Free Republic

DC parish leases raise questionsLocal pastors and lay advisors have raised questions about centralized leasing policies for parish property in the Archdiocese of Washington. Critics say policies restrict both the religious use and financial benefit of parish properties, even while some parishes struggle to make ends meet. >The archdiocese operates a centralized process of managing leased parish property, through which Catholic Charities of Washington leases parish properties for use as program locations, with rental rates far below market rate — charging in some cases only a nominal fee of dollars annually. The process reportedly restricts pastors from renegotiating lease rates,...

[Catholic Caucus] DC’s Abp. Gregory Talks Sex Abuse, Transgenderism, Trump Despite Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory’s administrative record on handling sex abuse, the new leader of the Archdiocese of Washington has already stepped from the narrow path of avoiding partisan politics in the nation’s capital.Fresh from leading the Archdiocese of Atlanta, Gregory agreed to answer impromptu questions from the laity.  On August 13, he attended a Q&A session at Theology on Tap, a monthly young adult group that invites guests to lecture and discuss theology. Seated on a concert stage, the archbishop answered questions from young adults in the crowd who...

A STONE circle has been restored to its former glory after “going missing” for over 200 years. The circle was discovered in a meadow at Wilton, near Egremont by landowners Philip and Lyndsey Johnson. And according to Dr Terence Meaden, a research archaeologist from Oxford University, the stones could be over 4,000 years old. The formation was unearthed when the Johnsons began researching the history of their house. They came across an 18th century map with a drawing of the old stone circle in a field close to their home. It was marked “Druids Temple”. Further investigation showed the stones...

Not all social media traffic is created equal, as the Connecticut Republican Party is learning. Upon Tuesday's announcement that state Sen. Toni Boucher, R-Wilton, is exploring a run for governor, the state GOP's Facebook page has seen an uptick of traffic -- and we're not talking "likes." A comment thread showing a photo of Boucher with state party Chairman Jerry Labriola Jr. was immediately overtaken by Second Amendment activists, who denounced the veteran lawmaker for her support of a statewide crackdown on assault weapons and high-capacity gun magazines in the wake of the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre. Boucher was...

The Working Families Party that is organizing a bus tour protest this Saturday at the homes of AIG employees has deep ties to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, billionaire leftist financier George Soros and the radical group ACORN.A 2005 article by Richard Poe published at Discover the Networks details the connections:The Working Families Party (WFP) is a front group for the radical cult ACORN. It functions as a political party in New York State and Connecticut, promoting ACORN-friendly candidates. Unlike conventional political parties, WFP charges its members dues – about $60 per year – a policy characteristic of ACORN and...