Free Republic

[Catholic Caucus] EXPLOSIVE: Bishop Hicks’ Vicar General Reportedly Attends Chancellor’s Gay ‘Wedding’IntroductionIn December, we reported that Bishop Hicks’ diocesan chancellor, Robert Salvato, was ‘married’ to another man. Salvato was appointed Chancellor by Hicks in 2021. As Chancellor, Salvato was responsible for advising Hicks on issues related to canon law and recording ecclesiastical acts, decrees and dispensations issued by the bishop.As if the diocesan Chancellor getting ‘married’ to his boyfriend was not enough of a scandal, we now have reports that Fr. Richard Smith, the Vicar General for the diocese of Joliet, attended the ‘ceremony.’ An eyewitness has told us that...

[Catholic Caucus] Charlotte priests submit dubia to Vatican over liturgical changesMore than 30 priests in the Diocese of Charlotte have submitted a set of questions to the Vatican related to recent liturgical changes announced by the local bishop, including a decision to ban the use of altar rails and kneelers for communion.Bishop Michael Martin, OFM Conv. Credit: Diocese of Charlotte.The dubia were sent in a letter to the Dicastery for Legislative Texts on Jan. 5.The letter, obtained by The Pillar, requested formal guidance and clarification about whether a diocesan bishop has the authority to make liturgical changes announced and proposed...

The incoherence of the Charlotte diocese’s ban on altar railsBishop Michael Martin has issued new diocesan guidance banning the use of altar rails during Holy Communion in the Diocese of Charlotte.In a pastoral letter dated 17 December, Bishop Michael Martin affirmed that the “normative posture” for receiving Holy Communion in the United States is standing, following a bow of the head as a sign of reverence. The letter instructs parishes that currently use altar rails, kneelers, or prie-dieus for the distribution of Communion to discontinue the practice, with any temporary or movable fixtures to be removed by 16 January 2026.“The...

[Catholic Caucus] Diocese of Charlotte will require seminarians to spend extra ‘pastoral year’ teaching, living as laityCHARLOTTE, North Carolina (LifeSiteNews) — The Diocese of Charlotte under Bishop Michael Martin, OFM, plans to add an extra “pastoral year” to its seminary formation that will require seminarians to work in Catholic schools full-time while largely living as ordinary laymen, beginning the next academic year.The changes to priestly formation, announced in a December 15 email memo obtained by The Pillar, will require seminarians to spend an additional “pastoral year” in between their required philosophy and theological studies, teaching full-time at local middle or...

[Catholic Caucus] The Number One Priority of the Catholic Church in Charlotte, North Carolina: NO ALTAR RAILSThankfully, the Church in western North Carolina has a liturgical heavyweight to guide it, a true giant of the faith.From his episcopal letter, "on the reception of holy communion":The episcopal conference norms logically do not envision the use of altar rails, kneelers, or prie-dieus for the reception of communion. Doing so is a visible contradiction to the normative posture of Holy Communion established by our episcopal conference. Instead, the instruction emphasizes that receiving Holy Communion is to be done as the members of the...

Bishops in Germany, Switzerland are supplanting Church teaching with secular ideals: priestIn Germany and in Zurich, the bishops have rendered the observance of the Sixth Commandment optional by exempting Church employees from living according to Catholic teaching.Pope Leo the Great impressively told the faithful of his time: “Christian, recognize your dignity and, now that you share in God’s own nature, do not return to your former base condition by sinning.” The current canon law says the same thing in CIC, can. 209: “The Christian faithful, even in their own manner of acting, are always obliged to maintain communion with the...

[Catholic Caucus] Pro-LGBT German bishop says the Catholic Church does not ‘stand for an abstract truth’In a recent homily, Bishop Peter Kohlgraf rejected claims he is ‘not Catholic’ while arguing the faith should embrace the ‘opinion of others’ and move beyond ‘abstract truth.’German Bishop Peter Kohlgraf has responded to an allegation that he and other German bishops are “not Catholic” in light of their support for ideologies which oppose traditional Church teachings, and implied that the Catholic faith is not about truth.The bishop of Mainz delivered a homily on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, arguing that being Catholic must...

[Catholic Caucus] SSPX in Charlotte plans for new chapel to accommodate growth after Latin Mass suppressionThe Society of St. Pius X chapel on the outskirts of Charlotte has experienced slow but steady growth since Traditionis Custodes was published.An SSPX church on the outskirts of Charlotte, North Carolina is planning to build a new chapel due to growing numbers of attendees after the Latin Mass-suppressing orders of Traditionis Custodes.St. Anthony’s in Mount Holly, within the geographical bounds of the Diocese of Charlotte, announced last week that Society of St. Pius X (SSPX) leadership has green-lighted an effort to search for land...

[Catholic Caucus] Bishop Martin dispenses illegal immigrants from Sunday Mass obligation in CharlotteMartin’s dispensation is especially shocking since it suggests that escaping the consequences of a reasonable law takes precedence over the obligation to worship God at Holy Mass.Bishop Michael Martin of the Diocese of Charlotte on Tuesday granted a Mass dispensation to immigrants “afraid” to attend due to the possibility of being deported.“​​To those of you who are afraid to come to church, you are not obligated to attend Mass when you are inhibited from doing so by circumstances beyond your control, as the Church has always taught,” wrote...

[Catholic Caucus] Priority of New Bishop of Austin, Texas: Kneeling for Communion discouraged -- Communion kneelers to be bannedBishop Garcia has just arrived back at the capital of Texas, after a few mean years in Monterey (California) -- where his last measure before departing was to cancel the local Traditional Latin Mass. What is his first main concern in Austin, a burgeoning diocese filled with young Catholics and newcomers? Vocations? Inspire the faithful? Instill love for orthodoxy, Christ, the Sacraments, the Blessed Virgin?No: it's to discourage kneeling for Communion in the masses of Paul VI:Priorities... "For where your treasure is,...

Open Letter to the Bishop of Charlotte: "Bishop Martin, it is men like you who strongly imply that the Protestants had it right." Sent to us for publication, by a local parishioner:Bishop Martin,As a member of the Diocese of Charlotte, I have been amazed at the transformation of the character of our Diocese over the last year. What once felt vibrant and full of life now feels cowed, disjointed, and fearful. Entire congregations of faithful Catholics feel like they are losing their home, and they rightfully feel marginalized and ghettoized—reading the remarks you’ve made against the traditions of the faith,...

[Catholic Caucus] Charlotte bishop bans all altar rails for receiving Communion starting the first Sunday of AdventA parish priest supported Bishop Michael Martin’s banishment of altar rails, writing that ‘obedience is a virtue.’Bishop Michael Martin of the Diocese of Charlotte has banned the use of altar rails during the reception of Holy Communion, effective the first Sunday of Advent.Father John Putnam, the pastor of St. Mark Catholic Church, announced the new rule on Friday, embracing it as the “liturgical norm” of the U.S.In a letter to his parish, Putnam said he “personally” believes altar rails foster “reverence and devotion” but...

Moroccan cardinal says Church must ‘abandon’ idea of ‘true religion, false religion’Cardinal Romero's scandalous remarks echo comments made by Pope Leo XIV during an October sermon he delivered in St. Peter's Basilica. In an essay that appeared on the Vatican’s official news website last week, Moroccan Cardinal Cristóbal López Romero, SDB, repeated a scandalous claim first made by Pope Leo XIV last week that implies the Catholic religion does not possess the fullness of truth.“Religions, for their part, have the responsibility to offer paths of meaning and truth, not of domination,” Romero suggested. “No religion can appropriate the truth, as...

[Catholic Caucus] Cardinal Cupich calls Traditional Latin Mass “a spectacle”Chicago’s Blase Cupich has asserted that the Traditional Latin Mass was “more of a spectacle rather than the active participation of all the baptised”.In a reflection on the liturgical reforms which came from Sacrosanctum Concilium, one of the four constitutions of the Second Vatican Council, the cardinal argued that the document drew on scholarly research which revealed “adaptations that were introduced over time, which incorporated elements from imperial and royal courts.” The reform, he contends, aimed to purify the liturgy of “these adaptations … to enable the liturgy to sustain the...

[Catholic Caucus] Austrian bishop appointed by Francis hires homosexual ‘married’ man as personal secretary An Austrian bishop has appointed an openly homosexual and civilly “married” man as his personal secretary.As a report by the blog Novus Ordo Watch revealed, Bishop Johannes Freitag, auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Graz-Steckau, has hired Domenik Kainzinger-Webern as his private secretary. Freitag was appointed auxiliary bishop of Graz-Steckau on January 31, 2025, by Pope Francis.A picture on Kainzinger-Webern partner’s Instagram profile shows the two of them commemorating their fourth “wedding” anniversary. A picture on the website of Salinenmusik Altaussee documents their ceremony, which took...

[Catholic Caucus] Diocese removes cathedral’s kneelers used for Holy CommunionThe Diocese of Charlotte in North Carolina has removed the portable kneelers used by the faithful to receive Holy Communion at the Cathedral of St Patrick. The announcement was made on 6 October by the cathedral’s rector, Fr Peter Ascik, according to the Charlotte Latin Mass Community, a lay group which shared news of the change online.The kneelers had previously been introduced to accommodate those wishing to receive the Eucharist kneeling and on the tongue, a posture long associated with the traditional Roman Rite and maintained by some Catholics at celebrations...

[Catholic Caucus] Michigan’s new ‘Catholic Caucus’ features two pro-abortion Democrat lawmakersGOP State Rep. Jim DeSana is pushing back against the Michigan Catholic Conference after the group announced two pro-abortion Democrats would co-chair its official legislative caucus.A traditional Catholic lawmaker in Michigan is pushing back against the state’s Catholic Conference (MCC) after the group announced that two pro-abortion Democrats would co-chair its official legislative caucus.GOP State Representative Jim DeSana granted reporter Stephen Kokx an exclusive interview on Wednesday to speak out against the decision.“I feel it is problematic and even scandalous for me as a Catholic state representative to participate in...

[Catholic Caucus] A Letter from a Priest of Jesus Christ to the Faithful of the Diocese of Charlotte: "A house built on the sand of deceit cannot endure the buffeting winds of truth."A faithful priest who must remain anonymous has sent this letter to the faithful of the Diocese of Charlotte, North Carolina, who are attached to the Traditional Latin Mass.He requested us to have it published here as well.Dear TLM Faithful of the Diocese of Charlotte,You may not know me, but I am well-acquainted with your diocese and the challenges you face, as I regularly speak with your priests...

[Catholic Caucus] Charlotte bishop says new Latin Mass chapel is not meant to fit everyone who wants to attendBishop Michael Martin is telling Latin Mass-goers in the Diocese of Charlotte to consider waiting to go to the new chapel due to limited space.Bishop Michael Martin, OFM has shared that the new chapel substituting for the previous four traditional Latin Masses of the Diocese of Charlotte is not meant to fit all of those who have attended the TLM.Martin made the clarification in a Friday letter announcing the diocese’s official merger of its Latin Masses into one chapel, effective October 5....

[Catholic Caucus] “Bread Not Stones”: Bishop Martin shows no pastoral care for his TLM flockThe clergy and lay people featured in “Bread Not Stones” remind viewers that the Church’s traditions, including the TLM, are not merely relics of a past long gone, but relevant gems that greatly enhance one’s Catholic Faith and identity. Arguably, it can be said that this film is calling for a Church that truly listens and addresses the spiritual needs of Her children, with pastoral prudence and compassion.In the Diocese of Charlotte, North Carolina, a major shift threatening to undermine the basis of a devout community...