As the calendar changed from April into May 2024 the graduating seniors at the four Diocese of Venice Catholic high schools embarked on a series of events leading up to graduation.
The students at Cardinal Mooney Catholic High School in Sarasota, St. John Neumann Catholic High School in Fort Myers, Bishop Verot Catholic High School in Fort Myers, and Donahue Catholic Academy of Ave Maria Parish in Ave Maria, were treated to several different rites of passage.
First was the final all-school Mass which included the seniors. This is when the outgoing seniors hand-off their leadership roles to the rising juniors who will be part of the class of 2025. Special blessings were offered at these Masses, praying for the continued health, safety, success of the men and women, but most important was a prayer for their growing in a deeper relationship with the Lord.
At the Cardinal Mooney Mass on May 7, school Chaplain Father Eric Scanlan blessed the class rings, and graduating altar servers and Senior Student Ministry students were recognized. Those ministry students earlier signed the school processional cross in honor of their legacy of leadership and faith. The next day, on May 8, the Mooney seniors took part in a traditional “Clap-Out” day wherein the student body lined up at the exits of the school and clapped as the graduates, wearing clothes signed by their classmates, departed the campus for the final time.
At Bishop Verot the class of 2024 took part in the annual “Senior Sunset” on May 8. As the sun set on the night before their final day of classes, the seniors gathered on the football field for a memorable evening filled with laughter, nostalgia, and heartfelt goodbyes. The highlight of the night was the distribution of yearbooks, where memories were relived and reminisced by everyone. Seniors signed each other’s shirts, leaving their mark as a lasting reminder of their shared journeys. Another great part of the night was when each senior received the letter they wrote to themselves during their Freshman Retreat. Reading these letters, they reflected on their growth, dreams, and the incredible journeys they’ve experienced together at Verot.
In a similar tradition, St. John Neumann hosted a “Senior Sunrise,” on April 30. As the sun peeked over the horizon, illuminating the new dawn with its golden rays, the students shared laughter, reminisced about cherished memories, and looked ahead excitedly to the adventures awaiting them. The event takes place at sunrise to symbolize the dawn of a new chapter in the graduates’ lives, filled with endless possibilities and bright opportunities.
The events for the graduating class at Donahue Academy are more traditional with each senior receiving special acknowledgement for their part in building the legacy of the school. The school’s Catholic, classical education culminates with its annual Senior Thesis Defense. Students research and write a 15-page paper on a difficult, relevant question answered according to principles of right reason and divine truth, which they must defend in a public forum.
Next up for all graduates is a Baccalaureate Mass, celebrated by Bishop Frank J. Dewane. During this Mass, their last as a class, the Holy Spirit is invoked, and prayers of thanksgiving are offered to God for the many blessings received by the graduating students and their families. Finally comes their Commencement Exercises, officially marking the students as alumni of their respective Diocese of Venice Catholic school.
The graduates of the Ave Maria School of Law in Naples were told by Bishop Frank J. Dewane to go forward and allow the Holy Spirit to inspire them in their life, during a Baccalaureate Mass at St. Agnes Parish in Naples on May 10, 2024. Bishop Dewane also told them to follow the path of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the patroness of the school, who accepted in faith what the Lord asked. “Faith is a virtue – a welcoming and cherishing bond with Jesus Christ,” the Bishop said. “That is what makes us men and women of faith. Let it grow in your heart as you launch into a new life after having been given this tremendous opportunity and experience here at Ave Maria School of Law.” The commencement was April 12, Ascension Sunday and Mother’s Day, at Artis-Naples.
The staff of the Diocese of Venice Catholic Center took part in a prayer service, led by Bishop Frank J. Dewane, honoring the Blessed Virgin Mary on May 8, 2024. Bishop Dewane noted how the month of May is dedicated to Our Lady and it is appropriate to honor her seeking the Blessed Virgin’s intercession on our behalf. During the prayer service, the Catholic Center staff prayed Litany of Our Lady of Loretto, the Hail Mary, and sang the Salve Regina.
To ensure the devotional project’s success, in October 2023, the Education Department trained the junior catechists, eighth grade leaders from each of the Diocese’s 12 elementary schools. The training stressed the importance for the junior catechists to be leaders in faith, evangelization, and discipleship. These junior catechists then went into the classroom to teach their schoolmates about Our Lady, the Most Holy Rosary and how to grow closer to the Lord.
The winning teams were:
The Remake Learning Days Family Fun Day for residents of Casa San Juan Bosco, a farmworker housing community in Arcadia run by Catholic Charities, Diocese of Venice, Inc., took place April 20, 2024. There were games, food and information booths. There was also the surprise arrival of a Florida Department of Forestry helicopter landing in the soccer field. The two pilots answered many questions and allowed the children to climb up and into the helicopter.
