Free Republic

Stunning documentary ‘Traditio,’ spotlighting the SSPX priesthood, is a must-watchAlready in the first five minutes of the documentary, far more about the priesthood is expressed than most modern Catholics receive in their entire catechesis.The recently released documentary on the SSPX, Traditio, is a magnificent work of art in the fullest sense. This is not just because of the sheer visible and audible beauty of the film. It is, most profoundly, because the film leaves a mark on you. It will change the way you see the priesthood. If you are on the fence about the SSPX, it will change the...

THE CAUSE OF THE DIFFICULTY TO DIALOGUE among priests today, and also the cause of the great confusion in the Catholic Church today, is that a great number of priests, especially in the last 60 years, have NOT been formed Catholic in the Catholic seminaries, they have not been formed in the immutable Truth of the Creator, but have been formed in subjectivism and relativism, that is, in the subjective and relative truth of creatures which changes continuously according to the whims and arrogance of the creatures. THUS THERE IS NO LONGER UNITY IN THE TRUTH OF GOD among Catholics...

More than 60 years ago, ECCLESIASTICAL MAS0NRY, with the help of many Mas0nic bishops and cardinals, entered into a great number of Catholic seminaries and universities to fundamentally change, in a very sly and hidden way, the theological and philosophical teachings of the Catholic Church. This was done in a very intelligent way, printing many books and pamphlets, including APPEALING TO THE PRIDE OF THE YOUNG STUDENTS in that they can interpret reality and truth according to themselves, instead of having the humility to seek the proper interpretation according to God found in Divine Revelation explained in the documents of...

Lebanese Catholic priests serving in the south of the country near the border with Israel said they were overjoyed to discover that a call with Lebanon’s papal nuncio included another special guest on the online visit, Pope Leo XIV… “First, it was a surprise, then it was a great joy,” Lebanese Maronite Catholic parish priest, Father Toni Elias, told OSV News… The 13 priests who received a video call serve in Lebanon’s southern villages and towns, including Rmeich, Ain Ebel, Debel and Marjayoun… “The Holy Father wished to give us good courage in the face of difficulties that our Christian...

A Catholic bishop in Belgium has announced plans to ordain married men to the priesthood by 2028, despite the Roman Catholic Church’s requirement of clerical celibacy.Bishop Johan Bonny of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Antwerp recently released a pastoral letter claiming that “the consensus on this question is almost total” among Church leaders.“The question is no longer whether the Church can ordain married men as priests but when it will do so, and who will do it,” wrote Bonny. “Any delay comes across as an excuse.”The bishop said he “will make every effort to ordain married men as priests for...

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — Attorney General Peter Neronha released a sweeping report Wednesday detailing decades of child sexual abuse and systemic coverup within the Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence, identifying 72 clergy members as “credibly accused” of misconduct. The report is the culmination of a yearslong investigation stemming from a 2019 agreement between the state’s top prosecutor and former Bishop Thomas Tobin. The agreement granted state investigators unprecedented access to the church’s “secret archives,” personnel files and internal records dating back to 1950. “Generations of Rhode Island victims, their families and others who have suffered the impacts of this trauma...

SNIP The priests who are known as Babalawos agreed to warn of an increase in violence and the dangers of war. Cuban Babalawos announced that the ruling deity for 2026 will be Oggún, lord of metals—or weapons—roads, and conflicts. He is also the patron saint of blacksmiths. The religious leaders explained that Oggún's accompanying deity is Oya, the goddess of winds and storms. The combination of these signs and their deities could bring illness, and among the social events of interest are the proliferation of fires and accidents, an increase in violent and criminal acts, and even "significant changes within...

Many people are aware that we are the generation of which Jesus spoke about in the Gospel of Matthew (Mt 24:34): “For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be” (Mt 24:21)! “Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away till all these things take place” (Mt 24:34). Today we find ourselves in crisis at all levels: cultural, economic, spiritual, etc. The prophecy of Saint Francis of Assisi indicates that: “2. The power of the demons will be greater than usual,...

The following email was sent to the more than 150 priests of the diocese of Perugia, Italy, on December 24, 2025. - - - - - - - Dear fellow priest! I would like to wish you a Holy Christmas! Every Holy Mass is Christmas because Jesus is born on the altar when we priests pronounce the words of Consecration! In essence, Jesus Eucharistic God is the same baby Jesus who spent nine months in the womb of Mary and walked on earth 2000 years ago. It is necessary to treat God as God, not as a piece of bread!!!...

[Catholic Caucus] Leo XIV: “Altar servers, be attentive to God’s call.” So Why Female Service?A few weeks ago on August 25th, in the Clementine Hall, Pope Leo XIV welcomed a delegation of French altar servers, delivering a deeply rich and countercultural address, in contrast to the prevailing ecclesiastical trends.At the heart of his speech was the affirmation of Christ’s uniqueness and necessity for salvation. “Who will come to our aid? Who will have pity on us? Who will come to save us? Not only from our sufferings, from our limits and our mistakes, but even from death itself?” The answer,...

Appreciation of Pope St. Pius X by Marcel de Corte in 1964 — “The threat posed to man by the modern world is aimed above all at the priest”Very Topical Considerations on the Life, Character and Thought of Saint Pius X Marcel De CorteItinéraires, No. 87 | November 1964 I HAVE JUST READ a few biographies of Saint Pius X. The marvellous ascent! From the humble seed of vocation planted by the Spirit in the soul of this little peasant to his constant concern for the priests entrusted to his care as bishop and pope, his whole life was organized...

[Catholic Caucus] The Pope meets French Bishops -- The Traditional Mass Orders Ignored in Vocation Crisis reportThe gravest crisis in a great part of the Church is that of vocations -- and France is no exception, of course. In Rorate, we have covered it often, including making clear that, with current trends persisting, a huge proportion of active priests in France in a few decades will be those dedicated exclusively or mostly to the Traditional Latin Mass (cf. here, for instance).Leo XIV met with the outgoing board of the French Bishops' Conference (CEF) last week, and, as Silere non Possum...

...according to data from the National Survey of Religious Leaders, which is hosted on the Association of Religion Data Archives. The team that put that instrument together included a series of questions that probed how clergy thought about God, the Bible, and various aspects of religious beliefs that offer a fascinating peek behind the curtain into the personal faith of religious leadership in the United States. .. the share of evangelicals who believed in Adam and Eve as literal historical people was only 80%, which was slightly lower than Black Protestant clergy at 89%. Meanwhile, Catholic priests and mainline pastors...

[Catholic Caucus] After 12 Years, a Pope who Applauds, Loves, and Thanks PriestsAfter 12 years of insults, belittling, mocking of priests by Francis -- a beautiful address by Pope Leo XIV in his meeting with the clergy of the Diocese of Rome:I want to ask for a big round of applause for all of you who are here, and for all the priests and deacons of Rome!Dear Priests and Deacons who provide your service in the diocese of Rome, dear seminarians, I greet you all with affection and friendship!I thank His Eminence the Cardinal Vicar, for the words of greeting...

Just one in four Catholic priests and Mainline Protestant pastors in the United States say they're certain that Adam and Eve were real people. In contrast, 80% of Evangelical pastors and 89% of black Protestant clergy affirm this belief with certainty. Data from the National Survey of Religious Leaders reveal significant differences among clergy in their core theological beliefs, including their views on the Bible, Hell, miracles, and the existence of God, as noted by Graphs About Religion on Substack.When asked whether they “definitely believe” Adam and Eve were historical figures, the numbers diverged sharply across denominations, dropping to 25%...

We previously discussed the legislation passed by Washington State democrats that requires priests to violate the sanctity of the confessional to report child abuse. I described the law as “blatantly unconstitutional” in eviscerating the right to the free exercise of religion. The state is moving to create an effective system of sacramental snitches and the Catholic Church is declaring “enough.” It has announced that any priest who complies with the law will be promptly excommunicated. We previously discussed the proposed legislation that would target priests who learn of any “reasonable” basis to believe that a child “has suffered abuse or...

[Catholic Caucus] Archbishop Aguer: Our vocations crisis must be addressed. Here is what I proposeCareful reflection and a variety of experience enable me at this point in my life to attempt a synthesis on priestly formation and propose ways to overcome our present vocations crisis. Editor’s note: This is Part 1 of a multi-part series addressing the decline in the number of Catholic priests and seminarians worldwide.(LifeSiteNews) — On numerous occasions I have referred to a crucial issue for the Church: the formation of candidates for the priesthood. Today I take it up again, without pretending, of course, to exhaust...

Starring Andy Garcia and Peter O'Toole, "For Greater Glory" is a compelling war film based on the true story of the Cristero War -- a conflict caused by the brutal government crackdown on the Mexican Catholic Church in the 1920s. Released at a time when religious freedom, especially for Catholics, is being attacked in the United States and elsewhere, the picture is also particularly timely. Beautifully shot across the plains of northern and central Mexico and accompanied by a stirring soundtrack by Hollywood composer James Horner, the movie takes the audience through the harrowing violence and suppression of the Church...

While the number of Catholics worldwide slightly increased from 2021 to 2022, new statistics show that the number of priests continues to decline. The Vatican released the 2024 Pontifical Yearbook and the 2022 Statistical Yearbook of the Church earlier this month. Edited by the Vatican Secretariat of State's Central Statistical Office, the publications are being distributed in bookstores and published by the Vatican Printing Press.The publications highlight "statistical data to assess the main trends affecting the evolution of the Catholic Church worldwide," reports Vatican News.The latest edition of the Statistical Yearbook shows the number of baptized Catholics in the world...

When Israel was attacked two weeks ago, Saul Teplitsky leaped into action, trying to help Israel from his home in the Bronx. Like many others, he donated money to emergency efforts at resupplying Israel. But like so many others, he felt that whatever he did was simply not enough. On Sunday, eight days after the horrific attack, Saul put out a Whatsapp message to his community calling on people to donate necessary items and received an overwhelming response. A young man in the community, the son of a friend, was traveling to Israel to serve in the IDF and Saul,...