“Beautiful!” “Inspiring!” “Exhilarating!” “Thrilling!” “Moving!” “Refreshing!” “Motivating!” “Rewarding!” “Wonderful!”
The hundreds who participated in a day-long Eucharistic Pilgrimage in the eastern part of the Diocese of Feb. 15, 2025, had nothing but good things to say about the event. Many were moved beyond words as they travelled to five different Parishes for Mass and Eucharistic Processions.
“The impact on the faithful, by being in the presence of the Lord through the Most Blessed Sacrament, was made in large and small ways with some stating that such a day focused them on keeping Christ at the center of their lives,” Bishop Frank J. Dewane said. “Others found the fellowship of the day to be just as important, with hundreds traveling by vehicle from Parish to Parish, all focused upon sharing, and celebrating, their Catholic faith together.”
“My heart is full of love for God,” said Arelia Fernandez of St. Catherine Parish in Sebring. “Each stop brought us to a different Parish, and we joined in prayer before Christ in the Holy Eucharist. That is what our faith is all about.”
Tom and Susan Flynn of St. Patrick Parish in Sarasota only intended to take part in one or two stops on the pilgrimage route but they were inspired to stay for the whole day. “It was all so impressive and inspirational,” Susan Flynn said. “Each Parish and each stop along the procession was unique and beautiful in its own way so that we felt we had to keep going, and it was worth it. It’s a day we will never forget.”
From before dawn until after dusk, hundreds of the faithful took part in a one-day Eucharistic Pilgrimage to five Parishes in the Eastern Deanery in response to the call of the ongoing National Eucharistic Revival Mission and to celebrate the Jubilee Year 2025, which has a theme of “Pilgrims of Hope.”
The Eucharistic Pilgrimage was organized by Sister Maria Nikopoia, SSVM (Servant Sister of the Virgin of Matara), from St. Michael the Archangel Parish in Wauchula, with the intent of allowing the faithful “to spend the day with Jesus, to show our love for Him, and to make Him known and loved.”
Appropriately, the day opened and closed with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, first at St. James, and later at St. Paul, a designated Diocesan Jubilee Year Pilgrimage Site.
At the start of the pilgrimage, Sister Nikopoia challenged the participants to think about the four things that make up a true pilgrimage: reflection, sacrifice, joy, and hope.
First, the pilgrims needed to reflect upon why they were participating, and to ask what virtues/good habits they need most from God, and who needs their prayers.
“Bring your intentions with you on your journey today,” Sister said. “Pray hard for what you and others need and give thanks for what we have received.”
Sister Nikopoia noted that a true pilgrimage requires sacrifice, annoyances and trials, but that this was a unique opportunity to give thanks for these hardships by taking the opportunity to unite their suffering with the Lord.
Importantly, as Catholics, Sister Nikopoia reminded everyone that we must be joyful. “Look around at your fellow Catholic pilgrims on this journey. Talk to them and get to know each other.”
As “Pilgrims of Hope,” Sister Nikopoia said we each have the opportunity to reflect on the future “glory of heaven that we are all called to enter – to be the great saint that God has made us to be. Pray as well for ‘Hope’ in this world and how you can become more a person of hope.”
At St. Paul, Bishop Dewane spoke to the pilgrims, congratulating them on making the journey and growing closer to the Lord through the Blessed Sacrament.
Bishop Dewane was impressed by the number of enthusiastic pilgrims and praised the organizers as well as the host Parishes for being so welcoming. The Bishop added that the success of the Eucharistic Pilgrimage should serve to inspire others to take part in a Eucharistic Procession or Adoration during this Jubilee Year 2025, adding that he was inspired to do so.
The response from the faithful of the Eastern Deanery and beyond was impressive, with each host Parish, St. James in Lake Placid, St. Catherine in Sebring, Our Lady of Grace in Avon Park, St. Michael the Archangel in Wauchula, and St. Paul in Arcadia, warmly welcoming the hundreds of pilgrims. While not everyone was able to go to each of the five sites, a core group of about 300 participated in the entire pilgrimage. Some travelled from as far as Naples and Clewiston, while others came from Bradenton, Sarasota and Fort Myers. Three charter buses carried some pilgrims to each stop, and many others traveled in their own vehicles.
Each Eucharistic Procession opened in the Parish church and was led outside with the Blessed Sacrament in a monstrance, carried by priest, protected from the elements under a canopy as incense prepared its path.
The processions led to temporary altars, where a Gospel reading from the Passion of Christ was read and prayers made; the entire day culminated in a complete Way of the Cross. While walking from altar to altar, the faithful sang hymns, recited prayers, and prayed the rosary in English and Spanish. Prayers included the Litany of the Most Blessed Sacrament, the Litany of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the Divine Praises, and more. Following the procession, the faithful returned to the host church for the closing Benediction.
At each Parish, a core group of volunteers, including the Knights of Columbus, the Columbiettes, the Council of Catholic Women and more, guided the pilgrims into the churches and along the Eucharistic Procession routes. The processions mostly circled the Parish property, but in at least one case the faithful walked on the neighborhood streets in a public display of the faith.
Father Jose Gonzalez, Pastor of St. Catherine Parish, said he was impressed by the huge crowd that filled the church and took part in such a “beautiful celebration of the Eucharist.”
Breakfast was hosted by St. James Parish, with lunch at Our Lady of Grace Parish and snacks and additional food offered at other sites. A dinner was offered following the closing Mass at St. Paul. At each Parish, priests were available for the faithful to participate in the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
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 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 
Emerald Ball March 26 in Naples
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 
Bishop Dewane initiated the installation process by calling Father Woady to the ambo following the homily. Father then recited an Oath of Fidelity in which he promises to “adhere to the teachings, which either the Roman Pontiff or the college of bishops enunciate when they exercise authentic magisterium.” Father Woady then recited, along with the faithful, the profession of faith, including additional parts solely for him. The installation also included prayers to provide the new Pastor the wisdom and guidance from the Holy Spirit to lead the Parish.
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 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 
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.”
“We are all called to go forth, responding every more faithfully to the Lord,” Bishop Dewane said. “That is why I have asked Father to be here – to lead all of you in that spiritual life, to lead each of you in your individual response to the Lord. For this reason, Holy Mother Church calls for a Pastor to accomplish that in each Parish. Father has to be many things to many different people and I ask that you continue to support him and pray for your Pastor and your priests as they serve all of you.”
The Bishop then presented Father Raju as the new Pastor to the faithful gathered. Documents were then signed by the Bishop, the new Pastor, and two official witnesses of the Parish Community, who serve as official witnesses on behalf of all of the parishioners. Copies of these documents are put in the Diocesan files for the Parish and Father, while a copy is kept at the Parish.
