The LOOP
The Friday Loop - January 17, 2025
POPE FRANCIS FALLS, SUFFERING INJURY TO HIS RIGHT ARM
“This morning, due to a fall at Santa Marta, Pope Francis sustained a bruise on his right forearm, with no fractures,” the Holy See Press Office reported yesterday. The report added that “his arm has been immobilized as a precaution.”
COERCED ABORTIONS CASE IN MINNESOTA
Pro-life attorney Harold Cassidy explained what is at stake in a federal court case involving three Minnesota women who sued the state’s governor and failed 2024 Democratic Vice Presidential Tim Walz after they were forced into having abortions.
INDIANA GUV SLASHES DEI FROM STATE GOVERNMENT
Indiana Republican Gov. Mike Braun eliminated diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives from the state government Tuesday, just after his inauguration. An executive order issued this week removes all DEI positions, departments, activities, procedures, and programs from the state government and bans required pronoun disclosures.
Advertisement
WHY YOU NEED REAL GOLD & SILVER…
Learn How Thousands of Americans Are Protecting Their Wealth With An Asset The Government Can’t Easily Inflate, Control, or Confiscate! The time is now to learn about how purchasing Physical Gold & Silver could benefit you and your family. Get Your Free GUIDE TO GOLD & SILVER PURCHASES Today!
Goldco is an advertising partner of
CatholicVote. Goldco's headquarters is 24025 Park Sorrento, Suite 210, Calabasas CA 91302
DeSANTIS PICKS ATTORNEY GENERAL MOODY TO FILL RUBIO SEAT
Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Thursday he is nominating Republican Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody to the U.S. Senate seat that will soon be vacated by Sen. Marco Rubio, R-FL. Moody has been a pro-life attorney general, also consistently standing up for protecting children against being subjected to “transgender” medical interventions.
ANALYSIS: ZUCKERBERG AND THE BIG SHIFT IN CULTURE
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s recently announced decision to end DEI policies at his Big Tech conglomerate is a sign of a cultural shift, argues conservative scholar Christopher Rufo. “Zuckerberg has never really been an ideologue,” Rufo writes. The tech mogul is “independent-minded and has clearly chafed at the cultural constraints DEI placed on his company.”
NEW JERSEY ‘STOCKPILING’ ABORTION PILLS AHEAD OF INAUGURATION
New Jersey Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy recently said his administration is “stockpiling” abortion-inducing drugs ahead of Trump’s second term. While Trump has not announced plans to restrict abortion pills, he favored numerous pro-life policies during his first term and appointed three justices who joined the eventual Supreme Court majority that overturned Roe v. Wade.
MERCH
Get in the spirit of Inauguration Day with CatholicVote's American saints shirts, hoodies, tote bags, blankets, and more! All of these items feature a list of all the American saints (as of right now!) and are the perfect way to show off your Catholic American pride.
POPE: WE MUST DROP PRODUCTS MADE WITH CHILD LABOR
Pope Francis this week said that individuals and institutions have a moral responsibility to find out whether the products they buy are made with child labor and to invest in alternatives if needed. “We must recognize that, if we want to eradicate child labor, we cannot be complicit in it,” Francis stated.
LA ARCHBISHOP ON FINDING GOD IN WILDFIRES
Los Angeles Archbishop José Gomez comforted the faithful of Los Angeles in a recent article, telling them that while it is hard to understand why God would allow the suffering caused by the fires, He has not abandoned His flock.
THE PEW LITURGY
While our attention at Mass should be focused primarily on the altar, Paige Rien at Theology of Home describes the “liturgy of the pews” – the activity of children, the private devotions of adults, the gestures of love between married couples, and more. There are no accidents in God’s economy, writes Rien, and He may allow certain moments to play out in the pews in front of you for a reason.
CATHOLIC 101
Within the Catholic Church, there are many different monastic orders and traditions. There is a common thread between them: a life of prayer, service, and community living. Although all the orders share a life dedicated to God, they have different traditions, rules, and practices that set them apart.
SAINT OF THE DAY
After hearing the Gospel reading at Mass one day, St. Anthony of Egypt (251-356) gave away everything he had, entrusted his sister to the care of a local convent, and walked into the desert. Called to a life of complete solitude and hardship, Anthony battled temptations from the devil, both spiritual and temporal. He lived for 15 years in a deserted tomb, and then 20 more in an old Roman fort.
DAILY PSALM
“Do not forget the works of the Lord!” (Psalm 78:7)
DAILY READINGS
Today's Mass readings.
WONDER
Explore some of the most beautiful monasteries on Earth while scrolling through this X thread. From the Abbey of San Galgano, Italy, to Sumela Monastery in Turkey, take in the pure majesty of these sacred spaces.