It can sometimes be easy to take for granted that when one attends Mass or goes to the Sacrament of Reconciliation, a priest will be available every time.
The COVID-19 Pandemic gave the faithful a glimpse of life without access to the Sacraments and it is more important than ever to express one’s appreciation for those Parish priests who answered the call of God to a life in service to His Church.
Therefore, it is appropriate each person take the time on Priesthood Sunday, Sept. 27, 2020, to reaffirm the vocation of the priesthood of Jesus Christ and its central place in the life of the Church.
The reality is that without priests the Holy Sacraments could not be conferred. Priesthood Sunday was established as an opportunity to show gratitude to our priests who serve the faithful tirelessly throughout the year, and who are instrumental in the Sacramental life of all.
It is a chance to thank and honor priests in unique ways, praising God for their courage and their generosity. A simple note, a smile or a phone call to assure one’s priest of your loving care and gratitude for his presence in the life of your local Parish will go a long way to serve the greater good of the Catholic Church.
While the pandemic may curb any large celebration of the priesthood, the necessity to celebrate priests remains crucial.
The Diocese of Venice is blessed to have priests for each of its 61 Parishes. Bishop Frank J. Dewane ordained a new priest on June 27, 2020, and another 16 are discerning a vocation to the priesthood in seminary.
However, the need for more priests is a constant concern as the average age of priests serving in the U.S. is 67. This is why men who answer the call to priesthood are working harder than ever before.
A special Prayer for Priests (see below) has been shared with all Parishes in the Diocese of Venice for the occasion of Priesthood Sunday. In addition, the Diocese has available a Pray for Priests calendar, which can be found at www.dioceseofvenice.org/offices/daily-resources/pray-for-priest/.
The Venice Diocesan Council of Catholic Women (VDCCW) has embraced Priesthood Sunday to help support its Vocation Fund. The idea is that people can send cards “In memory of” or “In Honor of” to their priests as a thank you for their service.
Currently organized for the VDCCW by Cornelia Zanetti, mother of Father Gordon Zanetti, Administrator of St. Thomas More Parish in Sarasota, the cards are appreciated by the priests because they know the donations help those who are actively discerning a vocation to the priesthood in the seminary.
“It is my privilege and honor to carry on this ministry for the past five years,” Cornelia Zanetti said. “This ministry is very close to my heart.”
Any donation is appreciated, and the amount will not be revealed to the recipient. To take part, please send $1.00, plus your donation, payable to “VDCCW Vocation Fund” to Cornelia Zanetti, 5808 Gulf Drive, #204, Holmes Beach, FL 34217. Please email corniez@aol.com with any questions.
Prayer for Priests
Lord Jesus Christ, eternal High Priest, You offered yourself to the Father on the altar of the Cross and through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit gave Your priestly people a share in Your redeeming sacrifice.
Hear our prayer for the sanctification of our priests. Grant that all who are ordained to the ministerial priesthood may be ever more conformed to You, the Divine Master. May they preach the Gospel with pure heart and clear conscience.
Let them be shepherds according to Your own Heart, single-minded in service to You and to the Church and shining examples of a holy, simple and joyful life.
Through the prayers of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Your Mother and ours, draw all priests and the flocks entrusted to their care to the fullness of eternal life where you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.
Amen.
Oración por los Sacerdotes
Señor Jesucristo, eterno Sumo Sacerdote, tú que te ofreciste al Padre en el altar de la Cruz y por la efusión del Espíritu le dio a su pueblo sacerdotal una participación en tu sacrificio redentor.
Escucha nuestra oración por la santificación de nuestros sacerdotes. Concede a todos los que han sido ordenados al ministerio sacerdotal que sean cada vez más conformes a Ti, Divino Maestro. Que enseñen el Evangelio con el corazón puro y la conciencia clara.
Que sean pastores de acuerdo con tu propio Corazón, una sola mente en el servicio a Ti y a tu Iglesia y ejemplos luminosos de una vida santa, sencilla y alegre.
A través de las oraciones de la Purísima Virgen María, tu Madre y nuestra, atrae e todos los sacerdotes y fieles a su cargo, a la plenitud de la vida eterna donde vives y reinas con el Padre y el Espíritu Santo, un Dios, por los siglos de los siglos.
Amén.
Bishop Dewane told Father Franckel that through ordination, he becomes forever raised to the rank of priest in the Body of Christ. With that rank comes great responsibility – to sanctify, to teach, to love and serve just as Christ taught.
The ordination was a bright moment for the Diocese during this time of the COVID-19 Pandemic. All present wore masks and maint
A recent graduate from St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary in Boynton Beach, Father completed more than 14 years of priestly discernment and formation. He first entered seminary in the Dominican Republic studying to become a Franciscan Capuchin Friar. He spent nine years in formation before discerning a call to Diocesan priesthood in Venice. During this time, he studied in the Dominican Republic and Brazil, eventually earning a philosophy degree from Centro Universitario Franciscano in Brazil.
Along with family and friends, there were faithful from across the Diocese, many from the Parishes where he previously had served. Included among those were also representatives of the Knights and Dames of the Order of Malta, and the Knights and Dames of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulcher of Jerusalem, as well as Diocesan seminarians who served during the Mass.
On the eve of his ordination, a Solemn Vespers was celebrated at San Marco Parish for then-Deacon Fils-Aime. During this prayer service Bishop Dewane blessed the priestly vestments and chalices which were used by the newly ordained at his first public Masses on June 28, 2020.
As is tradition, during the first Mass of a newly ordained priest, another priest delivers the homily. In this case it was Father Jack Costello, Rector of Epiphany Cathedral in Venice, who spoke about then-Seminarian Franckel serving a pastoral year at the Cathedral. Father Costello noted how blessed the Diocese was to have a new priest, one who is well prepared to serve the faithful with sincerity and compassion.
At both Masses, which were streamed live on social media so his family and friends could watch from afar, Father Fils-Aime shared how his parents, Voguel Fils-Aime and Philomène Remy, supported his discernment for a vocation to the priesthood. He expressed regret that his mother, who passed away in 2011, was not alive to see him reach his priestly ordination but was confident she was present in spirit and watching over him.
“It is such a privilege and honor to be called by God and I do not have the words to give thanks to the Bishop for the opportunity to be a priest here in the Diocese of Venice.”
There were no talks or speeches, as people of all ages gathered to pray while seeking an end to racism in America as well as calling for peace and unity for all, as more than 100 people, including several area priests, participated.
A Statement of Purpose was created for the Prayer Chain, which begins: “We Catholics of Collier County are standing by the roadside on June 28 in silent witness to the reality of racism in our country and, as people of Faith, to witness to the equality and dignity of every human person. We pray that God will transform the hearts of all people in our nation, including our own hearts, to see every human person as a brother and sister of inestimable worth.”
On June 14, 2020, Salesian Brother Steven Joseph DeMaio (Salesians of Don Bosco) was among seven ordained transitional deacons in Jerusalem. He is originally from Sherman, Conn., but his parents are parishioners at Ave Maria Parish. Deacon DeMaio entered formation in 2010 and made his first vows in 2012 and perpetual vows in 2018. The ordaining prelate was Archbishop Pierbattista Pizzaballa, OFM, Latin-Rite Apostolic Administrator of Jerusalem. The ordinations were celebrated at the Church of All Nations in Gethsemane. This summer he will exercise his ministry at a parish in Belle Glade in Diocese of Palm Beach, about 20 miles east of Clewiston.
St. Michael Parish in Wauchula is the home to a food pantry which has been at the forefront of the COVID-19 Pandemic response. To accommodate those who work, the food pantry is open each Saturday, 7–8:45 a.m., at the Parish 408 Heard Bridge Road, Wauchula. If you need food at a different time or would like to support the efforts to assist the community, please call the Parish at 863-773-4089.
A small celebration marked the 70th anniversary of the Ordination to the Priesthood Father Ireneo Tovar on June 3, 2020, at St. James Parish in Lake Placid. Father Tovar has been “retired” in Lake Placid for the past 21 years. He has one living sister, a religious sister who is more than 100 years old. He himself is 95 years old and enjoys celebrating Mass at St. James and working in his garden. The Mass was concelebrated by Father Jose Gonzalez, Pastor of St. Catherine Parish in Sebring and Dean of the Eastern Deanery, Father Vincente Clemente, Pastor of St. James, and Father Felix Gonzalez, Parochial Vicar of St. James. Father Tovar was born in Spain, and left Spain against his mother’s wishes because he wanted to become a missionary. He was sent to Africa during World War II to a country then-called Rhodesia, now called Zimbabwe, which he loved. He was the first Anglo many had seen. He spent 18 years as a priest there, establishing churches where there had been none. Later he was reassigned to Camden, N.J., where he worked for over 20 years with the Spanish-speaking migrant population, before retiring to Florida.
Therefore, it was fitting that the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord was the moment the faithful returned to the regular Sunday Mass for the first time since March 15, 2020. The Solemnity includes the reading from the conclusion of the Gospel of Matthew called the “Great Commissioning” – when the Lord gives instructions and sends forth the Disciples into the world to spread the Good News.
Brad Gaines attended the Vigil Mass at Our Lady of Light Parish in Fort Myers and was very happy to be back.
For those who did go to Mass, signs were posted reminding everyone of social distancing regulations. Greeters kept doors propped open and ushers directed people to available seating as half of the pews in churches were blocked off. All Parishes required that masks be worn. There were no missals in the pews, thus the music selections were more common, making it easier for people to participate. Hand sanitizer was readily available and between Masses extra cleaning took place.
Fran Kingman admitted she was wary about going to Mass until she saw the instructional video on the precautions being taken at Epiphany Cathedral.
Out of concern for the safety of all involved, our Pastors have been asked to follow established directives and guidelines. These limit the size of the congregation to 25% of occupancy, maintain social distancing guidance, and ask the Faithful’s cooperation to wear facemasks and bring with them hand sanitizer for their use. The Faithful are also asked to receive communion in the hand. These are extraordinary times and I ask for your patience and good will as Parishes reopen for public celebrations. Further, schedules may need to be adjusted and some Priests or liturgical ministers may not be able to participate publicly because of age or health conditions.
The decision to suspend public celebrations of the Liturgy was among the most difficult I have had to make as your Bishop. The decision required the Diocese to weigh the needs of public health in a time of pandemic against the great sacrifices that a suspension would require of the Christian Faithful and our Priests. Knowing it would be difficult for you not to fully participate in the Holy Mass or gather with your fellow Parishioners for other activities, was something I sincerely understood. It was also on my mind that your Priests would need to labor strenuously and find innovative ways to compassionately care for Parishioners.
