Free Republic

[Catholic Caucus] Catholic university cancels heterodox Fr. James Martin’s commencement speech after student backlashHoly Family University disinvited pro-LGBT Father James Martin as a commencement speaker after Catholics launched a petition demanding his removal and planned a Rosary rally in protest.PHILADELPHIA (LifeSiteNews) — Holy Family University recently disinvited heterodox Jesuit priest Father James Martin as a May commencement speaker after a petition for his removal garnered over 11,000 signatures and a Rosary rally was planned.The notoriously pro-LGBT priest had been invited to speak at HFU’s May 17 commencement ceremony and receive an honorary degree, prompting The American Society for the Defense...

Mt. Ennon Baptist Church is a 9000-member megachurch in Clinton, MD, that is associated with the National Baptist Convention USA and is led by senior “pastor” Delman Coates. According to their website, their vision is to be a “Caring, Christ-centered, Community Church, with a Kingdom Agenda.” One of their core beliefs is the importance of “Biblical Preaching and Teaching” , because “The Word of God is the final authority; it is true; it is unchangeable; it is to be used to equip the saints to achieve our mission.” At the same time, however, along with other beliefs centering around “prayer,”...

ATLANTA (AP) — The pastor of a Georgia megachurch who led a nationwide 40-day “fast” boycott of Target stores over the retail chain's commitment to diversity initiatives is now calling for that effort to continue as a “full Target boycott.” The Rev. Jamal Bryant said this week that the Minneapolis-based retailer has not met all of the boycott effort's demands. Among them: Restoring its commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion principles and pledging money to Black-owned banks and businesses. Target announced in January that it would phase out a handful of DEI initiatives, including a program designed to help Black...

LGBT group praises cardinal for inclusion in Holy Thursday liturgy: ‘Historic The new cardinal of Naples will wash the feet of a prominent LGBT activist during Maundy Thursday liturgy this year, in a move hailed as support for the LGBT lifestyle by activists.The new cardinal of Naples will wash the feet of a prominent LGBT activist during Maundy Thursday liturgy this year, in a move hailed as support for the LGBT lifestyle by activists.As highlighted by Messa in Latino, the newly minted cardinal of Naples, Cardinal Domenico Battaglia, will include a prominent LGBT activist in the Maundy Thursday Mandatum ceremony...

[Catholic Caucus] Pro-LGBT Nun to Lead Holy Week Address in SpainAngel Javier Pérez Pueyo, Bishop of Barbastro, Spain, has announced that Sister María Luisa Berzosa González, a homosexual activist, will deliver the Pregón de la Semana Santa of Barbastro during Holy Week 2025.The Pregón de la Semana Santa is a public speech in many Spanish-speaking regions that officially opens the Holy Week celebrations.Angel Javier Pérez Pueyo became famous for starting a pointless fight over the Opus Dei sanctuary of Torreciudad, located in his diocese.Berzosa González is a nun from the Congregation of the Daughters of Jesus, who hides in lay...

In today’s Morning Jolt, I wrote that “we haven’t seen Joe Biden speak in person at any public event since Inauguration Day; on February 1, Biden offered a two-minute pre-taped video message at the Democratic National Committee’s winter meeting.” A reader responds that Joe Biden did speak in public a few days ago, at the conference of the National High School Model United Nations. What’s fascinating is that President Biden gave his first public remarks since leaving office… and this generated no news media coverage at all. I don’t mean it was downplayed or under-covered, I mean the Facebook post...

A Colorado state lawmaker is likening parental rights groups opposed to a bill that, if passed and signed into law, could lead to removing children from their parents' custody if they oppose trans medicalization. The lawmaker said such parents were akin to the KKK. Colorado Republican state Rep. Jarvis Caldwell shared audio from an April 1 Colorado House of Representatives Judiciary Committee meeting where lawmakers were debating House Bill 25-1312. The bill has wide-ranging implications and is designed to give wide deference to several aspects of LGBT ideology, specifically by directing courts to take a parent’s willingness to embrace their...

Saunders said the NFL can be very "heterosexual dominant" while announcing his upcoming camp ...Saunders, 28, made the announcement on stage during the 2025 GLAAD Media Awards on Thursday, March 27 and spoke about the initiative during an appearance on NFL Network's "Good Morning Football," where the Super Bowl champion said, "Football is for all."

[Catholic Caucus] Cardinal Fernández issues ‘clarification’ to Vatican document, suggests Church approval of gender mutilation in ‘severe dysphoria’ casesIn a striking departure from established Church teaching, Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández has signaled that sex “change” surgeries may be morally acceptable under certain conditions. Cardinal Fernández, the prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith (DDF) offered this perspective in a conference he delivered via video to a Theological congress organized by the Catholic University of Cologne (Germany) in mid January. But then in March, the Cardinal posted the conference as an official “clarification” of Dignitas infinita, the Church’s...

D.C. Cardinal Slams Trump’s Migration Reforms as ‘Crusade’“The pathway of crusade and mass deportation cannot be followed in conscience by those who call themselves disciples of Jesus Christ, and we must work to make sure that that does not happen,” Cardinal Robert McElroy said in a speech to the Jesuit Refugee Service organization in D.C.McElroy called for welcoming policies similar to those established by President Joe Biden’s border czar, Alejandro Mayorkas, saying:The first pathway — which Catholic social teaching would support — is to change our laws so that they have secure borders and dignity for the treatment of everyone...

A lawmaker in Washington on Thursday likened legislation aimed at banning transgender athletes from girls’ and women’s sports in the state to racial segregation in the United States, arguing that those across the aisle are "making a lot of the same arguments today." Washington Democratic state Rep. Kristine Reeves spoke during an executive session of the House Education Committee on Thursday morning where members of the committee introduced SB 5123, a bill that aimed to expand protections for students, including gender expression and gender identity. "I recall a time in our country’s history not that long ago … where people...

[Catholic Caucus] Bishop: Seminarians Need Safe Place to Explore Sexuality and Integrate ItIn an interview about seminary formation of candidates for priesthood, Bishop Michael Gerber, of Fulda, Germany, supported the idea that gay man can be ordained.Bishop Michael GerberSpeaking with Katholisch.de, a major German Catholic news outlet, Gerber, who is also chairman of the Commission for Vocations and Church Services at the German Bishops’ Conference, was asked about his thoughts on the Italian bishops’ conference plan to admit gay men into priestly formation on a case-by-case basis, just as heterosexual men are assessed. Should the Catholic Church in Germany, which...

Washington’s new archbishop expresses concern about impact of policies on undocumented immigrants and federal workersIn an interview five days before he would be installed as the new archbishop of Washington, Cardinal Robert W. McElroy expressed concern about the personal impact of the Trump Administration’s controversial policies of mass deportations of undocumented immigrants and the widespread firings of federal workers.When asked what his message would be to the immigrant community at this time, Cardinal McElroy said, “Sorrow. Love, embrace, compassion. Advocacy and solidarity. And all done in God’s name.”In the wide-ranging March 6 interview with the editors of the Catholic Standard...

We’ve all seen and heard the criticisms that President Donald Trump doesn’t behave in a Christian way.The fact is that he is behaving in a very Christian way.And I’m not just talking about the historic actions he has taken for religious freedom. Not only has he established an Office of Faith, to which I, with many other Christian pastors, have been invited to give input, but he has started a task force to eradicate anti-Christian bias. And it is no mere symbolic task force. It includes the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Defense, the Director of the FBI, and...

[Catholic Caucus] ‘Hip-Hop Mass’ Celebrated by Cardinal Wilton GregoryA new musical blending contemporary hip-hop music and Catholic liturgy debuted Feb. 14-16 at the Lyke House, a Catholic Newman Center serving historically Black colleges in Atlanta.The “Hip-Hop Mass” from composer Kevin Johnson consists of 24 songs in the order of a Mass. The production includes choreography, liturgical dance and even a depiction of the Eucharistic Prayer.“The beauty of the ‘Hip-Hop Mass’ is bringing young people back to the church,” Johnson said.The ensemble cast in the performances this month in Georgia consisted of choreographers, actors and students affiliated with the Lyke House....

Cardinal Cupich praises Muslim ‘brothers and sisters’ at annual ‘Iftar’ dinner for RamadanThe liberal Chicago cardinal has received intense criticism on social media for attending a 'Muslim-Catholic Iftar.'Chicago Cardinal Blase Cupich is under fire for attending an annual Muslim-Catholic “Iftar” dinner.“Happy to be at the … Muslim-Catholic Iftar in Morton Grove tonight to break the daily fast observed by our Muslims brothers and sisters during Ramadan,” Cupich said on X yesterday.Cupich is one of the most liberal members of the clergy in the United States. He has attended multiple Iftar dinners in the past, dating to at least 2016. His...

[Catholic Caucus] German Bishop Critiques U.S. President’s Anti-LGBTQ+ PolicyThe bishop who is the German bishops conference’s liaison to the queer community has spoken out against President Donald Trump, and his administration’s treatment of LGBTQ+ people.Bishop Ludger Schepers, auxiliary bishop of Essen was alarmed that “Trump is “removing discrimination protection for queer people and no longer recognizes gender minorities at all,” according to Katholisch.de“Every attack on the rights of queer people threatens the rights of all people who do not conform to the narrow ideas of how one should look and behave,” said Schepers.Since being sworn in, Trump has eradicated the...

Incoming DC archbishop McElroy says he has no plans to meet with Trump but spoke at length with BidenCardinal McElroy revealed that he ‘had a lengthy call with President Biden the other day,’ though the left-wing, heterodox prelate said that he is not currently planning to see President Trump after his installation as archbishop of Washington, D.C.Cardinal Robert McElroy has indicated that he has no plans to meet President Donald Trump after his installation as the new archbishop of Washington, D.C., next month, yet he recently had a “lengthy” conversation with former President Joe Biden. McElroy, currently the bishop of...

Megachurch Pastor Jamal Bryant called a group of black supporters of President Donald Trump “runaway slaves” and “coons” on Sunday after they appeared to mock him at a recent Black History Month reception at the White House. In a clip from his sermon on Sunday, the leader of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Stonecrest, Georgia, highlighted a video from the reception, which first appeared on the X profile of prominent black Trump supporter, podcast host and entrepreneur David Harris Jr. The video, then shared on X by The Grio Senior White House Correspondent April Ryan on Friday, shows a...

@amuse @amuse RACISM: Atlanta megachurch pastor Jamal Bryant refers to black Trump supporters and MAGA followers as “coons” and “runaway slaves.”