Free Republic

“I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.” Reciting the Pledge of Allegiance was almost a thing just for children to do at the beginning of the school day for the 50 years prior to June 22, 1942, when Congress approved the pledge as part of the U.S. Flag Code (Title 36). A year later the Supreme Court ruled no child could be forced to recite the Pledge. But it was on Flag Day, June 14, 1954,...

The ongoing debate over embryonic stem cell research often presents the issue in highly emotional terms. Selective language is used in an effort to tip the scales in favor of a perceived good or an end that justifies the means. We hear about all of the wonderful medical advances that might possibly result from this type of research and eventual therapy. The image of a child struggling with diabetes is placed in the balance against what is described as “just clumps of microscopic cells.” One national news magazine dismissed the entire ethical and moral aspect of stem cell research by...

ANNAPOLIS, Md., July 3 /U.S. Newswire/ -- The Knights of Columbus has asked the Maryland Court of Special Appeals to overturn a decision by Baltimore Circuit Court Judge M. Brooke Murdock, which held that a law defining marriage as the union of a man and a woman is irrational and thus a violation of the Maryland Constitution. The decision, issued on January 20, 2006, declared that "This court is unable to find that preventing same- sex marriage rationally relates to Maryland's interest in promoting the best interests of children." The amicus curiae (friend of the court) brief filed by the...

Texas Democrats on Saturday night adopted a wide-ranging platform urging President Bush to withdraw troops from Iraq "in the most rapid manner possible" and supporting a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants who qualify. Expanding their existing party platform on immigration, foreign policy and other issues, Democrats urged Bush to take steps to provide Iraqis with the chance to control their internal affairs and to develop a plan to reconstruct Iraq's civil and economic infrastructures. "Because the terrorists are successfully using the continued major involvement of U.S. troops in Iraq as a tool to rally support against us ... we...

WASHINGTON, June 7 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson said today that the Senate's failure to approve the Marriage Protection Amendment is "deeply disappointing," and noted the irony of the fact that the 49-48 vote "comes one day after Alabama became the 20th state to adopt a state constitutional amendment protecting marriage." Voters in Alabama approved their amendment at the polls yesterday by an overwhelming 81 percent to 19 percent margin. "Too many senators underestimated both the urgent need for this amendment and the depth of feeling of many millions of Americans who want their elected officials to...

Knights Urged to E-Mail Senators in Support of Marriage Amendment The Knights of Columbus, in cooperation with the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, sponsored a post card campaign for citizens to urge their U.S. senators to support Senate Joint Resolution 1, known as the Marriage Protection Amendment, which proposes an amendment to the U.S. Constitution which would define marriage as the union of one man and one woman. Because the vote is only days away, there is no longer enough time to mail post cards. Contact your senators by e-mail by clicking here. You may use the text of the...

A vote on a constitutional amendment to protect marriage in the United States as a union between one man and one woman is expected on June 6. I cannot think of a more urgent piece of legislative business right now than this, having as it does such tremendous implications for the health of our republic and the society in which we live. If anyone needs proof that a marriage amendment must become law in this country, we need only look at our always progressive friends across the sea—the Dutch—to see the future that is waiting for us, and to anticipate...

Lucy E. Carroll has never actually attended a Catholic Mass in which a cantor belted out, "He'll be coming 'round the altar when he comes! He'll be coming 'round the altar when he comes!" At least, that hasn't happened yet. "I know that some people have used Stephen Foster music in a Mass," said the musical director at the Carmelite monastery in Philadelphia. "I've heard about people using the melody from the waltz scene in 'Beauty and the Beast' for the 'Gloria.' And I've heard more than one report about people singing the 'Agnus Dei,' which means 'Lamb of God,'...

NEW HAVEN, Conn., May 20 /Christian Newswire/ -- The Knights of Columbus Museum, located at 1 State St. in New Haven, will honor the 500th anniversary of the death of Christopher Columbus on Saturday, May 20, by exhibiting an extremely rare proof set of commemorative stamps from 1883 and offering free refreshments. On display will be the entire set of 16 stamps depicting the life of Columbus and his voyage to the Americas released by the U.S. Postal Service in 1883. It was the first ever commemorative set to be issued by the Postal Service. The stamps were first released...

AUSTIN (AP) - State health department officials are reallocating nearly $5.2 million in family planning money to Planned Parenthood and other health care providers who lost funding under a new law that gave priority to many first-time providers. Traditional family planning providers cheered the injection of cash, saying it would help treat backlogs of patients seeking birth control, Pap tests and other services, the Houston Chronicle reported Wednesday. They also held up the reallocations as evidence that the new law, which they believe was intended to punish abortion providers, didn't work. "You talk about sick public health policy. It's pathetic,"...

Nine decades of unity and charity exemplified in a Sioux City Catholic organization of women were celebrated Tuesday. The Catholic Daughters of the Americas (CDA) Court Ave Maria 269 marked its 90th anniversary with a 5:30 p.m. anniversary Mass at the Cathedral of the Epiphany. The Most Rev. R. Walker Nickless, bishop of Sioux City, was the celebrant of the Mass and the Rev. Paul-Louis Arts, chaplain of the CDA court and rector of Cathedral, concelebrated and delivered the homily. "This is truly a celebration of the past, present and future," noted Arts in his homily. "In unity and charity,...

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- A Democratic candidate for Alabama attorney general denies the Holocaust occurred and said Friday he will speak this weekend in New Jersey to a "pro-white" organization that is widely viewed as being racist. Larry Darby concedes his views are radical, but he said they should help him win wide support among Alabama voters as he tries to "reawaken white racial awareness" with his campaign against Mobile County District Attorney John Tyson.

DENVER (CNS) -- A journey that began last year in Mexico and will end in Orlando, Fla., in August made Denver its latest stop May 5-7. A silver cross containing relics of six of the 25 Mexican martyrs canonized by Pope John Paul II in 2000 has been traveling under the auspices of the Knights of Columbus. Each of the six -- Sts. Pedro de Jesus Maldonado, Luis Batis Sainz, Jose Maria Robles Hurtado, Mateo Correa Megallanes, Miguel del la Mora de la Mora and Rodrigo Aguilar Aleman -- was a priest and a member of the Knights of Columbus....

(CNSNews.com) - Australia's top Catholic churchman is taking flak for a speech delivered in the United States three months ago. Muslims in his home country accuse him of being misinformed about a religion they insist is peaceful. Cardinal George Pell, the archbishop of Sydney, told an audience of Catholic business leaders in Florida he believed it was vital to read the Koran, "because the challenge of Islam will be with us for the remainder of our lives." He said 9/11 had been his wake-up call to understand Islam better. "In my own reading of the Koran, I began to note...

They’re an impressive sight. Clad in tuxedos, capes folded back to reveal brightly colored linings, picards across the torso and colorful plumes on their hats, the Fourth Degree Knights of Columbus inspire the spirit of patriotism. “It’s always impressive to see them,” said Bob Cannon, a member of KOC Council 5657 at St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church in Beckley. “No matter how many times you’ve seen them, they really grab your attention.” This impressive honor guard, however, is only one degree of a fraternal and beneficent society of men, founded in New Haven, Conn., in 1882 by a young...

The Catholic University of America has received an $8 million gift from the Knights of Columbus to renovate a vacant building near the center of campus that will house the John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family The Catholic University of America has received an $8 million gift from the Knights of Columbus to renovate a vacant building near the center of campus that will house the John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family as well as space for university classrooms and other academic activity. The gift from the New Haven, Conn.-based Catholic men’s...

Do you think TV comedy writer and talk radio host Al Franken is a credible candidate for U.S. senator in Minnesota?

Worshipers on Saturday paid tribute to a reliquary containing the bone fragments of six martyred priests, all Knights of Columbus, who were canonized by Pope John Paul II in 2000. "We are blessed to have those who were willing to die for our faith," said Dolores Bouis, who attending the showing after Mass at the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Denver. The Mexican priests, members of the world's largest lay Catholic organization, were killed for refusing to renounce their faith during the 1920s when a revolution in Mexico brought widespread persecution of Catholics. The priests were Pedro de Jesus...

DENVER, May 4 /Christian Wire Service/ -- The relics of six Knights of Columbus priest martyrs of Mexico – canonized by Pope John Paul II in 2000 – will be in Denver this weekend as part of a nationwide pilgrimage sponsored by the Knights of Columbus. Thousands have already turned out to venerate these same relics in California and Texas over the past two months. The relics will be available for veneration at Denver’s Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception located at 1530 S. Logan St. in Denver beginning with a 5:30 p.m. Mass Friday, May 5 and ending with...

If you've ever walked through your local mall, you've likely had your picture taken and seen it instantly appear on a t-shirt, hat or poster, surrounded by graphics. This was made possible courtesy of a young person trying to earn money for a car or college by working at the photo kiosk. Just as likely, you walked right by, not giving it a second thought. Now imagine walking through your mall and instead of seeing you and your family or friends in the kiosk's television screen, you see beautiful 4D ultrasound images of unborn babies, full of life in their...