FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NAPLES, Fla. — October 7, 2026 — Ave Maria School of Law mourns the passing of the Most Reverend Frank J. Dewane, Bishop Emeritus of the Diocese of Venice in Florida.

Bishop Dewane died early Wednesday morning, October 7, following a brief illness, according to the Diocese of Venice. He was 76. Bishop Dewane served as the second Bishop of the Diocese of Venice for nearly two decades, from 2007 until his retirement in May 2026.

Bishop Dewane had a longstanding relationship with Ave Maria School of Law and supported its distinctive mission in Catholic legal education. He served on the Law School’s Board of Governors from 2015 until his retirement in 2026, providing valued counsel and guidance to the Law School and its leadership.

“On behalf of the Board of Governors of Ave Maria School of Law, we join all those mourning the loss of Bishop Emeritus Dewane. He worked diligently with the law school as we got established in Naples, and we are grateful for the many ways he supported the school and the members of our community, especially during those early years,” said Ave Maria School of Law Founder and Chairman Tom Monaghan.

Dean and CEO John M. Czarnetzky remembered Bishop Dewane for the wisdom and perspective he brought to the Board and for his understanding of the important role of Catholic lawyers.

“Bishop Dewane brought great wisdom and sound judgment to his service on our Board of Governors, and I personally valued his counsel immensely. He had a keen understanding of the responsibility Catholic lawyers bear in the profession and in society, and of the importance of forming lawyers who are prepared to meet that responsibility with courage and integrity. He understood the important role Catholic lawyers are called to play in the legal profession and in public life, and he deeply valued the mission of Ave Maria School of Law in preparing them for that responsibility. I am profoundly grateful for his service to the Law School and for the guidance he so generously offered.”

Bishop Dewane’s connection to Ave Maria Law extended beyond his service on the Board of Governors. On October 24, 2017, he celebrated the Law School’s first Red Mass on campus, hosted by the St. Thomas More Society. The Red Mass is a centuries-old Catholic tradition invoking the guidance of the Holy Spirit upon judges, lawyers, law professors, law students, government officials and others entrusted with the administration of justice. Bishop Dewane returned the following year to celebrate the Law School’s second annual Red Mass.

His commitment to the legal community continued throughout his episcopacy. In October 2025, Bishop Dewane celebrated Red Masses for legal professionals in Sarasota and Fort Myers, where he reflected on the responsibility of lawyers to serve the common good and uphold the law as an instrument of justice.

Bishop Dewane’s episcopal motto, Iustitia, Pax, Gaudium — Justice, Peace, Joy — reflected themes that marked much of his ministry. Drawn from St. Paul’s Letter to the Romans, the motto reflected his years of work in justice and peace, including his service to the Holy See before becoming a bishop.

Before coming to Southwest Florida, Bishop Dewane served the Church internationally. Following his ordination to the priesthood in 1988, he served with the Permanent Observer Mission of the Holy See to the United Nations and later with the Pontifical Council “Cor Unum” and the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace. He also served in numerous leadership roles within the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and on the boards of several Catholic institutions.

Pope Benedict XVI named Bishop Dewane Coadjutor Bishop of the Diocese of Venice in 2006, and he became the Diocese’s second bishop in January 2007. He led the Diocese for nearly two decades, serving approximately 260,000 Catholics across 10 counties in Southwest Florida. Following his retirement on May 13, 2026, he served as Apostolic Administrator until July 11 and thereafter as Bishop Emeritus.

Ave Maria School of Law joins Bishop Emilio E. Biosca, O.F.M. Cap., the Diocese of Venice, and the Catholic faithful of Southwest Florida in praying for the repose of Bishop Dewane’s soul and in gratitude for his years of service to the Church, the legal community and Ave Maria School of Law.

May he rest in peace.

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