The journey of the Easter Season is concluded, and the Holy Spirit has descended to provide the gifts of wisdom, knowledge, understanding, fortitude, counsel, piety and fear of the Lord.
Celebrated June 8, 2025, the Solemnity of Pentecost Sunday marks an important transition in the lives of the Apostles and clarifies their mission in creating the Lord’s Church on earth and is traditionally viewed as the founding of the Church. Pentecost, which literally means 50, falls 50 days after Easter and is 10 days after the Ascension of the Lord. As a symbol of Pentecost and the Holy Spirit, the clergy wear red vestments on this day.
“This is one of the greatest Feast Days of the Church in the context of Salvation History,” Bishop Dewane said. “It is when Jesus establishes His Church on earth … the descent of the Holy Spirit, by the Father and the Son, signals the commencement and founding of the Church and all its works.”
This celebration commemorates when the Apostles, though still afraid, accepted the Gifts of the Holy Spirit and their role in carrying the message of the Lord into the world, the Bishop said.
The gifts of the Holy Spirit are sealed in the faithful through the Sacrament of Confirmation. Therefore, Pentecost is the time when those who have been baptized and are seeking to be more fully united to Christ within the Church are confirmed around the world.
At Our Lady of Light Parish in Fort Myers, Bishop Dewane bestowed the Sacrament of Confirmation upon 127 women and men candidates representing 23 Parishes across the Diocese. These candidates were unable (for whatever reason) to be confirmed at their own Parishes during the past several months.
Bishop Dewane thanked the candidates for coming forward to be confirmed and said that the Sacrament of Confirmation must change them as they have been given a new beginning in their lives; they are making a permanent commitment that comes with corresponding responsibilities as an indelible mark is left upon their soul.
“We celebrate your presence here, that each one of you has come forward to be confirmed to receive the Holy Spirit,” the Bishop said. “Every time we receive a sacrament, we have an encounter with Jesus Christ; we must be changed as a result of that encounter. Today, you confirmandi are changed to be more that man or woman of God you are called to be.”
That change comes because living the faith must not flatline (which means spiritual death), it is always a continuing journey to grow closer to the Lord, Bishop Dewane continued.
“You are called to live a better life; called to love your brothers and sisters more dearly; called to respond to the Lord in your lives. It is who you are and who you are becoming as you play your own role in Salvation History,” Bishop Dewane said. “This is because you are called to be doers of your faith as you work to conform yourself closer to Christ. In so doing, when you meet your maker at the end of life, that the indelible mark will be seen and it will be acknowledged, and you will know how you have lived your life.”
During the Sacrament, the confirmandi renewed their baptismal promises, which Bishop Dewane said is done to publicly proclaim who they are as Catholics and to have the courage, hope, faith and perseverance to be true followers of Christ.
As the Rite continues, the Bishop says an introductory prayer and asks all to join him in praying for the candidates. He then recites an additional prayer pertaining to the Gifts of the Holy Spirit. Finally, the candidates are requested to come forward, with their sponsor placing their right hand on the candidate’s right shoulder. Then with his right thumb, the Bishop makes the sign of the cross on each candidate’s forehead with the Holy Chrism Oil and says “Be sealed with the Gift of the Holy Spirit.” The confirmed reply, “Amen.” At this point, the Bishop says, “Peace be with you,” and the newly confirmed respond, “And with your spirit.”
One woman from St. Andrew Parish in Cape Coral expressed her joy at being confirmed by Bishop Dewane. “It is such a blessing to become a full participant in the Catholic faith.”
A young man from St. John the Evangelist Parish in Naples explained how his faith journey took place with the encouragement of his parents who recognized the importance of receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation. “We moved around a lot so getting confirmed when I was younger was not possible. My mom encouraged me to start the instruction because I want to be married in the Church. I feel complete as a Catholic. A closer relationship to the Lord is what I needed in my life.”
Samantha chose to serve St. Cecilia Parish by expanding the Parish rosary garden. During Phase I, she earned her Abigail Adams Level Award through a service project that created the basic rosary walkway. During Phase II, Samantha and volunteers built an elevated garden bed in the center of the walkway, featuring a beautiful statue of the Blessed Mother. The team constructed paver platforms and installed two park benches with accompanying planters so that parishioners and passersby may enjoy sitting in the garden. The rosary garden project also included the installation of a flyer box with pamphlets on ways to pray the rosary, stations of the cross, and more.
The Diocese of Venice Totus Tuus summer program continues to inspire young people to long for holiness, develop a deep desire for conversion and personally renew their faith with a stronger prayer life. The week-long program is visiting different Parishes each week and offering day camp for students entering grades 1 – 6, as well as evening camp for middle school and high school students entering grades 7 – 12. Three missionary teams are leading the campers. In the first two weeks, the program has taken place at six Parishes, with the most recent at Sacred Heart in Bradenton, St. Katharine Drexel in Cape Coral and St. Paul in Arcadia. Upcoming host Parishes include: St. Agnes, Naples (June 15-20); Ave Maria in Ave Maria and St. Jude in Sarasota (June 22-27); St. Cecilia, Fort Myers; Our Lady of Light, Fort Myers; St. John XXIII, Fort Myers; St. Thomas More, Sarasota (July 6-11); St. Joseph, Bradenton; Epiphany Cathedral, Venice; Our Lady Queen of Heaven, LaBelle (July 13-18); Our Lady of the Angels, Lakewood Ranch; St. Peter the Apostle, Naples (July 20-25). Youth are welcome to attend any of the Totus Tuus camps, but registration is requested ahead of time. To register, please contact the hosting Parish directly. Parish contact information can be found at 
Are you or someone you know struggling because of a past abortion? You are not alone. Know that healing retreats and support are available for anyone who has experienced an abortion, including mothers, fathers and other family members who have been hurt. For help, or to learn more about the Diocese of Venice support after abortion program, Project Rachel, simply call or text 941-412-5860, or email 
Catholic Charities, Diocese of Venice, Inc., is still on the ground helping families recover from Helene and Milton, as well as Ian, stated Christopher M. Root, CEO of Catholic Charities, Diocese of Venice.
Experts at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is forecasting a range of 13-19 total named storms (winds of 39 mph or higher), slightly above the seasonal average. This follows the 2024 season which produced 18 named storms, including Hurricanes Debby (Aug. 6-7), Helene (Sept. 26), and Milton (Oct. 9), each of which brought their own misery of wind and rain. Helene, which paralleled the coast, and Milton, whose eye went over Siesta Key, both brought unprecedented storm surges to the barrier islands from Naples in the south through Palmetto to the north. NOAA stated that numerous factors were considered in the forecast, including warmer than average ocean temperatures in the Atlantic Ocean, reduced Atlantic trade winds and less wind shear, all of which tend to favor tropical storm formation, NOAA reported.
Bishop Frank J. Dewane encouraged the pilot program be brought to the Diocese in 2022 to great success, with expansions in 2023 to 11 host Parishes, 12 for 2024, and now 18 for 2025. During past visits to Totus Tuus camps, Bishop Dewane has been impressed by the response each child had to the uplifting program. “In each classroom everyone was so excited and alive about their love of the Lord!”
