The fire hydrant in the Memorial Garden is no more. As of this past week, the hydrant has been moved to an area immediately outside of the garden. This move has been a long time coming and is one more step in making our memorial 
garden a truly beautiful environment. We also have replaced the old markers in sections 13 and 14 and will continue to replace all of the old markers in the entire garden. We hope to have this transformation completed by the end of the calendar year. If you are considering purchasing a space in our memorial garden, I suggest you do so sooner than later. As I have said on numerous occasions, there is serious talk within the Diocese of closing the sale of space in all parish memorial gardens in the near future. If you purchase your space prior to the closing, cremains may be interred at any time. If you do not purchase your space before the closing, you are basically out of luck. Please contact me at your earliest convenience if you would like to make our Memorial Garden your final resting place.
Did you know that the Diocese of Venice employs a Victims Assistance Coordinator? Barbara E. DiCocco is the Diocesan Coordinator and may be reached at 941.416.6114 in the case of an allegation. St. John the Evangelist takes the safety of our youth very seriously. We require all volunteers to be fingerprinted and to take a mandatory Safe Environment Training course before having contact with your children. The Victim Assistance Coordinator is to listen, provide support and understanding on behalf of the Diocese. All allegations of child sexual abuse by diocesan personnel, including clergy, should be reported to law enforcement, the Florida Department of Children and Families and to the Victim Assistance Coordinator. The Coordinator will notify the Chancellor who will refer the matter to the Review Board for investigation. The Victim Assistance Coordinator, as the liaison between the diocese and the alleged victim, will focus energies on coordinating pastoral care for victims/survivors and will follow up with victims to ensure that they will receive appropriate care.
Have you ever considered having your wedding reception or the reception of your children or grandchildren at St. John the Evangelist? We have an amazing ballroom which can host receptions for up to 400 guests. Our ballroom has long struggled with the stigma of a “parish hall” however, for those who have attended an event in our facili
ties; you will agree that our ballroom is more reminiscent of a higher end hotel or country club rather than a parish hall. This past weekend, we hosted a wedding reception for a couple who wanted to transform the ballroom into a “South Beach” theme. Please see the pictures of the finished product. As you can see, the end result was absolutely magnificent. We host several hundred special events annually including wedding receptions, fundraisers, anniversary parties, dinner dances, etc. If you would like to use our facilities to host your special event, please contact me at 566.1678. Registered parishioners receive a substantial discount off of the normal rental rate.
Did you attend the Memorial Day Mass this past Monday? Our “Lest we Forget” Veteran’s Memorial had a plethora of visitors not only by those who attended Mass but also by several hundred who attended the special events next door at Naples Memorial Garden. I am extremely proud of this amazing memorial and would like to once again thank Bill and Eileen Fuller for their generous contribution of the statue and their vision for the memorial. Memorial brick pavers may still be purchased for the reasonable price of $150.00 each. If you are interested, please stop by the parish office and fill out a form to get yours.
After the proceeds from the Reverse Raffle have now been accounted for, we have raised $312,904.01 of our goal of $454,000.00 with regards to the 2013 Catholic Faith Appeal. This leaves us with a balance of only $141,000.00 to meet our goal. We are now $64,000.00 ahead of where we were at this same time last year. Obviously, with the summer months ahead of us, contributions will taper, however we have a great start with six full months remaining in the annual appeal. Thank you for your continued support of the Catholic Faith Appeal.
Have you registered your children for our “Kingdom Rock” themed Vacation Bible School to be held on June 10-14? As of Wednesday of this past week, elementary age registration is full and there is a waiting list. There is/was still approximately seven (7) spots remaining for preschool age children. If you would like to register or be placed on the waiting list, please contact Jasmine Dina at 289.0585.
In His work together,
Scott Schlossberg, MBA General Manager