Nestled among the pines and palms off Old Englewood Road, St. Raphael Parish in Englewood looks somewhat like an old Spanish mission. And, since its founding in the 1960s, one of its missions has been to connect members with God’s living word.
To accomplish this, St. Raphael is one of only two Florida Parishes that offers an annual Cornerstone Catholic Scripture Study. The mission of the St. Louis, Missouri-based Cornerstone is to build, strengthen and deepen a personal and loving relationship with God and His people through prayer and the study of His Word.
“This is my ninth year as a member of the Cornerstone Catholic Scripture Study,” Rita Laurinaitis said. “Joining this Bible study group has been the best thing I’ve ever done for myself. I have connected with the most devout and inspiring people I have ever known. It has strengthened my faith and transformed my whole perspective on my life and my goal of eternal salvation.”
In Englewood, the annual studies include examining 20 lessons, starting in November and continuing until April. About 25 participants meet every Monday morning in the Parish Center with sessions opening with a hymn, a prayer and a short talk about the focus of the lesson. Then members take turns sharing the answers to the questions about the chapter of the Bible they worked on at home the week before.
Linda Wiedemeier said it’s hard to articulate how deeply Cornerstone has helped her spiritual journey. “I was thinking that I was being a good Catholic, saying my rosaries, retreats and of course, Mass often. Through divine intervention, I was led to this Bible Study Group. I read a small blurb in the Parish bulletin and joined the next fall – best move of my spiritual life!”
In previous years, the group studied Mark, Exodus, John and Revelation. This year, the group is studying Genesis. This serves as an ideal place to answer that inner yearning to deepen one’s understanding of God’s word. New members can join at any point during the seasonal study; in fact, the group usually grows quite a bit in January when a migration of visitors arrive.
When possible, St. Raphael’s Pastor, Father Robert Murphy, visits and participates in the Bible Study and is an ardent supporter.
“St. Jerome is remembered as having said, ‘Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ.’” Father Murphy said. “I find another way of saying this to be equally true, knowledge of Scripture is knowledge of Christ. But it’s more than that.”
The group also welcomes a yearly visit from mentors who offer guidance and support. Coffee, refreshments and fellowship are part of the weekly meetings. While there is no fee to participate, small good-will donations for operations costs are collected throughout the season. Lessons can be found online at https://thecornerstonescripturestudy.org/ and paper copies are made available for the computer shy.
For more information about the Cornerstone Scripture Study at St. Raphael Parish in Englewood, please contact Linda Wiedemeier at lindawiedemeier@yahoo.com.
It has been 90 years since St. Margaret Parish was established to support the growing Catholic community in Clewiston, located in Hendry County, along the south shore of Lake Okeechobee. The joy of the faithful was reflected in the presence of a large crowd and the enthusiasm they had during the celebration of such an important milestone.
The establishment of the Parish and the dedication of the Church took place at the same time, Feb. 7, 1922, but more importantly established St. Margaret Parish and its’ people as the living Temples of God.
The Bishop also thanked the many priests who served the people of God in Clewiston through the years. He specifically mentioned the Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of Light, who are currently serving the faithful in many ways, as well as the religious sisters who previously served, including the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary who were present from 1973-2000.
For Bishop Dewane, the installation as Pastor will solidify in the minds of the faithful that Father Antonik is there to serve the Parishioners; Father Antonik has served as Administrator of the Parish since February 2020. Outwardly, there will be no changes in the operation of the Parish but nevertheless the Bishop noted this was an important moment for all of the faithful at St. Therese.
During the installation, the priest begins with selected words leading to the start of the Creed at which point he is joined by the faithful. At the end of the Creed, the new Pastor has extra lines which are exclusive for him. In addition, the Pastor takes an Oath of Fidelity to the Bishop and his successors, formalized by placing his hand upon the Book of Gospels.
The opening procession was led by a bagpiper, the Knights of Columbus Color Corps, then retired and active honorees and finally members of the Rolling Thunder Motorcycle Club.
What first responders do daily is to stand in harm’s way in defense of human dignity, Msgr. Criscuolo concluded. “Do not despair. You are witnesses to the great hope that there is a better way. That’s who you are. You are that defense for each one of us, and are witnesses to hope, love and charity.”
Families from all walks of life have recognized the benefits of a Catholic education, particularly those institutions in Southwest Florida. From August 2020 to January of this year, Catholic School enrollment across the Diocese of Venice increased by more than 700 students, over 14 percent. The surge of new residents across Florida certainly helped this remarkable growth. However, why have hundreds of families decided to enroll their children in Catholic schools rather than one of the public or private school counterparts?
CSW – Catholic Schools Week – provides a second key to the Diocese’s successes in enrollment and beyond. This year marks the 48th year nationally celebrating Catholic education. From January 30 through February 5, schools will celebrate their Parishes, our nation, vocations, our families and our teachers. Schools organize activities and public events to provide an opportunity to see the positive benefits of a Catholic education. Interested in attending one of these events? Visit 
These walks took place with a note of hope and optimism as there is a possibility that the Supreme Court might strike down Roe v. Wade. That optimism comes from a pivotal Mississippi abortion case, Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, that many in the Pro-Life movement see as the best chance to change the law that has led to more than 62 million abortions across the United States. A decision in the case isn’t expected until the end of the court’s term in June.
Bishop Dewane was encouraged by the number of people participating in the Ave Maria event and humbled by the large number of young families and couples as well as youth who will be carrying the Pro-Life message into the future.
The Bishop concluded his remarks by reminding everyone that abortion is a moral problem that occasionally must be dealt with in a political arena to make change happen. “We must be strong and practical in our approach; speaking out courageously and forcefully, as we remain united in our prayer and opposition to this scourge on our society.”
About the same time as the Ave Maria event was happening, a similar vigil was taking place along U.S. 41 in Bonita Springs. There, some 125 people braved similar dreary conditions in a Walk for Life organized by the Pro-Life Outreach of nearby St. Leo the Great Parish.
Among the larger groups in Washington were representatives from Bishop Verot Catholic High School in Fort Myers, Cardinal Mooney Catholic High School in Sarasota, St. Michael Parish in Wauchula, Ave Maria University and the Ave Maria School of Law. Several smaller groups from a variety of Parishes also took part including St. William Parish in Naples, Epiphany Cathedral in Venice and Incarnation Parish in Sarasota.
Tomeo first spoke to Verot Director of Religious Activities Mark Latell, who brought a group of 28 juniors and seniors to support life. Latell said a group from Fort Myers annually attends the March and missed not being able to be in Washington in 2021 because of the pandemic. Latell explained that each day on their journey starts and ends with student-led prayer. Upon their return to Fort Myers, the students will put together a video of their experiences and share it with the school community and surrounding Parishes who support the school and the annual trip.
Father Lukka will leave his post as Parochial Vicar of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Venice in early February, having previously served as Parochial Vicar at St. William Parish in Naples and Spiritual Advisor to the English Catholic Charismatic Renewal.
Temperatures were in the mid-40s at the start of the Prayer Walk, but the need to stand witness as a voice for the voiceless was compelling as the walk coincided with the day abortion appointments take place at the regional headquarters of Planned Parenthood near downtown Sarasota.
The Bishop said we should all be uplifted by news of restrictive abortions laws in Texas and Mississippi, but we should not let our guard down as other states (New Jersey and California) are working in the opposite direction.
Students carried a variety of pre-made and hand-made signs: “A-D-O-P-T-I-O-N – Pray to End Abortion,” “Respect Life: From the Womb to the Tomb,” “Smile: Your Parents Chose Life,” “Protect the Unborn Life,” “Jesus Loves You,” “18 days after conception, my heart is beating.”
