With a shower of confetti, the inaugural Diocese of Venice Lion Cup Robotics Tournament got off to a rousing start on May 14, 2022, at St. Francis Xavier Catholic School in Fort Myers.
The Lion Cup – a STREAM (Science, Technology, Religion, Engineering, Arts, Math) middle and high school robotics tournament, included 150 competitors, 23 teams, representing 13 Diocesan Catholic schools. The competition was fierce, and the intensity built as the day progressed and the participants became laser-focused on being the best.
Emily Graham of the middle school Shambots 2 team from Donahue Catholic Academy of Ave Maria Parish said the team prayed and sought the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary for success in the competition.
“We worked so hard to get ready and it was so much fun to compete against the other schools and then we won,” Emily, a 6th grader said with a big smile. “These robots are so amazing. We worked together to get everything to work.”
Jackalyn Flynn, a member of the Dollar Store Stark Industries team from Bishop Verot Catholic High School in Fort Myers, said the competition was tough but she had lots of fun. “This was hard. We just created our team and learned so much from this competition. We will do better next year.”
In a welcome video message from Bishop Frank J. Dewane, he described the students as pioneers forging a path for the next generation of leaders and innovators and believers.
“Your ideas and enthusiasm show no bounds as we celebrate the creative challenge founded on the Gifts of Christ,” Bishop Dewane said. “The Lion Cup is more than a friendly competition among Catholic schools, it demonstrates that STREAM is a faith-infused program that can help solve many of the world’s most daunting problems by upholding Catholic values and teaching the principles of strength, utility and beauty. The Lion Cup showcases that Diocese of Venice Catholic schools are preparing students who are ready to build, lead and succeed in a time when science and technology are at the forefront of nearly every facet of our lives.”
The competition was fierce as teams programed their robots to accomplish various tasks in a specific order in a limited amount of time. The middle school robots are made from Lego pieces and as they go through the obstacle course, their autonomous robot picks up items along the way. Teamwork comes into play in design, construction and strategy. The high school robots are 10 times larger and are both autonomous and have a remote control.
Just before the competition began, teams were allowed to practice on the designated courses and test their work. Many teams made adjustments before the actual competition began and then the intensity and focus of the participants was ramped up. With their teammates/classmates cheering from the sidelines, each completed – or failed- task evoked a reaction.
The teams were judged on robot design, accuracy, efficiency and other factors. Awards were presented to the top teams at the end of the competition.
Father John Belmonte, SJ, Superintendent of Catholic Education, said it was a great day, beyond his wildest dreams, giving much credit to Jennifer Falestiny, Diocesan Curriculum Coordinator and leader of the STREAM initiative in the Diocesan schools.
“What a huge success. So much virtue was shown here today,” Father Belmonte said. We do all of these things to give glory to God. That’s why our schools exist. That’s why our teachers teach. That’s why your parents send you to the school – everything to God’s glory.”
The Lion Cup honors St. Mark, one of the patron saints of the Diocese of Venice, whose symbol features a winged lion. The competition also pays homage to Leonardo da Vinci, inventor of many of the first robots, one of which resembles a lion.
“Da Vinci’s works incorporate three design attributes developed by Vitruvius, a famous Roman architect and engineer: Firmitas (strength), Utilitas (utility) and Venustas (beauty),” said Father Belmonte. “All three of these attributes will be aspects of our students’ robotic designs. The students have been preparing for this tournament for months and were eager to compete.”
Special awards were presented to the teams that reflected the attributes of Firmitas, Utilitas, and Venustas.
The Department of Education at the Diocese of Venice plans to host larger robotics competitions every year, possibly opening the invitation to other schools throughout Florida.
The winning teams were:
Middle school
- 1st – Shambots 2 – Donahue Catholic Academy of Ave Maria Parish
- 2nd – ECS Tigers 2 – Epiphany Cathedral Catholic School
- 3rd – Falcon Robot – St. Francis Xavier Catholic School
High School
- 1st – Despair Parts – St. John Neumann Catholic High School
- 2nd – Shambots 1 – Donahue Catholic Academy of Ave Maria Parish
- 3rd – SJN Team 2 – St. John Neumann Catholic High School
Venustas – Beauty – Our Lady of Mercy – Co-Patroness of the Diocese of Venice
- Middle school – ECS Tigers 1 – Eiphany Cathedral Catholic School
- High school – Dollar Store Stark Industries – Bishop Verot Catholic High School
Utilitas – Utility – St. Macrina – Patron Saint of Robots
- Middle school – Falcon Robot – St. Francis Xavier Catholic School
- High school – Shambots 1 – Donahue Catholic Academy of Ave Maria Parish
Firmitas – Strength – St. Mark the Evangelist – Co-Patron of the Diocese of Venice
- Middle school – Dragons – St. Mary Academy
- High school – Dollar Store Stark Industries – Bishop Verot Catholic High School
There were 120 graduates who received their diploma. The Valedictorian was Halle Monserez and Salutatorian was Peter Etz. The Commencement Address was given by Leah Roddenberry, Mooney Class of 2017, and current Miss Florida.
The Baccalaureate Mass was celebrated May 11 at Incarnation Parish with Most Rev. Bernard Hebda, Archbishop of the Archdiocese of St. Paul-Minneapolis, as the main celebrant (His nephew is a 2022 Mooney graduate).
Graduating Senior Leah Martin-Gonzales, of St. John Neumann Catholic High School in Naples, who repeated her Class 1A state titles in the long jump and the 100 hurdles, also finishing 6th in the 300 hurdles, and 14th as part of the 4×100 team.
Bishop Verot Catholic High School Senior Wyatt Whalen also won a State title in the Class 2A shot put and took 3rd in the discus.
To honor the role the Blessed Virgin plays in the life of the Church, many Parishes and Catholic schools in the Diocese have May Crowning ceremonies during which a statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary is given a crown of flowers. May is also the time when young Catholics often receive the Sacrament of Holy Communion for the first time.
In addition, at Donahue Catholic Academy of Ave Maria Parish, the entire student body took part in a procession May 2, 2022, from the school to the Parish Church, about a half-mile. The students were led by the school Pro-Life Club, reciting the rosary as well as singing. Father David Vidal, Pastor of Ave Maria Parish, presided over the procession and following prayer service and crowning.
Meanwhile, at St. Michael Parish in Wauchula, the May Crowning took place on May 8, 2022. A statue of Mary, which sits in a grotto outside of the Parish Hall, was crowned in a ceremony after Mass and included families and many children.
Congratulations to our Cardinal Mooney Catholic High School Girls Beach Volleyball team from Sarasota, they are State Champions for the Sunshine State Conference! The team beat Merritt Island High School on April 30, 2022, at Hickory Point Beach in Taveras. The team then fell in the quarterfinals of the FSHAA State Tournament on May 7, 2022, at Florida State University in Tallahassee. The team finished the season with a 22-2 overall record.
Congratulations to the Bishop Verot Catholic High School Viking Girls Tennis team in Fort Myers. They made Verot history today, earning 2nd place in the State Championship on April 29 at Red Bug Lake Park in Casselberry! The ladies entered the State Tournament at the 6th seed and took down two teams before falling in the Final to Gulliver Prep. Way to go ladies!
St. John Neumann Catholic High School Freshman Sophia Escobar pitched a Perfect Game on April 26, 2022, against South Fort Myers High School. She also struck out 14 batters during the game. A Perfect Game means Sofia did not allow any walks, hits or runs. Well done!
Pre-kindergarten students, the youngest at St. Catherine Parish in Sebring, had fun on May 9, 2022, learning how to measure different objects. This lesson is helping to prepare these young minds for more advanced math in Kindergarten and beyond.
Using vivid colors and inspiring imagery, six Diocesan Catholic school students were recently honored for their artwork as part of an All Saints Devotional Project focused on the Blessed Virgin, Queen of all Saints.
Invited to the Mass were the artists and their families, as well as principals, art teachers and junior catechists from each of the 15 Diocesan schools.
“When we pray to the saints, it is intended to help us grow in affection – not necessarily for those things in this world, as important as they might be – but instead to grow in affection to the things of God so that we can keep those at the center of our lives,” Father continued. “And if we are able to be affectionate to not only the things of this world but also to the things that are of part of Heaven, then we begin to live our lives directed toward God and toward a destiny of eternity with a life with God in Heaven.”
The six winning artists were selected from among 150 entries from Diocesan Catholic students and were recognized at a reception in the Parish Hall following the Mass. Among the winners was a mosaic painting created by fifth graders from St. Ann Catholic School in Naples, as well as five other individual artworks, with the honorees selected by representatives from the Diocesan Department of Catholic Education.
This recent devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary included age-appropriate catechesis for students so that they can carry with them a life-long devotion to the Blessed Virgin.
At its most basic elements, the All Saints Devotional Project is intended to build the Catholic identity of not just each Diocesan school, but of each student, family, teacher and faculty member.
The St. Andrew Catholic School Veggie Races capped off STREAM Night on April 28, 2022, in Cape Coral. The night included a variety of STREAM (Science, Technology, Religion, Engineering, Arts, Math) demonstrations throughout the schools. The highlight was the end of the evening Veggie Races. These races pit students against each other with racecars designed exclusive with vegetables – with a few skewers to hold everything together. The track was an inclined ramp with parallel lanes for the two competitors. The goal was to first get to the bottom without the racecar falling apart and then going as far as possible down the track. A great time was had by all as the students had use creativity and practicality to create a successful racecar.
Third graders at St. Catherine Catholic School in Sebring made pinecone birdseed feeders as part of a project to their Plants and Animals Science Unit on April 29, 2022. The patron saint of animals, St. Francis of Assisi, built bonds of love with all of the kinds of creatures in the animal kingdom. However, St. Francis had a special relationship with birds, who often followed him around and rested on his shoulders, arms, or hands as he prayed or walked around outside.
On April 30th, the middle school boys and girls track teams at Donahue Catholic Academy of Ave Maria Parish in Ave Maria, competed at their conference championships on April 30, 2022, and both teams came home Champions. Way to go teams!
Father Russell Ruggiero died at his home in Lakewood Ranch on April 18, 2022, at the age of 59. Father Ruggiero was ordained to the priesthood on May 29, 2010, at Epiphany Cathedral in Venice. He served as Parochial Vicar at Ss. Peter and Paul the Apostles Parish in Bradenton, San Marco Parish in Marco Island, and St. John XXIII Parish in Fort Myers. Father served as Administrator of St. Elizabeth Seton Parish from Jan. 8, 2017 to Oct. 19, 2018 before taking a leave of absence. A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on April 25 at Ss. Peter and Paul the Apostles Parish. Father Mark Heuberger, Pastor of Ss. Peter and Paul was the main celebrant with Bishop Frank J. Dewane in attendance. Please pray for the repose of the soul of Father Ruggiero and the consolation of his family. May his soul and the souls of all the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in eternal peace.
A MDS (Matrimonio, Diálogo y Seguimiento – Matrimony, Dialogue and Follow-Up) Wedding Retreat took place at Campo San Jose Retreat Center in Lake Placid on April 22-24, 2022. MDS, a Catholic-based Spanish-language enrichment program directed to all married couples which is designed to improve communication in the conjugal life for the couple. Participating couples are paired with mentor couples to help them daily live out their Sacramental Marriage, accompanied by Jesus. These intensive retreats are offered several times a year and the couples and their mentors have follow-up contact to ensure the lessons have a lasting impact. Father Claudio Stewart, Diocesan Director of the Hispanic Apostolate addressed the retreatants offering encouragement.
The St. Charles Borromeo Catholic School Robotics team from Port Charlotte has been preparing for their very first competition which takes place on May 14 in Fort Myers. These students have been working extremely hard and coming up with different strategies for this upcoming competition against other teams from throughout the Diocese. The students are working hard to build a strong team while developing skills in programming, modeling and design, all needed to ensure a successful competition.
With the assistance from members of the St. Elizabeth Seton Catholic School National Junior Honors Society, students returned from their Easter break on April 19, 2022, to vote on their favorite Sunshine State books. They did this by using real voting machines. Students from all levels, pre-kindergarten-3 through eighth grade, had the opportunity to vote. The machines were programmed to allow the students to choose from the different books. Everyone had fun using the machines while also learning about books and the voting process.
Cardinal Mooney Catholic High School students in Sarasota continued its 10-year partnership with the Miracle League of Manasota by continuing the service outreach on April 23, 2022. The goal of the Miracle League is to provide opportunities for differently-abled children and adults to play baseball. Members of the Mooney club volunteer each weekend, giving back by teaching various skills and being vocal cheerleaders for those who take part in the program.
The annual House Olympics at St. John Neumann Catholic High School in Naples took place on April 22, 2022, with Raley House taking the victory. Teams from each house participate in a variety of fun and games competing for points and ultimately a victory over their fellow competitors. Neumann has four “Houses” which serve as a form of student government, dividing students into different teams. Throughout the year these teams earn points for success in various academic and athletic individual and team competitions. The House Olympics is just one of the latest competitions. The championship team will be announced at the end of the year. This system was implemented to help younger students become more familiar with Neumann as freshman and through the years the older students serve as mentors to their House members.
The practice began as pious pilgrims traced the Lord’s path through Jerusalem on the Via Dolorosa. As many wanted to pass along the same route as Jesus, but could not make the journey to Jerusalem, a practice developed that eventually took the form of the 14 stations currently found in almost every church throughout the world.
This devotional prayer is recited throughout the year and tends to concentrate on the Fridays during the Lenten Season. The Stations can also be done in the form of a reenactment, or Living Stations, on Good Friday. Pope Francis took part in the annual Living Stations of the Cross at the Roman Colosseum on Good Friday, April 15, 2022. The devotion allows the Faithful to make a spiritual pilgrimage and meditate on the Passion of Christ.
For the Faithful at Jesus the Worker Parish in Fort Myers, the annual Living Stations is something this Hispanic community takes seriously. In the parking lot and field behind the Parish Hall, stages were erected, and a reenactment of the Stations took place, complete with Jesus crowned with thorns, as well as dozens of actors dressed in centurion garb or playing key figures in the retelling of the Passion. Upwards of a thousand Faithful first watched the opening scenes before following the 14-step procession as it wound its way through the Parish parking lot, stopping along the way to relive the suffering Christ endured with a narrator recounting the Gospel readings.
The Paschal Triduum of the Passion and Resurrection of the Lord begins with the evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper (Holy Thursday), has its center in the Easter Vigil, and closes with Vespers (Evening Prayer) of the Sunday of the Resurrection (Easter).
The Mass of the Lord’s Supper at St. Catherine Parish in Sebring included the commemoration when Jesus Christ established the Sacrament of Holy Communion prior to His arrest and crucifixion. It also observes His institution of the priesthood. This Liturgy included the presentation of the oils blessed and consecrated by Bishop Frank J. Dewane during the April 12 Chrism Mass, at Epiphany Cathedral in Venice, which will be used for the Sacraments in the Parish throughout the year. Later was the traditional washing of the feet, reenacting Jesus washing the feet of the Disciples. Following the Prayer after Communion, the Mass concluded with a procession to transfer the Holy Eucharist to the place of repose in the Parish Hall. This procession led out the main doors of the church and to the hall. This action left the tabernacle vacant until the Easter Vigil.
On Good Friday of the Lord’s Passion, the faithful at St. John the Evangelist Parish in Naples participated in the Liturgy which included the reading of the Passion from the Gospel of John. Next was the presentation of the cross, brought forth by the priest and unveiled as the priest sang: “This is the wood of the cross, on which hung the salvation of the world,” and the congregation responded: “Come let us adore.” The faithful were then encouraged to come forward to venerate the cross. This was done by either touching, bowing, or genuflecting.
On Holy Saturday, the only Mass of the day is the Easter Vigil, which begins in darkness. However, several Parishes did host a blessing of the Easter Baskets/food. This custom traditionally blesses food to be consumed at the first meal of Easter.
Many Parishes also hosted fun for children which often included Easter Egg hunts.
