Free Republic

Initial finding: Catholic Charities USA's national finances warrant detailed examination, particularly its program expenses, federal grants, transfers to other organizations, and financial disclosures.

Daily Readings from the USCCBJesus said, “What is the Kingdom of God like? To what can I compare it? It is like a mustard seed that a man took and planted in the garden. When it was fully grown, it became a large bush and the birds of the sky dwelt in its branches.” Luke 13:18–19The mustard seed symbolizes the humble and hidden beginnings of the Gospel. Christ Himself was born in a manger and crucified as a criminal. Spiritually speaking, He is the mustard seed par excellence. Likewise, the Church began with a handful of ordinary, mostly unlearned men,...

26 October 2026Monday of week 30 in Ordinary Time The church of Agios Dimitrios in Thessaloniki Readings at MassThis is a preview of Universalis. The Universalis app gives you every day of every year, not just the single week you’re seeing now, and it doesn’t need the Internet. It gives you the official New American Bible version for the readings at Mass. As well as the Mass, it gives you the Liturgy of the Hours. It costs $9.99-12.99 on your phone, or £19.99 (about $26.50) on your computer. Get it now.Liturgical Colour: Green. Year: A(II).First readingEphesians 4:32-5:8Follow Christ by loving...

Daily Readings from the USCCBJesus was teaching in a synagogue on the sabbath. And a woman was there who for eighteen years had been crippled by a spirit; she was bent over, completely incapable of standing erect. When Jesus saw her, he called to her and said, “Woman, you are set free of your infirmity.” He laid his hands on her, and she at once stood up straight and glorified God. Luke 13:11–13Eighteen years is a long time to have suffered under the bondage of satan. This healing took place on the Sabbath day in a synagogue while Jesus was...

25 October 2026 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time St. Boniface Catholic Church - St. Boniface, MNReadings at MassThis is a preview of Universalis. The Universalis app gives you every day of every year, not just the single week you’re seeing now, and it doesn’t need the Internet. It gives you the official New American Bible version for the readings at Mass. As well as the Mass, it gives you the Liturgy of the Hours. It costs $9.99-12.99 on your phone, or £19.99 (about $26.50) on your computer. Get it now.Liturgical Colour: Green. Year: A(II).First readingExodus 22:20-26If you are harsh...

Daily Readings from the USCCBThirtieth Sunday in Ordinary TimWhen the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together, and one of them, a scholar of the law tested him by asking, “Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” Matthew 22:34–36The Law of Moses, found in the Torah—the first five books of our Old Testament—is traditionally said to contain 613 commandments: 248 positive (“dos”) and 365 negative (“don’ts”). Among these laws, there was a longstanding debate among the rabbis about which commandment was the greatest. Therefore, though the Pharisee who posed this question to Jesus was...

24 October 2026 Saturday of week 29 in Ordinary Time St. Anthony Mary Claret Chapel, Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate ConceptionReadings at MassThis is a preview of Universalis. The Universalis app gives you every day of every year, not just the single week you’re seeing now, and it doesn’t need the Internet. It gives you the official New American Bible version for the readings at Mass. As well as the Mass, it gives you the Liturgy of the Hours. It costs $9.99-12.99 on your phone, or £19.99 (about $26.50) on your computer. Get it now.Liturgical Colour: Green....

By Dr. John BergsmaHow does love relate to law? The two can seem opposed, a contrast to one another. Love is a romantic dinner for two on a veranda overlooking the Seine. Law is a solemn old man in a black robe, sitting behind a high podium with police officers at his side. The Readings for this Sunday insist that law and love, as strange as it may seem, are ultimately united. Without love, law is cold. Without law, love is mere emotion. The Readings show the unity of the Old and New Testaments in pointing to the love of...

Daily Readings from the USCCBSome people told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with the blood of their sacrifices. He said to them in reply, “Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were greater sinners than all other Galileans? By no means! But I tell you, if you do not repent, you will all perish as they did!” Luke 13:1–3In Jesus’ time, it was commonly believed that suffering and tragedy were signs of divine punishment. The incident mentioned above is one such example. Although neither the Scriptures nor other historical records provide...

Mmm dd, 2026 Mission San Juan Capistrano Chapel, CA Mission San Juan Capistrano Chapel, CA Readings at MassThis is a preview of Universalis. The Universalis app gives you every day of every year, not just the single week you’re seeing now, and it doesn’t need the Internet. It gives you the official New American Bible version for the readings at Mass. As well as the Mass, it gives you the Liturgy of the Hours. It costs $9.99-12.99 on your phone, or £19.99 (about $26.50) on your computer. Get it now.Liturgical Colour: Green. Year: A(II).First readingEphesians 4:1-6One Body, one Spirit,...

Daily Readings from the USCCBJesus said to the crowds, “When you see a cloud rising in the west you say immediately that it is going to rain—and so it does; and when you notice that the wind is blowing from the south you say that it is going to be hot—and so it is. You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky; why do you not know how to interpret the present time?” Luke 12:54–56Today, when we want to know the weather forecast, we turn to an app, a website, or the evening...

22 October 2026 Thursday of week 29 in Ordinary Time The Duomo of Fiesole in TuscanyReadings at MassThis is a preview of Universalis. The Universalis app gives you every day of every year, not just the single week you’re seeing now, and it doesn’t need the Internet. It gives you the official New American Bible version for the readings at Mass. As well as the Mass, it gives you the Liturgy of the Hours. It costs $9.99-12.99 on your phone, or £19.99 (about $26.50) on your computer. Get it now.Liturgical Colour: Green. Year: A(II).First readingEphesians 3:14-21A prayer that faithful...

Daily Readings from the USCCBJesus said to his disciples: “I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing! There is a baptism with which I must be baptized, and how great is my anguish until it is accomplished!” Luke 12:49–50What a powerful image! Jesus declares His desire to set the earth on fire—not just a small fire, but a fire that is already blazing. A small fire gives warmth and light, but a blazing fire consumes everything in its path. Jesus is speaking of the purifying and transforming fire of divine love....

(RNS) — Officially, abortion is still a top policy priority for many religious leaders. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops calls preventing abortion its “preeminent priority,” and prominent conservative evangelicals continue to mobilize their voters around the issue. But as Idaho, Missouri, Nevada and Virginia prepare to vote on abortion-related measures in the midterm elections, polling suggests it is less of a priority for voters than in other recent election cycles. According to an October poll by Pew Research Center, significantly fewer registered voters from every religious group surveyed said abortion was “very important” in deciding who to vote for...

21 October 2026 Wednesday of week 29 in Ordinary Time Bridlington Priory Church, Bridlington, East YorkshireReadings at MassThis is a preview of Universalis. The Universalis app gives you every day of every year, not just the single week you’re seeing now, and it doesn’t need the Internet. It gives you the official New American Bible version for the readings at Mass. As well as the Mass, it gives you the Liturgy of the Hours. It costs $9.99-12.99 on your phone, or £19.99 (about $26.50) on your computer. Get it now.Liturgical Colour: Green. Year: A(II).First readingEphesians 3:2-12The pagans now share...

Daily Readings from the USCCB“That servant who knew his master’s will but did not make preparations nor act in accord with his will shall be beaten severely; and the servant who was ignorant of his master’s will but acted in a way deserving of a severe beating shall be beaten only lightly. Much will be required of the person entrusted with much, and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more.” Luke 12:47–48This sobering conclusion to Jesus’ parable about the watchful servant and the thief contains some of His most direct and weightiest teachings on personal responsibility,...

There is nothing Catholic about Catholics for Choice, and its leader in Missouri is not a Catholic priest, though she claims to be one. To say we are dealing with false advertising is an understatement—this is a stealth campaign designed to confuse the public about the true nature of Catholicism, funded by fat cat anti-Catholic bigots who work in prominent foundations. This is nothing new. The faux Catholic entity was founded as Catholics for a Free Choice in 1973, the year Roe v. Wade legalized abortion. The person who led it was Father Joseph O’Rourke. But he didn’t last long—he...

20 October 2026 Tuesday of week 29 in Ordinary Time St. Iria's Convent Tomar PortugalReadings at MassThis is a preview of Universalis. The Universalis app gives you every day of every year, not just the single week you’re seeing now, and it doesn’t need the Internet. It gives you the official New American Bible version for the readings at Mass. As well as the Mass, it gives you the Liturgy of the Hours. It costs $9.99-12.99 on your phone, or £19.99 (about $26.50) on your computer. Get it now.Liturgical Colour: Green. Year: A(II).First readingEphesians 2:12-22In Christ you are no...

Daily Readings from the USCCBJesus said to his disciples: “Gird your loins and light your lamps and be like servants who await their master’s return from a wedding, ready to open immediately when he comes and knocks.” Luke 12:35–36In biblical times, men wore long tunics that extended below the knees, often to the ankles. Though suitable for daily life, these garments could hinder strenuous activity. To “gird one’s loins,” a man would pull the back hem of his tunic forward between his legs, gather the fabric in front, and tuck it into his belt—creating a kind of makeshift pair of...

19 October 2026 Saints John de Brébeuf and Isaac Jogues, priests, and their Companions, Martyrs St. Jean Brébeuf Church, Lakefield, OntarioReadings at MassThis is a preview of Universalis. The Universalis app gives you every day of every year, not just the single week you’re seeing now, and it doesn’t need the Internet. It gives you the official New American Bible version for the readings at Mass. As well as the Mass, it gives you the Liturgy of the Hours. It costs $9.99-12.99 on your phone, or £19.99 (about $26.50) on your computer. Get it now.Liturgical Colour: Red. Year: A(II).Readings...