Free Republic

[Catholic Caucus] Moving the Overton-Window on “Schism”The Overton Window is what a group thinks to be believable in the eyes of others in its attempts to grow their faction in numbers. The left uses the Overton Window to determine which lies they can get away with as they approach the left-of-center in a bell-curve of opinion polls. The right also uses the Overton Window, but they use it to determine which aspects of the truth can be digested by the lukewarm on the right of the same bellcurve. Fiducia Supplicans greatly shifted the leftists’ Overton Window on heresy to the...

What Is the Occupancy of Hell?COMMENTARY: The Pope’s recent off-the-cuff remarks have provided a teaching moment on universalism and reality.Pope Francis stirred up controversy with an informal remark concerning hell that he made Jan. 14 in an hourlong live interview with a popular Italian television program. While acknowledging that this is only his personal view, not “a dogma of faith,” the Holy Father speculated that hell may be empty and expressed the hope that it is the case: “What I am going to say is not a dogma of faith, but my own personal view: I like to think of...

Pope Francis is seeking to clarify that the Catholic Church is not changing its teachings about homosexual practices and same-sex relationships as the Vatican faces criticism for approving a document allowing priests to bless same-sex couples. Delivering remarks at the plenary session of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith Friday, the pontiff addressed the “Fiducia Supplicans” declaration handed down by the Vatican office last month. The declaration, published on Dec. 18, allows priests to bless same-sex couples while stressing that “one should neither provide for nor promote a ritual for the blessings of couples in an irregular situation.”As...

Lessons about Francis (The Destroyer) from St. Robert Bellarmine’s Objections to ProtestantsAs one indication, among many, that Francis has convinced most rational observers of his heterodoxy, it is worth noting that he has developed quite a following with the Babylon Bee, a Christian satirical website, as we can see from recent articles:December 11, 2023: “The Catholic Church announced this week Pope Francis has excommunicated the Apostle Paul over the latter's outdated views on women, families, and social issues.”November 12, 2023: “Pope Francis has officially sacked Bishop Joseph Strickland of Tyler, Texas for being ‘way too Catholic.’”October 3, 2023: “Pope Francis...

[Catholic Caucus] Bishop Schneider launches worldwide prayer campaign asking God’s help for the ChurchThe Confraternity of Our Lady of Fatima is launching a 'spiritual crusade' consisting of a daily Rosary and the practice of the Five First Saturdays in response to the 'tremendous crisis now afflicting the Catholic Church.'Bishop Athanasius Schneider launched Friday a worldwide prayer campaign to “implore divine intervention for the crisis of the Church,” as the website of the Confraternity of Our Lady of Fatima announced. Bishop Schneider kindly sent LifeSite this information.“In the face of the tremendous crisis now afflicting the Catholic Church,” Schneider and the...

Bishops, priests and scholars correct Pope Francis’ statement on Holy CommunionA recent papal statement seems to open the door to Holy Communion for pro-abortion politicians such as Nancy Pelosi(LifeSiteNews) — Four bishops, several priests, and numerous Catholic scholars have signed a statement rebuking Pope Francis for a recent statement about the reception of Holy Communion, according to which “everyone is invited to the supper of the wedding of the Lamb (Re 19:9). To be admitted to the feast all that is required is the wedding garment of faith which comes from the hearing of his Word.” The Pope wrote these...

Catholic Answers, Word on Fire author spills the beans on why he stopped defending Pope FrancisJoe Heschmeyer reveals the moment where he had a 'wake-up call' that he needed to 'pivot how I’m approaching Pope Francis.'December 1, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – A Catholic author whose articles regularly appear at Catholic Answers and Word on Fire recently explained the moment when he realized that he could no longer defend the Francis pontificate.Joe Heschmeyer, an instructor at the Holy Family School of Faith Institute for the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas, recently told Catholic Australian author and university professor Matt Fradd that...