The Diocese of Venice called for a rare press conference on May 13 and was expected to announce the retirement of Bishop Frank J. Dewane, the longtime spiritual leader of more than 250,000 Catholics in Southwest Florida.
According to the Washington, D.C.-based United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Pope Leo XIV has accepted the resignation of Dewane, 76, from pastoral governance of the diocese.
The USCCB Office of Public Affairs said on Wednesday that the Pope has named Rev. Emilio Biosca Agüero as Bishop-elect of Venice, using a source within the Apostolic Nunciature in the United States. The Apostolic Nunciature, also based in Washington, functions as the de facto Vatican embassy in the U.S. and manages the Church’s hierarchy in the U.S.
According to the USCCB, canon law requires bishops to submit a request to retire to the Pope upon turning 75. The resignation only takes effect when officially accepted by the Pope. A retired bishop receives the honorary title of “Bishop Emeritus” or “Archbishop Emeritus” of his former diocese.
Biosca will be the third bishop to lead the Diocese of Venice, which was established by John Paul II in 1984 with Bishop John Nevins at the helm.
Dewane’s future role with the Church was unclear ahead of the press conference. Retired bishops often continue to serve in multiple ways, including assisting in diocesan events, celebrating Mass and sacraments, and offering spiritual direction or retreats.
A history of service
Dewane has a long history of leadership within the Church, including in Rome.
Before he was installed as Bishop of the Diocese of Venice by Pope Benedict XVI on Jan. 19, 2007, Dewane served in the Permanent Observer Mission of the Holy See to the United Nations. He was later appointed Under Secretary of the former Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace. Dewane currently serves as Vice-Chairman of the Board of Governors for The Pontifical North American College and is a member of the board of the Franciscan Foundation for the Holy Land, according to the diocese.
Dewane also serves on several committees of the USCCB, including the Pro-Life Committee, the International Justice and Peace Committee, and the Subcommittee for the Pastoral Care of Migrants, Refugees and Travelers. He is a member of the board for St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary in Boynton Beach, St. John Vianney College Seminary in Miami, Ave Maria University in Ave Maria, and Ave Maria School of Law in Naples.
Dewane holds a bachelor’s degree in social science from the University of Wisconsin (1972) and also completed studies at American University in Washington and at the Pontifical Gregorian University and Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas, both in Rome.
Dewane was ordained to the priesthood for the Diocese of Green Bay (Wisconsin) in 1988. Prior to entering the seminary, Dewane worked for NBC in Moscow and later for a subsidiary of PepsiCo in New York City.
Who is Father Biosca?
Rev. Emilio Biosca Agüero, who was born on Dec. 15, 1964, in Fairfax, Virginia, has been pastor of the Shrine of the Sacred Heart in Washington, D.C., since 2019, according to the USCCB. He served as a missionary from 2007-19 in Cuba, where he was assigned to the Capuchin Fraternity of Cristo de Limpias in Havana (2007); Iglesia Jesús de Miramar in Havana (2007-08); Iglesia La Divina Pastora in Santa Clara (2008-11); and Iglesia La Purísima Concepción in Manzanillo (2011-19).
Father Biosca joined the Capuchin Franciscans in 1987. He was professed to the religious order on Aug. 17, 1991, and ordained to the priesthood on May 21, 1994. Assignments after ordination include serving as a missionary in Papua New Guinea (1994-2006).
Biosca earned a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from Borromeo College in Ohio (1987) and master’s degrees in theology and divinity (1992) from Oblate College in Washington. He also studied at the John Paul II Institute in Washington (2004-07), earning a licentiate in sacred theology.
In addition to Spanish, Bishop-elect Biosca also speaks Tok Pisin, a Creole language spoken throughout Papua New Guinea.
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This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Bishop Frank J. Dewane retiring as leader of Diocese of Venice
Reporting by John Howell, Sarasota Herald-Tribune / Sarasota Herald-Tribune
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