Free Republic

A Muslim Sheikh’s Unfortunate First CommunionAn Archbishop defended giving a Muslim sheikh Holy Communion, contrary to the longstanding teaching and praxis of the Church.The Sunday Times of London carried a column the other day by a certain Rod Liddle. Its title was an attention-grabber: “Great, we banished Christianity. Now we’re stuck in a moral wilderness.” Mr. Liddle was lamenting the state of the state church. A poll of the Anglican priests presently serving showed that three-quarters of said clergy believe that the United Kingdom “cannot be called a Christian country.” The columnist’s rather acerbic point of view was reflected in...

“Quite Obvious to a Catholic”: Fernández Responds to Critics ImmediatelyIn a lightning-fast response to criticisms, the new head of the Office Formerly Known as Holy, Tucho “Heal Me with Your Mouth” Fernández responded to his comments about “the doctrine of the Holy Father.”Pentin summarises:Archbishop Fernández said popes have two charisms: safeguarding the “deposit of faith” and a “living and active gift” that is “at work” only in the person of the Holy Father and no one else.Now Fernández attempts to clarify:If you follow the argumentation above that sentence [about the Pope having two charisms] you will understand the meaning to...

More than two years into the greatest talking shop in the history of Christianity, some oddly undermining things are now being said — and by the greatest proponents of the synodal process themselves.Consider just three voices — the Holy Father himself, Cardinal Blase Cupich of Chicago and Jesuit Father James Martin. The latter two were appointed by Pope Francis as voting members of the synod. Cardinal Cupich was not elected as a member by his brother bishops in the United States.The Holy FatherLast month, Pope Francis acknowledged that the entire synodal process strikes many as exactly the kind of ecclesial...

[Catholic Caucus] Synodal Secrecy: Is a Tightly-Controlled Information Flow the Best Way to Go?The Vatican spokesman has said media will have limited access to Synod on Synodality's sessions in keeping with past synods, and information reports on discussions will keep participants comments anonymous.One day 30 years ago, a priest engaged in media work for the Church and I stood chatting outside the Vatican’s massive, modernistic audience hall, the place where synods are held, when I had what I thought was a good idea: Why not a synod on communication?“Bad idea,” my companion corrected. “The media would tear us to pieces...

Brazilian bishop downplays giving Holy Communion to Muslim sheik: Was it ‘so scandalous?’Bishop Adriano Ciocca Vasino defended the actions of a fellow Brazilian bishop who recently gave Communion to a Muslim leader.Bishop Adriano Ciocca VasinoA Brazilian bishop has lent his support to the Archbishop of Londrina, who gave Holy Communion to a Muslim sheik, questioning if the “‘sin’ is so big or scandalous.”At the end of August, the Catholic Archbishop of Londrina in Brazil instigated outrage among Catholics when he handed Holy Communion to a Muslim cleric during a funeral Mass. The funeral was for the recently deceased Cardinal Geraldo...

Prelate Defends Giving Communion to Muslim SheikhBrazilian archbishop quotes Pope Francis and Vatican II's 'Nostra Aetate'A pro-LGBT Brazilian archbishop is invoking Pope Francis' apostolic letter on liturgical formation and the documents of Vatican II to justify his choice to administer Holy Communion to a Muslim sheikh at a funeral service. "Every reception of Communion of the Body and Blood of Christ was already desired by Him in the Last Supper," argues the archbishop of Londrina, Geremias Steinmetz, quoting Pope Francis in a clarification issued on the diocesan website on Aug. 30.Viral VideoA video of Abp. Steinmetz giving the Sacred Host...

Revs. Abel Arroyo (he/they) & Matt Zemanick (he/they) operate the podcast Chatoic Bisexual Text Study, which exists to “discuss the Bible and our times as Bi/Pan/Queer” folks. Both are ‘pastors’ within the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) with Arroyo being the Assistant to the Bishop for Faith Formation & In-house Theologian for the Southwest California Synod, and Zemanick being the Program Director for the Lutheran Disaster Response, along with his other regular pastoral duties. During a recent episode of their show, the two budding socialists claim that the gospel is not best summarized as “Jesus died for your sins”...

Communion for Muslim: Who Appointed This Archbishop?During a August 28 Eucharist in Londrina Cathedral, Brazil, the local archbishop, Geremias Steinmetz, 58, Brazil, handed Communion to Sheikh Ahmad Saleh Mahairi, founder of Londrina's Rei Faiçal mosque.Media reported that Mahairi didn’t consume the host. In an August 30 note, Steinmetz justified (sic!) his action by absurdly referring to quotes from Francis that the Last Supper was undeserved.A first communicant knows that an unbaptised person cannot be admitted to other sacraments. It is inexplicable how Benedict XVI could make Steinmetz a bishop in 2011, who has no clue about the faith he is...

[Catholic Caucus] Statement of Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò in defense of Reverend Mother Prioress, Teresa Agnes, o.c.d., and of the Carmel of the Most Holy Trinity of Arlington, TexasThe persecution of the Carmel of Arlington by the Bishop of Fort Worth, Michael Olson, shows no signs of abating.We have witnessed a crescendo of aggression, verbal violence, abuse of power, institutional cover-up, intimidation, and outrages carried out against a religious community that is firmly determined to return to Tradition. The targeted victim of this vile operation is the Mother Prioress, Teresa Agnes of Jesus Crucified, who has been publicly defamed in...

[Catholic Caucus] Church Tax Church Publishes Homosex “Bible"The self-declared homosexual Meinrad Furrer, 58 who runs Lucerne's St Peter's Chapel, Switzerland, and gets paid from church tax, is writing a homosex bible, ZentralPlus.ch writes (August 12).The church tax bosses of the canton of Lucerne are behind the project. Basel Diocese does not stand in its way.Furrer insinuates that Joseph, the son of Jacob, was "homosexual" because, in Gen 37:3, Jacob made him a colourful skirt (Furrer: "princess's dress").He admits that there are "certain texts" in the Bible that "could be read" in a "queer-hostile" way, such as Lev 18:22 and 20:13:...

[Catholic Caucus] ARCHBISHOP CARLO MARIA VIGANÒ in support of the Declaration of the Discalced Caremlite Nuns of the Monastery of the Most Holy Trinity of Arlington, Texas The repeated abuses of power by those who hold ecclesiastical Authority over religious Communities – especially communities of contemplative women – are part of a subversive plan carried out by corrupt and heretical Prelates whose purpose is to deprive the Church of the Graces which such Consecrated souls cause to descend upon Her. Beyond the specious excuses that characterize individual cases, the common thread that unites the expulsion of the Benedictine Sisters from...

[Catholic Caucus] Statement by the Reverend Mother Prioress and Chapter - Monastery of the Most Holy TrinityStatement by the Reverend Mother Prioress and Chapter Monastery of the Most Holy Trinity Discalced Carmelite Nuns 5801 Mt. Carmel Drive Arlington, Texas 76017 August 18, 2023 +Praised be Jesus Christ: now and forever! In recent months our Monastery in general and our Mother Prioress in particular have been subjected to unprecedented interference, intimidation, aggression, private and public humiliation and spiritual manipulation as the direct result of the attitudes and ambitions of the current Bishop of Fort Worth in respect of our Reverend Mother...

[Catholic Caucus] Clear and present danger to the Catholic Church from the Synodal Church. Synodalist admits they will never get another chance to destroy the Church.The Synodal Process must succeedHelena Jeppesen-Spuhler openly cites the opportunities and challenges of the Synodal Process. She was a member of the Swiss delegation at the European Assembly held in Prague from 5 to 9 February.How has a laywoman from Switzerland been given a say in the future of the Catholic Church?Some time has elapsed since the Assembly in Prague: What is your conclusion?Helena Jeppesen-Spuhler: Mixed. On the one hand, something has started to move...

[Catholic Caucus] Prayer for the Triumph of the Catholic Faith Almighty and eternal God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, we kneel before Your Majesty, and thank You from the depth of our soul for the inestimable gift of the Catholic Faith, which you have deigned to reveal to us through Jesus Christ, True God and True man. We received this divine light in holy baptism and have promised You to keep this faith inviolate until death.Increase in us the gift of the Catholic Faith. By Your grace, may it be strengthened and made unshakeable. Daily increase in us the understanding...

[Catholic Caucus] French bishop bans the Latin Mass at the shrine of Saint John Vianney, patron saint of priestsThe Traditional Latin Mass attracts many thousands of young people and families in France, while regular Catholic practice overall has dropped to under 2 or 3 percent.Shrine of St. Jean-Marie Vianney, Ars, FranceARS, France (LifeSiteNews) — The traditional Latin Mass (TLM) may no longer be celebrated in the main basilica at the shrine of St. John (Jean-Marie) Vianney in Ars, in central France, by decision of the local bishop, Pascal Roland. Photos have recently been circulated on social media showing a curt...

Pro-LGBT head of German bishops’ conference says he wants to ‘found the Church differently’'Open the Scriptures, preferably read them together and interpret them from your daily life.'The head of the German bishops’ Conference (DBK) has called for “new ideas” of “how we can found the Church differently.” In a sermon on July 23, during the 125th anniversary celebration of a parish church in Koblenz, Bishop Georg Bätzing, who is known as the leader and head of the heretical Synodal Way, said that he believes the Church is in a new “time of sowing.” “New ideas are needed about how we...

[Catholic Caucus] Vatican Received German Bishops for "Constructive and Positive" TalksCuria Cardinals received German bishops on 26 July for talks about the German Synod. The dialogue was “positive and constructive”, the German bishops said (Dbk.de).Further meetings are planned. The German delegation consisted of President Bätzing and Ackermann (Trier), Gerber (Fulda), Meier (Augsburg) and Overbeck (Essen), as well as General Secretary Beate Gilles, and Press Speaker Kopp.The Roman delegation: Ladaria (Faith), Koch (Ecumenism), Parolin (State), Iannone (Legislative Texts), Prevost (Bishops) and Viola (Secretary for Liturgy).

[Catholic Caucus] Fr. Murray: Pope Francis’ pro-homosexual Synod ‘is going to be a moment of crisis for the Church’The New York priest stressed that changes to the Catechism on homosexuality must be 'vigorously opposed' and that incoming Vatican doctrine head Victor Manuel Fernández 'must be resisted' if he promotes sodomy.Father Gerald Murray said that Pope Francis’ new doctrinal chief “must be resisted” if he attempts to legitimize homosexuality and warned that the Synod on Synodality will be a “moment of crisis for the Church” and an opportunity for “forces of radicalism” to try to overturn Catholic teaching and rewrite the...

Synodalists prepare for October in Rome without reference to Jesus ChristCathcon: For balance, God was mentioned 6 times but 4 of these references are by Cardinal Müller. One of the other references is to the People of God. Germany is mentioned more often than God.Very interesting that the Cardinal has prepared a theological-critical assessment of the "Instrumentum laboris" for Cardinal Grech. There are seven references to the Holy Spirit by 5 people. Two of these are by Father James Martin SJ who is using the Holy Spirit as a justifier for his views-------It is the most ambitious reform project of...

Cardinal Müller Berates His SuccessorAs FSSPX.News has already mentioned, reactions – often negative – to the appointment of Archbishop Victor Manuel Fernandez as Prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith (DDF) are multiplying. Of particular note is that of Cardinal Gerhard Müller, who has expressed deep skepticism about his successor.“The task of the dicastery, in the service of the papal magisterium, is to show how the doctrine of the faith is biblically founded, how it has developed in the history of dogma. . . . The Pope and bishops cannot demand obedience for their private opinions, and...