Free Republic

Early results: The Ratzinger papacy is a boon, and potentially a big one, to Republicans. This is not to say, of course, that Benedict XVI will act as Vatican precinct chair for the GOP. While the new pope is a highly-educated man, there's no reason to believe that he has the least interest in, or understanding of, the nuances of American party politics. And by all accounts, he's not a poll-driven guy. That said, there's a case to be made that as prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF), Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger had more to do...

n July 22, Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., explained his position on abortion to ABC news anchor Peter Jennings. A close look at Kerry’s stance leaves voters with two rational conclusions. Either Kerry is too weak to stand against what he views as the destruction of innocent life or he is a straight-faced liar pandering to moderate Catholic voters. Both options are problematic and should cause Minnesota voters to reject him. In the interview Kerry confirmed his belief life begins at conception. He stated he is “not pro-abortion” and “there are huge moral implications” that accompany a woman’s decision. Simultaneously, he...

A pro-life group plans to protest the appearance of Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry on the campus of Georgetown University, a Catholic school, because of the Catholic senator's pro-abortion stance. The American Life League's Crusade for the Defense of Our Catholic Church will lead a "peaceful protest" Wednesday outside Kerry's planned speech and is calling on the archbishop of Washington to speak out against Kerry and his pro-abortion views. "Once again, Georgetown University's adherence to Catholic teaching is being called into question. This time it's an on-campus appearance by a Catholic elected official whose political stance in favor of legal...

The Catholic Church has been accused of warning people in African, Asian and other countries with high rates of HIV infection that condoms do not protect against the transmission of the virus, the claims come just a day after a report revealed that a young person is now infected with HIV every 14 seconds. According to BBC report, "cardinals, bishops, priests and nuns in four continents of the church have been quoted as saying HIV can pass through tiny holes in condoms but latest warnings were made in a Panorama programme called 'Sex and the Holy City' by one of...

Rev. Al Sharpton's speech at St. Sabina Catholic Church in Chicago on Sunday, Feb. 9, attracted a standing-room-only crowd of 1,200 people, as well as sharp condemnation and protests from pro-life and Catholic leaders and groups because of Sharpton's pro-abortion views. Sharpton was invited to speak by Rev. Michael Pfleger, pastor of the predominantly African-American congregation, as part of its Black History Month Celebration. During the week before Sharpton's appearance, area Catholics flooded Francis Cardinal George, archbishop of Chicago, with angry calls and e-mails demanding that he cancel the invitation. Late Friday afternoon, the cardinal issued a press release indicating...