The LOOP
The Monday Loop - May 5, 2025
NATION'S LARGEST SCHOOL CHOICE PROGRAM NOW LAW
Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott signed a bill Saturday that will create a $1 billion school choice program, the largest initial funding for a program of its kind in the nation.
WASHINGTON PRIESTS NOW MANDATED TO BREAK CONFESSIONAL SEAL
A new Washington state law now compels Catholic priests to report child abuse even if the information is revealed in the sacrament of confession. The controversial legislation, signed May 2 by Democratic Gov. Bob Ferguson, makes Washington the first state to explicitly eliminate legal protections for the sacred seal of confession in abuse-related cases.
TRUMP ORDERS FOR ALCATRAZ PRISON TO BE REOPENED
President Donald Trump on Sunday called for the Alcatraz prison in San Francisco, California, to be rebuilt larger and reopened to house the country’s most ruthless and violent criminals. "When we were a more serious Nation, in times past, we did not hesitate to lock up the most dangerous criminals, and keep them far away from anyone they could harm," Trump said.
DARK PAST OF DEMS' 'POSTER CHILD' ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT
"Democrats rallying around illegal immigrant Kilmar Abrego Garcia are facing a narrative reckoning as allegations of violent and criminal behavior mount against the man they made a poster child in the fight against President Trump's mass deportations," FOX News reports. "In recent weeks, evidence has emerged that Abrego Garcia beat his wife and was caught trafficking migrants during his time living illegally in Maryland."
OP-ED CALLS FOR FDA TO PROTECT WOMEN FROM ABORTION PILLS
CatholicVote Senior Advisor Mary FioRito has authored an op-ed calling on the FDA to restore protections for women after years of misleading information about the abortion drug Mifepristone, which a recent study revealed to be far more dangerous than even many pro-life advocates had guessed. "Mifepristone should be treated as the potentially dangerous drug that it is—not a political football," FioRito argues.
NEW CATHOLIC SCHOOL SPRINGS UP IN NORTH CAROLINA
A new Catholic high school is set to open in 2028 in the Diocese of Raleigh, North Carolina, showing the success of Catholic education in the region amid declining enrollment in Catholic schools nationwide. READ
CONTEST: GUESS THE NAME THE NEW POPE WILL TAKE
Not who becomes the pope, but what NAME he’ll take! Say a prayer—then guess! Every guess wins a prize. Guess correctly & you win a Vatican Papal Blessing Parchment for your family… from the new pope. It will be a constant reminder that the Holy Spirit inspired you before the election. Hurry: only guesses before “Habemus Papam!” will count. Give us your best guess!
SO MUCH NEWS
Here are the stories we couldn’t fit in today’s LOOP: • Trump on Sunday authorized a 100% tariff on foreign-made movies. • Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy slashed $54M in "woke" funding. • Virginia GOP seeks to quell scandals ahead of bellwether election.
GET YOUR DEGREE IN AI AT UDALLAS
Today’s employers want more than tech skills—they need leaders with judgment and purpose.
LAWMAKERS WARN AGAINST SCOTLAND'S DEATH BILL
As Scotland prepares for a critical vote on legalizing assisted suicide, lawmakers are warning that the proposed legislation could open the door to practices far beyond its original intent.
TRUMP SAYS HE WILL NOT RUN FOR THIRD TERM
President Donald Trump said Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press” that he was not considering a third term as president: "I think four years is plenty of time to do something really spectacular.”
WAYS TO HELP A NEW MOM
New moms often receive ready-made meals through a meal train, but they need more help than that. If you’re not a cook, or if all the meal-train slots have been taken, consider one of these other ways you can help.
CATHOLIC 101
We eliminate the “Alleluia” in Lent, but during Easter, we more than make up for it. On any given Easter weekday, those who say the Divine Office pray over 75 Alleluias! This reveals an important spiritual principle. Here’s how.
SAINT OF THE DAY
Today is the feast day of Saint Hilary of Arles, a fifth-century bishop who gave up wealth and privilege in favor of austerity and sacrifice for the sake of the Church.
DAILY PSALM
"Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!" (Psalm 119:1)
DAILY READINGS
Today's Mass readings.
PRAY ALONG WITH CARDINAL BURKE'S CONCLAVE NOVENA
Cardinal Raymond Burke has composed a novena prayer for the selection of our next pope. Let's pray this together every day!