News

Green Bay priest named Florida bishop

By Heather Felton
The Florida Catholic

	VENICE WELCOME: Dr. Volodymyr Smeryk, chancellor, and Fr. Edward Moretti, vicar general, greet Bishop-designate Frank Dewane (right), a priest of the Green Bay Diocese, when he arrives in Venice, Fla., from Rome. (Florida Catholic photo by Heather Felton)
	Biography Msgr. Frank Dewane Who: Bishop-designate Frank Dewane Born: March 9, 1950, in Green Bay Parents: The late Eleanor (Pendergast) and Ben Dewane Siblings: John and Peggy, Oshkosh; Mary Dewane Anderson, Phoenix Education: St. James Grade School, Cooperstown; Denmark High School; University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh (bachelor's in political science); American University (master's in international administration); Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome (theology); Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas University, Rome (licentiate in canon law) Ordained: July 16, 1988, by Bp. Adam Maida at St. Francis Xavier Cathedral, Green Bay Assignments in the Diocese: Assistant pastor at St. Francis Xavier Cathedral, Green Bay, and St. Mary's Hospital, Green Bay (1988); associate pastor, Ss. Peter and Paul Parish, Green Bay, and part-time service on the Tribunal; defender of the bond for the Tribunal (1989-91) Assignments outside the Diocese: Permanent Observer Mission of the Holy See to the United Nations in New York, 1991-95; Official of the Pontifical Council "Cor Unum" in Rome, 1995-2001; Under-secretary of the Pontifical Council of Justice and Peace in Rome, 2001-2006. Other: Named a monsignor - chaplain to His Holiness Pope John Paul II on Sept. 27, 1992; Appointed Coadjutor Bishop of Venice, Fla., April 25, 2006. Also: Worked in the Soviet Union for NBC on the 1980 Olympics, 1976-81; worked for PepsiCo in New York, 1981-83.

VENICE, Fla. -- Msgr. Frank Dewane, a priest of the Green Bay Diocese, has been named by Pope Benedict XVI to be coadjutor bishop of the Diocese of Venice, Fla.

Bishop-designate Dewane, 56, has been under-secretary of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace since March 2001. He will become coadjutor bishop and vicar general of the Venice Diocese within the next three months after his ordination as bishop at Epiphany Cathedral, Venice.

New bishop represented Vatican in many locales In his years of service to the Vatican, Bishop-designate Frank Dewane has been a member of several delegations of the Holy See to numerous international and United Nations conferences and summits, participating also in the corresponding preparatory meetings, including: • 1992 Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; • 1994 Conference on Population and Development in Cairo, Egypt; • 1995 Conference on Women in Beijing, China; • 1995 World Summit for Social Development in Copenhagen, Denmark; • 1996 Conference on Human Settlements in Istanbul, Turkey; • 1998 Diplomatic Conference instituting the International Criminal Court in Rome; • 2001 World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance in Durban, South Africa; • 2002 Conference on Financing for Development in Monterrey, Mexico; • 2003 Third World Water Forum in Kyoto, Japan; • 2003 Fifth Ministerial Meeting of the World Trade Organization in Cancun, Mexico • Annual meetings of the board of directors of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.

As coadjutor, Bishop-designate Dewane will serve until the retirement or death of Bp. John Nevins of Venice. Bp. Nevins, 74, is the first bishop of the Venice Diocese, which was created in 1984.

"I'm looking forward to coming to know this blessed portion of the people of God in Venice," he said. "I am very fortunate to have as my mentor Bp. Nevins who has guided the people well and faithfully here."

"Msgr. Dewane will serve as a valued assistant to me as bishop of Venice and, when the Holy Father chooses, we shall all welcome him as the second chief shepherd of this diocese," Bp. Nevins said. "I have been looking forward to this moment so that the church of Venice will continue to grow and be exemplary as a faith community."

In Green Bay, Bp. David Zubik said, "Bishop-elect Dewane possesses many wonderful God given talents which he has used generously for the benefit of God's people not only here in the local Church of Green Bay but on the national and international front as well."

Bp. Zubik said he and the nearly 400,000 Catholics of the diocese "wish Bishop-elect Dewane the gift of God's grace as he undertakes his new responsibilities. As our 'buttons are busting' that once again one of our own has become a bishop, we promise him our prayers that he may faithfully and lovingly serve all the people entrusted to his care."

Bishop-elect Dewane is the son of Ben and Eleanor (Pendergast) Dewane. He was born in Green Bay on March 9, 1950. His home parish is St. James, Cooperstown.

After working for NBC and PepsiCo from 1976 to 1983, he entered the Congregation of Holy Cross seminary in Indiana in 1983, where he studied philosophy for a year. He then decided to enter the diocesan seminary to study to be a priest of the Diocese of Green Bay.

He was ordained to the priesthood on July 16, 1988, by Bp. Adam Maida, now the cardinal-archbishop of Detroit. After his ordination, he served at St. Francis Xavier Cathedral, St. Mary's Hospital, Ss. Peter and Paul Parish and the diocesan Marriage Tribunal, all in Green Bay.

In 1991, he was named a member of the Permanent Observer Mission of the Holy See to the United Nations in New York. From 1995 to March 2001 and he was an official of the Pontifical Council "Cor Unum," which carries out many of the charitable works of the pope.

Since then, he has been under-secretary of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, where he worked to promote justice, peace, development and human rights.

"This appointment of the successor of Bp. Nevins, I consider as a good choice due to Msgr. Dewane's extensive background and experience," said Dr. Volodymyr Smeryk, chancellor of the Venice Diocese. "His personal experience, which has been entrusted to him by both our late Pope John Paul II and our current Pope Benedict XVI, clearly indicates his willingness and faithfulness to the church's needs."

(Tony Staley in Green Bay contributed to this story.)