Free Republic

All of it is Queer"We are so back" is a current meme indicating how some part of "woke" culture has been pushed back, but even the most anti-woke conservatives stand defenseless against gay culture.One of my favorite homosexuals of all time was Justin Raimondo, founder of Antiwar.com and author of the 2008 book Reclaiming the American Right, who once said that the best thing about being homosexual was all the sneaking around. That was when there was a closet; ahh, the closet. Most people in those days knew who was “that way,” who was “light in the loafers.” But they...

[Catholic Caucus] Catholic Leader Sees Pluses and Minuses on the Horizon for LGBTQ+ PeopleThe social climate for LGBTQ+ people in Germany (and, indeed, in many countries) is “significantly more hostile than it was a few years ago,” said Hendrik Johannemann, a co-spokesperson for the Catholic LGBT+ Committee, an advisory group to the Catholic bishops in that nation. In an interview with Katholisch.de, Johanneman opined on a number of topics, including offering a mixed reaction to the legacy of Pope Francis.Hendrik JohannemannAs evidence of the growing oppressive social climate, Johannemann pointed to the need for greatly increasing security at light Christopher...

EU Report Ignores Muslim Violence to Label Catholics ‘Religious Extremists’According to new report, opposition to abortion is more ‘extreme’ than rape.A European abortion lobby is warning against “religious extremism” on the rise across the continent, singling out Catholicism and ignoring the threat posed to Europe by Islam. The 158-page report “The Next Wave: How Religious Extremism Is Reclaiming Power,” published by the European Parliamentary Forum for Sexual & Reproductive Rights (EPF), faults “religious extremism” for the phenomenon of “accelerating financial expansion of movements working to dismantle decades of hard-won sexual and reproductive rights across Europe.”The EPF report derides the “anti-rights...

[Catholic Caucus] Pro-abortion, pro-LGBT former senator hired by Jesuit university to mentor studentsThe Jesuit-run University of Scranton has hired Democratic former Senator Bob Casey Jr. as a 'Distinguished Fellow in Public Service.' The Jesuit-run University of Scranton announced that it has hired former U.S. Senator Bob Casey Jr. (D-PA) as a “Distinguished Fellow in Public Service.”“It would be laughable if it wasn’t so sad,” wrote The American Spectator’s Francis P. Sempa, a 1981 graduate of the school.“University President Joseph G. Marina, S.J., said Casey is ‘perfect’ for the role of ‘forming men and women to be agents of social change,’...

[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] GOODBYE, GOOD PROFS AND STRAIGHT SEMINARIANSThe Unaddressed Motive Behind Weisenburger’s FiringsMany articles have appeared recently about Sacred Heart Seminary faculty members who were fired by Detroit Archbishop Edward Weisenburger. Aware of Weisenburger’s record of covering up sex abuse which helps prelates get promoted in a Church controlled by the Lavender Mafia, I mentioned him in a February 14, 2025, article, “Pope and Bishops Have No Moral Credibility to Confront Trump.” I maintained, “The appointment of anti-border patrol Tucson Bishop Edward Weisenburger to the Archdiocese of Detroit is remarkably similar to the appointment of San Diego Cardinal Robert McElroy...

[Catholic Caucus] German bishops looking to promote gender ideology in schoolsA 20-page document says Germany's Catholic schools should respect and make more visible students who are 'non-binary' and 'non-heterosexual.' The heretical German bishops are planning to introduce guidelines for Catholic schools promoting radical gender ideology without questioning its horrendous consequences for children.The German Catholic News Agency (KNA) reports that the Catholic bishops, or more precisely, their school commission headed by Bishop Heinrich Timmerevers, are preparing a 20-page document on “sexual diversity” for Catholic schools.The paper says schools should respect and make more visible students who are “non-binary” and “non-heterosexual.” It...

[Catholic Caucus] Cardinal Ambongo: Resistance to homosexuality is not merely an African phenomenonAfricans were not the only ones who resisted the highly controversial 2023 Vatican declaration “Fiducia Supplicans”, a document that permits Catholic priests to give blessings to couples in "irregular situations," including same-sex couples, without explicitly declaring church approval of their union.This month, in remarks to EWTN News, Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo, archbishop of Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo and head of the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM), declared the following:“The position taken by Africa [on the declaration] was also the position of so...

[Catholic Caucus] Madrid’s cardinal welcomes dissident LGBT group prior to annual gatheringFrom August 21 through 25, the Global Network of Rainbow Catholics will hold its fifth annual meeting to discuss 'the future of LGBTQ+ Catholics.' An international group of dissident “LGBT Catholics” preparing for an annual gathering of similar organizations was received warmly by the cardinal of Madrid this week, although the group advocates against Catholic teaching.From August 21 through 25, the Global Network of Rainbow Catholics (GNRC) will hold its fifth annual meeting. Taking place in Madrid, the event will see groups and individuals gather to discuss “the future...

[Catholic Caucus] San Diego bishop celebrates LGBT ‘All are Welcome’ Mass, allows ‘drag queen’ activist to speakSAN DIEGO (LifeSiteNews) — Auxiliary Bishop Ramón Bejarano recently celebrated St. John the Evangelist Church’s annual “All are Welcome” LGBT “Pride” Mass and allowed “Nicole” Murray-Ramirez, an LGBT “drag queen” activist and longtime San Diego City Commissioner, to speak during the Mass. Bejarano was the celebrant of the July 13 Sunday Mass, which was organized by St. John’s “LGBTQ Ministry” and had the full backing of the Diocese of San Diego under Bishop Michael Pham, one of Pope Leo XIV’s first bishop’s appointments. During...

Comedian Jon Stewart tore into CBS on Monday for canceling “The Late Show” with Stephen Colbert, which the network described as a “financial” decision. Stewart, during the latest episode of “The Daily Show,” defended his friend and raised the possibility that the move could be an effort to appease President Trump, who has railed against Colbert at times on social media. “Watching Stephen exceed all expectations in the role and become the number one late-night show on television has been an undeniable great pleasure for me as a viewer and as his friend, and now Stephen has been canceled for...

[Catholic Caucus] Vatican’s Homosexual Network: Protected by the Secretariat of State“Twenty years of scandals, and the Vatican - to be more specific, the Vatican Secretariat of State - has learned nothing”, writes Phil Lawler on CatholicCulture.org (July 17).He comments on the case of Rev Carlo Capella. The priest was imprisoned in Vatican City for possessing and distributing child pornography, yet he has returned to work in the Holy See’s diplomatic service — first without an official title, and now with a formal senior designation.An official labelled the scandal as 'an act of mercy'.Lawler asks: “Mercy? Not mercy toward the teenagers...

Obama Says Fathers Aren’t Enough, Boys Need Gay and Non-Binary Friends [WATCH]Former President Barack Obama addressed speculation about his marriage and shared his views on male development and friendships during a recent appearance on “The Light Podcast,” hosted by his wife, Michelle Obama.Obama used the episode to dismiss circulating rumors about their marriage, while also focusing on what he believes are necessary influences in the lives of young men.In particular, he emphasized the importance of having gay and “non-binary” friends as a means to develop empathy and perspective.“That’s one of the things that I think a lot of times boys...

[Catholic Caucus] Bishop Joseph Strickland: Statement on the Lavender Mafia and the St. Gallen MafiaThe Lavender Mafia undermined the Church’s credibility through sin and scandal. The St. Gallen group weakened her witness through strategic manipulation of leadership and teaching.Editor’s note: The following was originally published on Bishop Joseph Strickland’s Substack on July 14, 2025.(LifeSiteNews) — In a recent post, I spoke of what many refer to as the “Lavender Mafia.” This term is commonly used to describe a hidden network of clergy within the Church who engage in or protect homosexual activity, form alliances based on mutual secrecy, and often...

[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] Bishop Strickland: Follow-up to my statement on Bishop-elect HennenMany faithful Catholics have expressed concern over my recent comments regarding Pope Leo XIV’s appointment of Fr. Thomas Hennen as Bishop-elect of Baker. I write now not to backtrack, but to clarify and deepen what must be said – for the sake of the flock and for the integrity of the Church.A bishop is a shepherd, yes – but also a watchman. And if the watchman sounds the alarm only once the wolves are already among the sheep, many souls will be devoured. The shepherd’s call must go out when...

[Catholic Caucus] Bishop Strickland: No more Lavender Mafia!As bishops, we have a sacred duty to cry out to Our Holy Father: if you are serious about reform, dismantle this network of confusion.With the appointment of Fr. Thomas Hennen, bishop-elect, as bishop of Baker, Oregon, we face a troubling reality: instead of correcting the trajectory set by Pope Francis, Pope Leo XIV is doubling down on it – deepening the ambiguity that has plagued the Church.Fr. Hennen is not merely a well-meaning pastor – he was intimately involved in drafting pastoral guidelines that blur the clear lines of Catholic teaching on...

[Catholic Caucus] Catholic ‘LGBT ministry’ supported by British cardinal marches in London ‘pride’ paradeLGBT+ Catholics Westminster is the official LGBT ministry of the Archdiocese of Westminster, which is led by Cardinal Vincent Nichols.A ministry of “LGBT Catholics” backed by Cardinal Vincent Nichols, the archbishop of Westminster, participated in London’s annual “gay pride” parade over the weekend.The LGBT+ Catholics Westminster, the official LGBT ministry of the Archdiocese of Westminster, the country’s largest diocese, marched in the 2025 Pride in London Parade on July 5. The group promotes LGBT ideology regularly hosts “LGBT Masses,” and has participated in previous London “pride” parades.Per...

[Catholic Caucus] Fr. James Martin blasphemously compares Pete Buttigieg’s homosexual ‘parenting’ to the Holy TrinityBased on the Church's teaching against homosexual acts and same-sex 'marriage,' the Church does not permit same-sex 'couples' to adopt children.During the second episode of his “The Spiritual Life” podcast, featuring openly homosexual former Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, heterodox Jesuit priest Father James Martin sacrilegiously compared Buttigieg’s “fatherhood” to the Blessed Trinity.On the June 24 podcast, Buttigieg described his “fatherhood” to his two adopted children, whom he is raising with his “husband” (the full exchange is viewable below from 34:31-37:52), prompting Martin to compare his...

[Catholic Caucus] Heterodox German bishop calls for change to traditional Church teaching on genderThe Catechism of the Catholic Church recognizes that '[e]veryone, man and woman, should acknowledge and accept his sexual identity.'Bishop Heinrich Timmerevers of the Diocese of Dresden-Meissen has recently challenged traditional Church doctrine by questioning its stance on “gender identity.”In a recent interview covered by Katholisch.de, taken from the new issue of the “Herder Thema” series, titled “Visibly Recognized: Diversity of Sexual Identities,” Timmerevers claimed that new philosophies must be considered in the development of Church doctrine.“This requires a new way of thinking, which is expressed in Church...