Free Republic

[Catholic Caucus] Protest at French church after FSSP clergy removed by bishopBanners now hang from the railings around Notre-Dame de Valence as protests continue against what is viewed as diocese suppression of the FSSP-run church.The banners read: “Retirerla messe traditionnelle est une erreur exceptionnelle” (“Removing the traditional Mass is a grave mistake”) and “Uniscontre la désunion” (“United against disunity”).On 13 August 2025, the faithful of Notre-Dame de Valence, located in southeastern France within the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, and long served by the Priestly Fraternity of St Peter (FSSP), were abruptly stripped of their priests by Bishop François Durand. ‍He announced that...

[Catholic Caucus] Italian Bishop: Every Homosexual Has Right To Receive EucharistBishop Francesco Savino of Cassano all’Jonio, the vice president of the Italian Bishops' Conference, will preside over the Eucharist in the Jesuits’ church Il Gesù in Rome for the homosexual pilgrimage to St Peter’s basilica on September 6.Saint Ignatius of Loyola is buried in this church. When asked about this event, Savino told Gionata.org on August 15 that no one is excluded from the Eucharist: "The bread broken on the altar knows no barriers of birth, language, social condition, or life path."And: "The Eucharist is a welcoming womb, not a...

[Catholic Caucus] Charlotte Bishop Forbids Communion Bench (Rail) at Catholic SchoolBishop Michael Martin of Charlotte, North Carolina, USA, has forbidden to use the Communion bench for the daily Novus Ordo Eucharist at the Catholic High School in Charlotte.According to the social media account “Charlotte Latin Mass Community” students and staff now kneel on the floor to receive Holy Communion.The beautifully carved Communion bench was installed in spring 2017 (pictured). A teacher at the school had raised the money to fund the project in memory of a younger brother who passed away.Effective July 8, Bishop Martin has forbidden all Masses in...

[Catholic Caucus] Full-Length Documentary on Latin Mass Restrictions in Charlotte, North CarolinaFor the background, see our two previous posts:(1) Traditionis Custodes Persecution continues under Leo XIV - Traditional Masses Removed from Parish Churches in the Diocese of Charlotte, North Carolina(2) Rorate Exclusive: The Anti-Traditional and Anti-Liturgical Pastoral Letter to be Sent by the Bishop of Charlotte on Liturgical Norms in His Diocese***Regina Magazine just released a lengthy documentary on the situation of the Latin Mass in the Diocese of Charlotte, North Carolina. We encourage you to watch it below and make it known: Link to video Labels: Anti-Tradition in Charlotte

[Catholic Caucus] Faithful Catholics prayerfully protest Latin Mass suppression in DetroitDETROIT (LifeSiteNews) — As the bells of Detroit’s Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament rang out calling the faithful to the 11:00 a.m. Mass on Sunday, August 17, Catholics gathered in prayerful petition to support the recently suppressed Traditional Latin Mass (TLM).“We want our archbishop to know that there are many faithful Catholics that still want the ‘Mass of the Ages,’” organizer Joseph VanAssche told LifeSite.Families from several parishes in the diocese, particularly St. Stephen’s, where the Latin Mass was recently suppressed, gathered just beneath the steps of the cathedral...

[Catholic Caucus] WATCH: Trailer for upcoming documentary on Diocese of Charlotte’s Latin Mass suppression'Bread Not Stones' captures the stories and lives of Catholics who deeply cherish the TLM and will suffer from the forthcoming ban on the Latin Mass in parish churches.Regina Magazine released a teaser trailer for its upcoming documentary film about the Traditional Latin Mass crackdown in the Diocese of Charlotte, North Carolina.The film, Bread Not Stones, captures the stories and lives of Catholics who deeply cherish the TLM and will suffer from the forthcoming ban on the Latin Mass in parish churches to be enacted across the...

[Catholic Caucus] Vatican-ordered investigation underway in LimaInvestigators have in recent weeks summoned priests and archdiocesan employees to answer questions about the financial situation of Caritas Lima, a network of diocesan schools, and multiple alleged coverups of sexual misconduct — including cases previously reported by The Pillar, among them sexual misconduct claims linked to the archdiocesan seminary.—Senior archdiocesan sources told The Pillar that a group of Augustinian priests led by Fr. Alexander Lam, OSA, his order’s assistant general for Latin American, had been interviewing clerics and archdiocesan employees virtually about allegations of abuse coverup and financial misconduct by Cardinal Carlos Castillo.The...

[Catholic Caucus] Archbishop backtracks after appointing convicted rapist as chancellorThe Archbishop of Toulouse, Archbishop Guy de Kerimel, has backtracked from the controversial appointment of a convicted rapist as diocesan chancellor.On 16 August, Archbishop de Kerimel announced the appointment of a new diocesan chancellor after weeks of criticism over his initial appointment of Fr Dominique Spina.Fr Dominique Spina was convicted in 2005 of the rape of a high-school student in Pau, southwest France, in the Diocese of Bayonne, for offences committed in 1993. The victim came from a troubled family background and believed he had a vocation to the priesthood. Spina...

[Catholic Caucus] Vatican backs bishop’s order to expel Latin Mass community from New Zealand diocese'The situation is one of being asked to do the impossible,' the Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer told LifeSite.Members of the FSSR in a 2013 file photoThe Vatican has sided with a New Zealand bishop who has evicted a traditional Mass community out of his diocese, despite the flourishing order strongly denying any wrongdoing.On August 10, Bishop Michael Gielen of the Diocese of Christchurch issued a letter announcing that the Vatican has formulated its decision against an appeal made by the The Sons of the...

[Catholic Caucus] Archbishop of Detroit appoints priest linked to heretical, pro-LGBT clergy group to prominent postArchbishop Weisenburger named Fr. David Buersmeyer the priest-chancery ‘ombudsman’ for the archdiocese, even though Buersmeyer suggested the Church could ‘support gay marriage’ and publicly defended a priest excommunicated for his role in the ‘ordination’ of a woman.DETROIT (Lepanto Institute) — Following the swift crackdown on the Traditional Latin Mass and the firing of three faithful theology professors, Archbishop Edward Weisenburger of Detroit appointed a new “ombudsman” who was once indicated as a member of the heretical Association of US Catholic Priests (AUSCP).Abp. Weisenburger entered his...

[Catholic Caucus] Diocese of Charlotte backs school that expelled children after parents challenged woke, LGBT contentBishop Michael Martin’s diocese is supporting Charlotte Latin, a private school that expelled students whose parents opposed a sacrilegious image of Jesus, a ‘how-to-manual’ of homosexual activity, and other obscene content.CHARLOTTE, North Carolina (LifeSiteNews) — The Diocese of Charlotte – headed by Bishop Michael Martin, who notoriously banned the Latin Mass in his diocese – is siding with a school that expelled children after their parents complained about the school’s adoption of woke ideology, including graphic, sexually explicit LGBTQ+ books.The lawsuit by parents of the...

[Catholic Caucus] EXCLUSIVE: Catholics explain why they knelt for Communion at Charlotte bishop’s MassCatholics who knelt for the Eucharist at a concelebrated Mass with Charlotte's bishop present said they were motivated by love for God and the desire to give Him glory.CHARLOTTE, North Carolina (LifeSiteNews) — Catholics who knelt for Holy Communion at a Mass with the bishop of the Diocese of Charlotte present have spoken out about how they were motivated by the love of God and the desire to give him “glory.”In an exclusive interview with LifeSiteNews, Friends of Catholic Reverence explained why they orchestrated Catholics’ attendance at...

[Catholic Caucus] German bishop suggests guidelines for blessing same-sex ‘couples,’ divorced and ‘remarried’Bishop Georg Bätzing recommended implementing heretical 'blessings' for 'divorced and remarried couples, couples of all gender identities and sexual orientations.'Bishop Georg Bätzing of Limburg, president of the German Bishops’ Conference (DBK), recommended implementing the conference’s official guidelines for the “blessings” of same-sex “couples,” the divorced and civilly “remarried,” and other irregular unions in his diocese this week.The Diocese of Limburg published Bätzing’s recommendation to implement the heterodox “blessings” in its official diocesan journal on July 9. The bishop’s recommendation follows April announcement from the German Bishops’ Conference and...

[Catholic Caucus] British MP says bishop opposes priest’s decision to deny him Communion over assisted suicide voteChris Coghlan claims Bishop Richard Moth disavowed Fr. Ian Vane's decision to bar him from Holy Communion after he voted for the 'Terminally Ill Adults' Bill to legalize assisted suicide.A British MP who was denied Holy Communion for voting to legalize assisted suicide says his bishop does not support the decision, and has suggested the priest acted without his backing.Liberal Democrat Chris Coghlan, who represents Dorking and Horley, told The Pillar that Bishop Richard Moth of Arundel and Brighton informed him “it is not...

[Catholic Caucus] Catholics kneel to receive Communion on tongue at Mass with Charlotte bishop, other bishops presentCatholics at a bishops' conference Mass said their intent was to 'show a reverent resistance' to the anti-traditional agenda of Bishop Michael Martin.CHARLOTTE, North Carolina (LifeSiteNews) — Traditional Catholics showed up en masse to kneel to receive Holy Communion on the tongue at a Mass with Bishop Michael Martin, OFM, of the Diocese of Charlotte and about a dozen other bishops present.At a concelebrated Tuesday Mass for the Atlanta Province Bishops Conference held at the Cathedral of St. Patrick in Charlotte, North Carolina, almost...

[Catholic Caucus] ‘Save the Latin Mass’ rally planned at Detroit cathedral following crackdownFaithful Catholics will gather for a “Save the Latin Mass” rally on Saturday, June 28 outside the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament in Detroit, Michigan.The prayerful protest follows a decision by Archbishop Edward Weisenburger to ban the Latin Mass at all but four churches in the archdiocese.Weisenburger has also prohibited ad orientem liturgies, even though nothing in Traditionis Custodes or any Vatican II or subsequent documents forbid the priest facing the altar during Mass.READ: Detroit archbishop shuts down most Latin Masses, bans ad orientem worshipSaturday’s rally will...

New York bishop laments LGBT flag ripped from church while allowing blasphemous ‘pride’ MassBishop Douglas Lucia of Syracuse has permitted a ‘pride’ Mass featuring a ‘transgender’ female Episcopalian as the homilist even as he condemned the tearing down of an LGBT flag at the same church.The bishop of Syracuse, New York, decried the removal of an LGBTQ “pride” flag from a parish in his diocese as “unfortunate.”Over the night of June 6–7, an unidentified Catholic man ripped down a “pride” flag from All Saints Catholic Church in Syracuse, the parish website revealed.During a subsequent, blasphemous “pride” Mass at the church,...

[Catholic Caucus] Bishop of Fréjus-Toulon Orders Seminarians to "Never" Celebrate Mass in the Roman RiteAccording to PaixLiturgique.fr (12 June), the destruction of the Diocese of Fréjus-Toulon, France, is making good progress.In November 2023, Pope Francis transferred Monsignor François Touvet from Châlons-en-Champagne, a dried-up diocese in northern France, to Fréjus-Toulon, which was then a vibrant and fertile diocese.Monsignor Touvet promised not to act against the diocesan bishop, Dominique Rey. However, Touvet often does the opposite of what he says. If he is caught, he denies it and starts again.Many testify to his desire to remain ambiguous and to keep the faithful,...

[Catholic Caucus] Faithful kneel to receive Communion from Charlotte bishop who planned to ban altar railsCatholic faithful in the Diocese of Charlotte, led by Confirmandi, knelt to receive Christ in the Eucharist despite the bishop’s discouragement of this reverent practice.Catholic faithful overwhelmingly kneeled to receive Holy Communion from Bishop Michael Martin, OFM, of the Diocese of Charlotte during a recent Confirmation Mass after he planned to ban altar rails and kneelers.The Charlotte Latin Mass Community (CLMC) Facebook account posted on Wednesday that an estimated “95% of the faithful” at a Confirmation Novus Ordo Mass earlier this week knelt to receive...

[Catholic Caucus] Soon-to-be archbishop in Argentina publicly scolded altar boys for kneeling to receive CommunionBishop Raúl Martín of Santa Rosa, who Leo XIV appointed as archbishop of Paraná, rebuked altar boys during Mass in front of the congregation because they wanted to receive Communion kneeling.A prelate in Argentina appointed as an archbishop by Pope Leo XIV previously scolded altar boys during Mass because they insisted on kneeling to receive Holy Communion. The bishop also reportedly denied the Blessed Sacrament to children who knelt for their First Holy Communion.Bishop Raúl Martín of Santa Rosa, who Leo XIV named last Wednesday to...