The celebration of the life of Bishop Frank J. Dewane began soon after his death, Oct. 7, 2026.
“Masses of suffrage” at both Epiphany Cathedral and the Catholic Center in Venice were celebrated Oct. 7-9, in his honor, and special prayer intentions were added for the repose of his soul at all parishes.
The funeral services were divided among two locations, first at Epiphany Cathedral Parish Hall, as the Cathedral is currently undergoing renovation, and then at St. John XXIII Parish, Fort Myers. This was done to first recognize the importance of the Cathedral parish community and its place in the diocese as the seat of the bishop, while also taking place in a large parish church to accommodate the numbers of people wishing to pray for the repose of the soul of Bishop Dewane.
The formal Funeral Services at Epiphany began with the arrival of the bishop’s body in the afternoon of Oct. 13. Lining the driveway in anticipation of his arrival, students from Epiphany Cathedral Catholic School threw flowers onto the hearse in tribute to their beloved bishop. The students were joined by the Knights of Columbus Colors Corps as the opening of the period of viewing began as the body of Bishop Dewane lay in repose before the altar in the Parish Hall (which is currently being used as a temporary worship space).
In the evening, the rite included a Solemn Vespers, Office for the Dead, led by Bishop Emilio E. Biosca, O.F.M. Cap., during which Bishop Emilio shared his impressions of Bishop Dewane having met him in mid-May, just prior to the announcement of the transition to the new bishop. Noting his formal dress and manner, Bishop Emilio saw a man who was hard working and well organized, but also gentle and prayerful.
Bishop Emilio spoke about the changing relationship we will have with Bishop Dewane going forward as he joins the communion of saints. That change in that relationship is important for us to go on, the bishop continued. For some the change will come sooner than for those who were his family and friends, which lasts until it is their turn to enter into the communion of saints.
“As we begin to pray for him, and change our relationship with him, as someone who is not physically with us, we also remember he is a spiritual father of the diocese, together now with Bishop (John J.) Nevins, (the first bishop of Venice),” Bishop Emilio said. “We now have someone, in Bishop Dewane, having a special love and solicitude for everything that is happening here in the Diocese of Venice, praying for us.”
The bishop also shared a letter received from Matthew Livingstone, senior media production coordinator for the Diocese of Green Bay, who previously worked as a resident caregiver at a retirement community, where Bishop Dewane’s mother, Eleanor Dewane was being cared for in the early 2000s. Livingstone wrote that he was amazed by the many accomplishments of Bishop Dewane, even at the time they met, because they came as a complete surprise as then-Father Dewane, in all humility, spoke little of himself, but remained a prayerful son to his mother.
This insight into Bishop Dewane said much of his character and the way he lived his life in service to God, Bishop Emilio said.
For the viewing, Bishop Dewane was dressed in white vestments, colors which symbolize purity, joy, light, and the triumph of the resurrection. Throughout the overnight vigil, the bishop was continuously flanked by an honor guard consisting of members of the Knights of Columbus Color Corps, as well as in the company of priests and members of the lay faithful. The honor guard was maintained through a rotation of Knights, representing different councils from across the diocese.
The foyer of the hall included a large picture of Bishop Dewane. The faithful were offered prayer cards with an image of Bishop Dewane, as well as of Our Lady of the Rosary, significant as that was the feast on the day on which the bishop passed away.
As a central part of the celebrations in honor of Bishop Dewane, the rosary was prayed in several languages at both Epiphany Cathedral and St. John XXIII.
The Diocese of Venice is blessed with an abundance of cultural diversity. The funeral of Bishop Dewane was enhanced by the kind participation of a number of different cultural groups sharing their traditional prayers and hymns, as well as praying the rosary, throughout the viewing period of Oct. 13 and Oct. 14, at both Epiphany and at St. John XXIII. Included among these were the Polish, Haitian, Vietnamese, and Hispanic Catholic communities. In addition, Ukrainian Catholic Bishop Bohdan Danylo, led a prayer for the dead at Epiphany.
Middle school students from St. Francis Xavier Catholic School in Fort Myers led the rosary at St. John XXIII prior to the Funeral Mass. Also present for the viewing were students from St. Andrew Catholic School in Cape Coral, Bishop Verot Catholic High School in Fort Myers and St. Catherine Catholic School in Sebring. Catholic schools throughout the diocese also offered Masses and prayer services for the intention of the repose of the soul of Bishop Dewane.
Early Oct. 14, the body of Bishop Dewane was transferred to St. John XXIII for continued viewing and the funeral. The hearse was escorted by members of the Knights on Bikes.
At St. John XXIII, the Solemn Lauds (Office of the Dead) began at 10 a.m. Father David Vidal, diocesan vicar general, blessed the casket with holy water before the funeral pall was placed on top. Symbols of the Christian faith – a crucifix and Book of Gospels – were also placed on the pall.
The Mass of Christian Burial was presided over by Archbishop James F. Checchio of New Orleans. Archbishop Bernard A. Hebda of St. Paul and Minneapolis delivered the funeral homily. They were joined by 10 other bishops representing the dioceses of Florida and several beyond. More than 140 priests of the Diocese of Venice and additional visiting clergy concelebrated the Mass.
As is tradition at the funeral of a Bishop, the pallbearers were clergy. In this case, they were members of the College of Consultors: Father David Vidal, Vicar General; Father Robert Dziedziak, Judicial Vicar; Msgr. Patrick Dubois, Vicar Forane of the Northern Deanery; Father José González, Vicar Forane of the Eastern Deanery; Father Jayabalan Raju, Vicar Forane of the Central Deanery; Father Tomasz Zalewski, Vicar Forane of the Southern Deanery; Father Jiobani Batista; Father Jack Costello, and Father Geroge Ratzmann.
The Mass included a reading from a niece and nephew of Bishop Dewane. At the conclusion of the Mass, the Prayer of Commendation was led by Bishop Emilio.
The body of Bishop Dewane was then transferred back to Venice where Bishop Emilio led the honorary pallbearers who processed with the casket through the entrance of the unfinished cathedral, to a niche with a statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The body was then taken to the Bishops’ Crypt near the north entrance of the cathedral where Bishop Dewane was laid to his final rest. Bishop Emilio then conducted the Rite of Committal and the service was concluded.
Also present for the viewing, and Mass of Christian Burial were deacons, religious sisters, seminarians, Knights and Dames of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulcher of Jerusalem, Knights and Dames of the Order of Malta, and the Knights of Columbus.
He said it with a smile to those gathered for solemn vespers July 10, 2026, at St. John XXIII Parish in Fort Myers. The Capuchin Franciscan arrived in Southwest Florida for the ordination of his friend and fellow Capuchin Bishop-Elect Emilio Biosca Agüero, O.F.M. Cap., as third bishop of Venice. While the ordination was the afternoon of July 11, vespers were held the night before. An evening shower in July is not unusual. But it would seem Mother Nature wanted to welcome the new bishop with a bit more flair. When a lightning bolt with visible crackling struck overhead, seasoned residents braced themselves for the loud boom that reverberated against the walls inside and outside the church. Then came the downpour.
The gifts the bishop-elect offers the Church were also instilled by his family, including his parents — Emilio Rodolfo Sr. and Carmen de Maria Agüero — who celebrate 65 years of marriage on July 29 and renewed their wedding vows at Bishop Emilio’s first mass as bishop on July 12. In an interview with the Florida Catholic following vespers his parents said they have many different emotions about their son’s appointment. They feel blessed and honored about the appointment but were also surprised.
Bishop Dewane was invited to celebrate the Mass in St. Francis Xavier Hall (a dormitory) by students who are part of a new Blessed Carlos Acutis Robotics Club. From that invitation grew an opportunity for the students to not only have the Bishop present for Mass, but to lead the students in Evening Vespers.
Following the Mass, many of the students remained for Vespers, or Evening Prayer. Vespers is part of the Liturgy of the Hours, also known as the Divine Office. In the Liturgy of the Hours, the Church fulfills Jesus’ command to “pray always” (Luke 18:1; see also 1 Thessalonians 5:17). Through this prayer, the people of God sanctify the day by continual praise of God and prayers of intercession for the needs of the world.
