A funeral Mass was celebrated Sept. 3 for retired Bishop John J. Nevins of Venice, Fla., the founding bishop of the diocese.

Bishop Nevins, 82, died Aug. 26 in his home in Venice. He had been in declining health.

A native of New Rochelle, N.Y., he was ordained a priest of the Miami Archdiocese in 1959.

He was named an auxiliary bishop of Miami in 1979 and ordained a bishop March 24 of that year. He was appointed the first bishop of Venice in 1984. He served as its leader for nearly 23 years, retiring on his 75th birthday, Jan. 19, 2007.