The LOOP
The Friday Loop - June 13, 2025
ISRAEL STRIKES IRAN, TRUMP ADMIN WARNS AGAINST RETALIATION
In a dramatic escalation of tensions in the Middle East, Israel launched a pre-dawn strike on Tehran early Friday, targeting what it described as Iranian nuclear and military facilities. The Trump administration stated that Israel's action was unilateral and warned Iran not to retaliate against American interests.
HOUSE PASSES RESCISSIONS TO DEFUND NPR, PBS, USAID
The House yesterday passed President Donald Trump’s rescissions package, cutting over $8 billion from USAID and over $1 billion from public broadcasting in a narrow 214-212 vote. CatholicVote had endorsed the cuts, especially to NPR and PBS, and Republicans had pointed out that every one of the dozens of NPR editorial staffers in the DC area is a registered Democrat.
US BISHOPS NAMED IN CONGRESSIONAL PROBE OF IMMIGRATION NGOs
The US Conference of Catholic Bishops and Catholic Charities USA are among the more than 200 non-governmental organizations that congressmen are investigating in a probe of organizations that served “inadmissible aliens” during the Biden administration.
TRUMP TO SHIFT IMMIGRATION POLICY, CITING FARM & HOTEL WORKERS
Signaling a potential shift in immigration and deportation policy, Trump said yesterday that changes are on the way in response to concerns from American farmers and hospitality leaders "that our very aggressive policy on immigration is taking very good, long time workers away from them, with those jobs being almost impossible to replace."
AIR INDIA PLANE CRASH KILLS OVER 240 PASSENGERS
Pope Leo mourned the deaths of 240 passengers who died in an Air India plane that crashed on its way to London Thursday. The Pope said he was “deeply saddened by the tragedy" and offered prayers that “the mercy of the Almighty” would be extended to the victims.
POPE LEO TO CANONIZE CARLO ACUTIS SEPT 7
The Vatican announced early Friday that Pope Leo will canonize Blessed Carlo Acutis September 7, along with Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati – giving the Catholic Church two new saints widely known as role models for youth.
MONTANA SUPREME COURT KILLS 3 PRO-LIFE LAWS
Montana’s Supreme Court recently struck down as “unconstitutional” three pro-life state laws: protection of life in the womb after 20 weeks of pregnancy, the guarantee that women would have the option to view an ultrasound or hear the heartbeat of their unborn babies before they had an abortion, and limitation of access to abortion pills.
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PRO-LIFE LEADERS URGE HOCHUL NOT TO SIGN SUICIDE LAW
New York pro-life leaders are urging Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul to protect the vulnerable and veto a bill that would legalize assisted suicide. Bishop Robert Brennan of the Diocese of Brooklyn called on Hochul to consider the death bill "in a way that’s consistent with her bold actions in terms of suicide prevention."
COLORADO'S LGBT AGENDA FACES MULTIPLE LAWSUITS
Thanks to Colorado lawmakers' embrace of gender ideology, the state has become "a hotbed for religious discrimination," writes Dr. Susan Berry for CatholicVote.
SO MUCH NEWS
Here are the stories we couldn’t fit in today’s LOOP: • The Jesuits are investigating the Rupnik art center's publishing house. • Sen. Alex Padilla, D-CA, was cuffed after interrupting a DHS presser. • Pope Leo encourages us to trustfully bring our problems to Jesus.
HOLY BURNOUT
Burnout might feel like a modern affliction — brought on by emails, deadlines, and digital overload — but the struggle to find rest and meaning in the face of exhaustion isn’t new. Here are three saints who didn’t just survive burnout — they found grace in the middle of it!
CATHOLIC 101
Your twenties are for "experiences." It doesn’t matter what an experience is, it’s having it that’s important. And if you marry young? You’ll miss out. That's the message that a lot of popular entertainment sends to kids. Here's why Catholic parents need to confront and counteract that message.
SAINT OF THE DAY
Today the Church celebrates Saint Anthony of Padua, a Franciscan priest. Although he is popularly invoked today by those who have trouble finding lost objects, he was known in his own day as the “Hammer of Heretics” due to the power of his preaching.
DAILY PSALM
"To you, Lord, I will offer a sacrifice of praise." (Psalm 116:17)
DAILY READINGS
Today's Mass readings.
TELL APPLE TO STOP THE SACRILEGE
Why mock the Catholic faith? Because it’s true. Apple aired a scene desecrating the Eucharist in the show "Your Friends & Neighbors." We asked for its removal and an apology. Silence. This is a direct offense against Christ, and Catholics must speak out!