From the earliest years of the Church relics from the bodies of the saints and martyrs have been vivid reminders to the faithful of the heroic virtue that God worked in and through their lives.
Catholics venerate relics of saints as a means of asking their intercession before the Lord. It is well documented in Christian history that credible blessings, favors, miracles and conversions have taken place due to the intercession of saints.
For this reason, hundreds gathered for a visitation of a relic of St. Padre Pio on Sept. 28, 2024, at Our Lady Queen of Martyrs Parish in Sarasota. The relic, a cloth stained with the blood of the saint who was known for many extraordinary gifts, including stigmata, prophecy, ability to speak languages he had never studied, gift of conversions and more.
Father John Hoang, Pastor of Our Lady Queen of Martyrs, said the Parish was blessed to have the relic available for public display. The visitation closely coincided with the 25th anniversary of his beatification (1999), Sept. 23. St. Padre Pio passed away in 1968 and was beatified in 1999, and was canonized by St. John Paul II in 2002.
Father Hoang encouraged the faithful to venerate the relic, and spend a few moments in quiet devotion. “You can devoutly ask the Lord for His intercession for any intention you carry in your heart.”
The day began with the offering of the Sacrament of Reconciliation prior to the Sunday Vigil Mass. The relic was placed on a table ahead of the front pew during the Mass.
After Mass, the faithful were encouraged to come forward. Many touched the reliquary (the metal container holding the relic) with rosaries, prayer cards, and other objects, as a means of intercessory prayer. Still others kissed the reliquary.
Christina Reynolds of St. Joseph Parish in Bradenton was a visitor to Our Lady Queen of Martyrs specifically to be near the relic of St. Padre Pio, bringing two rosaries and three prayer cards to touch the reliquary.
“He was a remarkable man who was given great gifts,” Reynolds said. “To know that his blood is present in the reliquary means so much to me. I feel honored to be in its presence.”
Holding the reliquary was Gino D’Alessandro, who leads the Parish devotional to St. Padre Pio. During a reception in the Parish hall, D’Alessandro offered stories about how he began his own personal devotion to the saint. His devotion included the backing of the construction of a Shrine to St. Padre Pio next to the Parish Hall. The Shrine was dedicated by Bishop Frank J. Dewane in 2008. A movie documenting the saint’s extraordinary life was also presented.
Born to a peasant farmer in Pietrelcina, Italy, in 1887, St. Padre Pio decided at a very young age to dedicate his life to God. First experiencing the stigmata in 1916, he shied away from public ministry until 1934. In 1947, Father Karol Wojtyla visited Padre Pio who prophetically told him he would rise to the highest post in the Church. Father Wojtyla later became Pope John Paul II. St. Padre Pio became internationally famous. He was known for his piety, charity and the quality of his preaching. He famously advised, “Pray, hope and don’t worry.” He is the patron of civil defense volunteers, adolescents, and the village of Pietrelcina.
Relics
Relics are usually broken down into three classes. First class relics are the body or fragments of the body of a saint.
Second class relics are something that personally belonged to a saint such as a shirt, prayer card, sacred vessel or vestment, or book (or fragments of those items). Third class relics are items that a saint touched or that have been touched to a first- or second-class relic of a saint. Sacred Scripture teaches that God can act through relics, especially in terms of healing and intercession.
Most Catholic church altars are embedded with relics. Many Parish churches host additional relics for veneration.
Reverencing the saints through the use of relics is not a required devotion of the Catholic Church but does reflect the Church’s belief that the saints in Heaven continue to intercede for us in response to our prayers. However, veneration of the saints through their relics — along with praying the rosary, wearing medals and going on pilgrimages — should not be misconstrued as adoration or worship, which are due to God alone according to the Church.
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 
As Hurricane Helene approached, Bishop Dewane met with members of the Diocesan Emergency Response Team on Sept. 24 and 25, 2024, at the Catholic Center. The first of these meetings was to review and then implement existing emergency plans for all Parishes, Schools and other entities within the Diocese. The storm approaches the region near the second anniversary of the devastating Hurricane Ian. That hurricane caused widespread wind, storm surge, and flooding damage throughout the Diocese. Some of those recovery efforts are ongoing.
If you had an abortion, no matter how long ago, are having trouble forgiving yourself or need help dealing with the memories, consider attending a one-day women’s retreat on Saturday, Nov. 9 sponsored by Project Rachel. You are not alone! Call or text Sylvia at 941-412-5860 or email her at 
As the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops Episcopal Moderator to the Catholic Charities USA Board, Bishop Frank J. Dewane plays a pivotal role in supporting the mission of Catholic Charities across the country. During an annual gathering in Oklahoma City the week of Sept. 17-19, 2024, Bishop Dewane joined professionals, volunteers, and partners for workshops, learning labs, retreats, and more. This year’s theme, “Our Call to Mission,” focused on empowering Catholic Charities staff to continue their critical work of serving vulnerable communities. Among those attending the gathering was Christopher Root, CEO of Catholic Charities, Diocese of Venice, Inc. During the event, the Diocese of Venice was recognized for having the top Lenten Rice Bowl collection in Florida. The meeting was also the kick-off for promoting the 50th Anniversary of CCUSA.
Bishop Frank J. Dewane notes how an encounter with presence of the Lord in the Most Holy Eucharist during Adoration or at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, “must have an impact on your life, bringing you into a deeper relationship with the Lord. We must spend time intentionally approaching the Lord in every Mass, and spending time adoring Him in the Blessed Sacrament. In this way, we will come to know Him more deeply.”
Several Diocesan Parishes have Adoration Chapels, some available 24-hours-a-day and others for multiple hours daily. In addition, several Parishes have added extra hours to monthly First Friday Adoration, or additional times following daily or Sunday Masses.
The fall campaign encompasses October, which is National Respect Life Month, and includes Respect Life Sunday (Oct. 6). Since its inception, 40 Days for Life participants report having saved 24,853 lives from abortion during a campaign. That’s the type of impact that led an ACLU spokesperson to describe 40 Days for Life as the “greatest threat to choice.” 40 Days for Life has contributed to a groundswell of pro-life support worldwide. More than 155 abortion centers, along with numerous referral centers, where campaigns have been hosted, have closed their doors forever.
Keep your eye out for the new VOTE NO ON AMENDMENT 4 television ads! View the commercial by clicking here: 
The men’s program serves to bring men together as a “band of brothers in Christ” in encouragement and support of one another to fulfill their crucial roles in the family, the Church, and society.
The weekly gatherings will run for 26 sessions through April 2025. The program is free, with no registration. In addition, there is no requirement to attend each week, and men can drop in at any time during the length of the program. Also, participants do not need to be a registered member of the host Parish to attend.
