Throughout the Jubilee Year 2025, a special holy year of grace, hope, and pilgrimage that happens at least once every 25 years, Pope Francis is calling all Catholics to go on a journey of conversion as “Pilgrims of Hope,” seeking to grow closer to the Lord, cultivating hope in their hearts, and bringing hope to others.
The Diocese of Venice is hosting five pilgrimage sites, as well as several events which bring to life the Jubilee’s theme: “Pilgrims of Hope.” The Diocesan website, https://dioceseofvenice.org/jubilee-2025-pilgrims-of-hope/, is a clearinghouse of information regarding Jubilee Year 2025 activities in the Diocese, as well as general information about the Jubilee Year.
Below is a list of some of the activities taking place within the Diocese of Venice where the faithful can participate in the Jubilee Year.
Five Diocesan Pilgrimage Sites
Bishop Frank J. Dewane has designated five locations as Jubilee pilgrimage sites within the Diocese of Venice. Each of these sites (Epiphany Cathedral in Venice, St. John XXIII Parish in Fort Myers, St. John the Evangelist Parish in Naples, St. Paul Parish in Arcadia, and Our Lady of Perpetual Help Retreat Center in Venice), will include expanded times for Mass, Adoration, and Confession, as well as Lenten programming. Each of the sites will also be open to individual or large group pilgrimages. Recall that the Holy Doors established by Pope Francis are limited to five pilgrimage sites in Rome.
Jubilee Indulgence
One grace that “Pilgrims of Hope” may obtain during the Jubilee Year is an indulgence. This grace is granted by the Holy Father to anyone who travels to any sacred jubilee site, whether in Rome, or a locally designated sacred site. The Jubilee Indulgence is a concrete manifestation of God’s mercy and is a gift of grace specific to the Holy Year. To gain an indulgence during Jubilee Year 2025, the faithful can undertake a pilgrimage or pious visit to a Jubilee Site, including those designated by the Bishop. The person seeking the plenary indulgence must participate in Holy Mass or any of the following: celebration of the Word of God, Liturgy of the Hours, the Way of the Cross, Marian Rosary, or a penitential celebration which ends with individual confession. Further requirements to obtain an indulgence, including the usual conditions are: the person must be detached from sin and repentant; receive the Sacraments of Penance and Holy Communion; and pray for the intentions of the Holy Father. These usual conditions may be met specifically at a Jubilee Site or at one’s own Parish but should be done on the same day or within a few days of the act of indulgence. Additional information about receiving a Jubilee Indulgence can be found at https://dioceseofvenice.org/jubilee-2025-pilgrims-of-hope/.
OLPH Jubilee Monthly Days of Prayer
Our Lady of Perpetual Help Retreat Center, 3989 S. Moon Drive, Venice, a Diocesan Jubilee Year 2025 Pilgrimage Site, is hosting Jubilee Monthly Days of Prayer on March 5 (Ash Wednesday), and March 9 (the First Sunday of Lent). The presentation is titled “Food for the Journey: The Eucharist as the New Manna from Heaven,” and will be offered by Father Greg Cleveland, OMV. “God sustained the Israelites for forty years with Manna in the desert on their journey to the Promised Land. Jesus gives himself to us the Eucharist, the New Manna to sustain us as the Bread of Life during our life’s pilgrimage toward the promised land of Heaven. As we begin our Lenten desert journey toward Easter, the Eucharist heals and strengthens us in our surrender to the Lord.” Register at www.olph-retreat.org and click on “Schedule of Events.”
Youth Jubilee Adoration Nights
The Office of Youth and Young Adult Outreach is offering Youth Jubilee Adoration Nights as part of the Jubilee Year 2025. The evenings include Eucharistic Adoration, an inspirational talk, prayer, music, and the opportunity to take part in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, all before concluding with Benediction. While the Youth Jubilee Adoration Nights are geared toward younger Catholics, with youth-centric music and talks, all are welcome. Each Adoration Night is 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Upcoming opportunities to participate are: Saturday, March 22, St. Patrick Parish, 7900 Bee Ridge Road, Sarasota; and Friday, May 2, St. Paul Parish, 1330 E. Oak. St., Arcadia. There is no cost to attend, but registration is requested at https://dioceseofvenice.regfox.com/jubilee-2025-adoration-nights-. For more information contact Andres Prias at prias@dioceseofvenice.org or 941-441-1122.
Twenty-Four Hours for the Lord
For the Jubilee Year, the Holy Father has called upon all Churches to observe a 24 Hours of the Lord event on March 28. Please check with your local Parish for Eucharistic Adoration hours, with designated times for the Sacrament of Confession. (Please note that this will be in addition to the designated Lenten Confession times for the Diocese of Venice, which will be held this year from 4-8 p.m., Friday, April 11, and 9 a.m.-noon, Saturday, April 12.)
Third Diocese of Venice Eucharistic Conference
The third Diocese of Venice Eucharistic Conference will take place Saturday, March 29, at the Charlotte Harbor Event and Conference Center in Punta Gorda. The theme for the day-long event is inspired by the Jubilee Year 2025 while also building upon the three-year National Eucharistic Revival. The theme for the Conference is “Becoming Eucharistic Missionaries,” and it offers an opportunity to celebrate the Catholic faith with others.
The Diocesan Eucharistic Conference will feature Mass celebrated by Bishop Frank J. Dewane, dynamic presentations by nationally renowned Catholic speakers including Dr. Scott Hahn, Kimberly Hahn, Mary Ann Wiesinger-Puig, and Andrés Arango. There will be breakout sessions in Spanish. In addition, there will be Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, the opportunity for Confession, as well as Catholic vendors and exhibitors. The cost to attend is $35. per person and includes lunch. To register, please visit https://dioceseofvenice.regfox.com/eucharistic-conference. For more information, contact Jim Gontis at 941-486-4754 or gontis@dioceseofvenice.org.
OLPH Jubilee Year of Hope Retreat April 11-13
Our Lady of Perpetual Help Retreat Center, 3989 S. Moon Drive, Venice, is hosting a Jubilee Year of Hope Retreat, April 11-13, 2025 (Palm Sunday Weekend), from Friday, 3 p.m. through Sunday at 1 p.m. The retreat is themed: “A Path to Healing Your Broken Heart,” and will be presented by Father Shawn Monahan, OMV. “This Jubilee, let us walk together on the journey of healing, restoring our hearts and preparing ourselves to receive Christ with open arms. With prayer and reflection, you’ll explore the parts of your heart that need healing. The retreat will help you surrender your brokenness to Jesus, trusting in His ability to heal and restore. You will experience spiritual renewal and rediscover the peace and joy that Christ brings in this Jubilee Year of Hope.” Father Monahan is an experienced guide who has a passion for helping others heal the wounds that come from living in a broken world so that they may experience a more abundant life in Christ. Register at www.olph-retreat.org and click on “Schedule of Events.”
As the Jubilee Year continues, please visit https://dioceseofvenice.org/jubilee-2025-pilgrims-of-hope/ frequently for updates on the latest Diocesan Jubilee Year activities.
The Jubilee Prayer
Father in heaven,
may the faith you have given us
in your son, Jesus Christ, our brother,
and the flame of charity enkindled
in our hearts by the Holy Spirit,
reawaken in us the blessed hope
for the coming of your Kingdom.
May your grace transform us
into tireless cultivators of the seeds of the Gospel.
May those seeds transform from within both humanity and the whole cosmos
in the sure expectation
of a new heaven and a new earth,
when, with the powers of Evil vanquished,
your glory will shine eternally.
May the grace of the Jubilee
reawaken in us, Pilgrims of Hope,
a yearning for the treasures of heaven.
May that same grace spread
the joy and peace of our Redeemer
throughout the earth.
To you our God, eternally blessed,
be glory and praise for ever.
Amen
Regional members of the Knights and Dames of the Order of Malta took part in a retreat which began included a Mass celebrated by Bishop Frank J. Dewane on Feb. 7, 2025, at St. William Parish in Naples. Also known as the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, of Rhodes and of Malta, the Order is a lay religious order of the Roman Catholic Church that seeks to glorify God by promoting the sanctification of each member through witness to the Catholic Faith and service to the sick and the poor. Bishop Dewane lauded the Knights and Dames for their continued charity and service to the Universal Church. The guest speaker for the retreat was Msgr. James Watkins, a priest of the Archdiocese of Washington, D.C., as well as Chaplain in the Order of Malta in the Federal Association and Assistant Principal Chaplain of the Subpriory of Our Lady of Lourdes in the Order, as well as a Chaplain in the Constantinian Order of St. George.
The Catholic Charities Boots and Bandanas is 6 p.m., Feb. 22, 2025, at The Barn at Thousand Pines Ranch, 1 Ajax Drive, North Venice. Evening with cocktails, dinner, auction, live country music by Andy Pursell, and community spirit, all in support of helping the underserved and those recovering from disasters in DeSoto County. Tickets are $125. Register at 
The Catholic Charities Our Mother’s House Wine Tasting and Dinner Dance is 5 p.m., Feb. 27, 2025, at the Venice Community Center, 326 Nokomis Ave. S., Venice. The event will benefit the mothers and children at Our Mother’s House, a 2-year transitional living program located in the heart of Venice, dedicated to empowering single mothers and their young children. Tickets are $100. Register online at 
The annual Converging Road Conference for health care professionals, students and interested lay people, will take place March 1, 2025, at St. John XXIII Parish, 13060 Palamino Drive, Fort Myers. The theme for the Conference is “Catholic Social Doctrine in Medicine,” and will address the increasingly complex and confusing issues of ethics facing medical professionals today. Check-in opens at 7:30 a.m., with Mass at 8 a.m. Opening remarks are at 9:15 a.m. Converging Roads is a program of the St. John Paul II Foundation. Registration is available at 
The Catholic Charities Venetian Charity Ball is 6 p.m., March 22, 2025, at St. Leo the Great Parish Hall, 28290 Beaumont Road, Bonita Springs. This event supports the programs in Lee, Hendry, and Glades counties, and the communities still recovering from Hurricane Ian in 2022. Tickets are $250. Register online at 
The Catholic Charities Emerald Ball is 5:30 p.m., March 26, 2025, at the Ritz-Carlton Tiburon Golf Resort, 2600 Tiburon Drive, Naples. This year’s theme, “Pilgrims of Hope,” inspired by Pope Francis in honor of the Jubilee Year, reflects Catholic Charities’ commitment to serving all individuals, regardless of race, nationality, or religion. Tickets are $400. Register online at 
.Pope Francis opened the Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica before Mass on Christmas Eve, officially launching the Jubilee Year 2025. Passing through a Holy Door during the Jubilee symbolizes entry into a new life in Christ and the beginning of a journey of conversion.
At St. Andrew, guest speaker Kyle Van Duser encouraged the youth to become true “Pilgrims of Hope” by using the gifts given to them by God to carry the message of the Lord to others. To do this, they must deepen their relationship with the Lord by regularly attending Mass, going to Confession and doing Works of Mercy. By doing these things, they will serve as a beacon of hope for others to follow, living out their mission as “Pilgrims of Hope.”
Catholic Charities has identified a central contact for immigration questions and information. Marco Sanchez’s services are those of Catholic Charities, Diocese of Venice, Inc. Sanchez’s contact information is 
Sophia McCartney, a senior at St. John Neumann Catholic High School in Naples, has announced her commitment to accept an appointment to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in 2024. McCartney is a star basketball player at Neumann and intends to play at West Point.
