The only vaccines readily available in the U.S. for some contagious diseases (e.g. rubella and hepatitis A) have been manufactured using fetal tissue from induced abortions. This has created a problem of conscience for many Catholics. As recommended by the Pontifical Academy for Life in 2005, a long-term solution lies in working to ensure that future vaccines and other medicines are not developed in cooperation with practices that demean human life.

Under U.S. law, a refugee is a person who is forced to flee his or her home country due to persecution or a well-founded fear of being persecuted on account of his or her nationality, race, religion, political opinion, or membership in a particular social group. Worldwide, there are 65.3 million people who have been forced out of their homes.

Religious Freedom Week will take place from June 22-29, 2018. The observance begins with the feast day of St. Thomas More and St. John Fisher, includes the Nativity of St. John the Baptist, and ends with the feast of Sts. Peter and Paul.

Florida's First Lady Ann Scott visited Ascension Catholic School in Melbourne to greet students and share her passion for reading and literacy. Mrs. Scott read several books to the students including the book that she authored, "Ally and Jordi's Adventures Through Florida".

The U.S. Supreme Court decided the case of Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission. The case involves Christian baker Jack Phillips who declined in 2012 to create a custom wedding cake for a same-sex ceremony. State officials sought to compel Phillips to create such cakes under Colorado's public accommodations law. The Supreme Court ruled 7-2 in favor of Phillips under the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

After holding numerous public hearings and committee meetings over the past year, the full Constitution Revision Commission (CRC) met in April to hold final votes on proposed amendments to the Florida Constitution. The CRC finished its work after approving eight proposed amendments for the November 6 general-election ballot. Six of the eight ballot measures bundle multiple subjects that were debated and advanced by the commission.

Parishes across the state are engaging in efforts to promote the Florida Catholic Advocacy Network (FLCAN). By conducting postcard collections during weekend Masses and increasing participation in the network, parishes are able to help grow the Catholic voice in the public square.

Famed "Miracle Hunter" Michael O'Neill's original EWTN series They Might Be Saints will air a special one-hour episode on Wednesday, June 6, 2018 at 10:00 p.m. EDT featuring the proposed Martyrs of la Florida. The episode will focus on some of the courageous and heroic witnesses who gave their lives for the Catholic faith during the Spanish missionary period.

Designating a health care surrogate and providing guidance for end-of-life decisions is the best way to ensure that morally acceptable procedures are followed if you become incapacitated or unable to express your own wishes in the event of a medical emergency. The Florida Catholic Conference has resources available to assist with advance care planning.

After holding numerous committee meetings and public hearings, the full Constitution Revision Commission met this week to consider proposed amendments to the Florida Constitution. The CRC convenes every 20 years and has the authority to put issues directly on the ballot. The 37-member commission faces a May 10 deadline for finishing its work. Proposals that receive final approval from the full commission will appear on the general election ballot in November 2018.

On March 19, Governor Scott signed HB 41, codifying the Florida Pregnancy Support Services Program (FPSSP) in statute. Through a network of 106 pregnancy support centers across the state, FPSSP provides resources and services to pregnant mothers as they prepare to parent or place their babies for adoption.

On March 19, Governor Rick Scott signed SB 920 into law. The measure allows a new product for payday loans up to $1000 that will cost consumers more in fees and interest payments than the current payday products. It also allows loans to be made at triple-digit annual percentage rates. Most comparable loans are capped at 30 percent.

The Regular Session of the Florida Legislature came to a close (sine die) at 4:16 p.m. on Sunday, March 11. The motion to adjourn sine die, Latin for 'without day,' is the last action of a session of the Florida legislature. The session was extended two days beyond its March 9 scheduled end to resolve an impasse over hospital spending between the House and the Senate.

The Florida legislature has acted quickly to address gun policy and school safety in the wake of the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. HB 7101 and SB 7026 both contain key changes that improve state law and help to ensure that a tragedy such as the one that occurred in Parkland on February 14 never occurs again. Key provisions of the bills include:

The House and Senate have begun the process of resolving differences between the two chambers' spending plans. On Tuesday evening, House and Senate leaders announced agreement on allocations - specific amounts to be allocated for the major budget areas - and lawmakers are now negotiating how funds will be spent.

Ingrid Delgado, FCCB associate for social concerns/respect life At a press conference organized by consumer advocates, Ingrid Delgado, FCCB associate for social concerns/respect life, spoke in opposition to bills that further the practice of usury among predatory lenders. Exploiting people who live in poverty is theft and usurious practices are the equivalent of indirect homicide. (Catechism, nos. 2409 & 2269)

Dismemberment Abortion On Thursday, March 1, HB 1429 (Grall) passed the House (72-42). This FCCB-supported measure would prohibit physicians from knowingly performing a dismemberment abortion, a procedure conducted in the second-trimester that removes the body parts of an unborn child while the child is still alive. The companion bill in the Senate, SB 1890 (Mayfield), has not been heard in its committees of reference.

On Monday, February 26, more than 45,000 calls were made to members of Congress from Catholics around the country urging them to find a legislative solution to save the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops asked all Catholics to contact their members of Congress and urge them to protect Dreamers from deportation, provide them a path to citizenship and avoid any damage to existing protections for families and unaccompanied minors in the process.

Time is of the essence when your Florida legislator needs to hear from you on an issue. Often, little notice is given before a bill is considered by a committee or heard on the floor of the House or Senate chamber. You can be notified immediately when the FCCB sends an action alert to the Florida Catholic Advocacy Network by signing up for text messages. It's easy to sign up, just text FLCAN to 50457.

A week after the deadly mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, several thousand people rallied outside the Capitol in Tallahassee on Wednesday, February 21. Survivors, families, local students and gun-control advocates called on state lawmakers to enact stricter gun laws. On the same day, about 100 students from Parkland met in person with legislators and state leaders, including Governor Rick Scott, House Speaker Richard Corcoran and Senate President Joe Negron, to press for immediate action on gun reform and school-safety measures to prevent another tragedy.