Happy Anniversary to the faithful of St. William Parish in Naples! Parishioners there have just completed a yearlong celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Parish’s founding, culminating in a special Anniversary Mass and party on Oct. 6, 2024.
Father George Ratzmann, Pastor of St. William since 2008, said during Mass that a Parish is the sum of its parts, meaning all the faithful who have come for the Holy sacrifice of the Mass at any point, have contributed to its rich history.
Two former Pastors, Father John Rourke (1992-1995) and Father Domonick O’Dwyer (1973-1982), concelebrated the Mass, along with several current priests and those who have served St. William through the years. In addition to current staff, many former staff who have served at St. William’s through the years were also present for the celebration.
Father Ratzmann described the faithful who have called St. William home through the years as the fragments that come together to build up the Universal Church. Under the guidance of the different Pastors and priests throughout the years, Father Ratzmann said the faithful of St. William built up a faith community that has been showing Christ to the world and to each other.
“You are part of a community that when it comes together, is the Mystical Body of Christ,” Father continued. “Christ decided you would be here, and He decided the person next to you would be here; and you all work together to make Jesus present in our community. This is not a happy accident. This is a blessing and destiny that God has foreknown and chosen, before the world began, that we would be here, and we would celebrate and make Jesus present. Never let us take that for granted. Let us never doubt that we are chosen for this mission and pray that as much as we thank God for those who have gone before us, we will leave a testimony great enough that those who follow us will also thank God for our presence and our example. So Happy Anniversary! But let us not think this is the end, this is just a continuation, or even a beginning of even greater things to come for the Glory of God and the good of God’s people.”
As part of the opening procession for the Mass, led by the Color Corps of the Knights of Columbus, representatives from the numerous ministries at the Parishes brought forth colorful banners. A celebratory luncheon followed in the Parish Hall. The presentation of the gifts included the longest parishioner, a woman whose family was among those instrumental in the founding of the Parish, and a baby, who was recently baptized as the newest parishioner.
At the luncheon, a slide show of photos from the Parish archives was presented. Many reflected upon their time at St. William, recalling how much St. William has changed through the years. The one constant? A welcoming home to join other like-minded individuals in worshiping the Lord.
Louise Collins has been attending Mass at St. Wiilliam with her husband since the late 1990s when the couple began spending long vacations in the area. Permanent residents since 2015, Collins said the first Mass they attended cinched they would always return. “We came not knowing anyone, but we felt welcome and we knew we had found our Florida spiritual home.”
St. William Parish was erected on Oct. 2, 1973, with Father O’Dwyer named as the founding Pastor. Masses were initially celebrated at Seagate Elementary Schol with the number of parishioners quickly rising in the growing area. The first permanent church was dedicated in 1980. A renovation and building of the current church building was completed and dedicated by Bishop Frank J. Dewane in 2012. A Parish Life Center was dedicated by Bishop Dewane in 2022. Today, St. William Parish serves more than 3,200 families and many more visitors to the Naples area.
Congratulations to Father Robert R. Cannon who has been named Chaplain to His Holiness with the title Monsignor. Monsignor Cannon, who is a priest of the Diocese of Venice, and a retired U.S. Air Force Colonel, has recently retired as the Chancellor of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA (AMS), where he served for the past eighth years.
Public prayer vigils took place in multiple locations throughout the Diocese of Venice in early October seeking the defeat of Amendment 4, an extreme and dangerous proposed amendment to the Florida Constitution that would radically expand access to abortion. The first “VOTE NO ON 4!” rally took place during rush hour on Oct. 1, 2024, in downtown Bradenton. The rally was sponsored by the St. Joseph Parish Respect Life Ministry. Holding “Vote No on 4” signs, the rally had a captive audience as traffic was at a near standstill. The goal was to educate motorists on the dangers of Amendment 4. On Sunday, Oct. 6, there were two “Life Chain Across America” prayer vigils, one on U.S. 41 in Bonita Springs, near St. Leo the Great Parish, and the other was in Naples at U.S. 41 and Pine Ridge Road, near St. William Parish. Several hearty women, men and children withstood the rain to be visible. To learn more about Amendment 4, please visit 
Guadalupe Social Services of Catholic Charities hosted its annual Family Fun Day on Oct. 6, 2024, in Immokalee. The events welcomed families for games, fun and food. The games included sack races, hoop tosses and more. Fun consisted of facepainting and playing games for prizes. The food included hot dogs, chips, frozen flavored ice, popcorn and more. For the adults there were also games with prizes. Staff from Catholic Charities and volunteers, such as the women’s lacrosse team from nearby Ave Maria University, helped run the event.
The 2024 Diocesan Rosary Congress, scheduled at more than 50 Parishes between Oct. 5 and 11, 2024, got off to a strong start. At St. Thomas More Parish in Sarasota, the Rosary Congress ran from Oct. 7-8 and included 24 hours of Eucharistic Adoration with the hourly praying of the Holy Rosary. Prayer intentions were for the protection of life and the defeat of the dangerous Amendment 4, which, if approved, would radically expand access to abortion in Florida. However, several host Parishes were forced to cancel their participation in the Rosary Congress due to the threat and impacts of Hurricane Milton. For a list of participating Parishes, please visit 
Parishioner Miranda Riley, who lives a few blocks from the Parish and faces the Gulf of Mexico, said her home’s ground floor, which included a rec room, office and two car garage, were destroyed with more than four feet of water.
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.
