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Congratulations to Bishop John H. Ricard, SSJ, on his election as Superior General for the Josephites, the Society of St. Joseph of the Sacred Heart. You can read more about the ministry and mission of the Josephites on their website, www.josephites.org.

Dcns. Daniel Dailey, Anthony DeCotis, Thomas Elsesser, Thomas Gillis, and Jonathan Ignacio have been in formation for the last five years. They were ordained on June 8, 2019 at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart. Their assignments are as follows:

The USCCB has a new website in response to the ongoing effort to eradicate clergy sexual abuse.

Today, there was a fire inside the Co-Cathedral church in Tallahassee. The cathedra and presiders’ chairs were set on fire and are destroyed. The walls of the sanctuary are charred, and there is smoke damage. Thankfully, no one was hurt, and it went out before igniting the whole building. An investigation is underway. Thank you for your prayers.

Tallahassee, FL — Last week, a ministry to assist the formerly incarcerated opened in Tallahassee. The nonprofit ministry of the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee strives to help men and women reintegrate into society after being released from prison.

New priest appointments have been released. All terms begin on July 1, 2019 unless otherwise noted.

"Greetings.  I write with great news: after an extensive search process, we have hired Ed Largaespada to be the Chief Financial Officer for the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee.  Ed will begin this position on June 4, 2019. He is very excited about moving to the Panhandle along with his wife, Rebeca, and three little children.  I am confident that he will fit in well with us and will support all of us in our efforts to spread the Good News and build up the local church."

Pope Francis’ Motu proprio, "Vos estis lux mundi", establishes new procedures for reporting abuse and violence, ensuring that Bishops and Religious Superiors are held accountable for their actions. It includes the obligation for clerics and religious to report abuse. Every Diocese must have a system that allows the public to submit reports easily.

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) will gather for the 2019 Spring General Assembly in Baltimore, June 11-14. Public sessions of the general assembly discussions and votes will be available via livestream at: http://www.usccb.org/live

“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.