Born Dec. 5, 1960, in Sliema, Malta, Bishop Baldacchino is the second oldest of four children - three boys and a girl - born to Leonilda (known as Hilda) and Rinaldo (known as Rene) Baldacchino. When he was 13, his family joined the Neocatechumenal Way. He studied at St. Francis School in Msida and Mount Carmel College in Santa Venera, Malta, then studied science and chemistry at the University of Malta.

He entered the Redemptoris Mater Archdiocesan Missionary Seminary in Newark, N.J., in 1990, obtaining a bachelor's in theology and a master's in divinity from Seton Hall University. On May 25, 1996, he was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Newark and assigned as parochial vicar to Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Ridgewood, N.J. In 1999, he was named chancellor of Our Lady of Divine Providence Mission in Turks and Caicos Islands, a missio sui iuris (independent mission) for which the Archbishop of Newark is responsible. He became pastor of Our Lady of Divine Providence Church in Providenciales in 2002, and in 2009 was named a Chaplain to His Holiness, with the honorary title of monsignor. Pope Francis appointed him auxiliary bishop of Miami Feb. 20, 2014. He was ordained to the episcopacy March 19, 2014.

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The Marian Center offers services for people with intellectual disabilities: a fully accredited school for students ages 6 to 21; an adult day training and work program; and a full-time residential facility for women. Each of these programs welcomes people from all races, religions and backgrounds. The Marian Center provides partial financial aid to all those who qualify.

Whatever brings you to this page, we are happy to provide you with some of the resources we are familiar with.

The unfortunate and painful reality is that some couples who attempt marriage do so only to find out later that one or both parties may not have intended to enter into marriage (an exclusive, lifelong partnership of the whole of life) or they realize one or both parties did not have the freedom or ability to do so.

When this happens, disappointment and pain are inevitable for all who are impacted and grieve the dissolution of the relationship.

There are a lot of good Catholic resources available today and we hope these links connect you with resources that will bring about peace, healing, and wholeness for you or those you know and love.

May the Holy Spirit guide you to the resources needed.

Support for Troubled Marriages

If efforts have not yet been made to save the marriage, there are many successful programs that have helped couples navigate difficulties including addictions, infidelity, and separation.

• Retrouvaille: The Retrouvaille Program is for married couples struggling in their relationship. It runs regularly in our Archdiocese in both English and Spanish: www.HelpOurMarriage.org
• Very good list of resources for troubled marriages: USCCB Marriage Support: www.foryourmarriage.org/support
• Very good list of “Difficulties Married Couples Face” topics and articles: www.usccb.org/topics/marriage-and-family-life-ministries/difficulties-married-couples-face#tab--career-and-employment-issues

Divorce Support and Declaration of Nullity

• USCCB Pastoral Website with information regarding divorce including frequently asked questions and many links to resources, support programs, articles, etc.: www.foryourmarriage.org/divorce
• USCCB Website with information regarding annulments: www.usccb.org/topics/marriage-and-family-life-ministries/annulment
• USCCB website explaining the annulment process: www.foryourmarriage.org/annulments
• Archdiocese of Miami information regarding declaration of nullity: www.miamiarch.org/CatholicDiocese.php?op=Declaration_Nullity_Metropolitan_Tribunal_English

Healing for Adult Children of Divorce

• Life-Giving Wounds is a ministry that seeks to help young adults and adults with divorced and separated parents give voice to their pain and find transformative healing in Christ. It runs regularly in person (including here in Miami) and also online. For more information: www.lifegivingwounds.org
• Resource page with many links to books, resources, support: www.lifegivingwounds.org/helpful-links

The finance council gives counsel to the bishop on the following:

• Appointment of a finance officer (c. 494)
• Removal of the finance officer (c. 494)
• Imposition of taxes, either ordinary or extraordinary (c. 1263)
• Decisions relative to the more important acts of administration(c. 1277)
• Determination of the meaning of acts of extraordinary administration for institutes subject to his control if the statutes are not specific (c. 1281.2)
• Review of annual reports submitted to him by clerical and lay administrators of any ecclesiastical goods(c. 1287.1)
• Investment of tangible and intangible property assigned to an endowment (c. 1305)
• Modification of the obligations imposed in executing last wills for pious causes if such obligations cannot be fulfilled (c. 1310.2)
The finance council must give or withhold consent to the bishop on the performance of an act of extraordinary administration as defined by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) (c. 1277): Alienation of property at or above an amount established by the USCCB (c. 1292 § 1) (effective March 31, 2004 , $1,000,000 for dioceses with Catholic populations of half a million persons or more; $500,000 for all other dioceses)

• In addition to alienation, the entering into any transaction that worsens the financial condition of the diocese (c. 1295)

Consent must also be obtained from the Holy See for alienation of property and for transactions that worsen the overall financial condition of the diocese in the following amounts:

• $10,000,000 or more for dioceses with Catholic populations of half a million persons or more
• $5,000,000 or more for all other dioceses

In addition to the canon law requirements, diocesan bishops should consider consulting with their finance councils on the following:

• Appointment of auditors
• Appointment of legal counsel
• Employee compensation and benefits
• Insurance and risk management
• Property management
• Construction management
• Investment policies
• Internal controls
• Development (fundraising)
• Banking arrangements
• Leasing of ecclesiastical property

Finance Council

Archbishop Thomas Wenski
Bishop Enrique Delgado
Mr. Thomas Beier,
Sr. Elizabeth Worley, SSJ
Father Paul Vuturo
Father David Zirilli
Father Alejandro J. Rodriguez Artola
Mr. Albert A. Del Castillo, Esq.
Mr. Sean Clancy
Mr. William G. Benson, CPA
Mrs. Cristina Brochin

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Church Personnel and Covered Volunteers must register online by accessing www.fieldprintflorida.com and following these instructions:

• Click "Schedule an appointment" (registration can be done in English or Spanish)
• Create a secure username/password and enter the Fieldprint scheduling system
• In the "Reason why you need to be fingerprinted" screen, select the web link: "I know my Fieldprint Code". (To obtain this access code, please call your parish or school beforehand.) Please note that the access code is case sensitive.
• Provide all the information requested. This information is required by the FDLE/FBI in order to process the criminal search.
• At this point, the website will prompt the applicant for the information required to find a local fingerprinting facility and schedule an appointment. Instructions, directions, maps and photos will all be provided directly online.
• If additional questions or problems arise, please contact Fieldprint customer service at: 1-800-799-1067 or [email protected]. Or select the "Contact Us" link on the website.

Third Party Vendors

No third-party vendors, other than vendors approved by the Office of Safe Environment, can be used by any Archdiocesan entity for the purpose of background checks and/or clearance. Results of all fingerprinting and background checks will be processed through the Office of Safe Environment.

Special Procedures for Instructional Personnel

Instructional personnel certified through the State of Florida will be re-screened every five years in conjunction with the State's certification process (this will include a renewed FDLE/FBI check). All other school employees will be re-screened every five years according to this policy. The State of Florida certification approval and the related screening results for instructional personnel will be reviewed by the Office of Safe Environment.

International Background Check

Any prospective Church Personnel from another country who has not been in the U.S. for at least one year will receive an International Background Check. Special forms are required and available through the Office of Safe Environment.

Renewals

All Church personnel need to be re-fingerprinted and screened according to this policy every five (5) years.

Disqualifying Offenses

Prior findings of guilt, pleas of guilt or pleas of no contest (regardless of adjudication) for certain misdemeanors and felonies prohibit an individual from employment or volunteer ministry in an entity of the Archdiocese.

Click here for a list of disqualifying offenses.

Record Maintenance

Digital fingerprint images will be retained in a secure electronic database through a vendor approved by the Archdiocese of Miami. Any identified criminal history, along with Archdiocesan recommendations for clearance or denial, will be held in a secure location in the Office of Safe Environment.

If you have any questions, regarding this process, please contact the Background Check Department:

Individuals who do not have access to a computer or require assistance in registering should contact their pertinent parish, school, Archdiocesan entity or the Archdiocese of Miami directly for their designated coordinator.

Additional Information

• General Fingerprinting Procedure
• Pwosedi Jeneral pou Anprent

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For nearly four decades, Bishop Gilberto Fernandez was a humble parish priest, serving first in Cuba, then in South Florida. That's what he aspired to be all his life, since following his two older brothers into the priesthood.

"Sometimes people talk about the loneliness of the priests, but when you are in a parish you don't feel that loneliness because you are surrounded by love and warmth," he said June 24, 1997, when his appointment as Auxiliary Bishop of Miami was announced. "I never thought about doing anything else but being a parish priest," he added. "But man proposes and God disposes. That's the situation here."

In accepting his new responsibilities, Bishop Fernandez pledged to follow the saintly example of a fellow Cuban, Miami Auxiliary Bishop Agustin Roman, whom he called "our local Mother Teresa." With characteristic humility, he accepted his new appointment, "knowing that many others among my brother priests are better qualified than me."

He also credited the faith of his parents, a faith which nurtured eight children, five boys and three girls. Four of the boys became priests, and one of the girls became a religious. All of them ministered in South Florida. "This appointment is not an honor bestowed on me, but one on my family, for the total dedication of my mother, my father, and brothers and sister," Bishop Fernandez said.

In his new role as bishop, he pledged to be "a servant of the people." For his episcopal motto, he chose "amor ultima ratio" -- love is the supreme reason.

His episcopal coat-of-arms features two clasped hands in front of a golden cross. The hands represent Miami, a meeting place and a place of welcome. Stars above the cross symbolize the Virgin Mary as well as the Cuban and U.S. flags. The bottom half features blue and white waters, representing the Caribbean Sea and the Catholic Church, which is often portrayed as the "bark of Peter."

Born in Havana, Cuba, on Feb. 13, 1935, Bishop Fernandez was ordained for the Archdiocese of Havana on May 17, 1959. He served in four parishes in the Havana area, including as administrator of the cathedral, before coming to Miami in July, 1967.

His two older brothers, Msgr. Orlando Fernandez (deceased) and Father Nelson Fernandez, had arrived here in 1961. Another brother, Fausto Fernandez, served for a long time as administrator of Marian Towers, an archdiocesan apartment complex for low-income elderly. Sister Lilia Fernandez is a Sister of St. Joseph of St. Augustine who ministers at Mercy Hospital. Two other sisters, Ondina (deceased) and Teresita, also lived in Miami. Another brother, Miguel Angel Fernandez, lives in Mexico with his wife and two daughters.

Among his assignments in South Florida, Bishop Fernandez ministered to migrant farmworkers in Naranja, Homestead and Delray Beach. In 1996, after six years as pastor of St. Kevin Church in southwest Dade County, he was named spiritual director of St. John Vianney Seminary in Miami.

Biography

Auxiliary Bishop Gilberto Fernandez

Born/Died:

• Feb. 13, 1935, in Havana, Cuba
• Sept. 30, 2011, Miami

Ordained:

• To the priesthood, May 17, 1959, for the Archdiocese of Havana, Cuba
• Appointed Titular bishop of Irina and Auxiliary Bishop of Miami, June 24, 1997
• Ordained to the episcopacy, September 3, 1997
• Retired for health reasons, Dec. 11, 2002

Education:

• Buen Pastor Seminary, Havana, Cuba

Priestly Ministry:

Archdiocese of Havana, 1959 to 1966

• Assistant Pastor, El Salvador Church, Cerro, Havana (1959 to 1960)
• Administrator, St. Peter's Church, Batabano, Havana (1960 to 1961)
• Administrator, Cathedral of Havana (1961 to 1962)
• Pastor, El Cerro Church, Havana (1962 to 1966)

Archdiocese of Miami:

• Assistant Pastor, St. Ann's Mission, Naranja (September, 1967 to October, 1969)
• Administrator, Our Lady Queen of Peace, Delray Beach (October, 1969 to September, 1971)
• Assistant Pastor, St. Patrick Church, Miami Beach (September, 1971 to June, 1974)
• Pastor, Sacred Heart Church, Homestead (June, 1974 to May, 1979)
• Pastor, Sts. Peter and Paul Church, Miami (May, 1979 to April, 1988)
• Pastor, San Pablo Church, Marathon (April, 1988 to December, 1989)
• Pastor, St. Kevin Church, Miami (December, 1989 to June, 1996)
• Spiritual Director, St. John Vianney Seminary, Miami (June, 1996 to June, 1997)

Past and current appointments include membership in the Archdiocesan Worship Commission; Personnel Board; Presbyteral Council; and Advisory Boards for Permanent Diaconate and Catholic Cemeteries.

Personal:

• Parents: Jose Fernandez and Consuelo (nee Villar) Fernandez, both deceased
• Brothers: Msgr. Orlando Fernandez, (deceased Jan. 13, 2000), Archdiocese of Miami; Father Nelson Fernandez, retired, Archdiocese of Miami; Fausto Fernandez, former administrator of Marian Towers, Miami Beach; Sister Lilia Fernandez, Sisters of St. Joseph, Mercy Hospital, Miami; Miguel Angel Fernandez, Mexico; Teresita Fernandez and Ondina Fernandez (deceased September 2011), Miami.

Since its creation in 1958, 11 auxiliary bishops have served in the Archdiocese of Miami, and 12 archdiocesan priests (*) have been selected to serve the Catholic Church as bishops. Nine of these priests were originally chosen to serve as auxiliary bishops in Miami, one as Apostolic Nuncio in the Vatican diplomatic corps, and two have been chosen immediately to lead a diocese. Following is a chronological list of Miami’s auxiliary bishops, and the Miami priests who have been named bishops:

List of livestreamed Masses in the churches

List of livestreamed Masses in the archdiocese

Television Mass / Misa televisada

Every Sunday morning / Todos los domingos:

• 6:30 a.m. - en español por Univision-WLTV 23
• 7:30 a.m. & 12:30 p.m. - en español por Canal Sur
• 8:30 a.m. or 10 a.m. - English Mass from Heart of the Nation.
  Click here to search for channels in Miami/Fort Lauderdale area.

Readings / Lecturas

Click here to for the Mass readings in English

Haga clic aquí para las lecturas de la misa en español

Request a Missal

If you are interested in receiving a missal in English, click here.

Si le interesa recibir un Misal en español, por favor llamar al 305-762-1045 o enviar un correo electrónico a [email protected].

National Masses / Misas Nacionales

The Ministry to Priests Office stresses the fundamental importance of support, ongoing education and formation in the life of the priest in a time of rapid change and transition within the life of the Church.

Ministry to Priests seeks to provide a holistic approach toward the challenge of ongoing formation and education for the priests in the Archdiocese of Miami. Retreat programs, days of prayer, counseling, educational events, sabbaticals, and other types of gatherings more social in nature describe the major thrust of the Ministry to Priests Office in the Archdiocese. Ministry to Priests encourages the priests to have a spiritual director and also encourages support groups.

Type the shortcut:

www.miamiarch.org/priests

on your browser to come back to this page on the web site.

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Priests are encouraged to take advantage of the sabbaticals offered by the Archdiocese for enrichment in spirituality and pastoral skills. In order to respond to the needs of the priests & the requirements for fruitful ministry, programs for the continuing education of priests ministering in the Archdiocese shall continue to be offered. (S. 467)

1. Definition

A sabbatical is an extended renewal period, not for the purpose of meeting a specific need of the Archdiocese, but to promote the personal renewal of the priest and foster the development of his ministerial effectiveness. It is not primarily intended as a time of continuing education, although frequently it will include time to update ministerial skills. The ultimate purpose of the sabbatical is to provide the individual priest with renewed motivation for serving the People of God.

A sabbatical is thought of not primarily as time away from ministry, but time invested in an enhanced ministry. A sabbatical should not, therefore, be confused with sick leave, vacation, retreat, archdiocesan-assigned further study, or leave of absence. Mindful of Jesus’ own declaration that “man was not made for the Sabbath, but rather the Sabbath for man”, the Archdiocese of Miami affirms that the priest who has faithfully borne the heat of the day and its pressures is entitled to sufficient time for personal renewal, or his own “Sabbath.”

2. Allocation of Time

The Archdiocese of Miami is committed to providing short term sabbaticals for priests. A short term sabbatical is understood to be a period of three or four months. A long term sabbatical is understood to be a period of five months or one year. The long term sabbatical is not considered normative, although the request of an individual priest will be considered.

3. To Whom is a Sabbatical Available?

Since a sabbatical is to be conceived as a positive affirmation and support of the priest as well as recognition for services rendered to the Church, primary consideration will be given to those who have greatest seniority. A priest is eligible to apply for a sabbatical after seven years of priestly service in the Archdiocese of Miami. Seven years after his sabbatical, the priest may again apply. It is important to note that the special merit of the petition will also be taken into consideration.

While foremost consideration will be given to requests from incardinated priests of the Archdiocese of Miami, Religious and non-incardinated priests who staff parishes or institutions owned and operated by the Archdiocese may also apply when a comparable program is not available to them.

The goal of the Archdiocesan Sabbatical Program is to have a maximum of ten priests taking advantage of the program four times each year.

4. Application Procedure

The priest who desires a sabbatical should discuss it with his priest-counsellor or the Director of Continuing Education for the Clergy. At that time, the decision will be reached concerning the type of program which would be of most benefit to the priest. At the time application is made to the Archbishop, a letter of recommendation from the priest-counsellor or Director of Continuing Education for the Clergy should be included along with a description of the program. This application, including the specific plan, should be submitted no less than one year before the proposed sabbatical leave.

5. Funding

Expenses (tuition, required books, room and board, and transportation) are shared 50 percent by the Archdiocese, 25 percent by the parish or institution to which the priest is assigned, and 25 percent by the priest. The portion of expenses paid by the priest is seen as a valuable expression of the seriousness of his commitment. The monthly salary and Mass stipends are continued by the parish or institution to which the priest is assigned. In instances where a real hardship might be involved if a priest had to provide 25 percent of the total cost, the Archdiocese of Miami will work out a suitable financial arrangement with the individual. In instances where paying the expenses of the sabbatical plus a continued salary would severely limit a poor parish, other provisions may need to be made by the Archdiocese.

6. Replacements

Should it be necessary to provide a replacement for a priest on a sabbatical, the responsibility for so doing lies primarily with the priest who will be away. This must be done in consultation with the Moderator of the Curia.The cost of the replacement is to be paid by the parish or institution.

St. Gianna and Pietro Molla Miscarriage Ministry.

The ministry is named in honor of St. Gianna and her husband Pietro Molla. They both experienced the pain of losing 2 children due to miscarriages. They felt the exact ache your heart is feeling now; they grieved the loss of their 2 little ones.

She offers profound words of wisdom and consolation, saying:

“Love and sacrifice are closely linked, like the sun and the light. We cannot love without suffering, and we cannot suffer without love” - St. Gianna

The Missionaries of Charity of Mother Teresa arrived in the archdiocese in 1980 to care for the "poorest of the poor" in Miami's inner city. They currently operate a shelter for homeless women and children near Jackson Memorial Hospital.

The Mission Cooperative Plan of the Archdiocese of Miami is a program in which missionary dioceses, religious congregations and lay mission groups are invited to send representatives to preach at the weekend Masses in our parishes.

The program helps to raise awareness in our community of the richness of missionary work across the world, and inspires us all to live the missionary call in our daily lives. The offerings collected in each parish during these Mission Cooperative Plan weekends are sent to the mission organizations represented by these visiting missionaries.

Documents

MCP Application 2026

• Application form
• Guidelines information

The Mission Network of the Archdiocese of Miami is an association of missionary organizations, parishes, groups, and individuals united in a common vision to support each other in responding to our baptismal call to mission. We seek to promote mission by sharing resources, missionary experiences and activities, formation, and advocacy for justice and peace.

The goal of the Mission Office is to promote awareness and enthusiasm for our common call to mission, and to be a bridge of support for missionaries and missionary activities locally and throughout the world.

The office brings together the summer Missionary Cooperative Plan, the work of the Propagation of the Faith in the annual World Mission Sunday celebration, Amor en Acción (a lay missionary community of the Archdiocese of Miami,) and the Mission Network of the Archdiocese of Miami ( an association that gathers mission groups and parish representatives to grow in missionary understanding).

Español Español

The Virtus Protecting God’s Children training is available online in English and Spanish, as well as with Korean and Vietnamese subtitles.

Protecting God's Children® for Adults is an online training course addressing awareness, prevention of, and response to child sexual abuse. The training is an overview of the nature of child sexual abuse and the nature of predators, including the methods and means by which offenders commit abuse, and five easy steps one can practice to prevent child sexual abuse. The training also incorporates policies and procedures defining and addressing child sexual abuse, the screening and selection of employees and volunteers, and victim advocacy.

Virtus monthly bulletins are sent directly to a participant's active Virtus account the first Sunday of each month. At the same time, an email reminder is sent to the participant's email address on their account. If you are not receiving the reminders, it is most likely due to your computer security program or a security update. Please see below for instructions to prevent this.

Reading the monthly bulletins is required to maintain an active and up to date Virtus account and keep the participant eligible to serve. The bulletins take about 3 to 5 minutes to read and are a great way to provide information that is timely and topical, which can be essential especially when talking about internet and social media safety, which changes so frequently. The bulletins also keep you at the forefront of best practices for maintaining safe environments for children and vulnerable adults.

Virtus Online Reminders

To help ensure VIRTUS Online messages are delivered properly to your Inbox (not spam or junk folders) -- please add [email protected] -- to your Address Book and/or Safe List. If you follow our directions above (adding [email protected] to your Address Book and/or Safe List), but reminders default to your spam folder -- or you do not receive your reminders at all -- we recommend that you check directly with your email provider to see if they are blocking or otherwise affecting delivery of email communications from VIRTUS Online ([email protected]) to your email account.

Registration steps

English: Click here

Spanish: Oprima aqui

Virtus Training Reports

The Archdiocese of Miami does not utilize certificates as verification of compliance. Rather, we use Training Reports. For volunteers who have Virtus accounts but need to show verification their account is up to date, they can print out their Training Report by following these instructions.

• Log into your Virtus account at www.virtus.org by entering your user id and password.
• Click on the Home tab at the top of the page.
• Click on Training Report Box.
• Print the page.

This page is dated and indicates both live training record and the number of featured, read and missed bulletins.