Free Republic

George Cardinal Pell is dead. As a man, Cardinal Pell stood accused of grievous sins before several earthly tribunals. He was convicted of some of those crimes in secular courts and as a result, spent over a year in prison—much of it in solitary confinement. He was later acquitted and released when the High Court of Australia unanimously overturned his convictions saying that the jury likely made its decision based on faulty evidence, and that there was a significant possibility that an innocent person had been convicted. Was Cardinal Pell guilty of the crimes he was accused of? Or was...

The Vatican has released a new working document for the Synod on Synodality, summarizing the results of national consultations and preparing for the “continental stage” of the continuing Synod process. In a 44-page document, entitled “Enlarge the space of your tent,” the document calls for “a Church capable of radical inclusion,” and stresses the need to reach out to those who feel alienated from, or marginalized by, the Church. In particular, the text calls for greater efforts to include women in decision-making roles, and to reach out to homosexuals, divorced and remarried couples, single parents, young people, and victims of...

The fallout from the EWTN interview with Cardinal Gerhard Mueller continues. That interview sent shockwaves through the hierarchy with the hierarchy scrambling to accuse the American cable news network of fomenting schism. ...

Excerpts from the opening mass for Synodality in the Diocese of San Bernardino. Presided by Bishop Alberto Rojas.

The Diocese of San Bernardino says its opening Mass for the Synod on Synodality Oct. 17 sought to celebrate the California diocese’s rich cultural diversity and welcome those on the “periphery” of the Church. But the liturgy’s unusual pageantry, featuring liturgical dancers, a Native American prayer to the “four directions,” and the appearance at the end of Mass of a colorfully costumed figure that resembled traditional representations of an Aztec demon, has raised eyebrows and sparked criticism on social media. “Paganism in full bloom,” read one comment on YouTube. “This is an absolute disgrace to God and His Holy Church,”...

VATICAN CITY (LifeSiteNews) – The Vatican has revealed that the “decisive” process of the two-year Synod on Synodality will be based on “listening” to “people who have left the practice of the faith” and on “inter-religious dialogue.” At a Vatican press conference September 7, Cardinal Mario Grech, Secretary General of the General Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops, introduced the vademecum (handbook) and the preparatory document for the multi-year Synod on Synodality. The theme for the event, “For a synodal Church: communion, participation and mission,” is built upon the Second Vatican Council’s concept of synodality and the concept of “listening...