Four Soldiers Come Home, Rupnik Trial Continues, Cardinal Sarah Warns Europe - 7/23/26

Four soldiers come home, and Cardinal Seurat warns Europe. I'm Josh Mercer with your morning LOOPcast. Four flag-draped transfer cases came home to Dover Air Force Base yesterday. President Trump and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth stood with the grieving families of Tyler Feehan, Isabella Gonzalez, Angel Rampersad, and Michael Swinton. Three died after an Iranian attack in Jordan. Swinton was killed during a controlled detonation of an Iranian drone in Iraq. May God grant them eternal rest and comfort their families.

The Vatican says reports that Father Marco Rupnik was acquitted of abusing women religious are entirely unfounded. Press Office Director Matteo Bruni says the canonical trial remains underway, with judges reviewing accusations of sexual, spiritual, and psychological abuse from more than 20 women. Cardinal Robert Seurat recently delivered a powerful speech directly to the faces of some of Europe's ruling class. Speaking to EU lawmakers, he linked Europe's identity crisis to a weakened church, condemned gender ideology, and Islamic fundamentalism as apocalyptic beasts, and warned that aid to Africa must never become leverage for ideological colonization.

Today is the feast of St. Bridget of Sweden, mystic, mother of eight, and co-patroness of Europe. Go to zeal.co for the rest of today's loop, and while you're at it, subscribe to get the loop in your inbox every morning. Again, that's zeal.co.