Miami’s top Catholic leader is speaking out about the state’s “Alligator Alcatraz” migrant detention center, calling it alarming and “intentionally provocative.”

South Florida’s Catholic community is celebrating the historic selection of the first American pope, with the Archdiocese of Miami calling him not just a U.S. citizen, but a “global citizen” shaped by missionary work abroad.

The bells are ringing for the passing of a pontiff.

People across the world, including in South Florida, are reminiscing on the life and legacy of Pope Francis after the pontiff died early Monday at age 88.

In South Florida, Catholics attended mass at churches in greater numbers to commemorate Ash Wednesday, which marks the first day of Lent, a 40-day season of prayer, fasting, and charity before Easter on April 20.

Support for Pope Francis is happening here in South Florida as churchgoers attend mass, including one that was held Monday with Thomas Wenski, the archbishop of the Archdiocese of Miami.

As U.S. Catholic bishops gather for their annual fall meeting this week in Baltimore, the specter of President-elect Donald Trump’s resounding victory hangs over the proceedings.

Despite its failure to achieve a 60% supermajority at the ballot box, supporters of abortion rights said the 57% of “yes” voters on Amendment 4 show that Florida voters oppose the state’s direction on the issue.

Haitian Bishop Pierre-André Dumas was at Jackson Memorial Hospital on Saturday after arriving at Miami International Airport.

Bishop Pierre Andre Dumas gave the homily when he visited Miami’s Notre Dame D’haiti church two years ago.

Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega’s administration has targeted at least a dozen Roman Catholic priests and a bishop and closed a Catholic-run university after national demonstrations against him.

Israeli authorities say at least seven people are wounded in a suspected attack in Tel Aviv, Israel's commercial hub.

A mass took place Saturday afternoon at Saint Mary's Cathedral Church to celebrate Archbishop Thomas Wenski's milestone.

With COVID-19 cases rapidly spreading across South Florida, the Archdiocese of Miami says it’s mandatory to mask up in church once again.

The death toll in Haiti has surpassed 700 and is only expected to climb following Saturday's 7.2 magnitude earthquake.

Dozens met for the “No Hate. No Fear” rally against anti-Semitism on Thursday at the Holocaust Memorial of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation in Miami Beach.

The coronavirus pandemic has been a difficult time for religious people across the world. At a time of loss and grief with COVID-19, some Catholics were unable to participate in in-person Mass for nearly a year. This Holy Week many are making it back to Mass.

MIAMI, Fla. – Ten new American citizens took the oath of allegiance on Wednesday in the shadow of an appropriate piece of artwork in Bayfront Park with a Vatican connection. The sculpture, Angels Unawares, will be at Bayfront Park through April 7 and on Wednesday, it was the backdrop for a citizenship ceremony. On September 2019, the large bronze of Angels Unawares was installed in St. Peter’s Square Rome and the smaller bronze was installed in St. Paul’s Basilica, Rome. In the shadow of Miami’s Freedom Tower and the faces of the bronze “Angels,” Colombian born Nicolas Cabrera was sworn in as an American. The sculpture arrived in Bayfront Park on Feb. 9 after stops in Boston, New York and Atlanta, before coming to Miami.

The measures were meant to avoid turning the Catholic Christmas Eve Mass into a super spreader event during the coronavirus pandemic. The members of the church’s choir wore face masks to usher on Christmas Eve with traditional carols. Typically 1,000 people would be at the Church of the Little Flower for Christmas Eve mass, Alvarez said. About 200, and not the usual thousands, attended Francis’ Christmas vigil Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica. Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava extended the midnight curfew to 1 a.m. to allow Catholics to attend the Midnight Mass.

The fate of the classroom is still up in the air for public schools, but what about private institutions? "School is going to open on the 19th," said Archbishop Thomas Wenski of the Miami Archdiocese. For Catholic private schools, that date seems to be the only sense of certainty in this COVID-19 world. It's less than a month away, and private catholic schools are having the same discussion as their public school counterparts. "We either will go with plan A or Plan B," Wenski said, referring to in-school teaching or virtual learning.

MIAMI Special 'Unity Against Racism' masses are being held at churches throughout Miami. Archbishop Thomas Wenski said the holiday weekend is the perfect time to highlight the church's social doctrine. Church members say the Fourth of July weekend was chosen on purpose for the occasion, linking the theme of liberty with the churchs stance against the sin of racism. "We see the effects of racism still at work unfortunately in too many areas of our country," Wenski said. While the church is only hosting 25% capacity during this pandemic, the mass is live streamed to thousands.