Free Republic

[Catholic Caucus] ‘Dispose after reading,’ Archbishop Weisenburger’s history of cover-up for clerical sexual abuseDetroit Archbishop Edward Weisenburger has a history of concealing clerical sexual abuse, according to revelations of a Church-commissioned investigation that examined the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City, where Weisenburger served 16 years as Vicar General.As Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City from 1996 to 2012, Weisenburger not only wielded immense influence—but used it to suppress accountability for priestly sexual abuse of minors. Investigators discovered that he routinely instructed staff to “destroy after reading,” oversaw the mass deletion of his own emails following his departure, and even...

[Catholic Caucus] Does Pope Leo condone homosexual behavior? Prominent Catholic scholar respondsEdward Pentin conducts an interview with Professor John Rist, a world-renowned scholar of St. Augustine and the Church Fathers, about recent events at the Vatican.Pope Leo XIV has won many plaudits for aspects of his Petrine Ministry so far — his Christ-centred preaching, personal kindness, and emphasis on peace and reconciliation to name a few.But recent events at the Vatican have heightened concerns that Leo is also tolerating, and perhaps even condoning, elements of the previous pontificate that were particularly harmful to souls on account of the public scandal...

[Catholic Caucus] African cardinal: Same-sex ‘blessings’ document ’caused a lot of harm’Cardinal Ambongo said he believes Pope Francis ‘changed his mind’ about the release of Fiducia Supplicans after speaking with the African prelate.Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo Besungu has said that Fiducia Supplicans “caused a lot of harm to the Catholic faithful” and was a “bad chapter” in Pope Francis’ pontificate.Ambongo, who is the archbishop of Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo, made his latest critical comments about Francis’ document permitting homosexual “blessings” during a visit to Poland for the 12th Council of Gniezno peace summit.He told OSV News that a...

[Catholic Caucus] Catholic Coalition Asks Pope Leo XIV to Reject ‘Powerful Lobby’ Pushing Same-Sex UnionsSignatories, inspired by TFP founder Plinio Corrêa de Oliveira, urge the Holy Father to revoke Fiducia Supplicans and speak with ‘absolute clarity, leaving no room for doubt or ambiguity.’A coalition of Catholic associations has submitted a “filial appeal” to Pope Leo XIV, respectfully calling on him to “confirm and reaffirm” the Church’s perennial teaching on homosexual relationships and unions in the face of a “powerful lobby” that is seeking their moral legitimization within the Church.The group further calls on Pope Leo to annul a 2017 papal...

[Catholic Caucus] Cardinal Fernández claims synodality is not a ‘revision of doctrine and morality’Cdl. Victor Fernández lamented that ‘many priests have doubts, questions, disinterest, and rejection regarding the proposal of synodality.’The prefect of the Vatican’s doctrinal office has rejected the notion that synodality is “a matter of listening to everyone in order to carry out a democratic revision of doctrine and morality.”As prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernández has been a key figure in the latter years of Pope Francis’ pontificate and thus the Synod on Synodality. The synod – arguably Francis’...

[Catholic Caucus] Does St. Peter’s Need Porters?Recently an egregious display of sexual perversion was allowed to desecrate St. Peter's, which could not have been possible before Paul VI's abolished the minor orders.Before 1972, preparation for the priesthood involved passing through various “minor orders.” They included porter, lector, acolyte, exorcist, and subdeacon, followed by the major orders of deacon and priest. That year, Pope Paul VI issued the apostolic letter Ministeria Quaedam, abolishing the minor orders. Lector and acolyte were reconstituted as “lay ministries.” Exorcist was recognized as a specialized ministry of certain priests. Porter was eliminated, deemed unnecessary in the...

[Catholic Caucus] Cardinal Sarah: Fiducia Supplicans ‘threatens unity of the Church,’ should be ‘forgotten’Cardinal Robert Sarah blasted Fiducia Supplicans as ‘theologically weak’ and said the document should be ‘forgotten,’ warning it risks fracturing Catholic ‘unity.’Cardinal Robert Sarah has said that Pope Francis’ document allowing for same-sex “blessings” “threatens the unity of the Church” and should be “forgotten.”In a recent interview with the Italian Catholic newspaper Avvenire, the African cardinal was asked about Francis’ highly controversial declaration Fiducia supplicans, which allowed the “blessing” of same-sex couples in certain situations.“I hope that the content of Fiducia supplicans can be clarified and perhaps...

[Catholic Caucus] Pope Leo XIV needs to correct the many errors of Laudato Si’: Here’s why The facts of human progress simply don’t support the flawed encyclical’s claims of increased environmental devastation and human misery.Pope Leo XIV is celebrating the 10th anniversary of Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato Si’ with a whole series of events in the coming months.Already, on September 5, 2025, he announced that the historic papal residence in Castel Gandolfo is henceforth to be known the “village” of “Borgo Laudato Si’,” supposedly bringing the encyclical’s vision of integral ecology to life by uniting faith, sustainability, and community life....

[Catholic Caucus] Why the ‘good bishops’ keep disappointing the faithfulCatholic World Report has done a great service to readers today, by dipping into the magazine’s archives and posting an article by the late, great James Hitchcock, Conservative Bishops, Liberal Results. Originally published in the May 1995 issue (when I was serving as editor), the article explores a phenomenon that still puzzles many faithful Catholics. Why is it that so many good bishops—bishops who have the enthusiastic support of Catholics loyal to the perennial traditions of the Church—fail to bring about any discernible changes in the actual working of their dioceses?...

[Catholic Caucus] Pro-LGBT Cardinal Hollerich suggests Church should not define sexual morality so ‘narrowly’The Luxembourg cardinal advocated for expanding the Catholic Church's view of sexual morality despite the Catechism defining homosexual acts as 'intrinsically disordered.'A cardinal from Luxembourg suggested that he would change the Catholic Church’s doctrine on sexuality.In a September 6 interview with Austrian outlet Die Furche, Luxembourg Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich, S.J. advocated for the Catholic Church to expand their view of sexual morality while also promoting synodality.Hollerich revealed that he “would not define morality — especially sexual morality — as narrowly as the Church does today.”Hollerich alleged that...

Pope Leo to preside at ecumenical commemoration of modern martyrsPope Leo will join with representatives of other Churches and Ecclesial Communities on the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross for an ecumenical ceremony commemorating 21st century martyrs and witnesses of the faith. Pope Leo XIV is set to preside at a prayer service to remember the many Christians of our time who have been killed on account of their faith in Christ.The Holy Father will be joined by representatives of other Christian Churches and ecclesial communities for an “Ecumenical Commemoration of Martyrs and Witnesses of the Faith of...

[Catholic Caucus] WATCH: Thousands of ‘LGBT Catholics’ process into St. Peter’s Basilica for Jubilee Year pilgrimageThousands of “LGBTQ+” pilgrims marched through the Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica on Saturday as part of the Vatican’s official LGBT jubilee year pilgrimage.On September 6, more than 1,000 “LGBT pilgrims,” led by a rainbow cross, many with their same-sex “partners,” dressed in rainbow colors with some waving “LGBT pride” flags, processed through the Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica. The procession was part of the Vatican’s official pilgrimage, organized by “La Tenda di Gionata” (“The Tent of Jonathan”), a pro-LGBT group that has...

[Catholic Caucus] Sr. Jeannine Gramick asks: Will actions affirm Pope Leo's words on LGBTQ+ people?A worshipper prays prior to the annual "Pre-Pride Festive Mass" at St. Francis of Assisi Church in New York City June 29, 2024. The liturgy, hosted by the parish's LGBT+ ministry, is traditionally celebrated on the eve of the city's Pride parade.Like millions of the world's poor, and not so poor, I miss the warm, good-hearted, down-to-earth Pope Francis.His personality came through not only in his loving words, but also in his magnanimous gestures. His visits to prisoners in Rome and other countries; to migrants on...

[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] New Members of Congregation for Clergy - Destructive Course ContinuesPope Leo XIV appointed today many members of the Congregation for the Clergy. Most of them are "liberals" of the Francis’ fraction.Cardinals include Luis Antonio Tagle (Evangelisation), Arthur Roche (Liturgy), Mario Grech (Synod), José Tolentino de Mendonça (Education) and Jean-Marc Aveline (Marseille).As a fig leaf to fool the conservatives, Leo XIV appointed the Catholic Bishop Erik Varden of Trondheim, Norway.This personnel policy - many liberals and a few fig leaf Catholics - ongoing for decades, has pushed the Church toward ruin.

[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] Swiss priest: Here’s the fatal flaw of ‘synodality’ in the Catholic ChurchSynodal events at the global, national, diocesan, and parish levels are the catwalk for self-promoters, careerists, and ideologues within the Catholic Church.The political theorist Thomas Hobbes (1588‒1679) was a realist. In Christian terms, one might say that he took into account the nature of human beings, which is weakened by the consequences of original sin. That is why he not only popularized the ancient saying “Homo homini lupus” (man is a wolf to man). In his work Leviathan, he also shows why a state is necessary: without...

[Catholic Caucus] Response to Pedro Gabriel from Fr. Brian Harrison[Editor’s note: The following is a response from Fr. Brian Harrison to Pedro Gabriel’s August 18 “Open Letter to Fr. Harrison on Amoris Laetitia.” Pedro’s open letter was a response to Fr. Harrison’s “Open Letter to Leo XIV on Amoris Laetitia,” published on August 12 (dated 22 July 2025) on the One Peter Five website.]I have read Pedro Gabriel’s “Open Letter to Fr. Brian Harrison” on your website, responding to my own “Open Letter” of July 22, 2025 to the Holy Father Pope Leo XIV, in which I expressed concerns about...

[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] Lavender in the SanctuaryThe Vatican’s Closet Is No Longer ClosedFor decades Catholics were told to think of clerical scandals as isolated “excesses.” A bad bishop here, a corrupt nuncio there, a predator priest unluckily assigned to their parish. But if the research of Dr. Frédéric Martel and the admissions of whistleblowers within the Curia have shown anything, it is this: the homosexual infiltration of the Vatican is not anecdote but architecture.Martel spent years interviewing hundreds of clergy and came back with the unvarnished truth: Rome is not simply tolerant of homosexual behavior, it is constructed around it. Promotion...