New families may apply now for a scholarship through Step Up for Students for the 2023-24 school year. The new universal school choice law, which goes into effect July 1, makes every child in grades K-12 in Florida eligible for a scholarship to attend the school of their choice.

Bishop William A. Wack, CSC has appointed Kanobia A. Russell-Blackmon as the new Diocesan Director of Communications effective May 1. Kanobia will oversee the publication of The Catholic Compass and serve as the diocesan spokesperson.

On April 21, the Supreme Court of the United States temporarily blocked lower court rulings that would have suspended the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) loosening of health and safety standards for the abortion drug mifepristone.

On April 19, the U.S. Senate voted 51 to 48 to reject a Congressional Review Act resolution that would overturn an interim final rule from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) which added abortion to veterans’ and dependents’ health benefits packages.

Please join us in praying for the victims of the earthquakes that devastated Turkey and Syria on February 6. The earthquakes have caused the deaths of over 11,000 people and injured thousands more. Catholic Relief Services is working to provide emergency relief. Click here to help.

PENSACOLA, Fla. (February 3, 2023) – St. Paul Catholic School students will have the opportunity to participate in a question-and-answer session with NASA astronaut Nicole Mann aboard the International Space Station during a live 25-minute educational event on February 8, 2023, at St. Paul Catholic School in Pensacola. The event will take place at 1:15 p.m. CT. The public is invited to watch via livestream by visiting stpaulcatholicschool.net. Media who wish to attend the event are asked to contact Sharmane Adams by February 8 at 10 a.m. (*Due to the uncertain nature of spaceflight, the time slot could change).

Bishop Wack does not plan on granting a dispensation in the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahasssee on Friday, March 17, 2023. People are still obliged to abstain from meat on Fridays during Lent. Bishop Wack encourages the faithful to honor the life of St. Patrick with our prayers and devotions by attending Mass and asking for his intercession, keeping the season of Lent holy and preparing ourselves to celebrate the risen Christ at Easter.

On January 22, the Catholic Church in the United States celebrates the twentieth anniversary of the pastoral letter Strangers No Longer: Together on the Journey of Hope. This landmark document, issued jointly by the bishops of the United States and Mexico, addressed the need to manage migration between the two countries more humanely and emphasized the importance of providing pastoral care to newcomers. The letter also underscored a part of the Church’s identity that is frequently affirmed by Pope Francis: we are a Church that transcends borders, in which nobody is seen as disposable and all are welcome.

TALLAHASSEE, FL (January 17, 2023) – Florida’s Catholic bishops have released a joint statement that observes January 22, 2023, as marking 50 years since the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Roe v. Wade. The Catholic Church annually designates January 22 as a day of prayer and penance, called the "Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children.”

Please join us on Monday, January 16 at 10 a.m. for a "Celebration of Life" Mass at St. Anne Catholic Church in Pensacola (5200 Saufley Field Rd.) for Father George Sammut, who passed away on December 27, 2022. Bishop Wack will be the presider. All are welcome to attend.

PENSACOLA, FL (December 31, 2022) — I was saddened to learn of the death of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI early in the morning on Saturday, December 31. I urge all our pastors, religious and faithful, to offer prayers today and during this period of prayer for the repose of his soul. May God receive him into the heavenly banquet.

WASHINGTON – On Tuesday, the U.S. Senate passed the Respect for Marriage Act (H.R. 8404). The bill, which first passed the U.S. House of Representatives in July, will codify the nationwide redefinition of marriage to include same-sex couples in federal statute for the first time.

WASHINGTON – In advance of Monday’s Senate vote on H.R. 8404, the “Respect for Marriage Act” (RMA), Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Committee for Religious Liberty, and Bishop Robert Barron of Winona-Rochester, chairman of the USCCB’s Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life, and Youth, issued a joint letter and analysis urging Congress to oppose the measure.

Worldwide Marriage Encounter (WWME), the original faith based marriage enrichment program, recently selected a new United States leadership team. The new United States leadership team is Peter & Sheila Oprysko from Oakland, NJ and Fr. Dennis O’Brien from Pensacola, FL.

Governor Ron DeSantis announced on November 15 the schools across the state that will be designated as Florida’s first class of Purple Star campuses. St. John Evangelist School in Pensacola was one of 114 schools selected in 10 counties — one of only two Catholic schools in the state to earn this status.

The Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee continue to pray for the victims of Hurricane Ian. If you're looking for a way to help, please consider a gift that will help those whose lives have been forever changed by this disaster.

As Bishop Wack celebrates his fifth anniversary this year, he addresses the faithful by sharing insights on the state of the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee.

Bishop Wack has selected David Ell for the position of Diocesan Chief Operating Officer. In his role, David will be responsible for the day-to-day operations of the Pastoral Center, as well as assisting Bishop Wack with strategic planning for the diocese.

Bishop Wack announces priest personnel appointments in the diocese.

"While this decision is what we have been praying for, we know that the issue of abortion will not simply go away. Our ministry to assist women and families will continue. More than ever, we must be attentive to the needs of women facing unplanned and crisis pregnancies — to help them choose life for their child. We need to remember that every situation we face is personal; it comes down to how we treat the person who is right in front of us." - Bishop William A. Wack, CSC