The LOOP
The Friday Loop - February 14, 2025
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14 – VALENTINE’S DAY
RFK CONFIRMED AS HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES SECRETARY
The Senate confirmed Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as Secretary of Health and Human Services in a 52-48 vote Thursday. “I agree with President Trump that every abortion is a tragedy,” the Catholic nominee had said during his confirmation hearing. “I agree with him that we cannot be a moral nation if we have 1.2 million abortions a year.”
REPORT: HHS SPENT OVER $22 BILLION ON MIGRANTS HHS allocated more than $22.6 billion in taxpayer-funded grants to migrants between 2020 and 2024
Critics say the big spending incentivized the historic spikes in illegal immigration that took place during the past four years.
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DEPARTMENT OF ED ‘NOT WORKING,’ SAYS NOMINEE
At her Senate confirmation hearing Thursday, President Donald Trump’s Secretary of Education nominee Linda McMahon said the Department of Education “is not working.” She also emphasized her commitment to school choice and parental rights.
NYC MAYOR ADAMS' EXECUTIVE ORDER WILL LET ICE OPERATE
New York City Democratic Mayor Eric Adams announced plans to reopen the shuttered ICE office at Rikers Island after a closed-door meeting with Trump Border Czar Tom Homan Thursday. “We are now working on implementing an executive order that will reestablish the ability for ICE agents to operate on Rikers Island – as was the case for 20 years,” Adams said.
REPORT: PBS PLANNED TO SKIRT TRUMP ORDER BY HIDING DEI STAFF PBS is closing its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) office in compliance with
Trump’s executive order against DEI in the government. But a tipster reportedly contacted The Free Press to say PBS’s original plan was to shuffle its DEI executives into other departments, clinging to the controversial left-wing practice but keeping it hidden.
SO MUCH NEWS
Here are the stories we couldn’t fit in today’s LOOP: • A college held a “self-managed abortion” event for students. • Houston’s Catholic Charities laid off 120 staff after Trump froze funding. • St. Teresa of Calcutta now has a universal feast day!
TRUTH
“Every abortion is a tragedy... We cannot be a moral nation with 1.2 million abortions a year.” - Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.
‘FIRST THINGS’ EDITOR SHARPLY CRITIQUES PAPAL LETTER
“I don’t envy America’s bishops,” wrote First Things Editor R. R. Reno in response to Pope Francis’ letter denouncing the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement efforts. “It’s a hard task to require the faithful to attend Mass so that they can be told that loving one’s country and its citizens is a wicked sin. That’s a recipe for ecclesiastical suicide.”
WASHINGTON STATE LAWMAKERS TARGET CONFESSIONAL SEAL
Two Washington legislative committees recently advanced a pair of bills that aim to force priests to violate the seal of Confession. Bishop Thomas Daly of Spokane, Washington, is calling on Catholics to oppose the bills.
READ ALOUD TOGETHER
“The power of reading aloud in the home,” writes John Cuddeback at Life Craft, “is an astounding gift we can rediscover.” Between spouses or friends or family or guests, it’s more than a nice little pastime. It’s “a basic enactment of who we are and what we seek in our homelife.”
CATHOLIC 101
Sts. Cyril and Methodius, Greek saints who brought the Gospel to modern-day Russia, provide an example of how Catholics should engage with technology, Bible scholar Scott Hahn wrote this month.
SAINT OF THE DAY
While St. Valentine is top-of-mind for Americans on February 14, the Church calendar also commemorates two brothers who are often overlooked! more about the amazing lives of Sts. Cyril and Methodius here.
DAILY PSALM
“Blessed are those whose sins are forgiven.” (Psalm 32:1)
DAILY READINGS
Today's Mass readings.
MOVIE REVIEW
This Valentine’s Day, go for something deeper than the standard rom-coms! The 1988 film “The Jeweller’s Shop” is based on the play of the same title written by Karol Wojtyla, who later became Pope St. John Paul II. The movie offers a beautiful reflection on the meaning of marriage and human love.