Free Republic

Vatican statement on same-sex marriages seen as 'harsh, judgemental'Monsignor Clement Connolly, pastor of Holy Family parish in South Pasadena, gave a 19-minute sermon on Sunday, March 21 at 9:30 a.m. Mass about the recent Vatican statement refusing to approve blessings for same-sex marriages: “The language of the document is harsh, judgmental, and somewhat draconian…. “This document reinvigorates a past reference to say, persons who belong to the LGBTQ+ community are objectively disordered. Who among us would believe that God made a mistake? In the act of creation somehow God must have made a mistake. We have somebody who is objectively...

Just like the COVID vaccines, use of masks (instead of respirators) to block transmission of a virus was only authorized as experimental use. As such, according to law, it must be optional. If we are going to passively allow governors and governments to make this medical device mandatory, what is to stop them from making the vaccine mandatory?As I've mentioned before, both the FDA and OSHA have made it clear over the years that only respirators, not masks, are considered valid PPE to block transmission of a respiratory virus. Which is why mask manufacturers must continue to place a disclaimer...

CNA Staff, Mar 24, 2021 / 02:00 pm MT (CNA).- Scotland’s supreme civil court ruled on Wednesday that the Scottish government’s blanket ban on public worship is unlawful. Judge Lord Braid overturned the ban on March 24 in response to a challenge by 27 faith leaders, alongside Glasgow Catholic priest Canon Tom White. He had heard their challenge on March 11-12 at the Court of Session in Edinburgh. His ruling came a day after the Scottish government announced that public worship could resume from March 26 with a cap of 50 people. Canon White is dean of the City East...

BAGHDEDE, Iraq — Despite the increase in the number of cases of the coronavirus in Iraq, Palm Sunday celebrations went ahead as planned. Thousands of Syriac–Assyrian–Chaldean people celebrated in the Nineveh Plains city of Baghdede. A public procession took place, beginning from the house of the priests and consisting of children, students, and church groups. Those in the procession chanted hymns and carried olive branches to bless them. After marching down the main street, the gathering stopped in front of Mor. John’s Church where the Gospel text was read and hymns and prayers were sung by Patriarch Mor. Yousef III...

Mask Burning Will Commence In Cooperation With Law Enforcement... American freedom lovers will gather in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida on Saturday April 10 to protest for Face Freedom... “You are invited to the Million Maskless March and Mask Burning, Saturday April 10, 2021 at 3pm at the Corner of A1A and Las Olas in Ft Lauderdale!,” writes protest organizer Chris Nelson, who has organized viral flash mobs at chain stores that re-popularized Twisted Sister’s protest anthem “We’re Not Gonna Take It.” “April 10 marks one year of mask tyranny in Broward County and we will mark that date with a celebration...

Reflections on the deceptive silence of local elections... In November of every even year, American citizens go to the polls. Those federal elections get press coverage, avalanches of campaign funds, public service ads encouraging participation, televised debates and perhaps best of all, partisan labels to simplify one’s choices. The spring and fall elections of odd years like 2021 enjoy no such star power. When we go to the polls this year – in Illinois, for example, the magic date is April 6 this year; the “early voting” period is already in full swing – we have none of those attention-grabbing...

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) owns an AR-15 for home defense, he revealed on "Fox News Sunday" this week while detailing a scenario in which he would have use the weapon to defend against gangs of looters. During an interview with host Chris Wallace, Graham challenged Democrats and Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) to bring an assault weapons ban to the Senate floor, claiming that it wouldn't get 50 votes, much less the 60 required to pass it without changing the filibuster. "I would challenge Sen. Schumer to bring the assault weapons ban to the floor of the United States Senate....

Survey of experts in relevant fields concludes that new variants could arise in countries with low vaccine coverageThe planet could have a year or less before first-generation Covid-19 vaccines are ineffective and modified formulations are needed, according to a survey of epidemiologists, virologists and infectious disease specialists. Scientists have long stressed that a global vaccination effort is needed to satisfactorily neutralise the threat of Covid-19. This is due to the threat of variations of the virus – some more transmissible, deadly and less susceptible to vaccines – that are emerging and percolating. The grim forecast of a year or less...

oronavirus cases have dropped to a record low in Texas roughly three weeks after the state lifted its mask mandate and reopened businesses. "Today the 7-day Covid positivity rate dropped to a new recorded low: 4.95%. Hospitalizations dropped to a 6 month low. This week we have 1 million 1st vaccines available," Texas Governor Greg Abbott wrote in a tweet on Sunday. "Everyone now qualifies for a shot. They are highly recommended to prevent getting Covid but always voluntary."... Newsweek reached out to the Texas DSHS for comment but did not receive a response in time for publication. The drop...

Key Takeaways The Oakland A's are selling full-season seating for Bitcoin. President Dave Kaval stated that he has received more than 100 inquiries and hopes to finalize two to three sales by next Thursday. Other pro sports teams such as the NBA's Dallas Mavericks and the NFL's Miami Dolphins have previously accepted crypto. NOTE: THIS AN EXCERPT. MORE AT LINK.

The Dallas-based low-cost airline said under the agreement it would also convert 70 of its firm orders for Max 8 planes to the smallest and slower-selling jets, the Max 7s. It also added 155 options for 737 Max 7 or Max 8 airplanes through 2029. Southwest, which operates an all-Boeing 737 fleet, said its order, the largest Max sale since two crashes caused a worldwide grounding in March 2019, is a vote of confidence in the planes. U.S. regulators lifted the 20-month grounding of the 737 Max in November and many other countries have followed suit since then. The carrier...

On Monday, Lt. Gov. Jon Husted doubled down on his public use of the phrase “Wuhan virus” to describe the coronavirus, dismissing those who said the term encourages bigotry against a backdrop of heightened concern over prejudice and violence against Asian-Americans. Husted told a Cincinnati radio host that what he actually meant in his 10-word tweet last Friday was to criticize the Chinese government for not being more transparent about its possible role in the pandemic. He said there should be an independent international investigation into the origins of the virus, and he framed any criticism of his tweet as...

The grandmother of former President Obama died in Kenya over the weekend, the family has confirmed. Sarah Obama, who married former President Obama's grandfather and helped raise his father, passed away at the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral hospital, The Associated Press reported. She was at least 99 years old. In a statement, Marsat Onyango said the former first family has been informed and has sent their condolences. A family spokesperson said Sarah Obama was sick with an illness but did not die of the coronavirus. Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta called Sarah Obama's passing "a big blow to our...

The Perpetuation of Our Political Institutions: Address Before the Young Men's Lyceum of Springfield, Illinois January 27, 1838 (As one of Abraham Lincoln's earliest published speeches, this address has been much scrutinized and debated by historians, who see broad implications for his later public policies. Lincoln was 28 years old at the time he gave this speech and had recently moved from a struggling pioneer village to Springfield, Illinois. William Herndon, who would become Lincoln's law partner in 1844, describes the event this way: "we had a society in Springfield, which contained and commanded all the culture and talent of...

California – According to San Diego County Supervisor Jim Desmond, the San Diego County Board of Education will be sending teachers for in-person learning for the illegal alien migrant children at the convention center.

Federal prosecutors on Monday unveiled two new charges in the criminal case against Ghislaine Maxwell, the British socialite and close confidant of Jeffrey Epstein, who is accused of helping Epstein recruit and sexually abuse girls. The new charges from the Southern District of New York accuse Maxwell of one count of sex trafficking conspiracy and one count of sex trafficking of a minor. With these new charges, Maxwell now faces an eight-count indictment. She was previously charged with four counts related to conspiracy to entice minors to travel and engage in illegal sex acts and two counts of perjury for...

....Replace every mention of religious motivation with scientific disease control and you have a template that could easily fit with Phase III Step 2 of “reopening Massachusetts” today. It is officially permitted to dance with a mask, with people in your household, or with friends up to six. But moving from table to table, dancing without a mask, or otherwise doing line dances or square dances with strangers is nothing but a danger to public health. There are aspects of lockdownism as ideology that have a religious caste, and this has been true from the beginning of the lockdowns. People...

Oh, they hate him. They’ll hate him even more now. Dr. Marty Makary of Johns Hopkins has been one of the lone medical professionals trying to bring reason and logic to the COVID pandemic. He lobbed a grenade into the tent by declaring that we’ll have herd immunity by April. In fact, he said by the end of April, COVID won’t really be a big deal. this was heavily disputed by folks far less qualified, but the panic peddlers had to combat this somehow. It goes against their entire narrative of us living under the authoritarian yoke of the lab...

When I was a kid, I was fascinated by miniatures – dollhouses, matchstick cars, all kinds of little models - and I still am. The thing I remember most from the Easter Baskets that my Grandparents gave us, were panoramic sugar eggs – eggs made of sugar, with peepholes and little scenes inside. I looked recently to see if you can still buy these, and you can; most places may be out of stock by now, but try next year - lots of people offer them, including the Vermont Country Store, vendors on Etsy, etc. However, if you want to...

As a prodigal son that is supporting the Catholic Religion, and have my daughter in a Catholic School I am trying to support the religion. Sometimes difficult with the state of the Catholic Church, which is why I separate the religion and church. Last year I discovered the Lent may end on Thursday instead of Easter Sunday, which leads to questions. When does Lent end? According to several websites it is April 3rd. Another site says Thursday April 1 in keeping with the Last Supper. Furthermore Lent as I was taught was 40 days, since Lent started Feb 17, and...