Free Republic

The woke professor tearing up Baylor University continues his wild ride of unrestrained progressivism, recently interrupting church liturgy to unironically point out that the title of a centuries-old hymn is “sexist” for containing the word “brethren” and that he’s edited and moved around parts of it as to not cause offense. The last thing that I’ll mention is because I’m Episcopalian, I don’t like to interrupt liturgy. Liturgy is holy. It works when it’s together. We have a song that is 200 years old, which will be our opening hymn. I am well aware that the title Brethren We Have...

[Catholic Caucus] Cardinal Sarah: African bishops ‘have spoken for the whole Church’ by rejecting homosexual ‘blessings’Cardinal Sarah issued a stirring call to the African episcopacy, urging them to ‘speak in the name of unity of faith’ as ‘many Western prelates are paralyzed by the idea of opposing the world.’MVOLYÉ, Cameroon (LifeSiteNews) –– Warning that the “Church is dying,” Robert Cardinal Sarah has issued a striking call to action for African Catholics to be the “defenders of the universality of faith” especially at the Synod on Synodality, while also praising them for their rejection of same-sex blessings. Speaking in Cameroon as...

[Catholic Caucus] Cardinal Fernández defends Fiducia Supplicans, says Pope Francis ‘has expanded our understanding’Cardinal Fernández said Pope Francis has the ‘right’ to endorse homosexual ‘blessings’ in contradiction to Catholic teaching and that the matter is ‘close to the Pope’s heart.’VATICAN CITY (LifeSiteNews) — Víctor Manuel Cardinal Fernández has defended Fiducia Supplicans, which endorses “blessing” homosexual “couples,” saying that “Pope Francis has expanded our understanding of blessings” and “he has the right to do so.”Speaking at the April 8 press conference presenting Dignitas Infinita – the latest document published by Fernández’s Congregation (now Dicastery) for the Doctrine of the Faith –...

On Good Friday, the White House announced a “transgender day of visibility” for March 31, which fell this year on Easter Sunday, the holiest day in the Christian calendar, which celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The 635-word proclamation issued by Biden declared:Transgender Americans are part of the fabric of our Nation. Whether serving their communities or in the military, raising families or running businesses, they help America thrive. They deserve, and are entitled to, the same rights and freedoms as every other American, including the most fundamental freedom to be their true selves. ... Today, we send a message...

[Catholic Caucus] Tucho's Embarrassing Presentation of Dignitas InfinitaTucho Fernández began the presentation of the endless document "Infinite Dignity" on 8 April by reaffirming his support for Francis' discredited propaganda piece "Fiducia Supplicans".He amused his audience by stating that "Francis has broadened our understanding of blessings" and protesting that "there are these kinds of blessings that do not meet the requirements of those in a liturgical context" - although this theory has long been refuted.He believes that Francis has the right to invent "blessings" and sees a precedent in Francis' complete rejection of the death penalty.Tucho Fernández expressed his hope that...

[Catholic Caucus] Cardinal Fernández’s Dignitas Infinita condemns abortion, gender theory but is silent on homosexualityIn the newly released text Cardinal Victor Fernández criticizes abortion and the rejection of gender differentiation as attacks on human dignity, while neglecting to discuss homosexuality.VATICAN CITY (LifeSiteNews) — Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernández has released his long-anticipated document on human dignity, written in line with Pope Francis’ encyclical Fratelli Tutti and modern teaching on dignity, which condemns abortion and surrogacy while notably remaining silent on homosexuality.Released via press conference April 8 – the transferred feast of the Annunciation – the new text, Dignitas infinita, aims to...

[Catholic Caucus] Cardinal Fernández calls for change to Catholic condemnation of homosexuality as ‘intrinsically disordered’VATICAN CITY (LifeSiteNews) — Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernández issued a call for the Catholic description of homosexual acts as “intrinsically disordered” to be changed, saying a “clearer” expression would be better.Speaking at an April 8 press conference launching the Congregation (now Dicastery) for the Doctrine of the Faith’s (CDF) new text Dignitas Infinita, Fernández fielded questions regarding homosexuality and the Catholic Church’s teaching on the topic. READ: Cardinal Fernández’s Dignitas Infinita condemns abortion, gender theory but is silent on homosexualityThe cardinal was asked if it is...

Vatican backtracks, approves pro-homosexual priest as theology dean at Italian collegeThe Vatican rejected Fr. Martin Lintner as theology dean at Brixen’s Philosophical-Theological College last year over his support for homosexuality, but his views remain unchanged.BRIXEN, South Tyrol (LifeSiteNews) — The Vatican has approved a priest to become dean of theology in the Philosophical-Theological College in Brixen, less than one year after the Vatican rejected him for the position over his heterodox views on homosexuality. In a series of posts April 3, it was announced that Fr. Martin Lintner would assume the role of dean of theology at Brixen’s influential Philosophical-Theological...

[Catholic Caucus] Pope Francis removes cardinal-vicar, auxiliary bishop of Rome reportedly over tensions and Rupnik caseCdl. De Donatis and Bishop Libanori have been marked by key involvement with, but differing stances on, the Fr. Marko Rupnik case.ROME (LifeSiteNews) — Pope Francis has removed the cardinal-vicar of Rome and one of the city’s auxiliary bishops, in a move which is suggested to be due to personal conflicts and objections to the Pope’s handling of the Father Marko Rupnik case. Announced by the Holy See Press Office bulletin April 6, Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of Cardinal Angelo De Donatis as...

An Indiana court has ruled that the state's abortion ban violates the religious freedom of several Jews and religiously unaffiliated people who might seek abortions as the law's supporters remain confident it will withstand scrutiny from the Indiana Supreme Court. Indiana Court of Appeals Judge Leanna Weismann published an opinion Thursday siding with five anonymous plaintiffs and the group Hoosier Jews for Choice. The plaintiffs asserted that the state's 2022 law prohibiting almost all abortions with exceptions in cases of a fetal anomaly or where the life or health of the mother is at risk violated the state's Religious Freedom...

A Roman Catholic diocese based in California has announced that it is filing for bankruptcy due to the expenses related to numerous lawsuits centered on priest abuse. The Diocese of Sacramento released a statement on Monday confirming that Bishop Jaime Soto had “filed for reorganization of the Diocese of Sacramento’s debts in U.S. Bankruptcy Court.” The filing comes as the diocese faced over 250 lawsuits related to sex abuse of minors by clergy and lay employees, stemming from incidents that go as far back as the 1950s. “This wave of new claims followed a 2019 law allowing victim-survivors to file...

Bishop Eleganti slams Pope Francis over attack on people who refused the COVID shotsBishop Eleganti argues that the Pope is complying with a secular framework, placing politics and bodily health before supernatural faith and the salvation of souls.U.S. citizens: Demand Congress investigate soaring excess death ratesEditor’s note: This text by Bishop Marian Eleganti was written in German and translated by LifeSiteNews with permission from the bishop.(LifeSiteNews) — In his recently published autobiography, Pope Francis is concerned about the resistance against the experimental mRNA vaccine. Unfortunately, he has also led the way in the closure of churches and the “sacramental lockdown.”...

Hebrew calendar

One thing we know about Pope Francis: He has an unhealthy obsession with Judas. In his private apartments, a crude painting hangs which depicts the risen Jesus ministering to Judas’s body after his suicide. Francis has repeatedly mused that Judas might have been saved — in support of the suggestion that no one is finally damned. That’s a heresy the early Church condemned for turning the drama of our salvation into a farce with a forced happy ending. You might think Francis is simply a little “too merciful.” Read my three-part analysis of the dark, perverse motivations that more likely...

Jesus crucifixion is one of betrayal. Denial. Cowardice. Envy. Hate. Brutality. Suffering. Despair. Defeat. Death. Yet, Christians celebrate the cross because the story does not end on that fateful Friday. It does not end at the cross. The irony of the cross was the very instrument Jesus' enemies used to defeat Him became His greatest victory. Little did they know when Friday ended what would happen on Sunday to change the course of the world's history. And so in the spirit of this theme, I want to share a part of that famous sermon by Lockridge. As you read this,...

Two Australian Pentecostal megachurch pastors have temporarily lost their ministry credentials following allegations that the pair engaged in an adulterous relationship. Corey Turner, the global senior pastor of Neuma Church, confessed to having an affair with Stacey Hilliar, a female pastor within the megachurch, which has branches in Thailand and the United States. The Framework, a site that analyzes the inner workings of churches and various groups, shared on social media a copy of an email that Australian Christian Churches President Wayne Alcorn sent to other pastors within the network. According to ACC’s website, the network represents over 1,100 Australia-based...

Embattled megachurch pastor Steven Smith will resign as senior leader of Immanuel Baptist Church following months of controversy and tension at how he handled a child abuse case in his church. Smith was under fire for learning of sexual abuse allegations against former Children’s Director Patrick Stephen, some of which were made before he became pastor and others which were made after. While the church notified law enforcement and the state’s abuse hotline, they did not disclose it to congregation members, including parents whose children attended Stephen’s classes. Stephen was charged with felony sexual assault for molesting children while they...

𝑺𝒚𝒏𝒐𝒅𝒂𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒅𝒐𝒄𝒕𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒆 - 𝑺𝒚𝒏𝒐𝒅𝙖𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒄𝒂𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒍𝒊𝒄𝒊𝒕𝒚 by Cardinal Mario Grech𝑺𝒚𝒏𝒐𝒅𝒂𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒅𝒐𝒄𝒕𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒆 - 𝑺𝒚𝒏𝒐𝒅𝙖𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒄𝒂𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒍𝒊𝒄𝒊𝒕𝒚by Cardinal Mario Grech, Secretary General of the SynodSpecial theological exchange - Berne, 19th March, 2024Thank you for the following two questions you have put to me:Synodality and doctrineThe synodal process is a learning path for the Roman Catholic Church to incorporate the insights of all its members as it seeks and experiments with ways forward into an as yet unknown future. However, official church regulations on doctrine, law and practice leave little room for manoeuvre in many respects. Moreover, in Catholic mentalities, innovation...

[Catholic Caucus] African priest: ‘Pope Francis is a new Judas’ for betraying Christ’s teachings‘Francis is playing the role of Judas by sacrificing the traditional truths that the Church received from Jesus,’ Father Jesusmary Missigbètò writes.(LifeSiteNews) — The following is an open letter by Father Jesusmary Missigbètò. His previous writings can be viewed here.OPEN LETTER ‘MARIA SUPPLICANS’concerning the truth about Pope Francis and his moral and doctrinal errors Part 5; 24 March 2024; Palm Sunday Dear faithful Catholics throughout the world,Today the Church enters the special time of Holy Week. At the end of this time, the victory of the Risen...

[Catholic Caucus] Leading Italian bishop, Vatican newspaper pay tribute to ‘Via Crucis of a Gay Boy’The Vatican newspaper has published Bishop Francesco Savino’s preface to Via Crucis di un ragazzo gay [Via Crucis of a Gay Boy], a new book by Luigi Testa, an Italian law professor.Appointed a bishop in 2015, Bishop Savino has been the vice president of the Italian Episcopal Conference since 2022. Father Sergio Massironi, an official of the Dicastery for the Promoting Integral Human Development, contributed an afterword to the book.In conjunction with Bishop Savino’s preface—which focused more on the prelate’s own reflections than on the...