Free Republic

Reports released Thursday following two-month investigation; Hamas agent confesses to redirected over 60% of humanitarian aid to Hamas military effor Hamas infiltrated the Christian-based, international non-profit organization ‘World Vision”, systematically laundering millions of dollars of humanitarian aid and donations to the terrorist organization’s military wing over several years. The breaking news was only released Thursday following an ongoing two-month investigation by Israel’s Internal Security Organization (Shin Bet)

In May, Pope Francis remarked that the Catholic Church should study whether women could be “reinstated” as deacons — a proposal that could introduce a role for women in the Catholic clergy that has been open only to men for centuries. On Tuesday, he made good on that comment, made last spring to a gathering of nuns. The Vatican announced the members of the new Commission for the Study of the Diaconate of Women, whose examinations may weigh both church tradition and also possibly take stock of contemporary views and needs among Catholic clergy and worshipers. Seven men and six...

Priest for Times of Terror: The Curé d’ArsSean Fitzpatrick Last week in France, a priest was murdered by Islamic terrorists during Mass. Fr. Jacques Hamel was 86 years old; a thin, small man with white, wispy hair, hollow cheeks and hooded eyes. It is thought-provoking to compare this French priest’s appearance to another French priest who lived and died nearly 160 years ago; one who also had a diminutive frame, shrunken face, deep-set eyes, silvery hair—and a holy death. One week after the passing of this parish priest as he celebrated Mass, the Church celebrates the passing of the patron...

Dear Mrs. Clinton we just wanted to let you know that the Lord Jesus LOVES YOU! We in the TRUE love of the Lord Jesus Christ, in ALL sincerity and truth desire that you (Mrs. Clinton) come to a saving relationship to your Creator in Spirit and TRUTH; who loved YOU and gave himself for YOU (John 3:16-17, Acts 4:12, 16:28-31, Rom. 10:2-4, 1 John 5:10-18)! Then and only then will you find the TRUE love, fulfillment and acceptance that you have so desperately desired all these years, not just for your remaining days but for all ETERNITY! Winning the...

Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia believes that increasing number of Orthodox churches in Russia is testimony that the mission of the Russian Orthodox Church is something the people want. "Over the last six years our Church increased by 5,000 churches and 10,000 clergymen, which means that people need the Church’s mission. There could not be such growth in the Church if there were no demand. That is why we feel so special when we place the foundations of new churches," the patriarch said at the ceremony of laying the first stone in the foundation of the Assumption Cathedral...

We, as American Citizens need to pray for our Men in Blue, who don't ask what you are when you call them, they just come and put their lives on the line...

Exactly a week after two terrorists killed Father Jacques Hamel while he said mass in his own church, nearly 2,000 mourners paid their respects to the Catholic priest, described by his sister as “my brother. Everyone’s brother.” The emotionally powerful ceremony at Rouen cathedral, attended by the French interior minister, Bernard Cazeneuve, and religious leaders including Muslim representatives, took place amid high security. Hundreds of people who could not get into the cathedral watched the ceremony from under umbrellas on a big screen. Priests lead the procession as Father Hamel’s coffin is carried to the cathedral. Photograph: Jacky Naegelen/Reuters Dominique...

I suspect most of our readers have already seen elsewhere that the Holy See has announced the formation of a commission to study the question of women deacons. A member of Fr Zuhlsdorf’s commentariat has very cleverly pointed out a statement by the Holy Father himself to the effect that the surest way to make sure a question remains unresolved is to appoint a commission. I noticed while Googling the matter that almost all of what is available on the internet about this matter relates either to the Pope’s original statement back in May that he would consider appointing such a...

Greek police have arrested 26 protesters who yesterday raided the Greek Orthodox Cathedral in the northern city of Thessaloniki during Mass. The culprits were protesting against a police operation in the city on Wednesday in which squatters and refugees were evicted from three illegally occupied buildings. One of the buildings is the property of the Greek Orthodox church and the city's archbishop said that it is being demolished to build a hospice for the terminally ill. The archbishop said that the protesters "destroyed what they could" at the Cathedral yesterday, but did not elaborate. The protesters threw leaflets around the...

For the first time in almost 750 years a Roman catholic Mass has been celebrated in the ancient fortress of the Crusaders, the Krak des Chevaliers. The Mass was celebrated using the Traditional Roman (pre-Vatican II) rite. Video at the linked website.

Pope Francis greets Sister Carmen Sammut, president of the International Union of Superiors General, during an audience with the heads of women's religious orders in Paul VI hall at the Vatican May 12. During a question-and-answer session with members of the UISG, the pope said he was willing to establish a commission to study whether women could serve as deacons. (CNS photo/L'Osservatore Romano) Today the Vatican announced the names of the members of a new commission established to study the question of women in the diaconate. In May, Pope Francis told a gathering of women religious community leaders that...

(Image Source) On Saturday, 4 June 2016, in a historic ceremony sponsored by the Knights of Columbus Woodlawn Council 2161, the City of Aliquippa, Pennsylvania, was solemnly consecrated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary and the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The consecration was performed by the pastors of the three Catholic parishes located in Aliquippa, and the mayor. Consecrators: Reverend Father Paul C. Householder, Pastor St. Titus Roman Catholic Church, Aliquippa Reverend Father Mykhaylo Shkyndya, Pastor St. George Byzantine (Ruthenian) Catholic Church, Aliquippa Reverend Father Michael Polosky, Pastor Ss. Peter & Paul Ukrainian Catholic Church, Aliquippa The Honorable Dwan...

ROME — Imagine a five-star general, under assault, with no weapons of defense — except faith. Think of an Old Testament prophet living today, describing the evil destroying his community — but few listen. That general or prophet is the fierce and noble leader of the Syriac Catholic Church of Antioch, Patriarch Ignatius Youssef III Younan, age 71, whose Church comprises some 200,000 souls worldwide. snip According to the patriarch, fundamental errors in Syria came from Western politicians insisting that democracy can be exported, when it can’t; from Western media describing an “Arab Spring” style opposition movement and the existence...

How would you feel if tomorrow it became illegal to send an email to your friend, inviting them to church? This is the reality that Russian believers have suddenly woken up to, as a result of new anti-terror legislation which came into effect at the end of July, forbidding many forms of evangelism. Ostensibly to combat terrorism, Russia has clamped down hard on evangelism, and made life extremely difficult for our brothers and sisters who want to share the Good News freely there. There has been a great window of opportunity for the gospel to spread since the fall of...

Following up on comments made in May, Pope Francis has instituted a 12-member commission to study women and the diaconate. Archbishop Luis Ladaria Ferrer, SJ, the secretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, will serve as the commission’s president. Among the members of the commission are Father Robert Dodaro, president of the Patristic Institute Augustinianum; Sister Mary Melone, rector of the Pontifical University Antonianum; and Phyllis Zagano, a National Catholic Reporter columnist and author of several books on women and the diaconate. Istituzione della Commissione di Studio sul Diaconato delle donne (Holy See Press Office)

Francis trivializes the problem of radical Islam by ignoring the need to develop a concerted response to terrorist actsPope Francis, never one to shy away from giving the media soundbites, has doubled down on a history of controversial comments on hot-button issues.But unlike the “Who am I to judge?” fallout, the pope’s latest comments, this time about the nature of the current wave of religious terrorism, leave much less room for interpretation and contextual misunderstanding.Unfortunately for Europeans and Americans looking to the Holy See for guidance, the comments only serve to trivialize one of the West’s most persistent threats, and...

Here are the 10 words that every in the Western World should know! dawah, dhimmi, hijra, jizya, kafir, shaheed, shariah, takfir, taqiyya, ummah ----------------------------------------------------- dawah-preaching of islam dhimmi- submitted slave of a muslim hijra- conquest by immigration jizya- tax paid by “people of the book”, that is, religious people not of Islam kafir- infidel, unbeliever shaheed- sacred warrior shariah- Islamic code of law takfir-a muslum declaring another muslim (non-believer) taquiyya- the Islamic doctrine which allows a muslim to lie to infidels in order to save themselves or further the cause of Islam ummah-collective community of Islamic peoples

Following the brutal murder of an elderly Catholic Priest in France, ISIS has publicly warned British Christian clergy and their congregants: you're next. Police publicly warned Britain's 5.4 million Christian church goers, pastors and clergy to be on alert as they are likely targets for ISIS. The Daily Mailreports that security has now been increased for Britain's 47,000 churches in response to ISIS's threat to target Christians and churches in major world cities. Roughly 5.4 million British citizens are church members. "Deputy Assistant Commissioner Neil Basu said: 'Following recent events in France, we are reiterating our protective security advice to...

A Catholic church in a small Missouri town suffered a terrible act of vandalism last weekend, in which human feces were spread throughout the church interior, including on the Blessed Sacrament within the tabernacle, sacred vessels, and the Bible. Sacred oils were also poured out on the floor, and wine was poured on sacred linens and vestments. The woman who confessed to police to having perpetrated the crime said she was both a practitioner of Wicca and a parishioner of the Catholic church she vandalized. This weekend, the local bishop led a special ritual of purification for the church.

The Irish Independent may not be posted on FR, so click HERE for the full article.