Bishop Manuel

During my pastoral visit to St. Helen Parish, I encountered something truly extraordinary: a family of faith whose love for Jesus Christ is transforming lives. I witnessed a community where faith is not merely professed on Sunday but lived every day through generosity, compassion, prayer and service.

On Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026, millions of Americans will take part in our nation’s mid-term elections, exercising one of the most precious rights and responsibilities of citizenship. I extend a heartfelt invitation to all the Catholic faithful of the Diocese of Palm Beach: if you are legally eligible to vote, please exercise that right with a well-formed conscience, a profound love for the United States of America and a sincere commitment to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
This election comes in the year our nation celebrates the 250th anniversary of its independence, a fitting moment to renew our gratitude for the blessings of freedom and to reaffirm our responsibility for the common good and the dignity of every human person.

On Oct. 31, 2026, the Catholic Church in the United States will mark an extraordinary moment in its history: the beatification of five Spanish Franciscan missionaries who gave their lives for Christ more than four centuries ago. Known as the Georgia Martyrs, Fathers Pedro de Corpa, Blas Rodríguez, Miguel de Añón, and Francisco de Veráscola, together with Brother Antonio de Badajoz, will be declared Blessed at a solemn celebration in Savannah, Georgia. Cardinal Frank Leo, archbishop of Toronto, will preside as the representative of Pope Leo XIV. This historic occasion, the first beatification ever celebrated in the American South, holds special significance for Florida’s Catholics.

During my pastoral visit to St. Anastasia Parish and School in Fort Pierce on Sept. 30, Oct. 1 and 3, I found far more than a thriving parish and an outstanding Catholic school. I found a family of faith, deeply rooted in history and alive with a spirit of welcome, service and evangelization.

We believe the human body is not a commodity but part of the person, created by God and, as St. Paul teaches, a temple of the Holy Spirit. St. John Paul II reminded us that the body is made for self-giving love, not for use. Pornography does the opposite. It turns the body into merchandise, exploits the men and women who appear in it, and trains those who watch to see others as objects rather than persons to be loved.

A few days ago, on September 29, the Church celebrated the Feast of Saints Michael, Gabriel and Raphael, the three archangels named in Sacred Scripture. Here in the Diocese of Palm Beach, we marked the feast with our traditional Blue Mass at the cathedral, entrusting our law enforcement officers and first responders to the protection of St. Michael, their patron. In light of that celebration, I would like to reflect on why St. Michael has held such a prominent place in Christian faith and devotion, and on what he can teach us and our children today.

The beatification of Archbishop Sheen is an event of particular significance for the Catholic Church in the United States. It is a moment to give thanks for the holiness of an extraordinary American bishop, priest, teacher and missionary, but also an invitation to rediscover his remarkable contribution to the evangelization of the modern world.

At the beginning of the school year, Bishop Manuel calls parents, educators, administrators and students to remain vigilant in recognizing, reporting and preventing bullying. Rooted in the Catholic belief in the dignity of every person, he reminds us of our shared responsibility to ensure that every child feels loved, protected and never alone.

There are places where the presence of the Church acquires a particular significance simply because of where they are and whom they serve. St. Edward Parish is certainly one of those places. As the only Catholic church on the island of Palm Beach, St. Edward stands as a visible and enduring presence of our Catholic faith in the midst of one of the most distinctive communities within the Diocese of Palm Beach.

I had the joy of conducting my pastoral visit to Emmanuel Catholic Church in Delray Beach. It was a wonderful experience of parish life, and I came away deeply encouraged by what I witnessed there. Emmanuel is a parish alive with faith.

I recently appointed a diocesan exorcist and an associate diocesan exorcist for the Diocese of Palm Beach. Both are outstanding priests of our diocese, already active in parish and school ministry, who have now been entrusted with this specialized responsibility in service to God’s people. Alongside these priests, we are establishing a Diocesan Exorcism Ministry Team to assist in the careful discernment of cases and, whenever truly necessary, in the celebration of solemn exorcisms within our diocese.

The Catholic Church’s present teaching is clear: the death penalty is inadmissible because it attacks the inviolability and dignity of the human person. For this reason, the Church is firmly committed to its abolition throughout the world.

My pastoral visits across our beloved Diocese of Palm Beach continue at full speed, giving me the opportunity to encounter our people, learn the history of our communities, and witness firsthand the faith, generosity and missionary spirit that animate our parishes.

Few responsibilities entrusted to the Church are more important than safeguarding the dignity, health and well-being of those entrusted to our pastoral care. This responsibility is especially profound when it concerns children, families and the educational communities that serve them.

As our nation celebrates the 250th anniversary of the United States, we rightly give thanks for a country whose history has been profoundly shaped by generations of immigrants seeking freedom, opportunity and the chance to begin anew.