The annual Diocese of Venice Catechetical Conference took place Jan. 17, 2026, at Bishop Verot Catholic High School in Fort Myers.
The theme for the day was, “Truth, Beauty, Goodness: Integrating awe and wonder in religious education.” The key objectives of the Conference, which included more than 150 religious educators from across the Diocese, were to offer a renewed understanding of catechesis rooted in truth, beauty, and goodness; offer practical strategies for faith-filled instruction, instill confidence in using vetted tools to support catechetical practice, and spiritual renewal through worship, learning and reflection.
Bishop Frank J. Dewane was the celebrant for the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass which opened the event. Father John Belmonte, SJ, Diocesan Superintendent of Catholic Education, and Dr. Jennifer Falestiny, Diocesan Director of Curriculum and Instruction, each offered presentations during the Conference.
Bishop Dewane opened by thanking the catechists for answering a particular call of the Lord and for their hours of commitment in helping their students to facilitate and build a relationship with Christ while learning to answer the question: “What is God asking of you?”
Bishop Dewane said the skills the catechists utilize in the classroom lift the sacramental life within the Parishes, which impacts the Church within the Diocese and beyond. The Bishop also called upon the catechists to view themselves as true missionaries of Christ, like St. John the Baptist, crying out in the wilderness as society has moved away from its Christian roots.
“Rely on the Holy Spirit to guide you,” Bishop Dewane said. “You are the instrument of the Lord, called upon to live your life in a particular way. You are evangelizers on the front lines. Putting yourself forward helps build your students’ identity as children of Christ.”
In a talk titled, “Via Pulchritudinis – The Way of Beauty: Enchanted by Beauty,” Father Belmonte focused of using the beauty of Sacred Scriptures and the beautiful history of the Catholic Church to form the whole person (young or old) through awe and wonder. “Beauty pierces our hearts, drawing the soul toward the One who is Truth itself,” Father said. “Beauty becomes the arrowhead of evangelization. It does not bypass reason; it wounds the intellect that opens it to a deep more penetrating mode of knowing the truth.”
Falestiny spoke about creating a religious education classroom environment that is welcoming and encourages learning. “Learning does not happen in a vacuum,” Falestiny said. “Environment influences whether content is received, remembered, and lived. Beauty shapes attention, attention enables memory, and memory prepares the heart for evangelization.”
Suggestions from Falestiny included the display of religious articles and quotes from Sacred Scripture as well as using appropriate colors and symbols to mark the liturgical seasons. Each step in the process aids in creating a space where students are more receptive to learning.
Participants in the Conference were open to the suggestions about enhancing their teaching space and were inspired by the call of Bishop Dewane and Father Belmonte to listen to the prompting of the Holy Spirit to help bring their students to a closer relationship with Jesus Christ.
