Living rosary launches students into Spring Break
On March 11, 2022, the student body of Cardinal Mooney Catholic High School in Sarasota participated in praying a living rosary as a lead up to Spring Break. A living rosary consists of people representing each bead of the rosary. Each person then leads one prayer of the rosary. Different grade levels represented different decades, including one in Spanish. This was the last group gathering for the students before going on Spring Break.
Ukraine Relief
As the world continues to pray for peace and for the victims of the war in Ukraine, the Diocese of Venice has made it possible for the faithful to support charitable relief and assist in providing humanitarian aid, as well as necessary recovery efforts. Donations may be sent to the Diocese of Venice, with “Ukraine” indicated in the memo or note line at the following address: Diocese of Venice in Florida, Ukraine Relief, 1000 Pinebrook Road, Venice, FL 34285, or visit https://dioceseofvenice.org/ways-to-give/ and click the donate button. Also, please keep the people of the Ukraine in your prayers.
Students take part in leadership retreat
St. John Neumann Catholic High School students, along with Sister April Hoffman, FMA, attended the Salesian Leadership Retreat the week of March 7-11, 2022. The retreat is run by the Salesian Sisters of St. John Bosco, which is the same religious order that leads Neumann. The group stopped in Hoboken, N.J., for a little sightseeing excursion before traveling to Haledon to meet up with more of the Salesian family. While on the retreat, the warm-weather Neumann Celtics also got a taste of snow during a tour of New York City.
Artist makes mark at Naples school
Local artist, Marcus Zotter, is at it again. He painted another amazing mural on an interior wall of the St. Ann Catholic School library. The artwork incorporates the images of five current students. Earlier in the school year, Zotter created a dolphin-themed mural on a nearby exterior wall.
Gravity and eggs = SCIENCE
1st Graders at St. Martha Catholic School in Sarasota conducted an Easter Egg Gravity Investigation on March 11, 2022. The young scientists have been learning about gravity and after making their predictions, they did a variety of tests with different types of fresh and plastic eggs on a ramp, at varying levels and kept track of the results in a data table.
Books Team places third
Three sixth grade girls represented St. Joseph Catholic School in Bradenton as the first ever Battle of the Books Team. The students were Anya, Bailey, and Kimberly. On March 11, 2022, the team competed against other Manatee County Schools at Braden River High School. Teams earned points by answering questions about the 15 Sunshine State Young Readers Award Books for 2021-2022. As first-time competitors, the St. Joseph girls took third place. Congratulations!
From small colleges far away to large local universities, students were able to ask questions of 51 different representatives from across the United States.
Congratulations to St. Joseph Catholic School students from Bradenton who competed in the Knights of Columbus State Free Throw Contest on March 5, 2022, at Melbourne High School in Melbourne. Bendli took 1st place for 12-year-old boys; Serafina was second for 13-year-old girls; Nathan was third for 11-year-old boys; and Rodnel won at the regional level for nine-year-old boys. Students competed in their age level divisions after having won local, district, and regional levels.
The Incarnation Catholic School Cheer Team from Sarasota took first place in the Feb. 28, 2022, East Coast Cheer Championships in Tampa. Congratulations Ladies!
A new Stations of the Cross Prayer Garden was designed and constructed by Bishop Verot Catholic High School woodshop students to encourage everyone to visit and meditate on the Passion of our Lord. It was unveiled in Fort Myers on March 3, 2022, and includes the 14 Stations of the Cross, which depict the last hours of Jesus’ life: from His condemnation to His burial.
Another great retreat is in the books at St. John Neumann Catholic High School in Naples. The Junior Olympics for the class of 2023 was held March 3, 2022, as the students spent the day learning, working, and competing together.
Middle school students at St. Andrew Catholic School in Cape Coral have been assisting NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) with beta testing on a new generation of electric-powered aircraft that can fly safely while conserving resources and reducing pollution. The St. Andrew students had a unique opportunity to assist NASA by beta testing a new lesson that the agency developed to inspire the next generation of aeronautic engineers. The lesson, titled “Wingin’ It,” is a multiphase STREAM (Science, Technology, Religion, Engineering, Art, Math) lesson for engaging students in experimental aircraft research. The students worked in teams and worked on building and testing the flights of different styles of airplanes; testing the effect of adding weight incrementally; designing and building a support system to reduce flutter in wings; and modifying a paper airplane to improve its performance. The students also provided feedback to NASA on the positive aspects, challenges and ideas for improving the lesson. With the help of the St. Andrew students, NASA will finalize “Wingin’ It” before publishing it for use by students across the country.
The Cardinal Mooney Catholic High School Lady Cougars basketball team fell short of their goal of winning a State Championship during a return trip to the Class 3A Finals on Feb. 25, 2022, at RP Funding Center in Lakeland.
While the loss is disappointing, the team has nearly its entire roster returning for another run next season. The team is led by two juniors, Jordyn Byrd (12 points and 13 rebounds), and Olivia Davis (7 points and 5 rebounds), and two freshman Kali Barrett (8 points, 9 rebounds) and Sy’monique Simon (8 points).
The finalists include – Alexis Camina (St. John Neumann Catholic High School, Naples), Sophia Miller (Bishop Verot Catholic High School, Fort Myers), Catherine Graham and Winston Fairchild (Donahue Catholic Academy of Ave Maria Parish, Ave Maria), and Hallie Monserez, Peter Etz and Sofia Cava (Cardinal Mooney Catholic High School, Sarasota).
Just a few hours earlier, the St. John Neumann Catholic High School Lady Celtic Basketball Team from Naples fell in the Class 2A State Semifinal in Lakeland. This was the team’s first trip to the State Final Four since 2008.
The Naples women faced Miami Christian, the defending State Champions, in the State Semifinals. The Lady Celtics lost 68-45, ending their dream season with a 23-6 record. While the final score suggests the game was never close, the Lady Celtics fought hard against a team that beat opponents by 174 points in the previous three games combined. The best Neumann player throughout the year was Leah Martin-Gonzales, a senior, who averaged 18.5 points per game with Sophia Mccartney, a sophomore, who averaging 16.3 points per game and 13 rebounds.
The Lady Cougars defeated King’s Academy of West Palm Beach 50-42 in their own Semifinal. The team lifted their season record to 19-6, having won their last six games to reach the Final. The team’s leading scorers are Olivia Davis and Keli Barret. The Class 3A State Final against Westminster Academy of Fort Lauderdale is at 4:30 p.m., Friday. Feb. 25 in Lakeland.
The St. Catherine Catholic School Robotics Team demonstrated their skills on Feb. 15, 2022, in Sebring during a visit from Diocese of Venice Superintendent of Catholic Education Father John Belmonte, SJ, and Jennifer Falestiny, Diocesan Curriculum Specialist. The team has made remarkable progress in their skill level and has participated in a few competitions to hone their skills in preparation for a Diocesan Robotics Competition in May.
Congratulations to the seven Diocese of Venice Catholic high school seniors for advancing as Finalists in the National Merit Scholarship Program! The finalists are: Alexis Camina of St. John Neumann Catholic High School in Naples; Catherine Graham and Winston Fairchild of Donahue Catholic Academy of Ave Maria Parish; Hallie Monserez, Peter Etz and Sofia Cava of Cardinal Mooney Catholic High School in Sarasota; and Sophia Miller of Bishop Verot Catholic High School in Fort Myers. Finalists have an opportunity to continue in the competition for some 7,500 National Merit Scholarships worth more than $30 million. The process to become a Finalist includes submitting a detailed application with information about their academic record, participation in school and community activities, demonstrated leadership abilities, employment, as well as honors and awards received.
The Catholic-Jewish Dialogue of Collier County presents Rabbi Abraham Skorka, a longtime friend of Pope Francis, for a presentation at 3 p.m., Sunday, April 3, at St. John the Evangelist Parish, 625 111th Ave. N., Naples. With his return visit to the Diocese of Venice, Rabbi Skorka will describe his ongoing Catholic-Jewish dialogue with Pope Francis beginning while the Pontiff was Archbishop of Buenos Aires and which continues to this day. The program is presented by the Catholic-Jewish Dialogue of Collier County, the Diocese of Venice and the Jewish Federation of Greater Naples. Tickets are $18 per person in advance ($25 at the door if space is available). To purchase tickets, please visit 
The Mass was held Feb. 11, 2022, at St. Elizabeth Seton Parish. Among those present were the entire St. John Neumann Catholic High School student body, along with middle-schoolers from St. Elizabeth Seton Catholic School, St. Ann Catholic School, Royal Palm Academy, each in Naples, as well as those from Donahue Catholic Academy of Ave Maria Parish in Ave Maria.
The healing powers of the Incarnate Savior are profound, able to set one off to rekindle the graces given at birth and to live a new life moving forward. The Gospel reading of the day recounted the story of Jesus healing a deaf man with a speech impediment, described in graphic details in the Gospel of Mark: 31-37. “He took him off by himself away from the crowd. He put his finger into the man’s ears and, spitting, touched his tongue; then he looked up to heaven and groaned, and said to him, “Ephphatha!” (that is, “Be opened!”) And immediately the man’s ears were opened, his speech impediment was removed, and he spoke plainly.”
“It is my prayer that each one of you will look at today’s Gospel message and learn something about your spiritual wellbeing and the grace you need in your life,” the Bishop said. “We work at helping each other, anyone we see in need – and I know you do that well. However, it is also about looking to ourselves and understanding how Christ wants to help you grow spiritually, using the graces that have been bestowed upon you as you continue to become more the man or woman of God you are called to be in your life.”
Congratulations to Diocese of Venice Seminarian W. Pat Long, who was among 12 Instituted as an Acolyte on Feb. 9, 2022, at Pope St. John XXIII National Seminary in Weston, Massachusetts. The installation was presided over by Cardinal Wilton Gregory of the Archdiocese of Washington, D.C. The installation Mass plays an important role in the formation of the seminarians in their journey toward becoming priests. As an acolyte, each man’s primary role will be assisting the deacon and priest during Mass. They may also serve as Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion at Mass, bring Holy Eucharist to the sick, and participate in other tasks while aiding the priest and deacon during liturgical celebrations. Please join in praying for all of these men, but in particular Pat Long who is discerning his vocation to the priesthood for the Diocese of Venice.
Jordyn Byrd, a Cardinal Mooney Catholic High School basketball player recently reached the 1,000-point milestone in her career. She accomplished this milestone on Feb. 11, 2022, in Sarasota, during a victory which led to a regional playoff win. Jordyn also plays volleyball and in January was named 2021-2022 Gatorade Florida Volleyball Player of the Year. She has maintained a 3.72 GPA in the classroom and will begin her senior year of high school this fall. She has already committed to continuing her athletic and academic career at the University of Texas.
Future surgeons at St. Martha Catholic School in Sarasota showed their skills in Christina Via-Reque’s Kinder Cardiology on Feb. 10, 2022! These doctors scrubbed in and worked on their patients to practice reading, writing, colors, motor skills, sounding out words, math and more!
The Donahue Catholic Academy of Ave Maria Parish boy’s soccer dream season came to an end with a 2-1 loss in the Class 2A-Region 3 quarterfinal match on Feb. 9, 2022, to Bradenton Christian Academy. The Shamrocks’ Aidan Minter accounted for the only goal in the heartbreaking loss. The Shamrocks had earned a home field game by clinching a district title on Feb. 4. The team should be proud of their success and vow to do better next year.
Some 70 seventh graders from St. Martha Catholic School and St. Mary Academy in Sarasota enjoyed a Cougar Experience Day on Feb. 9, 2022, at Cardinal Mooney Catholic High School. In addition to a tour, the younger students took part in fun activities across the campus and heard from the high schoolers who shared what makes Mooney so special.
To ensure that students at St. Andrew Catholic School learn the necessary skills to function in a modern world, the use of iPads and technology is standard. However, experience using tools such as a microscope still serve a vital purpose in the learning process. On Feb. 9, the sixth-grade science class in Cape Coral used their microscopes to identify various elements as part of a larger STREAM (Science, Technology, Religion, Engineering, Arts, Math) curriculum. Of course, they were able to create images of the slide and save them on their iPads, but using the actual equipment made a real difference in the lesson.
One of the main highlights at many of the schools is Grandparents Day, a time to recognize and honor these key members of the faith community who pass down traditions, values, and the faith to the following generations.
“Our Diocesan Schools are vibrant Catholic communities which work to support children in a very supreme way, recognizing and promoting their greatest potential,” Bishop Dewane said. “God has given individual gifts to the students and our faculty and staff offer the opportunity for each individual to grow and develop into the man or woman of God they are called to be. Grandparents play a vital role in that.”
“In a world where the young are threatened in many ways, grandparents serve a role in the transmission of values and faith,” Bishop Dewane said. “The young respond to you by your presence while helping them strive to answer the call of God in their life.”
At Donahue Catholic Academy of Ave Maria Parish, the week ended on Feb. 5, with a traditional outdoor Eucharistic Procession which included the praying of the rosary and stations for Adoration.
For example, during a Feb. 3 celebration at St. Elizabeth Seton Catholic School in Naples, Father Belmonte learned how the school is using a Devotional Project to promote a celebration of the saints. To mark the occasion, dozens of students and teachers dressed as their favorite saints and shared stories about the life of the saint they represented.
Bishop Verot Catholic High School in Fort Myers celebrated Catholic Schools Week with an all-school Mass at neighboring St. Cecilia Parish, an Academic Quiz Bowl (won by the teachers), and the presenting of academic awards.
