If anything is predictable in Florida it is that each summer the weather will be very warm and humid, and everyone should be keeping an eye on the tropics and preparing for Hurricane Season.
One only has to see how Hurricane Agatha, a storm that formed in the Pacific Ocean, slammed the Mexican coastline during Memorial Day Weekend before crossing and heading into the Gulf of Mexico just in time for the official opening of the 2022 Atlantic Hurricane Season.
The suddenness of the formation is a reminder that these destructive storms can form nearly anywhere and at any time between June 1 and November 30, the official close of the Atlantic Hurricane Season.
While early storms do not necessarily promise this year will be worse than any other season, experts stress it only takes one storm to strike your home to make it a bad season.
Factors such as warm surface water in the Atlantic and the Caribbean Sea, along with weak tropical trade winds and a strong West African monsoon, point to another busy year for hurricanes, which typically peak in August and September.
Experts at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration are predicting another above-normal Atlantic hurricane season following a 2021 season which produced 21 named storms. For 2022, NOAA estimates a likely range of 14 to 21 named storms (winds of 39 mph or higher), of which 6 to 10 could become hurricanes (winds of 74 mph or higher), including 3 to 6 major hurricanes (category 3, 4 or 5; with winds of 111 mph or higher) is expected.
“As we reflect on another potentially busy hurricane season, past storms — such as Superstorm Sandy, which devastated the New York metro area ten years ago — remind us that the impact of one storm can be felt for years,” said NOAA Administrator Rick Spinrad, Ph.D.
The Diocese of Venice is no stranger to these storms, with Hurricane Irma in 2017 leaving behind a trail of destruction and despair in its wake; a year later we saw Hurricane Michael devastate the Florida Panhandle. Several other close calls and direct hits are part of the history of the region with Hurricane Donna (1960), Hurricane Andrew (1992), and Hurricane Charley (2004).
To best prepare for a storm, having an emergency plan is crucial. Simple things people need to know or do:
- Know what evacuation zone you live in (updated annually)
- Have more than one evacuation route
- Have key documents ready in a waterproof container
- Know where the nearest emergency evacuation shelter is
- Have a disaster supply kit with essentials, including enough food, water and medications for a minimum of three to seven days. For a list of the essentials for a disaster supply kit, please visit gov(English) or Listo.gov (Spanish).
To help Floridians gather supplies ahead of time, the 2022 Disaster Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday runs from now through June 10. This tax holiday allows for the purchase of essentials from batteries and flashlights to generators all tax free. Newly eligible items in 2022 include pet food and supplies as well as smoke detectors, fire extinguishers and carbon-monoxide detectors. For a complete list of eligible items, please visit https://floridarevenue.com/disasterprep.
For those who may need help in evacuating, such as the elderly or handicapped, they must contact their county emergency management office to register for evacuation assistance. These systems are updated each year, therefore registering in the past will not guarantee being on a list for 2022.
Should disaster strike, Catholic Charities, Diocese of Venice, Inc. will be at the forefront in preparing and responding. Catholic Charities will send a team to the epicenter of the disaster and then coordinate to set up relief centers — called PODs, which stands for Points-Of-Distribution – where the need is greatest. These centers – often located at Parishes or next to Catholic Charities offices – will be sites where water, clothing, food and other disaster relief assistance can be distributed.
The Diocese of Venice is well versed in responding to these storms. Each Parish, Catholic school and other entities have hurricane preparedness plans which assists in preparation before a storm and recovery afterwards.
Taking a few steps now can prevent panic and confusion if a storm were to threaten the area while following directions from your local emergency management officials. To track and learn more about hurricanes, www.nhc.noaa.gov/.
Hurricane Prayer (English and Spanish)
As we enter the 2020 Atlantic Hurricane Season (June 1-Nov. 30), a prayer is presented here by which one asks God for protection and safety from the storms that often threaten Southwest Florida. With the formation of Tropical Storm Arthur in mid-May, it promises to be another busy season of watching the tropics. We must all remember the devastating effect of Hurricane Irma from 2017 and what was witnessed when Hurricane Michael struck the Florida Panhandle in 2018. Everyone in the Diocese of Venice knows and understands the power of these storms and the suffering which follows in their wake.
Prayer for Safety in Hurricane Season
O God, Master of this passing world, hear the humble voices of your children. The Sea of Galilee obeyed Your order and returned to its former quietude. You are still the Master of land and sea.
We live in the shadow of a danger over which we have no control: the Gulf, like a provoked and angry giant, can awake from its seeming lethargy, overstep its conventional boundaries, invade our land, and spread chaos and disaster. During this hurricane season we turn to You, O loving Father.
Spare us from past tragedies whose memories are still so vivid and whose wounds seem to refuse to heal with passing of time. O Virgin, Star of the Sea, Our beloved Mother, we ask you to plead with your Son on our behalf, so that spared from the calamities common to this area and animated with a true spirit of gratitude, we will walk in the footsteps of your Divine Son to reach the heavenly Jerusalem, where a stormless eternity awaits us. Amen.
Oración para la temporada de huracanes
O Dios, Señor de este mundo pasajero, escucha la humilde voz de tus hijos. El Mar de Galilea obedeció Tu orden y volvió a su anterior quietud. Tu todavía eres el Señor de tierra y mar.
Vivimos en la sombra del peligro sobre el cual no tenemos control; el Golfo, como un violento gigante, puede despertar de su aparente letargo, sobrepasar sus límites, invadir nuestra tierra y sembrar caos y desastre. Durante esta temporada de huracanes acudimos a Ti, O Padre Misericordioso.
Líbranos de tragedias como las pasadas que están tan vivas en nuestra memoria y cuyas heridas rehúsan ser curadas con el paso del tiempo. O Virgen, Estrella del Mar, nuestra amada Madre, te pedimos que intercedas ante tu Hijo por nosotros, para que nos libre de las calamidades comunes a esta área, y animados con un verdadero espíritu de gratitude caminemos en los pasos de tu Divino Hijo para llegar a la Jerusalén Celestial, donde una eternidad sin tormentas nos espera. Amen.
Father Jiobani Batista was thrilled with the turn out for the retreat, which was held at the LaBelle Civic Center over the course of three days, with an evening session on May 27, 2022, and full day sessions on May 28 and May 29. Wilson Tamayo led the retreat, which included prayer, music, inspirational talks, presentations, and Eucharistic Adoration. Mass and the Sacrament of Reconciliation were also offered. The purpose was to help families grow closer to Jesus Christ through the Blessed Virgin Mary.
A powerful component of the retreat was the different testimonials from families who shared how they overcame various obstacles and challenges as a family and in their faith. Each said that the help and guidance of other family members and friends, with the intercession of the Blessed Virgin, led them back to a relationship with Jesus Christ.
The Diocesan Scouting Religious Award Ceremony was held May 22, 2022, at Epiphany Cathedral in Venice. Catholic National and Diocesan Awards were presented to Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts and American Heritage Girls as well as to adult leaders. Diocesan Scout Chaplain Father Lawton Lang, as well Scout Leaders Jim Fetterman and Bob Paquette, presented the awards. The ceremony followed a Mass in the Cathedral where they were also recognized.
Congratulations to Blaire M., a first grader at St. Francis Xavier Catholic School in Fort Myers, whose artwork now adorns the side of a Waste Pro recycling truck. Blaire won 1st Place in the Keep Lee County Beautiful and Waste Pro “Leave the Scene Clean” environmental art contest. The artwork included a caterpillar, flowers, trees, hearts and a butterfly with the words “Plant Trees.” The truck with Blaire’s artwork visited the school on May 19, 2022, for everyone to see.
Being in the presence of 165 relics was a powerful experience for many. Notable pieces in the recent exhibition include a portion of the True Cross and a piece of the veil of the Blessed Virgin Mary. A relic is a piece of the body of the saint, usually a bone, or an item used or owned by the Saint or an object that has touched the tomb of the Saint.
The veneration of these sacred relics is a long tradition in the Church dating to the earliest days when the first Christians would gather near the tombs of the early martyrs. Miracles were connected with these sacred places and relics, which do not have some magical power in them, their power comes from God, Father Martins explained. “The fact that God uses the relics for healing miracles tells us that the Lord wants us to draw our attention to the Saints as models and intercessors.
You can sign up now for the last in-person Diocesan Listening Session from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., Monday, May 23, 2022, at Our Lady Queen of Heaven Parish, 355 S. Bridge St., LaBelle (English and Spanish); or for the Virtual Listening Session via Microsoft TEAMS from 10:30 a.m. to noon, Wednesday, May 25. To register for either or both, please visit 
More than 150 volunteers came to the St. Joseph Food Pantry in Bradenton to help sort and store 50,000 pounds of food on May 14, 2022. The food was collected during the U.S. Postal Service Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive.
The St. Catherine Council of Catholic Women was re-established during a ceremony in Sebring on May 7, 2022. The installation ceremony included representatives from the Venice Diocesan Council of Catholic Women who aided in this process. The Council acts within the Parish to support, empower and educate Catholic women in spirituality, leadership and service. The installation was presided over by Father Jose Gonzalez, Pastor of St. Catherine.
The Society of St. Vincent de Paul International President General Renato Lima de Oliveira visited members of the Sacred Heart Conference on May 5, 2022, in Punta Gorda. He congratulated the conference for their spirituality, friendship and their Vincentian Spirit. He was amazed at the size and ability of the conference to help the community in so many ways.
To honor the role the Blessed Virgin plays in the life of the Church, many Parishes and Catholic schools in the Diocese have May Crowning ceremonies during which a statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary is given a crown of flowers. May is also the time when young Catholics often receive the Sacrament of Holy Communion for the first time.
In addition, at Donahue Catholic Academy of Ave Maria Parish, the entire student body took part in a procession May 2, 2022, from the school to the Parish Church, about a half-mile. The students were led by the school Pro-Life Club, reciting the rosary as well as singing. Father David Vidal, Pastor of Ave Maria Parish, presided over the procession and following prayer service and crowning.
Meanwhile, at St. Michael Parish in Wauchula, the May Crowning took place on May 8, 2022. A statue of Mary, which sits in a grotto outside of the Parish Hall, was crowned in a ceremony after Mass and included families and many children.
This was the ninth of 12 such Listening Sessions as part of the Diocesan Phase of the XVI Ordinary General Assembly of Bishops, “For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation, and Mission,” as requested by His Holiness Pope Francis.
Congratulations to our Cardinal Mooney Catholic High School Girls Beach Volleyball team from Sarasota, they are State Champions for the Sunshine State Conference! The team beat Merritt Island High School on April 30, 2022, at Hickory Point Beach in Taveras. The team then fell in the quarterfinals of the FSHAA State Tournament on May 7, 2022, at Florida State University in Tallahassee. The team finished the season with a 22-2 overall record.
Congratulations to the Bishop Verot Catholic High School Viking Girls Tennis team in Fort Myers. They made Verot history today, earning 2nd place in the State Championship on April 29 at Red Bug Lake Park in Casselberry! The ladies entered the State Tournament at the 6th seed and took down two teams before falling in the Final to Gulliver Prep. Way to go ladies!
St. John Neumann Catholic High School Freshman Sophia Escobar pitched a Perfect Game on April 26, 2022, against South Fort Myers High School. She also struck out 14 batters during the game. A Perfect Game means Sofia did not allow any walks, hits or runs. Well done!
Pre-kindergarten students, the youngest at St. Catherine Parish in Sebring, had fun on May 9, 2022, learning how to measure different objects. This lesson is helping to prepare these young minds for more advanced math in Kindergarten and beyond.
Father Sullivan was born the second son of Joseph Sullivan and Ruth Keiter, on Aug. 6, 1936, in Newton, Massachusetts. Ordained to the priesthood on May 1, 1964, at St. Michael Monastery with the Passionate Congregation in Union City, N.J., Father Sullivan served for four years in the northeast leading missions and retreats.
