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WASHINGTON--The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' (USCCB) Administrative Committee has issued the following statement today in response to the recent sex abuse scandals. In the statement, the bishops say they pledge to "heal and protect with every bit of the strength God provides us."

WASHINGTON— Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo of Galveston-Houston, President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), has issued the following statement after a series of meetings with members of the USCCB's Executive Committee and other bishops. The following statement includes three goals and three principles, along with initial steps of a plan that will involve laity, experts, and the Vatican. A more developed plan will be presented to the full body of bishops at their general assembly meeting in Baltimore in November.

Jose Antonio Jimenez is scheduled to be executed on Tuesday, August 14, 2018, at 6:00 p.m. for the 1992 murder of Phyllis Minas. In an August 9 letter to Governor Rick Scott on behalf of the bishops of Florida, Michael Sheedy, executive director, appealed to the governor to commute Jimenez' death sentence to a life sentence without parole.

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.