The State Took Her - 9/24/26

Catholic parents press Massachusetts to return their daughter as new state records emerge. Joseph and Arlene Kuzco are continuing their fight to regain custody of their 17-year-old daughter and prevent Massachusetts officials from giving her testosterone as part of a gender transition. Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey claimed that the state took custody of the girl not because of gender-affirming care issues, but over criminal charges against the parents. But newly reported records show that the state's Child Welfare Agency deemed abuse allegations against the parents unsupported.

As Zeal News previously reported, the Cusco's allege that staff at Alquanclin Regional High School in Northborough began socially transitioning Sophie, who was 15 at the time, without their knowledge. They say school officials later reported the family to Massachusetts Department of Children and Families after the parents refused, because of their Catholic faith, to use a male name. and male pronouns for their daughter. In other news, 50,000 Catholics are gathered in St. Louis, Missouri today for the Beatification Mass of Fulton Sheen. For full coverage on Fulton Sheen, visit zeal.co.

Today is also the Feast of Our Lady of Mercy, a title for the Virgin Mary as a protective mother who shelters humanity under her outspread cloak or mantle. I'm Josh Mercer, editor of The Loop, taking you behind the headlines. 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.