Appointment
After consultation, Bishop Frank J. Dewane announces the following:
Father Franckel Fils-Aime, assigned for post graduate study at Pontifical North American College in Rome effective April 10, 2025, and thus is relieved of his duties as Parochial Vicar of St. Peter the Apostle Parish in Naples
Two from Mooney receive accolades for basketball success
The star player and head coach of the State Championship Cardinal Mooney Catholic High School Lady Cougars, who won the FHSAA 3A Championship on March 1, 2025, have both received top honors for their success this year. Senior Kali Barrett was voted the Florida Dairy Farmer 2025 3A Girls Basketball Player of the Year, while Head Coach Marlon Williams was named the Florida Dairy Farmers 2025 Class 3A Girls Basketball Coach of the Year. The Lady Cougars won the first State Championship in school history in March with a 27-9 record, finishing on a 17-game winning streak after starting the season 7-9. The program is rooted in hard work, discipline, and in the heart – and it showed every step of the way. Congratulations Kali and Coach Williams!
Mother’s Day Mass and Brunch at OLPH
Father Greg Cleveland, OMV, presents, “Precious and Hidden: Reflections on Motherhood,” on Mother’s Day, Sunday, May 11, 2025, at 3989 S. Moon Drive, Venice. Continental breakfast at 9:30 a.m. is followed by a morning conference, Mass with Mother’s Day Blessing, lunch, and the afternoon conference and optional Rosary Walk. Register online at www.olph-retreat.org and click on “Schedule of Events.”
Students collect food for local community
Students at St. Francis Xavier Catholic School in Fort Myers completed a service project for Lent that included collecting peanut butter and jelly for the Community Cooperative, a soup kitchen and food bank. Students collected an astounding 1,400 jars, packing up and delivering them on April 16, 2025. This is a great example of how Catholic school students live out their Catholic values through service and generosity.
Theology on Tap May 15 in Sarasota
Calling all young adults! Come enjoy an evening of faith, fellowship and fun at Theology on Tap on the third Thursday of every month. The May 15, 2025, gathering will feature a talk by Father Leland Thorpe, OMV, who assists at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Retreat Center in Venice. The talk is titled “Behold Your Mother: Thoughts on Mary in Mary’s Month.” Theology on Tap is a program for young adults in their 20s and 30s, providing an opportunity to explore faith topics in a relaxed social setting. The evenings are held at Oak & Stone, 5405 University Parkway, University Park, and begin with food and refreshments at 7 p.m., and presentations and discussions about the Catholic Faith beginning at 8 p.m. For more information, or with questions, contact Andres Prias, prias@dioceseofvenice.org.
St. Mary Academy Golf Tournament May 18
St. Mary Academy is hosting their 12th Annual Golf Tournament with a shotgun start at 1 p.m., May 18, 2025, at University Park Country Club, 7671 The Park Blvd, Sarasota. This is a best-ball tournament, and the cost is $150 per player. Participants will receive a goody bag, drinks, snacks, prizes, awards, and a sit-down BBQ dinner buffet. The event supports St. Mary Academy, which educates students with special learning needs. Contact Connie Taft, Director of Development and Marketing at 941-366-4010 ext. 318 or ctaft@stmarysarasota.org for more information and to register.
Apply NOW to be a Totus Tuus Summer Camp Missionary
Time is running out to apply to become a Diocese of Venice Totus Tuus Summer Camp Missionary. The deadline to apply is May 8. Totus Tuus is an exciting Catholic Parish Catechetical Camp for students in grades 1 – 12. The weeklong day camp held at Parishes in the Diocese of Venice is led by trained, paid missionaries. Missionary applications for the summer 2025 camp are now being accepted from anyone, age 18 or older, with an authentic, dynamic Catholic faith who is actively living the teachings of the Catholic Church. One year of college/work is preferred, but mature recent high school graduates will be considered. This is a great summer experience for anyone who wants to work in ministry, education, or with children in other settings. Please visit https://dioceseofvenice.org/totustuus2025/ for more information, or to apply.
Eucharistic Conference at Ave Maria May 16-18
The 2025 Mary, Mother of the Eucharist Conference is scheduled for May 16 – 18, 2025, at Ave Maria University. The theme is “Be it done to me according to thy word” (Luke 1:38). The Conference will include talks from Father Chris Alar, Dr. Edward Sri, Mary Healy, Mother Adela Galindo of the Servants of the Pierced Hearts of Jesus and Mary, Jon Niven, and Deacon Mark Miravalle. The Conference will include Mass, Adoration, lodging and meals. Registration is $190 per person. For more information and to register, please visit https://www.aveconferences.com/.
Ave Maria Youth Conference July 11-13
The 2025 Ave Maria University “Proclaim” Youth Conference is July 11-13, 2025. The theme for the Conference is “But as for you, go and proclaim the Kingdom of God” (Luke 9:60). The Conference will include talks from Sister Maria Jose Socias, SCTJM, Michael Gormley, Mari Pablo, and Father Joseph Lugalambi. Music will be by Epic Music Ministries. The Conference will include Mass, Adoration, praise and worship, lodging, meals, t-shirts, a pizza night, and more. Registration is $195 per person. For more information or to register, please visit https://www.aveconferences.com/.
Respect Life volunteers needed
Do you have a passion for life? The Diocese of Venice needs you! We are looking for volunteers and leaders interested in becoming involved in local respect life activities with their Parish. Many new families are moving to Southwest Florida, and we need your help! It’s very rewarding work! To get involved, please contact Tavia Ames, ames@dioceseofvenice.org, or 941-441-1101.
Totus Tuus is an exciting Catholic Parish Catechetical Camp for students in grades 1 – 12. The weeklong day camp held at Parishes in the Diocese of Venice is led by trained, paid missionaries. Missionary applications for the summer 2025 camp are now being accepted from anyone, age 18 or older, with an authentic, dynamic Catholic faith who is actively living the teachings of the Catholic Church. One year of college/work is preferred, but mature recent high school graduates will be considered. This is a great summer experience for anyone who wants to work in ministry, education, or with children in other settings. Visit 
The televised Mass for the Homebound on Palm Sunday (April 13, 2025), and Easter Sunday (April 20 and celebrated by Bishop Frank J. Dewane), will air for a full hour on both Sundays. Because of the length, the broadcast on these two Sundays will air at a special time. For viewers in the northern portions of the Diocese (DeSoto, Hardee, Highlands, Manatee, and Sarasota counties), the Masses will air at 12 p.m. on the CW Network. In the southern portions of the Diocese (Charlotte, Collier, Glades, Hendry, Lee counties), the Masses will air at 10:30 a.m. on WFTX-TV (FOX-4). Please check your cable provider for channel listings or visit www.dioceseofvenice.org/tvmass..
The Catholic Charities Venetian Charity Ball is 6 p.m., March 22, 2025, at St. Leo the Great Parish Hall, 28290 Beaumont Road, Bonita Springs. This event supports the programs in Lee, Hendry, and Glades counties, and the communities still recovering from Hurricane Ian in 2022. Tickets are $250. Register online at 
The Catholic Charities Emerald Ball is 5:30 p.m., March 26, 2025, at the Ritz-Carlton Tiburon Golf Resort, 2600 Tiburon Drive, Naples. This year’s theme, “Pilgrims of Hope,” inspired by Pope Francis in honor of the Jubilee Year, reflects Catholic Charities’ commitment to providing help and hope to all individuals, regardless of race, nationality, or religion. Tickets are $400. Register online at 
The third Diocese of Venice Eucharistic Conference will take place Saturday, March 29, at the Charlotte Harbor Event and Conference Center in Punta Gorda. The theme for the day-long event is inspired by the Jubilee Year 2025 while also building upon the three-year National Eucharistic Revival. The theme for the Conference is “Becoming Eucharistic Missionaries,” and it offers an opportunity to celebrate the Catholic faith with others. The Diocesan Eucharistic Conference will feature Mass celebrated by Bishop Frank J. Dewane. There will also be dynamic presentations by nationally renowned Catholic speakers, with the keynote given by Dr. Scott Hahn, a theologian and Catholic apologist, who has written numerous books. There will be breakout sessions in Spanish. In addition, there will be Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, the opportunity for Confession, as well as Catholic vendors and exhibitors. The cost to attend is $35. per person and includes lunch. To learn more and register, visit 
The 40 days for Life Spring Campaign (from Ash Wednesday to Palm Sunday, April 13, 2025) aims to end abortion locally through prayer and fasting, community outreach, and a peaceful all-day vigil in front of abortion businesses. In the Diocese of Venice, 40 Days for Life campaigns are held in three locations: Sarasota – Daily from 7 a.m. – 7 p.m., 736 Central Ave., or visit 
Vacation Bible School programs were also offered at 40 Parishes in the Diocese this summer. This weeklong Bible themed camp focused on learning the important lessons of Scripture in a fun and engaging way. The most common theme this summer was “Scuba: Diving into friendship with God.” At Vacation Bible School, children attended daily Mass and participated in Eucharistic Adoration. They also learned uplifting songs and dances, made crafts and generally had a great time.
A dozen different Diocesan groups took part in Camp Covecrest 2024, a Life Teen retreat in northern Georgia which focuses on leading teens closer to Christ. This is an intensive retreat which focuses the teens on building their relationship with the Lord through team activities, reflection, and prayer. The focus of these retreats included Eucharistic Adoration, opportunities for the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and participating in Mass.
The leadership of the Southwest Florida Guild of the Catholic Medical Association met with Bishop Frank J. Dewane at the Diocesan Catholic Center in Venice on July 10, 2024. The group provided Bishop Dewane with their annual report on their latest activities, including plans for continuing Catholic medical educational seminars within the Diocese.
Every day, Catholic Charities, Diocese of Venice, Inc., serves in the 10 counties that constitute the Diocese of Venice the most vulnerable population by feeding, housing, empowering, and helping all in need. This summer, you can be the one that makes a difference. Your acts of kindness have the power to transform lives and leave a positive impact in our community. The Catholic Charities Summertime and the Giving is Easy Appeal is asking for your support. The giving is easy! Your gift will make a positive impact on our less fortunate brothers and sisters! To donate to Summertime and the Giving is Easy Campaign, please visit 
The final two weeks of the Diocese of Venice Totus Tuus summer program are here. The week-long program is visiting different Parishes each week and offering day camp for students entering grades 1 – 6, as well as evening camp for middle school and high school students entering grades 7 – 12. The camp is inspiring young people to long for holiness, develop a deep desire for conversion and personally renew their faith with a stronger prayer life. Two missionary teams are going to different Parishes each week. In the first four weeks, the program has taken place at eight Parishes, with the most recent at Our Lady Queen of Heaven in LaBelle. For the week of July 14-19, the program will be at Our Lady of Light, Fort Myers during daytime and St. John XXIII in the evening; with a separate program running the same week at St. Cecilia, Fort Myers. The final week of the program runs from July 21-25 at Our Lady of the Angels in Lakewood Ranch, and St. Peter the Apostle in Naples.
The Diocese of Venice Totus Tuus summer program has reached its halfway point, inspiring young people to long for holiness, develop a deep desire for conversion and personally renew their faith with a stronger prayer life. The week-long program is visiting different Parishes each week and offering day camp for students entering grades 1 – 6, as well as evening camp for middle school and high school students entering grades 7 – 12. Two missionary teams are going to different Parishes each week. In the first four weeks, the program has taken place at seven Parishes, with the most recent at Epiphany Cathedral in Venice, and St. Katharine Drexel in Cape Coral the week of June 24. Five more Parishes will host the program through the end of July including the following: Our Lady Queen of Heaven, LaBelle (July 7-12); Our Lady of Light, Fort Myers, and St. Cecilia, Fort Myers (July 14-19); Our Lady of the Angels, Lakewood Ranch, and St. Peter the Apostle, Naples (July 21-26). To register, please contact the hosting Parish directly. Parish contact information can be found at 
After a one-month hiatus, Theology on Tap has returned with a new location (Big Top Brewing Brewery & Restaurant, 3045 Fruitville Commons Boulevard, Sarasota). About 60 people gathered for the June 20, 2024. The featured speaker was Mother Maria Therese Nikopoia Klobe, Servant of the Lord and the Virgin of Matará, and Director of Religious Education at St. Michael Parish in Wauchula, who spoke about making wise choice in all aspects of life. Theology on Tap meets at 7 p.m. on the third Thursday of each month. The featured speaker for July 18 is Father Alex Pince, Diocesan Vocations Director, and the topic will be “The Interconnectedness Between Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Precious Blood of Jesus.” Theology on Tap is presented by the Diocesan Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministry. For more information, contact Andres Prias at 
The Diocese of Venice Totus Tuus summer program continues, inspiring young people to long for holiness, develop a deep desire for conversion and personally renew their faith with a stronger prayer life. The week-long program is divided into two sessions, with the day camp for students entering grades 1 – 6, and the evening camp for middle school and high school students entering grades 7 – 12. Led by two missionary teams, the program has the Parish staff and volunteers augmenting the team, together they make the week one to remember. In the first three weeks, the program has taken place at five Parishes, with the most recent at St. Finbarr Parish in Naples and St. Paul Parish in Arcadia. Seven more Parishes will host the program through the end of July including the following: Epiphany Cathedral, Venice, and St. Katharine Drexel, Cape Coral (June 23-28); Our Lady Queen of Heaven, LaBelle (July 7-12); Our Lady of Light, Fort Myers, and St. Cecilia, Fort Myers (July 14-19); Our Lady of the Angels, Lakewood Ranch, and St. Peter the Apostle, Naples (July 21-26). To register, please contact the hosting Parish directly. Parish contact information can be found at 
