Free Republic

[Catholic Caucus] The Future of the Catholic ChurchIn a radio address back in 1969, a young German theologian named Joseph Ratzinger, the future Pope Benedict XVI, saw hard times ahead for the Catholic Church. It will “become small and will have to start afresh more or less from the beginning,” he predicted, and the process would be painful. But though smaller, the Church of the future will have been “re-shaped by saints” to become a beacon for people seeking answers to questions of meaning, for which the arrogant secularism of those dark times will have no reply.While the saints whom...

DECLARATION of the Reverend Mother Prioress and the Chapter of the Carmel of the Most Holy TrinityDECLARATIONof the Reverend Mother Prioress and the Chapterof the Carmel of the Most Holy Trinityof Arlington, Texas With regard to the statement of the Bishop of Fort Worth, Bishop Michael F. Olson (here), the Prioress, Mother Teresa Agnes, and the Chapter of the Carmel of the Most Holy Trinity of Arlington reiterate that they do not recognize the authority of Bishop Olson over their Monastery, and they refuse to accept any interference by him as Pontifical Commissary, an office conferred on him with contempt...

[Catholic Caucus] Archbishop of Berlin permits blessings of homosexual couplesArchbishop Koch: Blessing of homosexual couples possible in archdiocese. He will not take any disciplinary actionArchbishop Heiner Koch leaves it up to the pastors of his archdiocese to bless homosexual couples. However, he himself will only do so after a certain point in time, the Berlin head pastor emphasises.Welcoming homosexual and trans refugeesIn the Archdiocese of Berlin, blessings of homosexual couples are possible. Archbishop Heiner Koch leaves it up to his full-time chaplains to do so. He will not take disciplinary action against them if they bless such couples in special...