Christie Arnold, associate for social concerns and respect life with the Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops, testified in support of HB 5 (Grall) before members of the House Professions and Public Health Subcommittee on Thursday. "We support HB 5 because we support strengthening and increasing protections for women and children, specifically unborn children," said Arnold. "It is encouraging that the bill narrows the window of time in which a woman can obtain an abortion to 15 weeks gestation. This is a good step in the right direction to limit the harm of abortion and further protect unborn children."

Peter Routsis-Arroyo, CEO, Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Miami, was in Tallahassee this week to visit lawmakers at the Capitol. Routsis-Arroyo joined Christie Arnold, FCCB associate for respect life and social concerns, to speak with lawmakers about the work of Catholic Charities to settle minors who have reached the border unaccompanied by an adult and reunite them with family members already present in Florida and elsewhere in the U.S

The Florida bishops will celebrate the 47th Annual Red Mass of the Holy Spirit at the Co-Cathedral of St. Thomas More at 6:00 p.m. on February 2, 2022. The Red Mass invokes the guidance of the Holy Spirit upon the legislative, executive and judicial branches of government, members of the legal profession and all who are tasked with leading the state of Florida.