Free Republic

The World Meeting on Human Fraternity, to be held in St Peter’s Square on the 10th June, will bring together artists, young people, charity workers, and Nobel peace prize winners from across the world.To make the word “fraternity” resound, worldwide, from St Peter's Square. This, Cardinal Mauro Gambetti explained on Monday morning during a press conference held in the Holy See Press Office, is the objective of 'Not Alone', the World Meeting on Human Fraternity that will be held in the Vatican on the 10th June, and in which Pope Francis will also take part. Inspired by the Pope’s encyclical...

San Francisco Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone urged America’s leaders to start taking attacks on churches more seriously after a local prosecutor reduced charges for five individuals accused of vandalizing a Catholic mission. Writing at the Wall Street Journal on June 1, Cordileone said the “long, deep and sordid history of anti-Catholicism” has been ignored for far too long in America, and attacks will continue unless action is taken. At least 260 attacks on Catholic churches have occurred since May 2020, including arson, vandalism and other property damage, according to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. LifeNews, the Family Research Council and...

An informed Vatican source earlier told TASS that a trip to Moscow by Italian Cardinal Zuppi, president of the Italian Bishops' Conference, was being preparedMOSCOW, June 5. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin has no plans for now to meet with papal envoy Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Monday. "At the moment [there is] no [meeting with the cardinal on Putin's schedule]; we will inform you if it is penciled in," the Kremlin spokesman said. "We know that he heading first to Kiev, and then he will provide further information," Peskov said when asked if Moscow...

Gov. Joe Lombardo sides with Planned Parenthood and against his own party.CARSON CITY, Nevada (LifeSiteNews) — A self-professed Catholic and “pro-life” Republican governor signed pro-abortion legislation that codified his predecessor’s executive order and received the backing of Planned Parenthood. Governor Joe Lombardo signed legislation on Tuesday that prohibits prosecution of abortionists in the state who break abortion laws in other states. The law essentially makes Nevada a safe haven for abortionists who want to secretly travel to pro-life states and commit abortions, as long as those are protected under Nevada law. Democratic Governor Steve Sisolak, whom Lombardo defeated in 2022,...

The late Tom Clancy (military-political author) published one of his most recognized books back in August of 1991 titled The Sum of All Fears. The genre of the book (and later movie) was that of a political thriller, using the risk of all-out nuclear war as the be-all, end-all greatest threat to humanity. Mind you, this book was published in the last summer before the collapse of the USSR (December). Even still, by 1991, the Cold War appeared to be on the way out as communism began gasping its last and dying breath with Perestroika in the air. The Iron...

[Catholic Caucus] Archbishop Viganò on Pentecost: Invoke the Spirit of Truth to Overcome Demonic Counterfeits in Church and StateHOMILYon the Solemnity of PentecostEmitte Spiritum tuum,et creabuntur,et renovabis faciem terræ.Ps 103:30What is the characteristic of Love? Its gratuitousness. Whoever loves, loves without expecting anything in return. The one who loves is happy that the Good he enjoys can be shared by the beloved. Whoever loves does not have half measures: he loves totally, without reservation. Whoever loves desires the good of the beloved and thus knows how to say no. This is true to the highest degree when Love is divine,...

"And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads. "And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever." "Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart...

Bp. Strickland to lead Eucharistic procession to Dodger Stadium in reparation for anti-Catholic drag ‘nuns’On June 16, the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Catholics will process from the Cathedral of Our Lady Queen of the Angels to Dodger Stadium, where the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence will be honored that same night.LOS ANGELES (LifeSiteNews) — Bishop Joseph Strickland will lead a Eucharistic procession in reparation for the offenses committed by the anti-Catholic drag “nuns” who will be celebrated at an upcoming Los Angeles Dodgers baseball game.On June 16, the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Catholics will process...

[Catholic Caucus] “The True Meaning of Our Liturgies” (and the Meaning of Chartres, the Largest Pilgrimage in Europe) - by Fr. Luc de BellescizeIn this beautiful meditation, Father Luc de Bellescize, a priest of the Diocese of Paris, looks back on the difficult post-conciliar years and their abuses, on the extraordinary success of the Chartres Pilgrimage, on the thirst for transcendence, on the mystery of the Trinity, and on the true meaning of the liturgy. La NefJune 6, 2023My grandfather was a Lefebvrist. He was not present at my baptism or ordination. He had organized dozens of retreats for men....

Archbishop Cordileone vs. Sisters of Perpetual IndulgenceBy strongly condemning the growing anti-Catholicism around us, Archbishop Cordileone also rebukes the tepid response of many Catholic leaders and ordinary Catholics to this evil.Pentecostal fire still burns brightly in San Francisco. It blazes from the episcopal throne of Archbishop Cordileone, most recently in his exceptional editorial in the Wall Street Journal. He trumpets a sanguine defense of the Church, so unusual for his kind. But it is not the first time he has broken ranks with the greater number of his episcopal confreres (the Pelosi affair comes to mind). Not to put too...

Republicans in the California state legislature walked out of a ceremony honoring “Sister Roma” of the anti-Catholic group Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, the group mired in a controversy involving the L.A. Dodgers. Roma, whose real name is Michael Williams, is a man who dresses in drag as a Catholic nun. The group mocks Catholic beliefs as part of a performance repertoire expressing support for alternative sexual identities. As Breitbart News has reported, the Dodgers invited Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence to the team’s annual LGBTQ+ Pride night on June 16, then uninvited them when Catholic groups complained, and re-invited them when...

Pope says religions must give a ‘solid foundation’ for UN’s pro-abortion Sustainable Development GoalsVATICAN CITY (LifeSiteNews) — Recently released transcripts from a 2019 Vatican conference have highlighted the Vatican’s and Pope Francis’ personal commitment to use religions as a “solid foundation” for the U.N.’s pro-contraception Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). The transcripts come as the Vatican is also issuing a fresh push to make the good of the family part of the same pro-abortion SDGs. “The 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals, approved by more than 190 nations in September 2015, were a great step forward for global dialogue, marking...

[Catholic Caucus] In head-scratching cases, “It’s the transparency, stupid”The case of the Carmelite nuns in Fort Worth, Texas, has been a head-scratching one since the moment it made the papers about a week ago. It had all the elements of a sensational story – and a salacious one, to boot – even before the Vatican intervention, but very little is known for certain.The barest bones of the story are that the Bishop of Fort Worth, Michael Olson, opened an investigation in April into at least one unspecified allegation of sexual misconduct against the superior of the Carmelite monastic community in...

(LifeSiteNews) — Russell Moore, former head of the Southern Baptist convention in the U.S., criticized Uganda’s recent anti-sodomy law as “unchristian,” after conservative backlash over comments from Republican U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz on Twitter that characterized the law as “grotesque” and “an abomination.” “One might be surprised to see Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) — not known for repudiating the far extremes of his base — labeled on various social media platforms as soft, weak, and compromising,” Moore said. “Some even suggested that Cruz was rejecting the Word of God itself. His radically ‘progressive’ idea? That Uganda shouldn’t criminalize homosexuality and...

(Daily readings from the USCCB)“Is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar or not? Should we pay or should we not pay?” Knowing their hypocrisy he said to them, “Why are you testing me? Bring me a denarius to look at.” Mark 12:14–15These Pharisees and Herodians were sent to trap Jesus in His speech. These men were very politically minded and loved to pick sides and find fault with others. They were self-righteous and cared little about the salvation of souls. So they came to Jesus with what appeared to be an innocent question. They appear to presume...

The Bible In Paintings ~ Encouragement for Applying and Appreciating God's Word ~ •Drawings•Engravings•Facades•Frescoes•Illuminations•Miniatures•Mosaics•Photographs•Reliefs•Statues•Tapestries•Windows• SATAN IN THE ABYSS AND JESUS ON HIS THRONE ֎ Featuring 47 Paintings, 1 Tapestry and 2 Windows ֎ REVELATION «Chapter 20» And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain. He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the...

Pray For The Peace of JerusalemLuke 12 Warnings and Encouragements 12 Meanwhile, when a crowd of many thousands had gathered, so that they were trampling on one another, Jesus began to speak first to his disciples, saying: “Be[a] on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. 2 There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. 3 What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs....

6 June 2023Tuesday of week 9 in Ordinary TimeSide chapel with altar and stained glass window of Norbert of Xanten within Basilique de l'Immaculée-Conception de l'Abbaye Saint-Michel-de-FrigoletReadings at MassLiturgical Colour: Green. Year: A(I).First readingTobit 2:9-14 ©'Everyone knows what return you have had for your good works'I, Tobit, took a bath; then I went into the courtyard and lay down by the courtyard wall. Since it was hot I left my face uncovered. I did not know that there were sparrows in the wall above my head; their hot droppings fell into my eyes. White spots then formed, which I was...

After the mountaintop experience of the transfiguration, Jesus came down the mountain and was immediately met by a man who was in trouble (see Matthew 17:1-21). I often have to gently let new believers know that they may be feeling on top of the world, only to get home and be assailed by unwanted thoughts or doubts about their salvation. Many times when we have enjoyed a tremendous spiritual victory, Satan is just around the corner. You go on a wonderful Christian retreat and experience the movement of the Holy Spirit, only to come home to a problem or a...

"Putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness . . . receive the word" (James 1:21). You cannot receive God’s Word and harbor sin at the same time. When the psalmist said, "I have restrained my feet from every evil way, that I may keep Thy word" (Ps. 119:101), he was acknowledging a key principle of spiritual growth: you must set aside sin if you expect to benefit from God's Word. Peter was expressing the same thought when he said, "Putting aside all malice and all guile and hypocrisy and envy and all slander, like newborn babes, long...