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The Red Mass of the Holy Spirit will be celebrated on the evening of Feb. 3 by Bishop William Wack, CSC, at the Co-Cathedral of St. Thomas More, with limited seating capacity. The Red Mass will also be live streamed for Catholic Days participants and all others who wish to attend virtually.

To ensure the health and safety of participants in light of the coronavirus, the 2021 Catholic Days at the Capitol will be a virtual event. Previous attendees as well as those who have not been able to join Catholics in Tallahassee for this annual event are urged to take this opportunity to participate virtually this coming year. During these unprecedented times, through innovation and technology, Catholics can continue to bring their values and voices to political life to promote and protect human life and dignity.

Official election returns for the November 3 general election were certified on the morning of Tuesday, November 17 by the Florida Elections Canvassing Commission. More than 11 million Floridians cast ballots, reaching a final voter turnout of 77%. 

Videos of the presentations at the 2020 Culture of Life Conference, hosted virtually by the Diocese of Palm Beach on October 24, are available to view online. Presenters spoke on a variety of topics, including pregnancy and motherhood support, abortion in Florida, human trafficking, theology of the body, end-of-life care, and the death penalty. 

The FCCB Education Policy Team has launched a new blog on the FCCB website titled, "Education and the Common Good." This blog will be a place to discuss the mission of the Church as it pertains to education policy.

Each November 30, communities across the globe participate in International Day of Cities for Life, Cities against the Death Penalty, which takes place on the anniversary of the first abolition of the death penalty on the part of a State, the Grand Duchy of Tuscany on November 30, 1786. In solidarity with this international movement, dioceses in Florida are marking the occasion in various ways.

WASHINGTON – Archbishop José H. Gomez of Los Angeles and president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has issued the following statement on the 2020 presidential election:

Floridians have the opportunity to vote this November on an amendment to the state Constitution that would increase the minimum wage to $10.00 per hour effective September 30, 2021. Each September 30 thereafter, the minimum wage would increase by $1.00 per hour until it reaches $15.00 per hour in 2026. From that point forward, the minimum wage shall be adjusted annually for inflation.

The podcast of the Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops, Catholics Across the Aisle: Commentary on Public Policy and Civic Life, brings a non-partisan, moral voice to public dialogue on key policy issues of the day and assists listeners to become educated and active participants in civic life.

The annual Florida Culture of Life Conference, formerly known as the state Respect Life Conference, keeps with Church teaching that all human life has dignity and is to be protected. This year's conference, hosted by the Diocese of Palm Beach, will be held online due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Due to the COVID pandemic, volunteers have largely been unable to visit the imprisoned since mid-March. As of August 12, the Florida Department of Corrections (DOC) reports 12,988 inmates have tested positive for COVID-19 and 70 inmates have died due to the coronavirus. 1,866 DOC staff members, including Secretary Mark Inch and Deputy Secretary Ricky Dixon, have also tested positive. We invite you to pray this COVID-19 prayer of solidarity for all of them.

The Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops thanks Governor Ron DeSantis for signing into law SB 404, a bill that requires parental consent before a minor has an abortion. This common-sense measure simply holds abortion to the same consent requirements as most every other medical decision involving a child, including simple interventions such as taking an aspirin or getting ears pierced.

On June 30, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a 5-4 decision in the case of Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue, upholding a tax-credit scholarship program in Montana. The Montana Supreme Court invalidated the program as a violation of the "Blaine Amendment" against aid to religious schools in its state constitution, because families benefiting include those who choose to send their children to religiously-affiliated schools.

The U.S. Department of Justice has scheduled three executions to take place over a five-day span beginning on July 13. A fourth has been scheduled for the end of August. The four men scheduled to be executed are: Daniel Lee on July 13; Wesley Purkey on July 15; Dustin Honken on July 17; and Keith Nelson on Aug. 28.

Within the span of a month, the Holy Father named two Florida priests to serve as bishops. Bishop-Elect David L.Toups & Bishop-Elect Stephen Parkes

A new episode of Catholics Across the Aisle: Commentary on Public Policy and Civic Life is now available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and Stitcher. In this episode, Executive Director Michael Sheedy discusses the 2020 legislative session with Ken Kniepmann, associate for health, and James Herzog, former associate director for education. They cover a variety of topics ranging from health care to Catholic education and schools.

TALLAHASSEE – The Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops thanks Governor Ron DeSantis for signing into law today SB 404, a bill that requires parental consent before a minor has an abortion. This common-sense measure simply holds abortion to the same consent requirements as most every other medical decision involving a child, including simple interventions such as taking an aspirin or getting ears pierced.

Governor Ron DeSantis has signed into law several bills engaged by the FCCB during the 2020 legislative session:

Governor Ron DeSantis has until the end of June to sign the state budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1. The budget was passed by the legislature in an extended session that concluded on March 19. Due to the economic impacts of the coronavirus pandemic, significant line item vetoes by Governor DeSantis are anticipated. The FCCB has sent the governor correspondence urging budgeted allocations be maintained for the following three key areas:

Beginning June 22, the Feast of Saints Thomas More and John Fisher, the U.S. Catholic Church celebrates Religious Freedom Week. The annual celebration concludes on June 29, the Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul. Join us in promoting religious freedom "For the Good of All," which has been selected as this year's theme.