The LOOP
The Tuesday Loop - October 28, 2025
TRUMP FLOATS VANCE-RUBIO 2028 TICKET
President Donald Trump hinted yesterday that Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio could be his preferred successors when his term is up in 2028. Trump praised both men as potential leaders and suggested Vance-Rubio would make a formidable Republican ticket.
VIRGINIA RACES TIGHTEN AHEAD OF ELECTION DAY
Virginia’s top statewide races are tightening just days before Election Day. According to the RealClearPolitics polling average of surveys conducted Oct. 6-21, Democratic gubernatorial nominee Abigail Spanberger now holds only a 7.1-point lead over Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears. The attorney general race, meanwhile, has flipped, with incumbent Republican Attorney General Jason Miyares leading Democrat Jay Jones 46.4% to 44%.
PRESSURE MOUNTS TO END GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN
The federal government shutdown stretched into its 27th day yesterday, with pressure mounting on Congress to break the stalemate and restore pay for more than a million federal workers. House Speaker Mike Johnson told reporters that Republicans have voted “over a dozen times” to reopen the government but lack votes in the Senate to do so without Democratic support.
VIRGINIA SCHOOL DISTRICT SUSPENDS WHISTLEBLOWER TEACHER
Virginia’s Fairfax County Public Schools system has placed on paid administrative leave the high school teacher who blew the whistle on school staff members allegedly enabling a minor student’s abortion in 2021.
POPE TO VISIT SITE OF NICENE COUNCIL ON ANNIVERSARY
In a historic pilgrimage marked by ecumenical outreach, Pope Leo XIV will travel to Turkey and Lebanon from Nov. 27 to Dec. 2, visiting the region's ancient Christian communities for the 1,700th anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea. The Vatican released a detailed itinerary yesterday for what will be the first major international trip of his papacy.
NEW YORK CATHOLIC STUDENTS OUTPERFORM PUBLIC-SCHOOLERS
Students at Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of New York have outperformed pupils at public schools, according to the state's own metrics. “These strong outcomes are a testament to the exceptional work taking place in our classrooms each day,” said Sister Mary Grace Walsh, superintendent of schools for the Archdiocese of New York.
40 DAYS FOR LIFE REPORTS VOLUNTEER SPIKE AFTER KIRK DEATH
The president of 40 Days for Life recently reported that the pro-life organization has seen a great influx of new volunteers in the weeks since the assassination of Charlie Kirk, himself an outspoken pro-life advocate. "We saw a huge uptick, a 36% increase in participation."
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CATHOLIC SPORTS FANS WANT TO KNOW...
In a recent guest column for Angelus News, author and journalist Tom Hoffarth posed a question: Could the legendary broadcaster Vin Scully be considered for canonization?
WORLD'S SECOND-YOUNGEST CARDINAL GIVES BOLD INTERVIEW
Cardinal Giorgio Marengo of the Apostolic Prefecture of Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, is the world's second-youngest cardinal. Christians make up only 2.2% of Mongolians, but in a recent interview, Cardinal Marengo said he sees that fact as an opportunity rather than an obstacle.
NOT TO BE MISSED
Here are the stories we couldn’t fit in today’s LOOP: • Pro-abortion activists are fretting over the effectiveness of pro-life centers at caring for mothers facing crisis pregnancies. • Former staff members of a retired abortionist have started a late-term abortion facility in Colorado. • A Japanese cardinal came out against over-the-counter abortion pills.
FAMILY LAUNDRY HACK
One of the big hassles of laundry is the constant carting of it around the house. Here's a bold and unconventional idea to change the way laundry works in your home.
CATHOLIC 101
We make resolutions willy-nilly, for our diet, for health and exercise, for better time-management at work, and so on. But despite hearing the exhortation to go and share the Gospel at the conclusion of every Mass, most of us never really get around to truly committing to a spiritual life plan. Here's what that might look like.
SAINT OF THE DAY
Today is the feast of Saints Simon and Jude, apostles of the Lord Jesus Christ. St. Jude, also known as Thaddaeus, was the brother of St. James the Younger and a relative of Our Lord. He wrote the letter of St. Jude and is thought to have suffered martyrdom in Armenia under the Persian occupation. St. Simon is often called “the Zealot” and is thought to have brought the gospel to Egypt before joining Jude in Armenia where he, too, suffered martyrdom.
DAILY PSALM
"Their message goes out through all the earth." (Psalm 19)
DAILY READINGS
Today's Mass readings.
TRUTH
Who had the authoress of the Harry Potter series preaching Catholic anthropology in 2025 on their bingo card?