Catholics Across the Aisle

Sara Johnson, statewide grassroots director for Vote No on 4 Florida, and Michele Taylor, FCCB's associate director for communications, discuss the extreme and deceptive Amendment 4, which would allow late-term abortions and eliminate protections for women and minors seeking abortions. Learn why Floridians should vote no on Amendment 4.

Bishop Erik T. Pohlmeier is Florida's newest bishop, having just celebrated his first year as shepherd of the Diocese of St. Augustine. In this episode, get to know more about Bishop Pohlmeier, from his upbringing in rural Arkansas, to discerning his vocation, to his adventures in the past two decades of his priestly ministry. Michael Sheedy, FCCB executive director, also speaks with the bishop about the episcopal role and his vision for the future. 

Michael Sheedy, FCCB's executive director, and Christie Arnold, associate for social concerns and respect life, discuss a response to immigration that is based in scripture, Catholic teaching, and respect for human dignity. Immigration policy has been a controversial topic, especially here in Florida where SB 1718 was recently signed into law. Michael and Christie unpack the potential consequences and legal challenges surrounding this new legislation. 

The Florida legislature passed several bills aimed at countering the harms of gender ideology during the 2023 session. Michael Sheedy, FCCB executive director, and Michael Barrett, associate for education, explain these bills and the important role of public policy in protecting our schools and communities from the consequences of gender ideologies. 

FCCB's policy team debriefs on Florida's 2023 legislative session. Listen to executive director Michael Sheedy, and policy associates Mike Barrett and Christie Arnold, recap some of the notable bills passed by lawmakers. Significant achievements include advancing protections for the unborn, historic school choice expansion and several bills aimed at shielding youth from the harms of gender ideology. Legislators also approved bills that were opposed by the FCCB, including bills expanding application of the death penalty and an anti-immigration measure. 

 FCCB executive director Michael Sheedy and policy experts Christie Arnold and Mike Barrett sit down to discuss some of the bills currently being considered by lawmakers at the Florida Capitol, from a pro-life initiative that will limit abortion to the first six weeks of pregnancy, bills protecting minors from the harms of gender ideology, to a sweeping school choice bill that was already passed and signed by the Governor.  Grab a cup of coffee and listen to the update on these and other important bills advancing in the 2023 Florida legislative session. 

Barbara Samuells, president and co-founder of Catholics for Freedom of Religion joins Michael Sheedy to discuss the longstanding history and principle of religious freedom in America. Certain policies and ideas continue to threaten freedom of religion today, even in places such as schools and hospitals. Barbara and Michael discuss some of these threats and what the laity can do in their local parishes and communities to defend religious freedom. 

In the wake of Roe v. Wade being overturned, how can the Church renew its commitment to supporting families and mothers in need? What is the state of legal protection for the unborn in Florida, and what further restrictions could we expect the legislature to consider in 2023? Michael Sheedy, FCCB's executive director, and Christie Arnold, associate for social concerns and respect life, answer these questions and more in this episode of Catholics Across the Aisle. 

Maria DeLiberato, Executive Director of Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty (FADP), joins Michael Sheedy to discuss ongoing efforts to end the death penalty and raise awareness of its injustice. Maria was part of the legal team that worked to exonerate Clemente Aguirre, who was wrongly convicted and sentenced to death in 2006. Maria outlines the details and her involvement in the frustrating legal battle that took place before Aguirre's conviction was finally overturned in 2018. Michael and Maria also discuss what policy efforts may be anticipated in the upcoming 2023 legislative session and the importance of protecting people with serious mental illness from receiving a death sentence. Find more information about FADP at https://www.fadp.org/ 

Corporal Alan Wilkett, retired, Pasco County Sherriff's Department, shares from his years of professional experience working to prevent human trafficking. Florida is the third highest state for reported human trafficking cases. The numbers are overwhelming, yet there are ways that we can better protect those we love. Learn how you and your faith community can work to end the scourge of human trafficking and support survivors.  This episode of Catholics Across the Aisle was recorded live as a presentation at the 2022 Florida Culture of Life Conference, hosted by the Diocese of St. Petersburg. The audio has been edited and formatted for this podcast. Due to the sensitive nature of this topic, this podcast is suitable for mature audiences only.

Paul Malley, president of Aging with Dignity, shares how Catholics are called to love and care for those near the end of life, providing a tangible vision for building a Culture of Life. Paul draws from personal stories, and the life of St. Teresa of Calcutta, as examples of how to care for, and recognize the inherent human dignity of all. This episode of Catholics Across the Aisle was recorded live as a presentation at the 2022 Florida Culture of Life Conference, hosted by the Diocese of St. Petersburg. The audio has been edited and formatted for this podcast. 

Chelsy Gomez, Program Consultant, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, introduces the USCCB's new pastoral initiative to increase support for pregnant and parenting mothers in need in our Catholic parishes. She shares how parishes can implement the Walking with Moms in Need process locally and renew the Church's commitment to serve and accompany mothers in difficult circumstances. Chelsy also talks through common misconceptions, concerns, and questions about bringing Walking with Moms to a parish or diocese, and shares examples and stories from around the country. This episode of Catholics Across the Aisle was recorded live as a presentation at the 2022 Florida Culture of Life Conference, hosted by the Diocese of St. Petersburg. The audio has been edited and formatted for this podcast. 

Michael Sheedy, FCCB executive director, highlights the key commitments of the Church to address the needs that confront our society. Can Catholics transcend partisanship and polarization and heal our society? It's not easy, but yes, they can.This episode of Catholics Across the Aisle was recorded live as a presentation at the 2022 Florida Culture of Life Conference, hosted by the Diocese of St. Petersburg. The audio has been edited and formatted for this podcast. 

In recent years, gender ideology has pervaded education, athletics, popular culture, politics, and even the workplace. How do we respond to this movement in a way that recognizes the God-given physical reality of being created male or female while also respecting the human dignity of those who struggle with gender dysphoria? FCCB's Ken Kniepmann, associate for health, and Michael Barrett, associate for education address how Catholics can provide a solid anthropological, scientific and pastoral response, especially in cases or environments where youth are influenced or affected by these issues. Michael Sheedy, FCCB executive director, moderates the discussion.This episode of Catholics Across the Aisle was recorded live as a presentation at the 2022 Florida Culture of Life Conference, hosted by the Diocese of St. Petersburg. The audio has been edited and formatted for this podcast. 

FCCB staff, Michael Sheedy, executive director, and Michele Taylor, associate director for communications, discuss the voter guide and several key issues that Catholics should consider as they prepare to cast their ballots.  

 Listen to FCCB staff Michael Sheedy and Michele Taylor as they talk through the stances of candidates for governor Charlie Crist (Democrat) and Ron DeSantis (Republican) on key issues of concern to the Catholic Church. The information in this podcast is taken directly from the FCCB 2022 Gubernatorial Candidate Comparison, where supporting sources for each issue are linked.  The issues discussed in this podcast do not represent a complete list of issues that may be of importance to Catholics. The FCCB neither supports nor opposes any candidate for public office.  

 As hurricane season approaches its peak in Florida, Michael Sheedy speaks with Gabe Tischler, Emergency Management Specialist for the Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops, to hear his real life stories, experience and tips to be prepared for natural disasters or any crisis event. Gabe shares the background of his career in Emergency Management, and how organizations like Catholic Charities and local churches can work together to provide help and resources after a disaster occurs. 

Louis Brown, executive director of Christ Medicus Foundation, joins Michael Sheedy to discuss religious freedom and conscience protection rights within the realm of modern health care. Louis shares the background of Christ Medicus Foundation, the role of conscience and faith in protecting human dignity within the medical industry, and analyzes some of the legislative policies that could threaten freedom of medical conscience. 

While the nation awaits a monumental Supreme Court decision that could overturn Roe v. Wade, the state of Florida is impacted by several recent victories in pro-life policy. Join Michael Sheedy, FCCB executive director, and Christie Arnold, associate for respect life & social concerns, as they discuss legislation that bans abortion in Florida after 15-weeks' gestation, and a circuit court ruling that puts a 24-hour waiting period in effect. Michael and Christie also discuss possible outcomes of the upcoming SCOTUS ruling, and strategies for continuing to build a culture of life. 

 Michael Sheedy discusses the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on health care in Florida with Loraine Brown, Chief Mission Integration Officer with Ascension Florida & Gulf Coast. Loraine shares stories of how healthcare workers and hospital administrators strived to provide the best care possible in the midst of so many difficulties, and the value of a healthcare system based on Catholic principles that recognize the dignity of all people.   

David Spicer, Senior Policy Advisor at USCCB's Office of Migration Policy & Public Affairs, joins Michael Sheedy to discuss the immigration challenges facing our nation from a lens of Catholic social and moral teaching. 

Michael Sheedy is joined by Ken Kniepmann, associate for health, and Michael Barrett, associate for education, to discuss how transgender ideology is impacting sports, schools and society. Their conversation considers the background of the transgender movement, current implications for our culture, and how Catholics can respond with truth and compassion. 

 Our policy team sits down to discuss an eventful 2022 legislative session and the outcome of bills that were a priority for the FCCB. Christie Arnold analyzes the details of a big pro-life victory for the state. Ken Kniepmann shared the efforts behind a proposal that sought to provide conscience protection for health care workers and entities. Mike Barrett talks about bills impacting both Catholic and public schools in Florida. 

In this latest episode of Catholics Across the Aisle, FCCB Executive Director Michael Sheedy talks with Matt Vallière of the Patients Rights Action Fund (PRAF), a national organization that works to ensure patients receive the best possible end-of-life care and, in doing so, opposes legalization of assisted suicide and euthanasia. In this informative episode, Vallière counters the myth that assisted suicide has strong public support. Once the facts are known and the implications of public policies legalizing assisted suicide are realized, public support dramatically drops off. “This is not a right/left issue. This is not a religious/secular issue. This is a human issue,” says Vallière.  Related resources are available on several websites including the FCCB's. See also praf.org or patientsrightsaction.org, dredf.org and notdeadyet.org. Listen to the episode online or on your preferred podcast streaming platform.

In this episode Terry Coonan discusses immigration in FLorida and the United States. He also talks about his role as the Executive Director of Florida State University Center for the Advancement of Human Rights. He talks about how he came into this role and what his experience have been like. He shares what made him pursue this line of work and some fascinating experiences he's had during his career.

In this epsidoe we were joined by Gary Tester, the Executive Director at Catholic Charities of Central Florida. Gary talked about his faith jouney, what brought him to this role, and what are some of their key focuses at Catholic Charities of Central Florida.

In this episode Terry Coonan talks about his role as the Executive Director of Florida State University Center for the Advancement of Human Rights. He talks about how he came into this role and what his experience have been like. He shares what made him pursue this line of work and some fascinating experiences he's had during his career.

In our latest podcast episode, Michael Sheedy, FCCB executive director, talks with Father Clay Ludwig of the Diocese of Saint Augustine about synodality. On October 10, 2021, Pope Francis launched the Synod on Synodality, beginning a two-year process of journeying together to share our lived experience and become a synodal church. Under the theme “For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation, and Mission,” the Hoy Father is calling the church to listen to — and hear — one another in all facets of church life. Dioceses worldwide will participate by holding listening sessions and consulting with local Catholics and others. The process will culminate in October 2023 with the Synod of Bishops and the adoption of an expected final document that will guide the continuing development of a synodal church going into the future.

In part 3 of this interview,  we reflect on the myths surrounding the death penalty and how the death penalty is not what many think it is. Dale shares first-hand stories of innocent men being sentenced to death and executions gone wrong. To close out the interview, Dale discusses restorative justice and how fighting against the death penalty is a life issue, and not a criminal justice issue. 

In part 2 of this interview, we discuss what is experienced by people incarcerated on death row when their warrant is signed. Dale also shares his thoughts as he tries to minister to these individuals.

In this episode we discuss what is is like to be the Catholic correctional chaplain on Florida's death row. How Dale came to be in this role and a bit more on his personal journey that brought him to this position.

 In this interview, Emily Schumacher-Novak (Assistant Director of Education and Outreach in the Department of Justice, Peace and Human Development department of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops) joins us to discuss the "A Better Kind of Politics: Civilize it" campaign done by the USCCB. For more information on this campaign, visit their website: https://www.usccb.org/civilizeit 

Welcome to season 2 of our podcast! In this episode we talked with Greg Schleppenbach, Associate Director of Pro-Life Activities for the United States Conference  of Catholic Bishops. We discussed the Hyde Amendment, the Mississippi SCOTUS case, Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship, Walking with Moms in Need, and how Greg ended up in this position

In this episode, we talk to Monica Farias, Program Director Unaccompanied Refugee Minor Program of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Miami. She goes into detail about the mission of this program, who exactly they are helping, and how you can help out these children in need.

In this episode, we talk with Shevaun Harris and Erik Dellenback about foster care in the state of Florida. They discuss the need for foster parents in Florida, how to become a foster parent, and what you can expect as a foster parent.

In this episode, we discuss what happened in the 2021 legislative session in Florida. Executive Director Michael Sheedy talks with our three associates: Ingrid Delgado: Assoc. Director for Social Concerns/Respect Life, Ken Kniepmann: Associate for Health, and Mike Barrett: Associate for Education. In these interviews, the associates briefly discuss the topics and bills they monitored this session in their respective areas of work.

In part 2 of this episode, executive director, Michael Sheedy talks with Father Tim Cusick, Academic Dean St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary, from the Diocese of St. Augustine about gender ideology. Father Cusick talks about some of the impact this has had on the church, the family, and society.

In part 1 of this episode, executive director, Michael Sheedy talks with Father Tim Cusick, Academic Dean St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary, from the Diocese of St. Augustine about gender ideology. Father Cusick talks about some of the impact this has had on the church, the family, and society.

In this episode, we discuss what we are keeping our eyes on in the 2021 legislative session in Florida. Executive Director Michael Sheedy talks with our three associates: Ingrid Delgado: Assoc. Director for Social Concerns/Respect Life, Ken Kniepmann: Associate for Health, and Mike Barrett: Associate for Education. In these interviews, the associates briefly discuss the topics and bills they are monitoring in their respective areas of work. We look forward to keeping you up to date with the work we do throughout this year's session!

In this interview, we sat down with Rita Gagliano, the executive director of the Florida Pregnancy Care Network. Rita shared the mission of these clinics and all of the services they provide to women across the state. She talked about how they have handled the pandemic and what they have done during these times to help their patients. Rita also shared with us some beautiful stories that have taken place at these clinics.

In this episode, we discussed the COVID-19 vaccines. We discussed how the vaccine is safe to take, how there should not be any moral objections to taking it, and how vaccines work.

In this episode, we had on Representative Erin Grall of the Florida House of Representatives, District 54. She shared her experience as a Catholic legislator in the state of Florida and her journey in politics. Rep Grall said that the fight for life is what keeps her going and it makes it all worth it at the end of the day.

In this episode, we had on USCCB's Danielle M. Brown, Esq., Associate Director, Ad Hoc Committee Against Racism. Danielle gave us an inside look at what her role at USCCB is like and how we can work together to fight against racism and racial injustice. She tied together the fight for equality being Catholic in its core beliefs and explained what the USCCB's Ad Hoc Committee Against Racism is striving to accomplish.

In our latest episode, we had on Tim Perrier, the chaplain of the Florida House of Representatives. Tim gave us an inside look at what his role is and how faith is alive and present in the capitol among our legislators. He shared stories of his fruitful work and how he came into this role. Tim shared his hope in the future of this state as he has come to know the people who work to make our state a better place.

In this episode, Michael and Michele sit down to discuss everything that happened on election day and the days following. They cover the presidential election as well as the local elections that happened around the state of Florida.

In this episode, Michael Sheedy and Michele Taylor discuss the "Candidate Questionnaire Project" that the Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops takes on every election year to help inform voters where candidates stand on key issues.

Associate Director for Communications Michele Taylor joins Executive Director Michael Sheedy to discuss USCCB's "Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship" amid the upcoming election.

In this episode, we sat down with the brilliant Dr. Lee Ann J. Clements to discuss the environment and our planet. Dr. Clements gives her insight on how she found interest in science and the environment and how her faith has played such a huge role in her professional work. In this interview, we also discuss Pope Francis' encyclical: Laudato Si (https://bit.ly/2VO7UiV). We are currently in the Season of Creation (Sept. 1-Oct. 4) and to learn more about this visit https://bit.ly/31T3YS7. If you want to learn more after this interview you can visit http://ecology.dosafl.com/ for more information on this topic.

In the second part of our interview, we sit down and finish our discussion with Clemente Aguirre, a Florida death row exoneree. Clemente tells the in-depth story about how he was wrongfully incarcerated and put on death row. Listen to his story and how he turned to God and leaned on his faith to get him through such a hard and difficult time.

In this episode, we sit down with Clemente Aguirre, a Florida death row exoneree. Clemente tells the in-depth story about how he was wrongfully incarcerated and put on death row. Listen to his story and how he turned to God and leaned on his faith to get him through such a hard and difficult time.

Executive Director Michael Sheedy sits down with Ashley Feasley: Director of Policy for USCCB/Migration and Refugee Services to discuss immigration in our country and how we as Catholics are called to love with open arms.