“I, along with my brother bishops, am greatly saddened and deeply concerned over the news that another house of worship has been subjected to violence. This assault, which occurred on the last day of Passover, is the second shooting in a U.S. synagogue within six months..."

It is heartbreaking to hear about the devastating fire that is engulfing the Cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris. We pray for any victims who may be injured or who have lost their lives. We also pray for the firefighters and first responders on the scene.

"This bill draws the public’s attention to the shameful reality that the United States is one of only seven nations worldwide that allows the barbaric practice of late-term abortion, when a child likely feels pain and might even live outside the womb with appropriate medical assistance. Such abortion procedures after the middle point of pregnancy also pose serious physical dangers to women. With the vast majority of Americans strongly supporting a ban on late-term abortions, it is time for Congress to pass this bill..."

The release of Pope Francis's apostolic exhortation today is “a wonderful summons to the Church to more vigorously invest in youth and young adults, especially those on the peripheries and those disconnected from the Church,” said the President and committee chairmen of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB).

Sacred Heart marked 50 years as Northwest Florida’s only children’s hospital by hosting a ribbon-cutting and dedication ceremony today for its new four-story, $85 million facility. With 126 beds, the Studer Family Children’s Hospital will increase access to specialized pediatric care and put multiple services in one convenient location at 1 Bubba Watson Drive on Ascension Sacred Heart’s Pensacola campus. Patient care at the facility is scheduled to begin in May.

When people land dream jobs, it's not always easy to self-restrain thoughts of how much can be achieved in a career. But ascending the proverbial ladder never crossed the mind of a priest, who grew up serving as an altar boy at Christ the King Catholic Church in South Bend. "For those of us in a religious order like (the Congregation of) Holy Cross, I think – we're just – our goal is to serve wherever we're sent," said The Most Rev. Bill Wack, C.S.C., the bishop of the Pensacola-Tallahassee Diocese

New Zealand's Catholic bishops have expressed horror and distress at a terrorist attack in two mosques in Christchurch that saw at least 49 people killed. The shootings took place at or near the Al Noor Mosque, where 41 people were killed, and at the Linwood Mosque, where 7 were killed. One more person subsequently died at Christchurch Hospital. Muslims had gathered at the mosques for Friday prayers. Some of those killed were children, it has been reported.

Ascension’s Sacred Heart Health System has announced plans to launch a $47 million project to rebuild facilities and services at Bay Medical Sacred Heart in Panama City. Sacred Heart plans to reopen 144 additional beds in the hospital’s south tower and relocate other services and physician offices that were impacted by Hurricane Michael last year.

The Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee is pleased to announce that Douglas Martin, a former Episcopal minister, will be ordained as a transitional deacon on May 11, 2019 at the Co-Cathedral of St. Thomas More in Tallahassee. Mr. Martin, who was received in the Catholic Church in 2001, will be ordained to the priesthood later this year.

Pope Francis sent his prayers and condolences to Alabama Wednesday after devastating tornadoes over the weekend killed 23 people and left dozens of survivors without homes. “Deeply saddened to learn of the tragic loss of life and the injuries caused by the tornado which struck Alabama in recent days, His Holiness Pope Francis expresses heartfelt solidarity with all affected by this natural disaster,” a telegram sent on behalf of the pope stated March 6.

The November 2018 bishops' meeting was Bishop W. Shawn McKnight's first as a prelate, having been named to lead the Diocese of Jefferson City, Missouri, a year earlier. Normally, a new bishop would refrain from speaking from the floor, but after the surprise announcement to delay action on sex abuse until after the Vatican global summit on the topic in February, McKnight couldn't keep silent.

Now that the summit on the Protection of Minors in the Church has concluded in Rome, I thought it best to share some of my thoughts with our local church.

Pope Francis Sunday outlined eight points that the Church will focus on in an “all-out battle” against the sexual abuse of minors to, he said, “turn this evil into an opportunity for purification.” “We need to recognize with humility and courage that we stand face to face with the mystery of evil, which strikes most violently against the most vulnerable, for they are an image of Jesus,” Pope Francis said Feb. 24 following the Vatican summit’s closing Mass in the Sala Regia.

The Holy Father Francis’ concluding address - "Dear Brothers and Sisters, As I thank the Lord who has accompanied us during these days, I would like to thank all of you for the ecclesial spirit and concrete commitment that you have so generously demonstrated.

There are four programs in the state of Florida which help make Catholic education affordable for a greater number of families.

Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo, Archbishop of Galveston-Houston and President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, has issued the following statement upon the decision of the Holy See announced today regarding Theodore McCarrick.

An independent investigation into the interaction last month between Covington high school students and a Native American man has exonerated the students, the Diocese of Covington has announced. In a Feb. 11 message to Covington Catholic High School parents, posted on the diocesan website, Bishop Roger Foys said a third-party inquiry had determined that “our students did not instigate the incident that occurred at the Lincoln Memorial.”

The bishops of Florida join with Catholics and others of goodwill in reacting in horror and disgust to the recently passed law in New York State that legalizes abortion essentially for any reason through all nine months of pregnancy and removes any protection for children born alive after abortion. Sadly, similar bills were proposed in Virginia and elsewhere. As Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann, Chairman of the U.S. Bishops' Committee on Pro-Life Activities, stated, "This legislation is evil, pure and simple."

Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann of Kansas City, KS and Chairman of the U.S. Bishops’ Committee on Pro-Life Activities has issued the following statement in response to several states moving forward with legislation that would permit a baby to be aborted at nine months.

Florida Catholic Conference celebrates 50 years as a consistent voice for life, dignity and the common good. The Florida Catholic Conference (FCC) was established on February 1, 1969, as an agency of the Catholic bishops of Florida.