November 20, 2009 |
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October 2009 St. Martha students support Breast Cancer Awareness
COURTESY PHOTO 10.27.09 | Return To Top | Diocese of Venice Front Page St. Ann students help feed 300 familiesNAPLES | The Mission de Jesus Obrero and Mission de San Jose in Fort Myers recently had a great surprise when a van from St. Ann School arrived full of food, enough to feed more than 300 families who needed the help. Father Patrick O’Connor, Oblates of St. Francis de Sales, is the administrator of both missions and a former parochial vicar of St. Ann Parish. He told school officials and students that the missions help about 80 families a week, until the food runs out, leaving many without help. “The people who are suffering are very hardworking people, but when it comes to feeding their children they put aside their pride and ask the Church for help,” Father O’Connor said. The impact of the economic downturn has hit many families and the need for help is profound, he said. The 320 students at St. Ann School heard the call for help and began collecting nonperishable cans of food. Everyone came together on Sept. 25 in the gymnasium and compiled their collection of food. They collected more than 1,485 canned goods – enough to feed about 300 families for one week. The effort had an impact on the students, too, as one student noted that feeding the hungry is one of the corporal works of mercy that Jesus has taught us in Matthew’s Gospel: “Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these, you did it to me.” 10.23.09 | Return To Top | Diocese of Venice Front Page St. Thomas More marks 25 years in churchVENICE | St. Thomas More Parish has been celebrating Mass in the same church building for a quarter-century and it was a good time to celebrate. A week of activities included a parish picnic on Oct. 4 and concluded with a Mass celebrated by Bishop Frank J. Dewane on Oct. 11. St. Thomas More was established as a parish in the Diocese of St. Petersburg on Oct. 6, 1979, and the new church was dedicated five years later on Oct. 6, 1984, just a few weeks before the Diocese of Venice formally started operations. The pastor, Father Don Henry, called the anniversary “a very important event in the life of our parish family. A sense of nostalgia descended on all who remembered the early beginnings, made even more meaningful with so many of our ‘founders’ present.” He added that the parish could not have survived without the support of the early priests who served and helped “all who have visited and been uplifted by the people of our parish.” 10.23.09 | Return To Top | Diocese of Venice Front Page ‘Year for Priests’ Mass celebrated in EnglewoodENGLEWOOD | In this Year for Priests as proclaimed by Pope Benedict XVI it is important to recognize the men who serve in parishes around the world. With that in mind, the parishioners at St. Raphael organized a Mass for the priests of the parish, the Carmelite Order that serves the parish, and for all priests in the Diocese of Venice. It took place Oct. 15, the Feast Day of St. Teresa of Avila, patroness of the Carmelites and a Doctor of the Church. Bishop Frank J. Dewane celebrated the Mass, and was joined by Bishop Emeritus John J. Nevins, the parish’s pastor Father Mark Schaffner, Parochial Vicar Father Niles Gillen and a dozen other priests from the area, including Carmelites and priests from the Society of St. Edmund. “This seemed a very appropriate day to honor the priests,” Father Schaffner said. “It was the idea of the parishioners to recognize the work of the priests of this parish and of all priests.” Bishop Dewane said St. Teresa served as an example to all in her devotion steeped in her prayer life by doing ordinary things extraordinarily well. Pope Benedict said he wants this Year for Priests that runs through June 2010 to be a time of support of priests through their struggle toward spiritual perfection. “We must have awareness toward the extraordinary gift of grace,” Bishop Dewane said. “Pope Benedict’s message is for all of us, priests, religious and laypeople, to recognize that gift of vocations and have a return to the sacredness of men choosing the priesthood, women to religious life or couples to the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony. We are all called to service.” The Mass was followed by a reception and continued celebration to honor the priests gathered. Bob Reddy | 10.23.09 | Return To Top | Diocese of Venice Front Page Diocesan group enjoys pilgrimage to Italy
COURTESY PHOTO VENICE | More than 40 people from across the Diocese joined Bishop Frank J. Dewane on a 12-day pilgrimage to Italy as part of the Diocese of Venice 25th Anniversary “Year of Celebration.” The trip included stops in Venice, Padua, Siena, Assisi, Florence and Rome. Bishop Dewane celebrated Mass in Italian at St. Mark’s Basilica in Venice and then the group was given a private tour of the basilica. Daily Mass was celebrated in chapels throughout Italy. Organized by Stewardship and Development Director Mary Campo, the trip was designed to emphasize the Diocese of Venice and its connection to Venice and the saints of Italy. Among the highlights of the trip were visits to the Franciscan monastery where St. Francis and St. Clare of Assisi served the people, and also visits to shrines dedicated to St. Lucia, St. Anthony, St. Monica and St. Catherine of Siena. The tour ended with a visit to Vatican City and the weekly papal audience. There, the diocesan pilgrimage was mentioned among the special guests. Two members of the party were invited to sit near Pope Benedict XVI on the steps of St. Peter’s Basilica. A special pleasure was a reception held for the group at the Pontifical North American College, which began with evening prayer and an opportunity to meet the four diocesan seminarians who are studying in Rome. 10.23.09 | Return To Top | Diocese of Venice Front Page Small beads form big rosary
Courtesy Photo 10.16.09 | Return To Top | Diocese of Venice Front Page Epiphany Youth Group collects truck full of foodVENICE | Epiphany Cathedral Parish Youth Group has a reputation for coming together to help others. The group of middle and high school students collected more than 3,000 items of clothes in 2008 and donated them to migrant workers in Immokalee. This year, with the economy causing more and more people to seek the basic necessity of food, the group decided it would collect food, said Cheryl Vignola, Epiphany Cathedral youth coordinator. The youths collected food during a three-week period, loading up a truck in the parking lot with more than 5,000 items. The food will benefit All Faiths Food Bank in Sarasota, which distributes food to food pantries throughout the region; Fishers of Men Soup Kitchen in Venice, which serves more than 100 meals a day to the needy and homeless; and South County Food Pantry, which distributes bags of food to families in need. “This is part of the Life Teen core goal of service to the community and serves a great good by helping those in need,” Vignola said. Jennifer Arth likes participating in the annual drives, saying it helps her understand how much of need there is in the community. 10.08.09 | Return To Top | Diocese of Venice Front Page Three seniors named National Merit semifinalistsFORT MYERS | Three seniors who are attending Diocese of Venice high schools have been recognized as being among the top students in the country when they were recently named as semifinalists the 55th annual National Merit Scholarship Program. The high honor went to Griffin Howe of Bishop Verot High School in Fort Myers, and Cate Motosko and Lauren MacKinnon of Cardinal Mooney High School in Sarasota. The teenagers are among 16,000 seniors from across the country who are eligible to compete for $36 million in college scholarships. The program looks at the academic records, college entrance exam scores, and participation in school and community activities of 1.5 million juniors from nearly 22,000 high schools. The semifinalists represent less than 1 percent of U.S. high school seniors. About half will qualify for the final scholarships that are announced between April and July. Griffin participates in football and track and field at Bishop Verot, and has completed more 100 hours of community service. He has served as commentary editor of the school newspaper. During the summer months, he took part in the local Respect for Law Camps, and attended a three-week genetics class on the campus of Duke University. Lauren participates in cross country, photography club, and is vice president of the French club and National Honor Society. She plays the piano at St. Frances Xavier Cabrini Parish in Parrish, and also volunteers at hospitals and Habitat for Humanity. She also donated 12 inches of her hair to Locks of Love. She has been recognized with the Wellesely College book award. Cate is a member of the volleyball and tennis teams, and the Suncoast Volleyball Club. She volunteered at a summer camp at Oak Park School for children with disabilities, teaching the students volleyball. She has been recognized with the Harvard book award. She is a parishioner at Incarnation Parish in Sarasota. 10.01.09 | Return To Top | Diocese of Venice Front Page Stewardship is about building relationshipsSARASOTA | Stewardship can start with building a personal relationship with others by following the example Jesus gave to the world. This was the underlying theme of the “Fifth Annual Diocesan Stewardship Day” at St. Thomas More Parish on Sept. 22. Pastors, administrators and parish leaders from 43 parishes in the Diocese from Naples to Sebring, and some from the Diocese of St. Petersburg, gathered to learn more about building stronger parish communities. Keynote speaker Angela Liston, from the Archdiocese of Anchorage, Alaska, spoke about the art of relationship-building by doing something very simple: listening. Parish life has changed through the decades from the old neighborhood church, where lives revolved solely around parish life, to the impersonal world of today, said Liston, executive director and a community organizer with Anchorage Faith and Actions – Congregations Together, a congregation-based community organization in Anchorage. She has served on the Archdiocese of Anchorage Stewardship Council, the public policy advisory committee of the Alaska Catholic Conference, and as director of the Archdiocese of Anchorage Department of Justice and Peace. “That barrier needs to be breached,” Liston said, while explaining how a “listening campaign” changed the dynamics of a dying parish into an active and lively one today. “We went out and listened to the parishioners, learning who they are, what their needs are (and) what they expect from their parish,” she explained. “In church we are connected when we share the eucharistic celebration, but we also need to share our lives together. If we don’t build the parish community, we will never build the kingdom of God.” Diocesan Stewardship and Development Director Mary Campo said that building a stronger relationship with parishioners is a critical component in developing a talent pool to overcome any needs a parish might have. Bishop Frank J. Dewane said the need to build relationships stems from the inherent need to build a relationship with Jesus. “Our relationship with Jesus defines our relationship with others. Be conscious of that as stewards in your parish. Live that message and be examples by seeking the guidance of the Gospel, living a life based on the moral and ethical principles found in it.” The day also included a variety of speakers on the stewardship process and how to effectively communicate the message. BOB REDDY | 10.01.09 | Return To Top | Diocese of Venice Front Page In Brief…Hispanic Festival set for Nov. 7Posted: 10.15.09 The annual St. Jude Hispanic Festival will take place Saturday, Nov. 7, on the parish grounds in Sarasota. Planned features include a dance contest, singing contest, performances by musical groups, a bounce house for children, food from Latin America and the Caribbean, and much more. Call 941-955-3934 for more information. Kristallnacht Memorial Convocation Nov. 8Posted: 10.15.09 The Catholic community is invited to attend the seventh annual Kristallnacht Memorial Convocation, Sunday, Nov. 8, 2 p.m., at Temple Shalom of Naples, 4630 Pine Ridge Road. The guest speaker is Father Lawrence E. Frizzell, who is chairman of the Seton Hall University Department of Jewish-Christian Studies, and a member of the advisory committee to the Secretariat for Catholic-Jewish Relations of the U.S. Catholic Conference. The event is co-sponsored by the Catholic/Jewish Dialogue of Collier County, Diocese of Venice, Community Relations Committee of the Jewish Federation of Collier County, Holocaust Museum of Southwest Florida and Temple Shalom of Naples. Call Bob Brady at 239-262-5020 for more information Seminary to host discernment weekendPosted: 10.15.09 St. John Vianney College Seminary in Miami will host a discernment weekend Nov. 13-15 for teen boys and young men, juniors in high school and older, considering the priesthood. The weekend will include prayer, talks, recreation and casual time with the seminarians. Participants are invited to spend a weekend experiencing life at a college seminary. All meals and accommodations are included. Contact the Diocese of Venice Vocations Office at 941-484-9543 by Nov. 11 for registration and transportation information. ‘Elephant safari’ teaches the alphabetPosted: 10.15.09 Kindergartners at St. Francis Xavier School in Fort Myers went on an “elephant safari” Oct. 9 in the school playground in search of letters. With stamped passports in hand, their imaginations took them on a plane ride more than 10,000 miles away to an African jungle filled with adventure, yet possible danger. Their imaginary journey took them through a gorge, a waterfall and a death-defying pit of quicksand from which they had to rescue a giraffe (finding the letter “g”). Along the way, they carried binoculars to help find the animals and corresponding letters. The explorers discovered a lion, snake, alligator, zebra, and cheered when they successfully found the elephant and the letter “e.” Squires retire worn U.S. flagsPosted: 10.15.09 On a recent Sunday, members of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini Squires Circle 5068 respectfully disposed of more than 200 worn and tattered U.S. flags by burning them in a solemn ceremony on the grounds of the church in Parrish. After the singing of the “Star Spangled Banner” and recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance, each flag was placed in a fire pit that the Squires had built the previous day. The Squires program, which includes young Catholic men 10 to 18 years of age, was established at the parish in 2006 and is sponsored by the Mother Cabrini Council 12155 of the Knights of Columbus. San Pedro priest earns fourth-degree exemplificationPosted: 10.15.09 Father Anthonio Jean, parochial vicar of San Pedro Parish in North Port, was among 285 men to be installed as a fourth-degree Knight in Naples on Aug. 29. Reaching the fourth degree is the highest degree conferred upon a member of the Knights of Columbus, a Catholic men’s fraternal organization with 1.7 million members worldwide and 43,000 in Florida. Bishop Frank J. Dewane and 10 other priests also received their exemplification. Fall Festival at St. Maximilian Kolbe Nov. 7-8Posted: 10.15.09 St. Maximilian Kolbe Catholic Parish in Port Charlotte will present its Fall Festival Nov. 7, 8:30 a.m.-8:30 p.m., and Nov. 8, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. This year’s festival will feature baked goods, crafts, used jewelry, food, a large yard sale and much more. There will be music by See-U-Later-Gator and activities for the children. Admission and parking are free. For more information, please call 941-743-6877. Seacamp teaches students about wet planetPosted: 10.15.09 Students at St. Francis Xavier School in Fort Myers recently attended Seacamp at the Newfound Harbor Marine Institute on Big Pine Key. The annual trip took place Oct. 9-11 and provided the seventh-graders an opportunity to explore in a classroom made up of coral reefs, mangrove islands, sea grass communities and tidal pools of the Florida Keys. Interactive activities include snorkeling the reefs and bays, exploring the mangrove islands and wading on shorelines teeming with marine life. Seacamp enhances and provides firsthand observations to understand the classroom study of marine biology. ‘Five Senses Week” smells at St. Francis Xavier SchoolPosted: 09.17.09 During “Five Senses Week” in early September at St. Francis Xavier School in Fort Myers, kindergarten students had an opportunity to take part in a “smelling station experiment” that included the following aromas: cinnamon, chocolate, coffee, garlic, onion, orange, peanut, peppermint, pickle and pineapple. The kindergarten students successfully identified the different scents and proved that the “nose knows.” The most popular scent was peppermint, with chocolate running a close second. Southwest Florida Catholic Chamber Expo Oct. 18Posted: 09.17.09 The next Southwest Florida Catholic Chamber of Commerce Expo will take place Sunday, Oct. 18, from 8 a.m. to noon at Resurrection of Our Lord Parish in Fort Myers. Catholic groups and businesses will display their services and products. Visitors may stop by and meet fellow parishioners and help support local businesses, and learn about the various church groups. A pancake breakfast will be served by the Men’s Club from 8 to 11 a.m. Booths: $25 for members; $75 for new members. The fee covers an ad in the Southwest Florida Catholic Chamber of Commerce Directory for one full year and booth space for this expo. Contact Brian O’Connell at 239-454-1117 or e-mail. North American Forum on the Catechumenate Oct. 22-24Posted: 09.17.09 For the first time in 12 years, the Diocese of Venice will host the North American Forum on the Catechumenate seminar Oct. 22-24 at Our Lady of Light Parish in Fort Myers. The theme is “Beginnings and Beyond.” Register at the forum Web site. Discounted hotel rates will apply. “Festival of Choirs” Nov. 6Posted: 09.17.09 The Diocese of Venice will hold a “Festival of Choirs” at 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 6, at Epiphany Cathedral in Venice as part of the “Year of Celebration,” the ongoing commemoration of the 25th Anniversary of the Diocese. The deaneries will present music for the event, with special choirs also singing in the concert. The concert is free and everyone is welcome. ‘Fall Family Festival’ in Parrish Nov. 14Posted: 09.17.09 St. Frances Xavier Cabrini Parish in Parrish will hold its “Fall Family Festival” from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 14. The festival will include food, crafts, music, games, classic cars, hayrides, silent auction and much more. Call 941-776-9097 for more information. |
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