bit of the geography, the roads, the highways the churches, the people as the beginning of coming to know and love our diocese,” Bishop Emilio said.
During his visits to the parishes, Bishop Emilio has stressed that in addition to meeting those who were unable to attend his episcopal ordination on July 11, he prays the faithful of the diocese take this opportunity to renew their own commitment to the Lord. Visits have included Mass, receptions or talks by the bishop.
“At my ordination I was asked to respond to a series of questions and make promises to serve as bishop of the diocese, they were a commitment by me to serve as its shepherd,” Bishop Emilio said. “This is also an opportunity for everyone in the diocese to recommit themselves to their faith, their family, their parish and their diocese.”
Bishop Emilio explained how God works in so many different ways in our lives and that sometimes when we go to Mass on Sunday or for an event such as a baptism, wedding or funeral, “we think it means one thing, and it certainly does, but it means so much more.”
Using the example of attending the baptism of small child, Bishop Emilio said that the very act of participating, those who attend are following God’s will in their lives and when that happens so many unexpected things can occur.
“That is how the grace of God is working in our lives,” the bishop said. “Oftentimes when we go to a baptism of a child, we are just going accompanying the baptism, because they are family, or friends. In a similar way, attending or participating in the ordination to the episcopate (on July 11) is a very profound and simple opportunity to renew our commitment to the Lord.”
Bishop Emilio said that during the Promise of the Elect, the moment in the ordination when he answered a series of nine questions about faith, his commitment to preach the Gospel and his desire to follow Christ more closely through His passion, death and resurrection – were promises he made, but in a spiritual way those questions were also directed toward the entire diocese. (Note: this moment can be found at the 2:18:18 mark of the recorded video of the ordination at https://dioceseofvenice.org/livestream.)
“Each one of you, individually, and as a family, have the opportunity – the invitation – to consecrate yourselves again to the Lord,” Bishop Emilio said. “It’s a new time, a time to begin again, as if we are participating at the baptism of a child, sometimes the holy water splashes on us. Take the blessing of these first days of this new period to return to the church in a deeper way; to make a good confession and to take opportunity to consecrate yourself again to the Lord.”
