Pro-Life prayer warriors, many of them youth, went to St. Augustine, Washington, D.C., and Ave Maria, in mid-January 2023 to be witnesses for life marking the tragic 50th anniversary of the Roe v. Wade U.S. Supreme Court decision which cleared the way for legalized abortion in the U.S.
The difference in 2023 is that on June 24, 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization effectively overturned five decades of unlimited access to abortion.
This allowed the three Marches for Life to be celebratory in nature but tempered with the political reality that now each state has different laws regarding abortion ranging from outright bans to allowing an abortion up until birth. This means the Catholic Church’s fight to protect life from conception until natural death continues.
Several groups from the Diocese participated in the State March for Life in St. Augustine on Jan. 14, 2023, while some 200 from the Diocese were in D.C. for the National March for Life on Jan. 20. The next day, nearly 1,000 took part in the second annual March for Life organized by Ave Maria Parish.
Bishop Frank J. Dewane, who was in DC and Ave Maria, said he was impressed by the signs in DC carried by the young people which proclaimed, “Our Generation Is Pro-Life.”
“There was a determination and excitement – it electrified the whole crowd,” Bishop Dewane said when speaking at the Ave Maria March. “The message I gave those young pilgrims, and for all of us, is to take on in their life the message of Jesus Christ and live it always, that is understanding the absolute value that life must have as we live as men and women of God.”
Living one’s life this way comes with certain challenges, Bishop Dewane admitted.
“Let us be the radical witness that is called for in today’s society,” Bishop continued. “Let us be that voice in the wilderness that cries out repeatedly about the value of life – just like what happened to Christ when he was among his neighbors in Nazareth – and as we heard in today’s Gospel (Mk 3:20-21), you are going to get bullied. Someone is going to yell back and respond. That’s fine. Address them – remember it is personal for you and we must work to change the heart of that person, so they value life, and come to know the truth of Christ.”
Annabella Augustine, a pilgrim to DC from Cardinal Mooney Catholic High School in Sarasota, is taking up the call to spread the word of life.
“This is my first time coming to the March for Life and I can say this was such an exhilarating experience that I will never forget. My goal is to be a voice for the younger generations and help them see the truth in a world of chaos.”
Mooney schoolmate James Rowan described the March less as a peaceful protest and more as a “celebration of life and recognition for the families who are going through or have gone through an abortion.”
In the 50 years since the Roe decision more than 63 million unborn children were deprived of their right to life.
The Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops said in a Jan. 22 statement, the Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children, that the Dobbs decision “is a fruit of prayer, born of a commitment to justice.”
However, subsequent Florida legislation still allows abortion to the first 15 weeks of pregnancy. “Our advocacy for the legal protection of life in the womb must continue to make the most of the opportunities presented by Dobbs. The legislature must enact further limits on abortion,” the Florida Bishops stated.
Sharon Levesque, who is President of the Respect Life Outreach at Ave Maria Parish and helped organize the community march, was pleased with the large turnout, but said it would return in 2024.
There will be a third annual March for Life on Jan. 20, 2024, because “we will continue to march so long as the life of any unborn child is threatened in the world.”
At Ave Maria, the gathering began at the university football field, where various dignitaries, including Bishop Dewane, spoke. Then everyone marched through the Ave Maria University campus more than a mile to the steps of the Parish Church, all while praying the rosary and singing along the way.
Among the larger groups in DC were representatives from Cardinal Mooney, Bishop Verot Catholic High School in Fort Myers, 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.
Two Diocesan priests, Father Eric Scanlan, Chaplain at Cardinal Mooney as well Pastor of Incarnation Parish in Sarasota, and Father Mark Yavarone, Oblate of the Virgin Mary, Director of Spirituality at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Retreat Center in Venice, were part of the March.
Participants from the Diocese attended the Vigil Mass on Jan. 20 at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, and a Mass on the day of the March for all Florida pilgrims at St. Peter Parish on Capitol Hill where the main celebrant was Bishop Dewane.
Diocesan seminarians from St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary in Boynton Beach and Pope St. John XXIII National Seminary in Weston, Massachusetts, participated with their respective schools.
Bishop Dewane gave the group in DC and Ave Maria direction to go forward and be agents of change in society.
“We must act because being in a personal relationship with the Lord does not allow us to permit abortion at any time,” Bishop Dewane said. “Let us speak out! Be the strength! Be the message of the Lord that you are called to be! Let us stand up next to Jesus Christ and proudly be Pro-Life!”
If you would like to learn more about the Respect Life issues and how you can be a witness for life, please visit https://dioceseofvenice.org/respectlife.
The 25th Annual Sarasota Prayer Walk for Life is Feb. 7. The event begins with the 8:30 a.m. Mass celebrated by Bishop Frank J. Dewane at St. Martha Parish, 200 N. Orange Ave. A bus will shuttle people from the church to 7th Street where walkers will circle the block around Planned Parenthood in prayer. The shuttle will run between 9 a.m. and noon. Light refreshments will be available near the bus stop on 7th Street. Questions? Contact Jeanne Berdeaux at 
Fourth grade students at St. Francis Xavier Catholic School in Fort Myers are learning about the seven Sacraments, and the role water plays in the sacraments. The students renewed their baptismal promises Jan. 11, 2023, while working on a craft project related to the Sacraments.
The Jr. Thespians Troupe from St. Joseph Catholic School in Bradenton received four Superior Awards and four Excellent Awards at the Jan. 12-14, 2023, Florida State Junior Thespian Festival – Thespian Jam, at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando. Some 6,000 participated in the festival which gives theater lovers the chance to celebrate the best middle school theatrical work and have an unforgettable experience. The students put in many hours of practice and hard work, which definitely paid off.
St. John Neumann Catholic High School basketball player Sophia McCartney reached the 1,000-point milestone during a game on Jan. 14, 2023. After the home game in Sarasota, the star player was honored and recognized for this remarkable achievement, something that is rare in high school basketball.
Middle school students at St. Andrew Catholic School in Cape Coral were able to hone their robotic coding skills on Jan. 17, 2023. They worked on coding and working with Lego Spike Prime Robots. These small robots are made out of Lego pieces and can follow paths on an established course. The robots can be coded to perform various tasks as well. These skills are being learned as part of a larger Diocesan-wide robotics STREAM (science, technology, religion, engineering, arts, math) curriculum which helps students learn the skills needed to excel in a high-tech modern society.
Epiphany Cathedral in Venice celebrated its Feast Day, the Epiphany of the Lord, with a trilingual (English, Spanish, Polish) Mass on Jan. 8, 2023. Msgr. Patrick Dubois, Cathedral Rector, said the Feast Day is an important moment for the Parish community as well as for the Universal Church. The day marks the moment when the three magi come to pay homage to the Child Jesus, something we must do each day as we celebrated the love of the Lord in our lives. Readings and music alternated between the three languages and at the conclusion of Mass, Msgr. Dubois asked all to wish one another a “Happy Feast of the Epiphany.” A multicultural celebration followed in the Parish Hall.
Cardinal Mooney Catholic High School basketball player Olivia Davis reached the 1,000-point milestone during a game on Jan. 6, 2023. After the home game in Sarasota, the star player was honored and recognized for this remarkable achievement, something that is rare in high school basketball.
Bishop Verot Catholic High School in Fort Myers welcomed students from St. Francis Xavier Catholic School in Fort Myers and St. Andrew Catholic School in Cape Coral for Mass on Jan. 10, 2023. The younger students led everyone in song and afterwards Principal Suzie O’Grady invited students to participate in the “Three Kings” celebration. Following the Mass, the “Three Kings” went around campus writing the following on every door: 20 + C + M + B + 23. For centuries, faithful Catholics have marked the entrance to their homes with a symbol of faith, asking that Jesus bless all who live within the home. The message is as follows: [the first two digits of the year] + C + M + B + [the last two digits of the year]. The “C”, “M”, and “B” stand for the names of the three Magi – Caspar, Malchior & Balthazar, and the “+” represents the cross. The message also abbreviates the Latin phrase, Christus Mansionem Benedicat, meaning “May Christ bless the house.”
St. Paul Parish in Arcadia held a special “Three Kings” celebration on the Feast of the Epiphany of Our Lord, Jan. 8, 2023.
The National Night of Prayer for Life is an effort to unite people across the country, establishing a bridge between the Solemnity and the Feast of St. Juan Diego, to protect our culture, our Church and our land. Participating Parishes included San Pedro in North Port, St. Agnes in Naples, St. James in Lake Placid, and Ss. Peter and Paul the Apostles in Bradenton.
In the wake of the Dobbs decision on June 24, 2022, Bishop Frank J. Dewane said the “legal protection must be accompanied by more care for mothers and their children. The Catholic Church, and the Diocese of Venice, stand ready to help mothers in need. Pregnant women are not alone… Parishes in the Diocese of Venice have redoubled their efforts to accompany women and couples who are facing unexpected or difficult pregnancies, offering them loving and compassionate care.”
A recently released video from Bishop Dewane (available at the “Walking with Moms in Need website noted above) discusses “Walking with Moms in Need” within the Diocese. The Bishop stresses how the Church has built a Culture of Life and how we must all stand as a voice for the voiceless – the unborn. It is through the “Walking with Moms in Need” program that Parishes are to be “Islands of Mercy” in a sea of indifference and a field hospital for those in search of support, as called on by Pope Francis.
The 40 Days for Life fall campaign concluded on Nov. 6, 2022, with local efforts taking place in Sarasota and Fort Myers. The campaign began Sept. 28 but was delayed locally due to the arrival and impacts of Hurricane Ian.
During a closing vigil Jericho Walk on Nov. 5, Owens led a group of about 30 prayer warriors to rally and continue the fight to end abortion beyond the 40 days. The group circled the abortion facility, led by a banner which read “Viva Christo Rey – By Thy Power May Peace Come,” seven times. At the conclusion a horn blasted as everyone shouted in prayer, just as God told the Israelites in Joshua 6: 4-5, “On the seventh day march around the city seven times, and have the priests blow the horns. When they give a long blast on the ram’s horns and you hear the sound of the horn, all the people shall shout aloud. The wall of the city will collapse, and the people shall attack straight ahead.”
A winter resident from New Jersey and seasonal member of St. Patrick Parish in Sarasota, Owens participated several times in the 40 Days for Life fall campaign in Sarasota. The Diocesan Respect Life Office has been coordinating the campaign since the first national fall campaign in 2007.
There is much excitement about the recent Supreme Court decision on the new Texas law severely limiting abortions, but the faithful must remain vigilant, as has been witnessed by the many states proposing or passing legislation making abortion available at various stages of life.
Having prayerful witnesses in front of abortion facilities serves as a powerful message of hope for those mothers who may think abortion is the only alternative they have for their unborn child, explained Co-Coordinator Rick Hellenbrand. Participants also brought diapers to be given to needy moms through area pregnancy resource centers.
Alexa, a native of Trinidad and Tobago, was married for a year when she became pregnant. It should have been a happy time, but that’s when the abuse began. “My husband, now ex-husband, just changed,” Alexa said. “He started treating me differently. He didn’t want the baby and encouraged me to have an abortion. When I refused, he slowly became more and more abusive. Eventually, the physical, psychological, emotional abuse — it was intolerable. I fled.”
“When Alexa came to us, she was very scared,” said Alexa’s case worker at Our Mother’s House, Ada Laureano. “But she was open to help, open to doing her part. With a little support, she became engaged, proactive, and resourceful. It’s been a good relationship with her.”
