Hispanic Faith Formation Program begins latest sessions
The Diocesan Hispanic Ministries Formation Program has returned with classes starting in January 2022 at several Parishes. The topic of study for these sessions is “The Christian Virtues” and a total of seven classes will be held weekly through Lent. Those who register and attend 80% of the classes will receive a Diocesan Certification.
Memorial Mass held for former Pastor
A Memorial Mass was celebrated Jan. 27, 2022, for Father Dennis Cooney, longtime Pastor of St. Raphael Parish in Lehigh Acres, who died April 13, 2020. The death occurred during the early phase of the global pandemic and while a Funeral Mass was celebrated it was limited by the Parish to just 10 people at the time. Bishop Frank J. Dewane celebrated the Memorial Mass and spoke of Father Cooney’s spirited work in support of life from conception to natural death. Father Casey Jones, Pastor of St. Elizabeth Seton Parish in Naples, delivered the homily.
Pray for Public Officials
Please pray for those public officials who serve within the Diocese of Venice, particularly during the remainder of the Florida Legislative Session scheduled to end on March 11. For a complete list of public officials and the days of the month we are asked to pray for them, please visit https://dioceseofvenice.org/offices/offices-departments/respect-life/.
Spring 40 Days for Life in Sarasota and Fort Myers
Join other Christians from Ash Wednesday, March 2, 2022, through April 10, for the Spring/Lenten 40 Days for Life peaceful prayer campaign. This campaign encompasses 40 days of prayer and fasting for an end to abortion. Stand and peacefully pray during vigils in the public right-of-way outside Planned Parenthood in Fort Myers or Sarasota. Contact your Parish Coordinator for specific information about your Parish’s commitment days. For the 40 Days for Life flier and additional information, please visit www.40daysforlife.com/sarasota or www.40daysforlife.com/fortmyers.
Memorial Service held for longtime benefactor of Catholic Education
A Memorial Mass was celebrated Feb. 1, 2022, for Leslie S. “Mitzi” Magin, a longtime supporter of the Catholic Church and particularly for Catholic Education in Collier County who died July 13, 2020. The Mass was held at St. Ann Parish in Naples, and Bishop Frank J. Dewane was the main celebrant. Magin was active in numerous charities, including St. Ann Parish, St. Ann Catholic School Foundation, St. John Neumann Catholic High School, all in Naples, as well as the Institute for Catholic Studies and Formation (then known as the Rice School) in Port Charlotte. She was also a longtime member of the Advisory Board for the Emerald Ball, which benefits Catholic Charities of Collier County.
Men’s & Women’s Conference in one month
Mark your calendars for Saturday, March 5, 2022, when the Diocese of Venice will be combining the annual Men’s and Women’s Conferences into a single conference to take place at the Charlotte Harbor Event Center, 75 Taylor Street, Punta Gorda. The conference will host speakers Trent Horn, Matthew Leonard, Emily Wilson and Dr. Michael Dauphinais. The day will focus on the universal call to holiness and the role of the laity in building up the body of Christ, with a special focus on biblical answers to current challenges. Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and Confession will be available all day. Bishop Frank J. Dewane will conclude the day by celebrating the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Doors open at 8 a.m. with the day beginning at 9:00 a.m. and concluding with the closing Mass at 4 p.m. Please visit https://dioceseofvenice.regfox.com/2022-menswomens-conference for registration.
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.
The St. Elizabeth Seton Catholic School community in Naples celebrated its 100th day of classes on Jan. 21, 2022, with a special “dress like you are 100 years old” dress-down day for a donation of 100 cents! All proceeds from the day will be donated to the nearby Golden Gate Senior Center run by Catholic Charities, Diocese of Venice, Inc.
Cardinal Mooney Catholic High School hosted more than 130 eighth grade students from its partner schools, St. Mary Catholic Academy, St. Martha Catholic School and Incarnation Catholic School, each in Sarasota, and St. Joseph Catholic School in Bradenton. This Jan. 19, 2022, retreat was more than just a tour of the high school; it was also a chance to learn about what attending Cardinal Mooney would be like. Mooney students led the eighth graders in a variety of activities including prayer, games and team building exercises. Throughout the day, the boys and girls were separated into smaller groups and given the opportunity to ask their hosts questions about the school.
The Diocese of Venice held a collaboration session and workshop for Catholic schools Marketing & Development Committee personnel on Jan. 24, 2022, at Epiphany Cathedral in Venice. The meeting began with a greeting and prayer from Father John Belmonte, SJ, Superintendent of Schools for the Diocese. John Carkeet from the Diocese’s Education Department led the sessions, which included several guest speakers. Guest speakers presented information about marketing, branding and social media, and included Mindy Purvis, Catholic Faith Technologies; Monique Day, Target Digital Marketing; Angie Prokes, Digital Diagnosis Marketing; and Kevin Murphy and Jud Cavey from Ave Maria University. Carlee Colonneso, Development Consultant at St. Joseph Catholic School in Bradenton and Carkeet led development and marketing workshop sessions. The collaboration session and workshop were Part II of a four-part series focused on establishing marketing plans at Diocesan schools.
Middle school students in American History at St. Catherine Catholic School in Sebring completed a STREAM (Science, Technology, Religion, Engineering, Arts, Math) project on Jan. 20, 2022, which focused on the Revolutionary War and the Culper Spy Ring. Not only did the students learn history, but also the chemistry behind invisible ink, which the Culper Ring used during the Revolutionary War.
There are few better ways to teach a lesson to a third-grade student than through the use of food as a prop in the classroom. That is exactly what happened on Jan. 19, 2022, at St. Ann Catholic School in Naples where the students used Oreo cookies to learn about the phases of the moon. This edible prop was easily handled by the students to match the different phases of the moon by splitting apart the two sides of the cookie and removing some of the filing. This exercise also has the benefit of having a handy snack after the lesson was completed.
Father Mattingly was raised in Washington, D.C., and later studied electrical engineering before training at the National Security Agency in computer research before converting to Catholicism. He discerned a vocation to the priesthood and studied at Niagara University in Lewiston, N.Y., and then St. Mary’s Seminary and University as well as Loyola University, both in Baltimore, Maryland. He was ordained to the priesthood on May 18, 1968 for the Diocese of Savannah. He served in Catholic schools and Parishes in the Savannah Diocese before entering the Benedictine Abbey in Pecos, New Mexico where he did retreat work and coordinated the School for Spiritual Directors. It was in June 1990 that he requested assignment within the Diocese of Venice in Florida to be near his aging parents.
In the context of the Mass on Nov. 21, 2021, the Solemnity of Our Lord, Christ, King of the Universe, Bishop Frank J. Dewane installed Father Ronnie Sison as Pastor of Our Lady of Grace Parish in Avon Park.
Father Sison has been serving as Administrator of Incarnation Parish since Oct. 1, 2019, and Bishop Dewane said it was an appropriate time to install him as Pastor. During his time at Our Lady of Grace, Father Sison has overseen the replacement of the roof to the Parish church and hall. Work was completed in October on the renovation of the interior of the church with new flooring and altar space.
For some 8 hours on Nov. 6, 2021 teens heard from inspirational speakers, rocked to spiritual music, and participated in Eucharistic Adoration and the Mass. At the same time, they bonded with each other and learned how they are an important part of the Universal Church.
The theme for 2021 Diocese of Venice Youth Rally was “Sent” which comes directly from the Bible – “As you sent me in the world, so I sent them in the world” (John 17:18).
Throughout the day, the 2021 Youth Rally included an exciting line-up of speakers including David Calavitta and Kelly Colangelo. They each shared their unique Faith journey while also offering poignant advice to the teens as to how they can keep their focus on the Lord. Both stressed that the mid-teen years are a critical time as it is when the tumultuous world is trying to lure them down a darker path. At one point the young men were moved to a separate part of the facility thus allowing talks geared more personally toward the young women and men. The split sessions also included vocations talks.
Participating in the Mass were more than a dozen priests, as well as some 300 people from across the Diocese, representing many Parishes, various movements, Third Orders and many more.
The sessions are being planned to allow for the maximum opportunity for as many of the faithful to participate as possible. A complete schedule of the listening sessions will be announced soon.
“While what comes from our Diocese will go to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), we are not tasked with putting together a document. We are tasked to listen, to get input, put it together and ensure the points that are made at the Diocesan level.
Bishop Frank J. Dewane celebrated Mass for the students at St. Catherine Catholic School in Sebring on Oct. 18, 2021. The Mass is the latest in a series of Masses celebrated by the Bishop for students at each of the 15 Diocesan Catholic schools. During the Mass, which took place on the Feast of St. Luke the Evangelist, Bishop Dewane encouraged the students to focus on developing their prayer life each day.
The Venice Diocesan Council of Catholic Women hosted a retreat on Oct. 16, 2021 at Epiphany Cathedral in Venice. The bilingual retreat included talks from Father Janusz Jancarz, Spiritual Moderator for the VDCCW and Pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Venice; Father Claudio Stewart, Diocesan Director of Hispanic Ministries, and Father Thomas Heck, a retired priest of the Diocese. The women also participated in Mass, adoration and praying of the rosary.
From time to time a Parish requires a new Pastor and on this occasion the Bishop will appoint – after consultation with the Priest Personnel Board – and install this new leader marking a new chapter in the life for the faithful.
As part of the installation process, Bishop Dewane first introduces the priest as Pastor to the parishioners. The priest later begins the Profession of Faith for all to hear, including an additional part solely for him. The new Pastor then recites an Oath of Fidelity and promises to “adhere to the teachings, which either the Roman Pontiff or the College of Bishops enunciate when they exercise authentic magisterium.” The installation also includes prayers to provide the new Pastor the wisdom and guidance from the Holy Spirit to lead the Parish.
