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Bishop Parkes Installed as Bishop of Diocese of St. Petersburg
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 Upon the retirement of Bishop Robert N. Lynch who faithfully served as ordinary for over twenty years, Pope Francis appointed Bishop Gregory L. Parkes as the fifth bishop of the Diocese of St. Petersburg. Bishop Parkes was ordained a priest of the Diocese of Orlando in 1999 and was named bishop of Pensacola-Tallahassee in 2012.
Bishop Parkes' Mass of Installation was held January 4 at the Cathedral of St. Jude the Apostle in St. Petersburg. At the conclusion of the Mass, Bishop Parkes introduced his family members and Godparents. He also thanked all those who participated in the Mass and were instrumental in making it special. Finally, he asked for patience as he takes the time to visit parishes and gets to know the clergy and lay faithful of his new diocese.
Videos of the Vespers Prayer Service and Installation Mass are available on the Diocese of St. Petersburg website. |
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Celebrating National Migration Week, January 8-14
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 For nearly a half century, the Catholic Church in the United States has celebrated National Migration Week. This year's theme, "Creating a Culture of Encounter," is drawn from Pope Francis' homily given at his first Pentecost as pope. The Holy Father emphasized the importance of encounter in the Christian faith: "For me this word is very important. Encounter with others. Why? Because faith is an encounter with Jesus, and we must do what Jesus does: encounter others."
In his homily for the annual Migration Mass, celebrated on the feast of the Epiphany, Archbishop Thomas G. Wenski of Miami, FCCB president, reflects upon the many ways immigrants and refugees who, like the Magi bearing gifts, have contributed to our Church and our nation. "But too often in our contemporary culture, we fail to encounter the migrants as persons, and instead look at them as "other." If we are self-absorbed it becomes easy for us to remain aloof to their presence and suspicious of their intentions. National Migration Week reminds us that the migrant is a child of God - whatever his or her status or country of origin may be," stated Archbishop Wenski.
Migration Week educational materials and resources are available for download from the USCCB. |
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Bishops of Florida Release Roe v. Wade Statement
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In their statement dated January 22, 2017, the bishops of Florida mark the 44th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Roe v. Wade:
"Today marks yet another heartbreaking anniversary of the legalization of abortion in the United States. Today we mourn the subsequent deaths of over 58 million children in their mothers' wombs. As a new administration takes office, we are hopeful that our president will bring to fruition his campaign promise to nominate pro-life Supreme Court justices. We are further encouraged by his commitments to work with Congress to ensure conscience protections for health care workers, make Hyde Amendment restrictions on taxpayer funding of abortion permanent law, and defund abortion providers.
"Regardless, we will remain steadfast in our commitment to promote the sanctity of life and dignity of the human person in state policy. In 2016, for example, we supported the passage of legislation that requires abortion providers to have an agreement with a local hospital, as is required of all other invasive office surgery providers."
Read the full statement from the bishops of Florida | en español |
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School Choice and Catholic Schools to be Celebrated in Coming Weeks
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National School Choice Week, January 22-18
Held every January, National School Choice Week is the world's largest annual celebration of opportunity in education. Across the country, more than 20,000 independently planned events will shine a positive spotlight on effective education options for children. Events are diverse in size and type - from pep rallies featuring the National School Choice Week dance to open houses, parent information sessions, large-scale rallies, roundtable discussions, and more.
As Catholics, we recognize that parents have the right and responsibility to educate their children. It follows that school choice is a necessary component of that belief. The FCCB regularly advocates for public policies that provide increased opportunities for parents to select the educational environment that best meets the needs of their children.
Catholic schools in Florida participate in several school choice programs available in our state. Click here for state scholarship participation for the 2016-2017 school year.
 National Catholic Schools Week, January 29-February 4
Catholic Schools Week is a time to recognize and celebrate the gift of Catholic education. Through a variety of events, such as Masses, assemblies and open houses, Catholic schools focus on the value they provide to young people and their contributions to our Church, communities and nation.
Catholic schools offer academic excellence and faith-filled education for students nationwide. National test scores, high school graduation rates, college attendance and other data show that Catholic schools frequently outperform schools in both the public and private sectors.
This week-long celebration provides an opportunity to thank all those who make Catholic education possible: teachers, administrators and staff who work hard; students who grow through faith, knowledge and service; parents and family members who serve untold volunteer hours; lawmakers who support parental rights in education; and our parishes and community members who contribute to Catholic schools in so many ways.
Statistics for the 2016-2017 school year for Catholic schools in Florida can be found here. |
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Get Ready for Catholic Days at the Capitol!
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Join us for Catholic Days at the Capitol, April 4-5, 2017 and put your faith into action. You can effect positive change in Florida's laws and strengthen the presence of Catholic values in the public square by joining with Floridians from across the state to advocate for laws that protect and defend human life and dignity. Your participation in this event can give a voice to some of the most vulnerable and marginalized populations in our state and help promote the common good for all Floridians.
Learn more and find diocesan registration forms and coordinator contact information. Pre-Registration is required. |
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January 11, 2017
Follow Us On
     
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Words of Wisdom
"In 2017, may we dedicate ourselves prayerfully and actively to banishing violence from our hearts, words and deeds, and to becoming nonviolent people and to building nonviolent communities that care for our common home."
-- Pope Francis
Message for World Day of Peace
January 1, 2017
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