WWW.THEFLORIDACATHOLIC.ORG April 3-9, 2020
FLORIDA Catholic
VENICE DIOCESE
BOB REDDY
of the Florida Catholic staff
VENICE Bishop Frank J. De- wane has been at the forefront in responding to the ever-evolving coronavirus pandemic within the 10-county Diocese of Venice. The announcement to suspend all Masses and Parish activities effective March 20, and continu- ing through at least Easter, was the culmination of a series of meetings, conference calls and consulta- tion from the priests of the Diocese and other advisors, while also fol- lowing guidance from local, state and federal officials. The dramatic limitations of all public gatherings ultimately affected the decision to suspend Mass. In a March 18 letter to the faithful, Bishop Dewane explained his deci- sion noting that it "was made after prayer and discernment, as well as hearing from the priests and the Faithful." The decision to suspend the Mass came several days after Bishop Dewane dispensed all of the obligation to attend Mass during the same period. This is acknowledged as a sacrifice for the Catholic Faith- ful, who have a great love for the Holy Eucharist and depend on the Most Blessed Sacrament for their spiritual lives," the Bishop wrote in his letter. "Do recall that Faithful Catholics, throughout the history of the Church, have kept the faith alive through trying times. By prayer and devotion, as well as spiritual solidar- ity with each other, the life of faith continued to be a source of strength and perseverance during perse- cutions and other times of public crisis. Tomorrow, on the feast of St. Joseph, I will dedicate the Diocese of Venice to the care of the foster father of Jesus. Let us be united in prayer to St. Joseph for his intercession and protection." In the same March 18 letter, Bishop Dewane announced the sus- pension of all activities in Parishes, including events and religious edu- cation programs. Parish offices will have limited staff and it is requested that, when possible, business be conducted by phone or email. Fu- nerals will be limited to immedi- ate family only, weddings - if they cannot be postponed - are to have limited participation, and baptisms will only be celebrated in cases of emergency. Priests are required to take all necessary precautions, so the Anointing of the Sick is being limited to a genuine need for the dying. Diocesan Catholic Schools were placed on an extended spring break, returning to virtual learning beginning March 31 for the foresee- able future. Bishop Dewane has called upon the priests to draw upon the Church's rich tradition of prayer and devotion to ensure that the spiritual life of parishioners is nourished and remains vibrant through means which are prudently adapted to the current circumstances. Leading the way, Bishop De- wane recorded a video message to the Faithful encouraging every- one to turn toward prayer. In ad- dition, Mass has aired daily at 9:15 a.m., live from the Catholic Center in Venice, with the Bishop as the celebrant. This Mass in available through Facebook and links to this and many other resources are avail- able through the Diocesan website. Encouraged by the leadership of Bishop Dewane, most Parishes within the Diocese have begun to live stream the daily Mass on their websites and social media accounts. Many also responded to suggestions to begin offering the opportunity for the Sacrament of Reconciliation by car beginning March 21, and then late in the week of March 23, out- door Communion was being offered at some Parishes. Bishop Dewane also reassured the Faithful that the Diocese will continue to function and serve the community through the outreach of Catholic Charities and other min- istries. "Through prayer and trust be confident in the belief that God does not abandon us in times of peril. In fact, the Lord will draw us close and protect us," Bishop Dewane said. Please continue to pray for ev- eryone impacted by this pandemic - the sick, their caregivers, coura- geous medical personnel, and those reaching out in charity to help our brothers and sisters in Christ." "Seeking the intercessions of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and in particu- lar, her spouse, St. Joseph, Patron of the Universal Church, pray for pro- tection and guidance through these troubling times," the Bishop contin- ued. "Through the Word of the Lord, that is Sacred Scripture, it is possible to overcome fear and courageously face the challenging days ahead."
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Bishop responds to pandemic crisis
Live streaming of Mass is now common
BOB REDDY
of the Florida Catholic staff
FORT MYERS Parishes have had to adapt to a temporary reality that churches are closed and Mass is temporarily suspended. The initial shock of this new reality may have worn off, but the solution to this problem has been varied and encouraging. What may have been a novelty in the past, such as livestreaming daily and Sunday Mass, or having a drive- thru Sacrament of Reconciliation in a church parking lot, are becoming commonplace. As common as these efforts to stay connected to the faithful have become, more is still taking place, all in response to a communication from Bishop Frank J. Dewane to the priests of the Diocese. In one letter, Bishop Dewane asked the priests to draw upon the Church's rich tradition of prayer and devotion to ensure that the spiritual life of parishioners is nourished and remains vibrant through means which are prudently adapted to the current circumstances. Father Hugh McGuigan, Oblate of St. Francis de Sales, is Pastor of Our Lady of Light Parish in Fort Myers, was one of the first to livestream Mass and to hear confessions from the car. "With people cut off from reception of the sacraments and the Mass we had to make adjustments," Father McGuigan said. "While these are not the answers to all of the problems, the response has been overwhelmingly positive." St. Joseph Parish in Bradenton has drive-thru confession times on Saturday mornings and afternoons. Each session is scheduled for one hour but in the first two weekends (March 21 and March 28) the time has been extended by as much as 30 minutes. Father Shawn Roser, Parochial Vicar at St. Joseph Parish, said he was encouraged to have so many people interested in the sacrament. The drive-thru confession is typically a set time when a priest, or priests are available under the church portico, seated or standing a safe distance away from the vehicle, but close enough to hear the penitent. (See list of Parishes and times in box.) To ensure the sacrament is properly administered, there is a limit of one penitent in the vehicle. When there are more people in a vehicle, arrangements are made to ensure confession is heard not only at a safe distance for the health of the priest and penitent, but also for the purposes of ensuring absolute privacy. Priests are also available for the sacrament by appointment through the Parish Office. The Diocese, as well as Parishes, have used their websites for not only broadcasting a live Mass, but for the prayer intentions for the day, as if the church was open. In addition, numerous intentions have been added for all impacted by the pandemic. Live Masses in the Diocese are being offered, in English, Spanish, Haitian Creole, Vietnamese and Latin. Some priests have also been sharing daily and weekly reflections on the readings and/or current pandemic crisis; reciting of prayers such as the rosary, Our Father, Chaplet of Divine Mercy, Angelus, and more; as well as having live Adoration, Stations of the Cross and Holy Hours. Each effort keeps a connection open. Comments reacting to the efforts have been very positive, with some offering suggestions for more content. Bishop Dewane acknowledged in his March 18 letter to parishioners announcing the suspension of the Mass, the sacrifice for the Catholic Faithful, "who have a great love for the Holy Eucharist and depend on the Most Blessed Sacrament for their spiritual lives. Do recall that Faithful Catholics, throughout the history of the Church, have kept the faith alive through trying times. By prayer and devotion, as well as spiritual solidarity with each other, the life of faith continued to be a source of strength and perseverance during persecutions and other times of public crisis." On the Diocesan and Parish websites, a number of additional resources, including links to
Parishes adapt to suspension of Mass
A daily Mass celebrated by Bishop Frank J. Dewane from the Catholic Center in Venice can be found on both Facebook and the Diocesan website. (COURTESY)
PLEASE SEE PARISHES, 2
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