The Catholic Community Foundation of Southwest Florida is once again proudly offering “Mary Fran Carroll Scholarships” to residents of Sarasota County, for the 2020-21 academic year. A total of 11 scholarships, each valued at $3,000, are being offered for both traditional and non-traditional students. Scholarships can be used for tuition, books and fees at an accredited college, university or vocational program (housing expenses are not eligible).
This scholarship which was made possible through the Catholic legacy of Mary Fran Carroll and her generous gift to the Catholic Community Foundation of Southwest Florida. Mary Fran Carroll was a woman of deep Catholic faith, who wanted those receiving her scholarships to benefit from her legacy by being better prepared to face the challenges of the world today and the ages to come, in addition to using their education for the betterment of the entire community.
Through Ms. Carroll’s generous gift to the Foundation, traditional academic scholarships of $3,000 each will be available to residents of Sarasota County. These traditional educational opportunities will be open to graduating seniors and recent high school graduates (within the last two years) from Catholic, private or public high schools in Sarasota County who wish to pursue an undergraduate degree at any accredited college or university.
In addition, non-traditional academic scholarships of $3,000 each will be available to residents of Sarasota County. These non-traditional educational opportunities will be open to adult learners who are returning to school to obtain a college degree or vocational certification after being out of high school for three or more years.
Previous Traditional and Non-traditional “Mary Fran Carroll Scholarship” winners can apply to renew their scholarships for up to a total of five academic years for students maintaining a minimum GPA of 3.2 on a 4.0 (unweighted) scale.
All applications and supporting documents must be submitted electronically at www.ccfdioceseofvenice.org by 11:59 p.m. March 1, 2020.
Lento said student choose Cardinal Mooney for a learning experience that will help them to prepare for a bright future in college, and the extensive use of technology is a big factor in that decision. With the new Learning Center “Cardinal Mooney has now upped the ante… I thank the Baird family and the Gail Baird Foundation for renovating this facility and for bettering the quality of our learning environment.”
Like every new year, 2020 offers each of us a fresh start. It’s a perfect time to reject bad habits, announce admirable goals and initiate innovative ideas. Although many people and organizations shun the inherent challenges of change, Catholic schools welcome them with open hearts and minds.
Bishop Frank J. Dewane stressed the importance of this reality when speaking about the meaning and symbolism that we must recognize and accept that on Christmas Day, “the Savior, the Messiah, is sent to us. In so doing, you and I become children of God.”
A common pre-Christmas celebration at several Parishes in the Diocese is “Las Posadas,” a tradition from Mexico and Central and South America where the Nativity story is retold over the course of nine days. The highlight of the novena is one larger centerpiece gathering. One of the more elaborate celebrations occurs at St. Michael Parish in Wauchula. This year, the celebration was postponed due to weather until Jan. 4. In the retelling of the Nativity story, more than 100 youth participated.
The events and activities listed represent a mere fraction of what took place in December at Parishes and schools across the Diocese of Venice.
The Diocese of Venice Respect Life Office is co-sponsoring several events to mark the 47th tragic anniversary of the Roe v. Wade U.S. Supreme Court decision which opened the door for abortion in the United States.
In addition, the U. S. Catholic Bishops invite everyone to join thousands of Catholics nationwide for 9 Days of Prayer for Life, a novena from Jan. 21-29 for the protection of human life. Each day’s intention is accompanied by a short reflection and suggested actions to help build a Culture of Life. You can receive daily pro-life prayers via e-mail or on your phone via text. For further information, visit 
Through hard work, dedication, and the support of parishioners and community partners, the school was handcrafted by the very families that wanted their children to have a quality, Catholic education. Since those humble beginnings, St. Elizabeth Seton Catholic School carries on their legacy through rich traditions rooted in family values and faith in action. The tradition continues with the large number of alumni who have children enrolled in our school.
Every student at Cardinal Mooney participates in giving back through community service and is required to complete 100 hours of service during their four years at the college preparatory school.
Celebrated on Dec. 12, the Feast is often linked to the Dec. 9 Feast of St. Juan Diego, the day in 1531 when Our Lady first appeared to the saint near modern day Mexico City.
Celebrations took place in many parishes and schools throughout the Diocese. Hundreds took part in rainy procession along U.S. 41 to St. Peter the Apostle Parish in Naples on their way to Mass. At Our Lady of Grace Parish in Avon Park the Mass was followed by an outdoor festival with music, dancing and food. Diocesan Catholic Schools also took time out to celebrate Our Lady by using the moment as a teaching lesson.
This apparition led to the conversion of Mexico almost overnight, when up to that time Catholic missionaries from Europe had made very little headway. The Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City was built on the site of the apparitions and is one of the most visited religious shrines in the world. It is also home of the actual tilma of St. Juan Diego, which can still be seen, with the image clearly visible, nearly 500 years later.
