At a breakfast held March 8, 2023, Florida’s Catholic bishops presented two recipients with the Thomas A. Horkan, Jr. Distinguished Catholic Leader Award. The event was attended by all eight Catholic bishops of Florida and nearly 300 Catholic faithful from across the state who were in Tallahassee to participate in Catholic Days at the Capitol.
More than 300 Catholic faithful from all seven dioceses in Florida and all eight bishops were present in Tallahassee for Catholic Days at the Capitol, March 7-8. The event is an opportunity for participants to meet with their elected officials and use their voice as constituents and faithful Catholics to advocate for several key legislative issues.
Donald Dillbeck is scheduled to be executed by the State of Florida on Thursday, February 23, 2023 at 6:00 p.m. for the murder of Faye Vann. Catholic faithful and members of the community plan to gather at the following times and locations to pray for Mr. Dillbeck, his victim and their families...
The Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops (FCCB) has written to Gov. Ron DeSantis urging him to stay the execution of Donald Dillbeck and commute his sentence to life without parole.
The Florida Supreme Court agreed this week to take up a lawsuit filed by several pro-abortion organizations challenging the state's 15-week abortion ban and denied a motion to temporarily block the law while the case continues. The ban on abortion after 15 weeks gestation was passed by the legislature during last year's regular session and signed into law by Gov. DeSantis in April 2022.
Taking Mr. Dillbeck's life is unnecessary to keep society safe and perpetuates the cycle of violence. Be on the lookout for an FLCAN action alert requesting Gov. DeSantis to spare Mr. Dillbeck’s life.
HB 1, sponsored by Rep. Kaylee Tuck, R-Lake Placid, would establish scholarships in the form of education savings accounts (ESA) for any student that is a Florida resident and eligible to enroll in K-12 in a public school. The ESA would be state-funded and eligible uses include tuition and fees at a private school...
Florida’s Catholic bishops have released a joint statement that observes January 22, 2023 as marking 50 years since the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Roe v. Wade. The Catholic Church annually designates January 22 as a day of prayer and penance, called the "Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children.”
Governor Ron DeSantis was inaugurated to his second term as Florida's 46th governor on January 3. FCCB staff joined with faith leaders from around the state to pray for Governor DeSantis and First Lady Casey DeSantis, Lieutenant Governor Jeanette Nuñez and Mr. Adrian Nuñez, their families, staff and other elected officials before the inauguration event. Fr. Tim Holeda, rector at the Co-Cathedral of St Thomas More, was invited to offer a prayer.
In anticipation of the 2023 Regular Session of the Florida Legislature, scheduled for March 7-May 5, the FCCB has identified its policy priorities. Key issues are identified under the advocacy areas of life, education, health care, and family and social concerns.
Maria DeLiberato, Executive Director of Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty (FADP), joins Michael Sheedy to discuss ongoing efforts to end the death penalty and raise awareness of its injustice.
You are invited to join Catholics from across the state as they gather in Florida's capital city to learn about the legislative process, advocate for policies that promote human life and dignity, and pray for our elected leaders. By making the trip to Tallahassee and putting your faith and civic responsibility into action, you can make a difference in the lives of fellow Floridians.
The FCCB has developed a comparison between the positions of candidates for Florida governor, Ron DeSantis (Republican) and Charlie Crist (Democrat), on a range of issues important to Catholics. The positions of the candidates have been compiled directly from policies, public statements, official or campaign websites, and other sources, as of September 13, 2022.
Reports of Florida involvement in transporting migrants from Texas to Martha’s Vineyard are disconcerting. Any action to transport persons under false pretenses and leave them stranded with no assistance, if this proves to be the case, fails to respect their human dignity and objectifies them.
For his prayer intention for the month of September, Pope Francis released a video message requesting prayer and action across the world to abolish the death penalty. Will you join him?
Attorney General Ashley Moody promptly appealed that ruling. With her appeal, the injunction is stayed and the law goes into effect while the challenge works its way through the judicial system. We are pleased that the law is in effect.
During the 2022 Florida Legislative Session, legislators passed and Governor DeSantis signed into law a ban on abortion after 15 weeks gestation. In response, several pro-abortion organizations recently sued the state of Florida challenging the constitutionality of the new law. On June 30, a circuit judge said he would enter a temporary injunction preventing the law from going into effect on or shortly after the law’s effective date of July 1. An appeal of the injunction by the State is expected.
On June 24, 2022, the Supreme Court of the United States issued a landmark ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, overturning Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey. In response, the bishops of Florida issued the following statement:
Today, Governor Ron DeSantis signed into law HB 5 that limits abortions in Florida to the first 15 weeks of pregnancy. The new law also includes provisions to improve infant health and analyze and reduce fetal and infant mortality. In support of the governor’s action, the Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops issued the following statement:
