Free Republic

Walter Cardinal Kasper has been regarded in liberal circles as a profound theologian and an expert on ecumenism and Jewish-Catholic relations, as well as an authority on Vatican II. At the center of a recent storm of controversy over his views on the possibility of change concerning the doctrine of the Church on sexual morality, his views were unfortunately echoed by some other bishops at the recent Extraordinary Synod of Bishops in Rome. The result? Other cardinals and bishops were prompted to publicly denounce such attacks on Catholic teaching crying out, “Enough of this!” They referred to calls from Cardinal...

Gilbert grifters grab for greenbacks At this point most Arizonans are aware of the disturbing saga* of the dogs who died agonizing heat-related suffocation deaths in a small windowless utility room, sans air conditioning at Green Acre kennel. Nearly two dozen family pets entrusted to the owner’s care suffered excruciating deaths last summer. Todd and MaLeisa Hughes, the kennel owners, were vacationing out of state when the deaths occurred. They left the boarding facility and pets in the care of their daughter and son-in-law Logan and Austin Flake. Austin is the son of Arizona U.S. Senator Jeff Flake. All four...

WASHINGTON — The event was billed as one of solidarity, thousands of people unified in their demand for “justice for all” and an end to alleged police brutality against “unarmed black men.” Led by MSNBC host Al Sharpton, the march was organized and promoted by his National Action Network. The final speaker, Reverend Jamal Bryant of Empowerment Temple in Maryland, gave a speech and closing prayer laden with political anger and racial overtones.

On Republicans working with Obama to pass a $1.1 trillion Omnibus spending bill written by and for the Chamber of Amnesty… I don’t know how you go into 2016…and you say: ‘Okay, I want you to support the GOP because…we didn’t stop immigration-amnesty, we’re gonna bring in a lot more guest workers, and we think it’s good to do these big omnibus bills…oh, and by the way, we’re probably gonna fight a couple more wars. Vote for us.’ … What position would you rather be in? Warren’s position or, like, Paul Ryan– Mister Budget Hawk? Oh boy, that Paul Ryan...

A ribbon-cutting is scheduled for Thursday, Dec. 18, at Fort Huachuca to celebrate the creation of a new Unmanned Aerial Vehicle launch and recovery facility at the post. U.S. Sens. John McCain and Jeff Flake are scheduled to attend the ceremony, which is being hosted by the 162nd Wing at the fort. The event will begin at 10 a.m. at the facility located at 14606 Air Guard Way. The ceremony will be hosted by the commander of the 162nd Wing, Col. Phil Purcell, and the commander of the 214th Reconnaissance Group, Lt. Col. Bobbi Doorenbos. Brig. Gen. Edward P. Maxwell,...

Taking a few minutes this morning to watch Congressman Trey Gowdy and the House Select Committee on ‪#‎Benghazi‬.

FORT HUACHUCA — On a hill not far from Brown Parade Feld, a large white star shined on a Christmas NOEL scene. The field and houses and former enlisted barracks dating to the late 1800s, lining the north and south ends of the field, were lit with festive lights adding an even more glow. Inside a large tent, children did holiday crafts, some making decorations for their family tree, or as gifts for friends and families — all at no cost, courtesy of the post’s Family, Morale and Welfare Division. Brother and sister, Dylan, 8, and Skylar, 6, Rubstello were...

H.B. 234  is an 18 page reform of Ohio's firearms laws, though most of the 18 pages are existing law.  The reforms are simple commonsense reforms of provisions of state law that were unduly restrictive and made no sense.  This was reflected by the large vote margins for passage of the bill; 24-6 in the Senate, 69-16 in the House.  The bill now goes to Governor Kasich, who has not indicated if he will sign it or not.   Disarmists are already lobbying the Governor in an attempt to have him veto the bill.  Governor Kasich has 10 days from...

Larry P. Arnn President, Hillsdale College LARRY P. ARNN is the twelfth president of Hillsdale College. He received his B.A. from Arkansas State University and his M.A. and Ph.D. in government from the Claremont Graduate School. From 1977 to 1980, he also studied at the London School of Economics and at Worcester College, Oxford University, where he served as director of research for Martin Gilbert, the official biographer of Winston Churchill. From 1985 until his appointment as president of Hillsdale College in 2000, he was president of the Claremont Institute for the Study of Statesmanship and Political Philosophy. He is...

IÂ’d just hung the deer by its neck on the swingset for skinning and butchering when..... "Oh Hum-BERTO! Puh-LEAZE!"I looked over and it was our new neighbor Freddie, wailing from his patio door, his face a mask of horror and disgust. "Humberto! How could you?! Why thatÂ’s awful!"Freddie moved to south Louisiana recently from San Francisco. People didnÂ’t skin deer in their backyards there. Freddie used to open his back door, prance to the fence, and discuss the screen and stage with fellow wine sniffers. Now he opens his back door and finds an assassinated deer dangling with its tongue...

(RNS) When Pope Francis recently sought to comfort a distraught boy whose dog had died, the pontiff took the sort of pastoral approach he is famous for — telling the youngster not to worry, that he would one day see his pet in heaven. “Paradise is open to all of God’s creatures,” Francis said reassuringly.Pope Francis greets a crowd on his way to a meeting with cardinals at the Vatican on Feb. 21, 2014. RNS photo by David Gibson It was a sparkling moment on a rainy November day, and the setting in St. Peter’s Square only burnished Francis’ reputation as...

As noted here,Tom Ford, a designer and self-styled "provocateur," has created a penis crucifix for the Christmas season. When one of the world's leading exorcists, Father Gabriele Amorth, was asked how one can tell if someone is possessed, he replied, "By their aversion to the sacrament and all things sacred." One of the clearest signs of demonic possession is a hatred for the Eucharist or the crucifix. And isn't this precisely what we are witnessing today? As our world immerses itself more and more in sin, the numbers if demon-possessed multiply exponentially.

The federal watchdog tasked with keeping tabs on the Internal Revenue Service says the agency needs to do a better job of administering tax credits for low-income people. The reason? Billions of dollars each year are ending up in the wrong hands. A new report from the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, reveals that nearly a quarter of the $63 billion worth of Earned Income Tax Credits distributed in 2012 were improper payments. That’s about $14.5 billion in erroneous payments that were either given to the wrong people or distributed to the right people in the wrong amount. TIGTA...

Watching "Dawn of the Planet of the Apes" and get the strong sensation that Obama is an agent of Koba. He hates humans. Your thoughts please.

In a bedroom lay a white silk pillow - yellowed with age and emblazoned with the screaming eagle emblem of the Army's 101st Airborne Division. On the walls were pictures and plaques telling the story of a World War II veteran; in another room was an adjustable hospital bed and, on a windowsill, a worn Bible. That October day, Jim Bennett was looking for an investment, a house to buy, rehab, then rent or resell, as he has done with about 500 others over more than 20 years. But Bennett found much more at the modest, two-story rowhouse on Winton...

Bloomberg is title and link only: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-12-13/senate-push-on-final-spending-bill-thwarted-by-disputes.html

Congress gave itself until Wednesday to pass a government funding bill after the two Republican senators whose efforts led to a government shutdown in 2013 disrupted legislation that would avert a shutdown. Unable to pass a massive spending bill that would keep the government funded for a year, the Senate on Saturday approved a stopgap measure to prevent a shutdown at midnight. The maneuver came during a rare Saturday session after GOP Sens. Ted Cruz and Mike Lee demanded a vote Friday to defund President Barack Obama's executive actions on immigration, thwarting Senate leadership's hopes to pass a $1.1 trillion...

Say what you will about the compromises contained in John Boehner’s spending bill, but there is at least one thing about it I love: Nancy Pelosi hates it. At issue are the reform measures the GOP inserted in the bill to get rid of excessive regulation in Dodd-Frank and so-called campaign finance reform. Pelosi expressed enormous disappointment in the White House, which supported Boehner’s bill, would support the roll back of Dodd-Frank and the 1st Amendment violations in the name of campaign finance reform. The thing conservatives should understand about this lame duck Congress is that what they do here...

Their power ebbing, Senate Democrats launched a last-minute drive Saturday to confirm roughly 20 of President Barack Obama's nominees, and several Republicans blamed tea party-backed Texas Sen. Ted Cruz for creating an opening for the outgoing majority party to exploit. Lawmakers took a break in their intrigue long enough to send Obama legislation that provides funds for the government to remain open until Wednesday at midnight, easing concerns of a shutdown. A separate, $1.1 trillion long-term funding bill remained in limbo. Republicans tried to slow the nomination proceedings, but several voiced unhappiness with Cruz, a potential presidential candidate in 2016....

The woman tasked with carrying out the Vatican’s three-year investigation into the health of Religious life in the US admitted she faced resistance and criticism from fellow sisters. Writing in this week’s Tablet Mother Mary Clare Millea said the Vatican allowed her to select her own collaborators to carry out the apostolic investigation of the nearly 400 institutes of women Religious. She said she felt she had “the complete trust of the congregation in Rome” to formulate a strategy for carrying out the investigation. The long-awaited report from the investigation is to be released on Tuesday. Mother Clare, who is...