Free Republic

[Catholic Caucus] Catholic priest: Dignitas Infinita a ‘faithless’ document with little to say about salvationIf hell is empty, there is no need for a cross and redemption, no Church and no grace. Even human dignity is then just a man-made vehicle, and despite its beautiful title, 'Dignitas infinita' is a faithless text for a faithless world.This essay by Fr. Joachim Heimerl was originally written in German. It has been translated and published with the permission of Fr. Heimerl.(LifeSiteNews) — Cardinal Robert Sarah recently caused a stir when he spoke of the “atheism” that is spreading in the Church. He was...

[Catholic Caucus] Francis’s “Creative Fidelity to Tradition” and the Complete Impotence of the Vatican IIFor you know, venerable brothers, that these bitter enemies of the Christian name, are carried wretchedly along by some blind momentum of their mad impiety; they go so far in their rash imagining as to teach without blushing, openly and publicly, daring and unheard-of doctrines, thereby uttering blasphemies against God. They teach that the most holy mysteries of our religion are fictions of human invention, and that the teaching of the Catholic Church is opposed to the good and the prerogatives of human society.” (Blessed Pope...

LINK TO NEW VIDEOLINK TO BIBLEart CHANNEL

[Catholic Caucus] German bishop attacks Church teaching for upholding ‘only man and woman,’ demands changes to CatechismPro-LGBT Auxiliary Bishop Ludger Schepers of Essen insisted that ‘something has to change’ in the Church regarding sexuality and that the ‘Catechism must say different things than it does now,’ in the latest heterodox remarks from the German hierarchy.A German bishop criticized Catholic teaching for “assuming there is only man and only woman” and demanded that the Church change its infallible doctrine on sexuality in the latest heterodox comments from the German hierarchy.Bishop Ludger Schepers, an auxiliary bishop for the Diocese of Essen, who...

[Catholic Caucus] Synodal Cancellations - by Archbishop Héctor AgüerThe progressive official party installed in Rome for just over a decade goes on in its policy of “cancellation” of those who, with freedom of spirit, seek to serve Jesus Christ in orthodoxy and Tradition. By “cancellation” one means all forms of ignoring, conspiracy of silence, marginalization, prohibition of publishing in media and social media, and even the cessation of functions of those who do not adhere “synodally” to the current Vatican ideologies and discretions. Good bishops such as Daniel Fernández Torres, from Arecibo, Puerto Rico, were cancelled, as is known; and...

LINK TO NEW VIDEOLINK TO BIBLEart CHANNEL

[Catholic Caucus] Leave behind Tridentine model of priesthood, embrace synodality, Cardinal Hollerich bids parish priestsCWN Editor's Note: On the last day of Parish Priests for the Synod—an international meeting of parish priests at the Vatican—Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich, SJ, encouraged participants “to become ambassadors of synodality, to be full participants in a synodal Church, to become with all the people of God, missionary disciples of Jesus.” “Many times their training and their reality have been oriented towards a Tridentine model of the priesthood,” Cardinal Hollerich, the relator-general of the synod on synodality, said of parish priests, in an address to Pope...

[Catholic Caucus] Priest Publicly Challenges Bishops To Defend Sacred TraditionTo the Catholic Bishops: The truth of our much lamented position as the Church is in the sacramental records. This is specifically found in the change of the priest to faithful ratio over the last 54 years. This ratio is as telling as it gets. Obviously, the lower the priest to faithful ratio, the more the Mystical Body of Christ is served. The larger the ratio, the harder it becomes for the faithful to go to Mass, have their Confessions heard, or to have a meaningful contact with priests at all.In...

Diane Montagna Interviews Edward Feser on ‘Dignitas infinita’DIANE MONTAGNA (DM): Dignitas infinita opens by asserting that: “Every human person possesses an infinite dignity, inalienably grounded in his or her very being, which prevails in and beyond every circumstance, state, or situation the person may ever encounter.” Yet St. Thomas Aquinas writes: “God alone is of infinite dignity, and so he alone, in the flesh assumed by him, could adequately satisfy for man.” (Solus autem Deus est infinitae dignitatis, qui carne assumpta pro homine sufficienter satisfacere poterat.)At the Vatican press conference to present the new Declaration, Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernández noted...

LINK TO NEW VIDEOLINK TO BIBLEart CHANNEL

Pope's titles, the great misunderstanding about the primacy of PeterThe reintroduction of the title "Patriarch of the West" for the pope in the Pontifical Yearbook, combined with the already consummated downgrading of the title "Vicar of Christ" appears to be a move to please the Orthodox; but it is a historical and theological error.On 9 April, the Pontifical Yearbook 2024 was published. Among the titles attributed to the pope, the reinsertion of 'Patriarch of the West', which had been removed by Benedict XV, immediately stood out. What does this decision mean? Is it just a trifle or is there more...

[Catholic Caucus] Bishop Strickland: A ‘confused understanding of authority’ has invaded the ChurchSt. Robert Bellarmine wrote: 'Just as it is licit to resist a Pontiff who attacks the body, so it is licit to resist him who attacks souls, or who disturbs the civil order, or, even more, who tries to destroy the Church.'The following is a May 3, 2024, letter from Bishop Joseph Strickland, the bishop emeritus of Tyler, Texas. Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,“Roma locuta; causa finita est!” “Rome has spoken; the matter is finished!” In these pastoral letters that I have been publishing, I have been...

[Catholic Caucus] Pope Gregory XVI’s Mirari Vos Condemns the Cardinal Sin of the Vatican II RevolutionAs profitable and enlightening as it is to reflect on how Mirari Vos condemns the specific novelties of Vatican II, though, we might draw greatest value from the encyclical if we can truly appreciate what it said about the permissibility of novelties in general.Like many other papal encyclicals prior to Vatican II, several aspects of Pope Gregory XVI’s 1832 encyclical on “Liberalism and Religious Indifferentism,” Mirari Vos, directly contradict ideas that were explicitly promoted at the Council. For instance, whereas Vatican II’s “Declaration on Religious...

Once Saved Always Saved? Or, after the moment of grace, is a Christian then judged by his works and God's holy law? John MacArthur questions the salvation of Ravi Zacharias in the life he led AFTER he came to Christ. https://youtu.be/L2tpwVrBEz0

Pope Francis hints at new ‘understanding’ of papacy during meeting with Anglican leadersThe Pontiff’s speech to the Anglicans held a revolutionary possibility: namely, a decision by Francis to use the papacy itself as an ecumenical bargaining tool, in a manner which could appear to undermine the authority wielded by the Pope.Pope Francis greets Canterbury's Justin Welby, May 2, 2024.VATICAN CITY (LifeSiteNews) — Pope Francis hosted leaders from the Anglican Communion at the Vatican Thursday, and while speaking about the “controversial” role of the papacy, the Pontiff raised the possibility of a new “understanding” that could result from ecumenical relations and...

MAJOR STATEMENT: The Crimes and Heresies of Pope Francis, Their Causes and Effects, and the Action to Be TakenCall for the Resignation of Pope FrancisMay 2, 2024St. Athanasius of Alexandria(downloadable PDF here)Since 2013, the words and actions of Pope Francis have caused an unprecedented crisis in the Catholic Church, and have done great harm to the Church and the whole world. The members of the hierarchy of the Church have a duty to act in order to prevent Francis from causing further harm.We therefore call for Pope Francis to resign the papal office, and to repent and do penance for...

Heretical German bishop says abortion is a ‘sensitive’ issue, will not participate in March for LifeBishop Stephan Ackermann defended Germany’s abortion regime as leading to ‘societal peace’ despite around 100,000 children killed in abortion every year and criticized strong pro-life advocacy, citing ‘a woman’s right to self determination.’The bishop of Trier has said that he would not participate in the March for Life because abortion is a “sensitive” and complex matter, citing “a woman’s right to self-determination.”In an interview with the German radio station Deutschlandfunk on April 29, Bishop Stephan Ackermann was asked about the recent March for Life in...

Connecticut archbishop who supports ‘female deacons’ defends transgender pronoun useArchbishop Christopher Coyne said he would ‘accept’ so-called ‘transgender’ people ‘as they’re presenting themselves,’ claiming it ‘doesn’t cost me anything’ to refer to someone as the wrong sex in contradiction to Catholic teaching and biological reality.A new Connecticut archbishop who supports “female deacons” has endorsed using a gender-confused person’s chosen name and pronouns that contradict their sex.Archbishop Christopher Coyne of Hartford, who assumed leadership of the archdiocese on Wednesday after the resignation of Archbishop Leonard Blair, told Catholic News Agency (CNA) last week that he would use a “transgender” person’s non-biological...

Pope Provides Sr. Jeannine a Clarification of “Dignitas Infinita”The following reflection is from Sister Jeannine Gramick, SL, co-founder of New Ways Ministry.I have been very sad since April 8, 2024 when the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith promulgated Dignitas Infinita, the Declaration on Human Dignity. I have felt the immense grief among LGBTQ people and their families and friends. This document states many beautiful and essential truths, but the section on Gender Theory, which condemns “gender ideology,” is harming the transgender people I love.I wrote a note to Pope Francis to tell him about my sadness and...

The scandals haunting Pope Francis - Scheming cardinals are sharpening their knivesThe cardinals are already meeting to discuss who should be the next pope. Some of the liberal ones, who feel safe because they’re in favour with the ailing Pope Francis, can be seen comparing notes in a bar near the gates of the Vatican. The conservative cardinals are more nervous: they gather at suppers in each other’s apartments or — if they can trust the fawning waiters not to betray them — in a favourite restaurant.Perhaps you can see the flash of a bishop’s ring as he taps a...