Free Republic

As you’ve likely heard by now, Pope Francis has died. The 88-year-old progressive Pope had been battling pneumonia and passed away just one day after Easter. Many viewed Francis as “Obama’s Pope,” a nickname he got thanks to long-running rumors that Obama played a role in replacing traditionalist Pope Benedict with the more liberal Francis. And let’s be honest—after the Wikileaks Podesta/DNC dump exposed the Dem Party’s obsession with infiltrating the Catholic Church, those rumors didn’t seem so far-fetched. These tweets from 2016 are a reminder of the backlash: We now know that Dems created fake Catholic groups to try...

Eternal and Just Lord, You raise up leaders in every age, and permit even flawed vessels to bear great weight. Receive the soul of Your servant, Jorge Mario Bergoglio, who walked a path both revered and contested, and whose words shaped many, though not all in peace. In the quiet where truth stands uncloaked, may he now see clearly what once was dim. Where zeal was misplaced, may Your mercy abound. Where compassion blurred boundaries, may Your justice now restore what was unsettled. For those he shepherded, and those he unsettled— for every soul stirred by his charge— let Your...

I just learned of the passing of Pope Francis. My heart goes out to the millions of Christians all over the world who loved him. I was happy to see him yesterday, though he was obviously very ill. But I’ll always remember him for the below homily he gave in the very early days of COVID. It was really quite beautiful. May God rest his soul. https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/homilies/2020/documents/papa-francesco_20200327_omelia-epidemia.html

Their critics call them MAGA Catholics. Others label them as traditionalists — even fundamentalists. What is certain is that conservative or “faithful” Catholics, as they often prefer to be known, seem to be everywhere right now — from the new candidate for America’s ambassador to the Holy See to holding dinners and prayers services at Mar-A-Lago. This small but fervent wave of new conservative Catholicism is exploding nationwide — more visible than ever as they celebrate their resurrection victory this Easter Sunday.

MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA - While Christians have often complained of bias in the selection of which days Google honors with its "Google Doodles," believers around the country were reportedly ecstatic to find that the search and advertising giant chose to honor the empty tomb of Jesus on Easter morning with an empty homepage. While many significant holidays like International Women's Day, Labor Day, and "Celebrating Pad Thai" are honored with a specially designed Google logo for the day, the celebration of Jesus's resurrection was given the highest honor, with a completely unaltered Google homepage. "Just as Christ left a completely...

The Christian crowdfunding platform GiveSendGo has staunchly defended its decision to host a fundraising campaign for the family of Karmelo Anthony, a 17-year-old Texas teenager charged with the murder of fellow student Austin Metcalf. The fundraiser, which has raised nearly $500,000, has sparked significant controversy, with critics arguing it violates the platform’s policies against campaigns that financially benefit individuals accused of violent crimes. Despite the backlash, GiveSendGo’s founders remain firm, emphasizing their commitment to due process and the presumption of innocence. On April 2, 2025, Karmelo Anthony, a senior at Frisco Centennial High School, allegedly stabbed 17-year-old Austin Metcalf, a...

Muslims Threaten to Sue Spain in Strasbourg Over Holy Week Processions, Claim They “Offend Islam”A group of British Muslims of Iranian origin, led by Anjem Choudary, is threatening to file a lawsuit before the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg.They allege that Spain’s traditional Holy Week processions are an “offense to Islam” and to the Prophet Muhammad, demanding their immediate ban.The Muslim group intends to sue Spain in Strasbourg over these Catholic processions, with Choudary arguing that these religious events, rooted in Catholic tradition since 1978, are a “provocation” against Muslims.“It’s an offense to the thousands of Muslims forced...

A federal judge ruled this week that the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) may not force Catholic employers to accommodate abortion and IVF or to abide by Biden-era LGBT “anti-discrimination” rules. The Diocese of Bismarck, North Dakota, and the Catholic Benefits Association (CBA) had sued over the regulations last year, arguing their enforcement under the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act violated the religious freedom rights of Catholic groups.“The US District Court for the District of North Dakota entered judgment Wednesday,” according to Bloomberg Law, “a day after Judge Daniel M. Traynor ruled that EEOC’s regulations under the Pregnant Workers Fairness...

Ten years after the ISIS genocide that devastated northern Iraq, the Christian communities of the Nineveh Plains find themselves facing a new and insidious threat. While the world commemorates the atrocities that peaked in 2014, when ISIS militants swept through Mosul and the surrounding region killing, enslaving, and displacing tens of thousands of Christians and Yazidis, the security and future of these ancient minorities remain far from assured. Nadine Maenza, a leading advocate for religious freedom and a global fellow at the Wilson Center, has authored an analysis raising alarm about the current situation in the Nineveh Plains. In her...

[Catholic Caucus] Chinese authorities arrest underground Catholic bishop ahead of EasterBishop Peter Shao Zhumin has been arrested a number of times by China's authorities due to being part of the underground church.Officials from the Chinese Communist Party have once again arrested a bishop of the underground church in the latest targeted arrest aimed at preventing him from celebrating the Holy Week liturgies.According to AsiaNews, Bishop Peter Shao Zhumin was arrested on April 10, along with his aide Father Jiang Xu Nian. The pair were taken by officials from the National Security Bureau, and AsiaNews reports that their current location is...

Join with fellow FREEPERS to pray for AMERICA: For those in Authority in Government, Family, Military, Business, Healthcare, Education, Churches, and the Media. I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone: for kings and all those in authority that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. ~ 1 Timothy 2:1-2 Religion Forum Threads labeled [Prayer] are closed to debate of any kind. Praying daily since 2015:

Beloved, this Palm Sunday, many "Christians" like Israel of old will assume and profess that they know Jesus, but tragically, "their" Jesus is not the Jesus of the Bible. In making their "own" Jesus, they have rejected the Biblical Jesus and will find themselves ETERNALLY desolate on the Day of Judgement. In light of this thought, I just wanted to share this brief, powerful poem written by Geo. O'hara. In conclusion of this poem, please be sure that you possess the Biblical Jesus, which comes by faith alone in His RIGHTEOUS Character. In doing so you will NEVER be the...

As last days America celebrates Palm Sunday and Easter, let us not forget about the history of the false perception that 2.7 million visitors of Jesus' day had (Jews and Gentiles) from all over the land of Israel and the known world during the Week of the Passover. Countless multitudes in Jerusalem at that time had totally misunderstood who Jesus was (Matt. 23:27; Luke 19:14). These countless multitudes that Jesus healed from demonic oppression and all kinds of diseases had soon forgotten His wonderful works for them. His 3-1/2 year preaching ministry was beginning to wear thin, and they had...

Join with fellow FREEPERS to pray for AMERICA: For those in Authority in Government, Family, Military, Business, Agri-Business; End to Sex Slavery; Healthcare, Education, Churches, and the Media. This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. (1 John 5:14) Forum threads labeled [Prayer] are closed to debate of any kind.

It was one of the few times that a pope has apologised for events such as the Crusades or the use of force to spread the faith in the New World. Pope John Paul apologised in 2000 for Christianity’s historical failures.

U.S. Catholic leaders are ending their church’s 50-year partnership with the federal government and seeking new ways to help refugees. Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, announced the change in a press release and Washington Post column on Monday, arguing that the Trump administration forced his denomination’s hand. “The bishops’ decision came after the federal government suspended our cooperative agreements to resettle refugees. The drastic reduction of these programs forced us to reconsider the best way to serve the needs of our brothers and sisters seeking safe harbor from violence and persecution,” he wrote...

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has confirmed that chaplains can preach sermons with obviously Christian content at affiliated medical facilities and has rescinded a letter of reprimand after a chaplain was punished last year. In a letter written in late February but recently made public, VA Secretary Doug Collins said "there is no national or local policy or standard operating procedure which inhibits Chaplain sermons." "To the extent that there have been any proposed changes to any existing policy, those proposals will not move forward and have been rescinded," wrote Collins. "VA reiterates again its commitment to upholding and...

We dive deep into the controversial case of Blessed Carlo Acutis and the troubling evolution of the Church's canonization process. Since Pope John Paul II removed the adversarial "devil's advocate" role, canonizations have exploded in number, with one priest lamenting, "We're becoming a factory here." Friends of Carlo share surprising revelations that cast doubt on the narrative around his extraordinary sanctity, raising uncomfortable questions about manufactured devotion versus authentic veneration.

Gary Hermesch, the man charged for allegedly shooting and killing a Catholic priest in Seneca had previously shared his opinions in a local newspaper. From January 2021 to March 2024, Hermesch submitted entries to The Courier-Tribune, a newspaper covering Seneca and Nemaha County. The Courier-Tribune shared copies of six issues with 27 News, where Hermesch shared his thoughts on religion and a wide range of other topics in the ‘Letter to the Editor’ column...

Today’s election will decide not only the ideological slant of the Wisconsin Supreme Court, but also potentially the makeup of the House of Representatives. Let’s pray for favorable results and election integrity, as a watchdog group has already reported thousands of questionable voter registrations ahead of election day. The race — between conservative candidate Brad Schimel and liberal Judge Susan Crawford — will have nationwide consequences, as Democrats are expected to challenge Wisconsin’s current congressional maps if Crawford wins. The outcome could also determine how the court rules on abortion, voter identification laws, and union reforms. Lord, we pray for...