The Church in Florida

Bishop Emilio E. Biosca, O.F.M. Cap. celebrated Mass at San Antonio Parish in Port Charlotte to mark the 42nd anniversary of the Diocese of Venice. During the liturgy, Bishop Biosca offered prayers for the deceased former bishops, John J. Nevins and Frank J. Dewane. He also prayed for the priests, religious, deacons, and lay people who have contributed to the diocese since its founding.

The diocese was established on Oct. 25, 1984, from territories previously belonging to the Archdiocese of Miami, the Diocese of Orlando, and the Diocese of St. Petersburg. Bishop Nevins served as the founding bishop, with the Church of the Epiphany serving as the cathedral. Bishop Dewane, the second bishop, died on Oct. 7.

Bishop Emilio E. Biosca, O.F.M. Cap., has restructured the curia of the Diocese of Venice in Florida and established a Bishop’s Advisory Committee (BAC). The committee is intended to assist the bishop with discernment and deliberation on important diocesan matters.

The BAC held its first preliminary meeting on October 20, 2026. Initial members include Vicar General Father David M. Vidal, Episcopal Vicar Father Robert Kantor, and Superintendent of Catholic Education Father John Belmonte, SJ. Sister Carmella DeCosty, SNJM, was appointed to the committee effective October 30, 2026. Sister Carmella has served the diocese for nearly 30 years in roles including Director of Education, Administrator of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Retreat and Spirituality Center, and Director of Religious Education.

The committee met on Friday, October 30, 2026, at the Catholic Center in Venice. Bishop Biosca will appoint additional members to the group, which will continue to meet on a regular basis.

The Diocese of Venice and the St. John Paul II Foundation held the sixth annual Together in Holiness Marriage Conference on Oct. 24, 2026, at Our Lady of Light Parish in Fort Myers. The event drew a record 135 married and engaged couples.

The conference theme, "Family, an image of the Trinity," was based on the writings of St. John Paul II. During the Mass, Vicar General Father David Vidal and various speakers discussed how the love between spouses should imitate the permanent and life-giving love of the Holy Trinity. Father Vidal noted that through God's grace in the Sacrament of Marriage, the love between husband and wife is called to be sacrificial and fruitful for one another, their children, the Church, and the world.

The schedule included three presentations, a Eucharistic Holy Hour, confession, and a special marriage blessing. More than 50 children were enrolled in childcare during the event.

Bishop Emilio E. Biosca, O.F.M. Cap., celebrated the 18th annual Red Mass for legal professionals on Oct. 21, 2026, at St. Martha Parish in Sarasota. The liturgy in the Diocese of Venice serves those working in the legal profession, encouraging them to administer justice with integrity and a commitment to the common good.

During the celebration, Bishop Biosca described the practice of law as a vocation of service rather than just a profession of technical expertise. He noted that the authority held by those in the legal system is a responsibility before God because decisions and judgments affect families and communities. He encouraged attendees to seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit and the inspiration of St. Thomas More to remain faithful to their consciences.

The tradition began in 2008 under Bishop Frank J. Dewane after legal professionals in Sarasota sought to emulate Red Masses held for the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, D.C., and for the Florida Legislature in Tallahassee.

Catholic Legal Services and the Florida Immigrant Coalition are offering methods for volunteers to support immigrant families in Miami.

More than 100 Catholics from South Florida witnessed a visit by Pope Leo XIV to Lourdes to celebrate faith and service to the sick.

The Archdiocese of Miami stated that the transition from Halloween to All Souls' Day offers the Catholic faithful a focus on the promise of eternal life and hope beyond death.

A proposed federal tax credit scholarship program would fund need-based scholarships for K-12 education, which the Archdiocese of Miami says could help South Florida families afford Catholic schools. This would be the first federal tax credit scholarship program in the United States.

Bishop Erik Pohlmeier led a Eucharistic procession and Mass on Oct. 23 to open the Eucharistic Rosary Congress at the National Shrine of Our Lady of La Leche in Mission Nombre Dios. The congress includes several parishes across the diocese participating in seven days and nights of continuous prayer before the Blessed Sacrament.

During the opening ceremony, pilgrims recited the Rosary while following the Eucharist around the shrine grounds. Students from Bishop Moore High School in Orlando attended the event as part of a pilgrimage that included visits to the Cathedral Basilica of St. Augustine and the Sisters of St. Joseph Motherhouse.

Father Joseph Long Nguyen, the first pastor of Our Lady of La Vang Catholic Church, has died at age 62. The Vietnamese-born priest helped establish the parish as a permanent spiritual center for the South Florida community, according to the Archdiocese of Miami.

The Archdiocese of Miami published a guide to help people in Catholic communities recognize unwanted attention, set healthy boundaries, and foster respect.