A cold wind did nothing to deter those gathered for the 24th Annual Sarasota Prayer Walk for Life on Jan. 18, 2022, as they stood in prayerful witness for the unborn outside of a large abortion facility.
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.
Prior to the Walk for Life, Bishop Frank J. Dewane celebrated the Mass at nearby St. Martha Parish. There he stressed that abortion is not a political problem, but a moral issue – the taking of a human life.
“As today’s Old Testament reading tells us, we are asked to hear that call of the Lord in life – to stand up and be one who is willing to speak out,” Bishop Dewane said. “This means being active in the ministry of safeguarding life in a manner worthy of the human person, in a manner worthy of the call you received.”
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.
“We must be humbled by the Grace of God, in light of what has been achieved,” Bishop Dewane continued. “This is a defining moment in our nation; a chance to promote an authentic Culture of Life. But that Culture of Life must be carried across the spectrum as we fill the moral void and defend life from conception to natural death.”
Among the Prayer Walk participants were a group of about 80 students from Donahue Catholic Academy of Ave Maria Parish Pro-Life Club. This club travelled to St. Augustine earlier in the week to visit the National Shrine of Our Lady of La Leche where their Pastor, Father David Vidal, celebrated Mass for the group. The teens then spent the night in Sarasota before participating in the Sarasota Prayer Walk for Life.
One Pro-Life Club student expressed joy at being able to participate in the Prayer Walk knowing that she is being an example for others to follow.
“We are here to show that our generation cares about life,” she added. “Being here is where God wants us. We are the Pro-Life generation!”
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.”
Sidewalk counselors and participants in the Prayer Walk were excited to see so many young people standing up for life.
“They are the one’s who will be here when I can’t be out here anymore,” one counselor said.
The Prayer Walk for Life, and similar ones in the region, are held in solidarity with the National March for Life scheduled for Jan. 21 in Washington, D.C. and a Florida March for Life on Jan. 15, in St. Augustine.
Annually a large group from the Diocese of Venice, mostly composed of youth and accompanied by Bishop Dewane, participate in the National March for Life. The 2021 March was postponed and became a virtual event. This year, about 70 teens, mostly from Bishop Verot Catholic High School in Fort Myers and Cardinal Mooney Catholic High School in Sarasota, are expected to represent the Diocese along with a group of 100 from Ave Maria University.
Meanwhile, a Prayer Walk for Life took place on Jan. 15 at St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Grove City. This annual walk includes a procession around the Parish grounds and the praying of the rosary drawing nearly 100 people. The walk is a call to end abortion, but participants are also reminded that they stand as witnesses to the dignity of the human person and the event is truly a celebration of life.
Other prayer walks are scheduled for Jan. 22. One is slated to begin at 9 a.m. on U.S. 41 near St. Leo the Great Parish in Bonita Springs. At 10:30 a.m., a first-ever Walk for Life and rally will take place in Ave Maria by the football field. This is a joint effort of Ave Maria Parish, Ave Maria University and Community Pregnancy Clinics, Inc., and will include guest speakers including Bishop Dewane.
Praying for life in the Diocese of Venice takes place year-round. To learn more about how to support life, please visit www.dioceseofvenice.org/respectlife.
Among the scholarships being offered is the Mary Fran Carroll Scholarship to residents of Sarasota County, for the 2022-23 academic year. A total of 11 scholarships are being offered for both traditional and non-traditional students.
Third grade students at St. Catherine Catholic School in Sebring explored different forms of energy during a lesson on Jan. 13, 2022. One of the more joyful parts of the experiments was learning about static electricity when they used a few balloons to cause some hair to stand on end.
It was in December 2021 when a group of St. Francis Xavier Catholic School students received assistance crossing a busy intersection with the aid of the Fort Myers Police Department in their patrol cars and using their lights and sirens to the delight of the children. As a way of thanks, the fourth graders invited members of the Fort Myers Police Department to personally thank them for their support and service in celebration of Law Enforcement Appreciation Day on Jan. 7, 2022.
In the coming months there will be the Ordination to the Priesthood of three men, the Diocesan Phase of the Synod on Synodality, Masses for couples celebrating significant wedding anniversaries, a first-time joint Men’s and Women’s Conference, a continuing initiative to curb the impacts of pornography on society, opportunities to promote the sanctity of life, and learning experiences of various types.
The Office of Respect Life will be busy throughout 2022 with a variety of activities, all to raise awareness about important issues regarding the sanctity of all human life from conception to natural death. First up is the 24th annual Sarasota Prayer Walk for Life on Tuesday, Jan. 18, outside of the Planned Parenthood in downtown Sarasota. Bishop Dewane will celebrate Mass at 8:30 a.m. at St. Martha Parish, 200 N. Orange Ave., Sarasota. A bus will shuttle participants to the abortion center on Central Avenue to circle the block in prayer as many times as desired. The walk coincides with the anniversary of the Roe vs. Wade court decision which paved the way for legalized abortion in the U.S.
Catholic Charities, Diocese of Venice, Inc., will be hosting several events to support its more 30 than programs throughout the Diocese. First up on Wednesday, Jan. 19, is the “Celebration of Hope Luncheon” to benefit the programs in Lee, Hendry and Glades counties, The Luncheon begins at 11:30 a.m., at the Lexington Country Club, 16257 Willowcrest Way, Fort Myers. For tickets to this event, please contact Victoria Guevara at 
Lockers for students at St. Elizabeth Seton Catholic School in Naples made their debut when students returned from Christmas Break on Jan. 4, 2022. Those lockers are the first at the school and are courtesy of the Donahue Catholic Academy of Ave Maria. The Academy replaced some of their school lockers with larger ones in the fall. The used lockers were then donated to the Naples school and were only recently installed.
The Feast of the Epiphany, Jan. 6, 2022, is the manifestation of Jesus as Messiah, Son of God and Savior of the world. The great Feast of the Epiphany celebrates the adoration of Jesus by the wise men from the East and was celebrated at different Diocesan Catholic Schools. Epiphany Cathedral Catholic School in Venice, the eighth graders led a procession and brief play retelling the story for the entire student body. At St. Andrew Catholic School in Cape Coral, the Feast Day, was taught in second grade Spanish class, where students learned about how traditions are celebrated differently in Spain and Latin America. Both schools held celebrations which included food and the wearing of crowns.
St. Francis Xavier Catholic School seventh graders were visited on Jan. 10, 2022, by a representative of Lee County Mosquito Control who brought samples of the different bugs and types of mosquitoes found throughout the area and explained how some bugs are good for the environment while others can carry disease. Further, it was explained what the county does to control the mosquito population, including spraying, and what each student can do on a daily basis to help keep the mosquito population under control.
While some events were modified, delayed or even postponed, the Diocese was blessed to have two men Ordained to the Priesthood; welcome hundreds into the Church at the Easter Vigil; start a massive robotics program in its Catholic schools; host a successful Youth Rally, as well as Women’s and Men’s Conferences; honor the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony; continue to pray for victims of abuse; honor our veterans; prayer walks for an end to abortion; assist tens of thousands with food and other support; evidence major enrollment gains in its Catholic schools; dedicate a new Parish Church and Retreat Center Shrine; continue to expand the outreach to the Hispanic Catholic community; inaugurate the Diocesan Phase of the XVI Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, “For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation, and Mission,” and conclude the “Year of St. Joseph.”
One of the most important building blocks of the Catholic Church is the ordination of men to the priesthood. The Diocese of Venice was blessed to have two men ordained in 2021 presided over by Bishop Frank J. Dewane at Epiphany Cathedral. Three other seminarians were ordained to the Transitional Diaconate in 2021 and are expected to be ordained to the priesthood in 2022.
During Holy Week the priests of the Diocese gathered for the annual Chrism Mass; a powerful sign of unity with more than 100 priests on the altar with Bishop Dewane at the Cathedral. This annual Mass is one of the most critical and unifying moments for the Diocese during Holy Week. At the Chrism Mass, priests and deacons who celebrate milestone anniversaries were honored. To accommodate the latest guidance on social distancing and limiting the size of gatherings at the time, only priests and Permanent Deacons and their wives were present for the Mass. The public was able to view this Mass via livestream.
Two major dedications took place in the first half of 2021. First was the Dedication and Blessing of a new Parish Church for St. Paul Parish in Arcadia on March 21, 2021. The building more than quadrupled the capacity of the previous church and offers room for future Parish offices, classrooms and a Parish Hall. The project followed strict guidelines to ensure the building is energy efficient is the context of Laudato Si. A centerpiece feature of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Retreat Center in Venice was dedicated and blessed by Bishop Dewane before an enthusiastic crowd on June 6, 2021. The Shrine to Our Lady of Perpetual Help is a fitting memorial to the Blessed Virgin who serves as the exemplar for all to follow.
The lesson of Advent, making a sacrifice for others, was found in so many different ways at each of the 15 Catholic Schools. Toy, gift and food drives were held with thousands of items given with love and the joy of the Season to those less fortunate in the region.
December was a busy time at St. John Neumann Catholic High School in Naples. The amazing YACHT (Youth And Christ Helping Together) Club gathered weeks ago to make homemade Christmas cards for military men and women serving overseas that will not make it home for the holidays. The YACHT Club also sponsored a Neumann Fun Night and gave some of the hard-working students a chance to take in the Victoria Park Christmas Lights via the “Neumann Express,” driven by one of the teachers. The night also included adoration in the chapel and a visit to the convent for a cookie decorating competition, a festive holiday wear contest, and Christmas Jeopardy with the Salesian Sisters of St. John Bosco who serve at the school.
The 2021 Christmas Eve and Christmas Day Mass times for Parishes throughout the Diocese of Venice can be found on the Diocese of Venice homepage at https://dioceseofvenice.org/2021-diocesan-parish-christmas-mass-times/. The listings are in alphabetical order by the city the Parish is located. For details on youth choirs or musical accompaniment, please contact the Parish via the phone number or website listed for further information.
In a letter of congratulations to the 15 Diocesan Catholic School principals, Father Belmonte said the enrollment success in the Diocese is impressive compared to the rest of the state but should come as no surprise to them.
