Theology on Tap offers an innovative solution to one of today’s most pressing pastoral concerns: how to reach out to young Catholic adults.
Gatherings, coordinated by Marthamaria Morales, Diocese of Venice Youth & Young Adult Director, are held on the third Thursday of each month at the Mandeville Beer Garden in downtown Sarasota, just a few blocks from St. Martha Parish. The bar includes an outdoor deck which offered the ideal location for fellowship and a discussion about the Faith in a comfortable and relaxed setting.
“It can often be difficult for young adults to stay connected to the Faith,” Morales added. “As a young Catholic, it can be easy to feel left out of the Parish because few activities are designed to appeal to them. Theology on Tap is a program specifically for them.”
The idea of Theology on Tap is to bring together young adults where they feel most comfortable while inviting them to discover how Faith can make sense of their everyday lives. The evenings are about coming together to socialize, collaborate, pray, and grow in their spiritual understanding, all while building a strong core community. The outreach began in 2012 in Naples and Fort Myers and rotated through Parishes in Sarasota County for many years before settling on a single gathering place.
Morales, who has been in her position since January 2023, said the monthly meetings range in size from 30-50 young men and women each month. A different speaker, often a priest, speaks on timely topics and a lively discussion often follows.
The featured presenter for the Theology on Tap on June 15, 2023, was Father John Belmonte, SJ, Diocese of Venice Director of Catholic Education. Father Belmonte spoke about the ongoing National Eucharistic Revival.
Launched as an initiative of the U.S. Catholic Bishops in June 2022, the National Eucharistic Revival is a three-year movement by the U.S. Bishops to answer the call of Jesus Christ to return to the source and summit of Our Faith – the Real Presence in the Holy Eucharist. This effort will culminate in 2024 with a National Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis.
The Revival’s first year was titled “The Year of Diocesan Revival,” and efforts focused on formation for Diocesan leadership and Diocesan-wide events (March 2023 Diocesan Eucharistic Congress and Youth Rally). The Revival’s second year, “The Year of Parish Revival,” aims to reach Catholics in their Parishes through renewed attention to the “art” of the Mass, Eucharistic devotions, and small-group faith sharing and formation and began on June 11, 2023, the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi).
Father Belmonte said the Revival is directed toward all Catholics, but there is a special emphasis on those who have fallen away from the Faith, which includes many young adults after they are away from the direct influence of their family.
Offering an overview of what has taken place in Diocesan Catholic schools to support the Revival, Father Belmonte shared a recap of a recently concluded Devotional Project to the Most Holy Eucharist. This including sharing a prayer card with artwork created by school students and on the reverse includes the prayer: “Devotional Prayer to the Most Holy Eucharist.” This prayer was prayed together to open Father’s talk. As an educator, Father also quizzed the young adults about their knowledge of the Most Holy Eucharist.
Next, Father shared an image of the “Defenders of the Eucharist,” a 1625 painting by Peter Paul Rubens, which is on display at the nearby Ringling Museum of Art on the Sarasota bayfront. This artwork depicts seven saints who worked to safeguard and promote the Eucharist (Ambrose, Augustine, Gregory the Great, Clare of Assisi, Thomas Aquinas, Norbert and Jerome). Father explained how each had a unique story on how the Most Holy Eucharist has been challenged and defended, dating to the Last Supper.
Following his remarks, Father Belmonte fielded questions from the 30 who were gathered on a hot summer evening. Many asked what more can be done to promote a belief in the Real Presence of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.
Each month, there are regulars who participate and among the newbies, several said they loved the format and would be returning. Others shared ideas of doing more for young adults at the Parish level, but this outreach is not as widespread as some would prefer.
Morales was pleased with the June turnout as it was very hot and muggy, and she hopes the numbers remain strong through the summer. She will be making an extra promotional push in the coming months.
“I know there is a demand and know young adults want to be a part of the Church. It is all about spreading the word,” Morales said.
The next gathering of Theology on Tap in Sarasota will take place at 7 p.m., July 20, at the Mandeville Beer Garden, 428 N. Lemon St., and the featured speaker will be Father Eric Scanlan, Pastor of Incarnation Parish in Sarasota.
Two Bishop Verot Catholic High School seniors, Adam Belof and Gavin Hart, spent the week of July 18-22, 2022, in Grand Rapids, Michigan, representing Southwest Florida at the Junior Gold Bowling Championships. This is an annual national tournament for the top male and female youth bowlers in the United States. Only the best bowlers in the nation qualify, and these two certainly represented the Fort Myers area and Bishop Verot very well!
Every day, Catholic Charities, Diocese of Venice, Inc., serves its 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! Please visit 
Would you know how to help a pregnant woman in need? Maybe it’s your daughter, granddaughter, niece, cousin, sister, or neighbor. Maybe it’s someone you see in a store, restaurant, or church. Perhaps she is crying, looks distraught or is obviously being treated poorly by someone. Through a new national initiative from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) called Walking with Moms in Need, now you will know how to help. Walking with Moms in Need teaches the faithful how to help pregnant women in need, starting by letting them know they are not alone. The nationwide Catholic program calls every parishioner to learn the names of their local pregnancy help centers, the first responders for women with unexpected or difficult pregnancies. If you know of someone who is pregnant and needs help immediately, visit 
Registration is now open for the Diocese of Venice Oct. 22, 2022, “Together in Holiness” Marriage Conference, presented in partnership with the Diocese of Venice Office of Family Life and the St. John Paul II Foundation. To register, please visit 
A three-year revival of devotion to the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist begins with the Diocesan phase, from June 19, 2022, through June 11, 2023. During the Diocesan Year, there will be a series of events and retreats that encourage the renewal of the Church “by rekindling a living relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist.” The pinnacle of the coming year will be a Diocesan Eucharistic Congress on March 24 and March 25, 2023. This event, which is in the early planning stages, will take place at the Convention Center and Luminary Hotel on the Fort Myers riverfront. The National Eucharistic Revival is a focused effort by the U.S. Catholic Bishops to revive a devotion to and belief in the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. To learn more about the National Eucharistic Revival, visit 
Are you a young adult Catholic who wants to become more involved in your Faith? Are you a cradle-Catholic who needs an extra push?
With successful ongoing efforts in Naples, Fort Myers and Lehigh Acres, Joshua Mazrin, Diocese Director of Evangelization, decided to try to reintroduce the Theology on Tap concept in the Northern Deanery.
“It can often be difficult for young adults to stay connected to the Faith,” Mazrin added. “As a young Catholic, it can be easy to feel left out of the Parish because few activities even hold their interest. Sadly, young adults can sometimes be overlooked to the extent that even their absence goes unnoticed.”
Every day vulnerable people living throughout Southwest Florida go to their local Catholic Charities Diocese of Venice Inc. office seeking relief. This assistance can come in the form of nourishment, education, shelter, or in the support of at-risk children, isolated elderly, struggling families and homeless individuals.
Food Pantries located throughout Southwest Florida distribute thousands of pounds of food every week. Homeless school children are sustained over the weekend through the Weekend Power Pack Food Program in Naples. The Casa Maria Soup Kitchen in Immokalee serves around 35,000 hot meals each year. The nutritional center at Bethesda House in Sarasota assists special needs clients with healthy food items.
The first gathering in the series on July 3 began at 6 p.m. with a Holy Hour that included Eucharistic Adoration and the praying of the rosary. A fresh-cooked barbeque dinner followed. When everyone had a chance to eat a hearty meal, the evening transitioned into a talk from guest speaker Father Casey Jones, who is Chaplain at Bishop Verot Catholic High School in Fort Myers and Campus Minster at Florida Gulf Coast University.
