The LOOP
The Thursday Loop - December 18, 2025
CARDINAL DOLAN STEPPING DOWN AS NEW YORK ARCHBISHOP
The Holy See has announced the appointment of Bishop Ronald Hicks of Joliet, Illinois, as the next archbishop of New York, succeeding Cardinal Timothy Dolan, one of the most consequential American churchmen of the past half-century.
TRUMP TOUTS ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN ADDRESS TO NATION
President Donald Trump delivered a national address yesterday evening, claiming major victories on border security, inflation, wages, and global stability nearly one year into his second term. He also announced that more than 1 million U.S. service members will receive pre-Christmas "warrior dividends" of $1,776.
5 THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT BISHOP RONALD HICKS
A Chicago native known for his missionary spirit and pastoral approach, Archbishop-elect of New York Ronald Hicks brings decades of experience in priestly formation, international service, and pro-life leadership to one of the Church’s most prominent sees. Here are five things to know about him as he steps into his globally significant new role.
CARDINAL DOLAN: A TITANIC CAREER IN THE CHURCH
With the retirement of Cardinal Timothy Michael Dolan as archbishop of New York, the Catholic Church in the United States closes the chapter of one of the most consequential episcopal careers of the last 25 years. Few American prelates have shaped the Church’s internal governance, public witness, and political engagement as visibly as Cardinal Dolan has since the turn of the millennium.
NEW YORK BISHOPS CONFRONT DEATH BILL
The bishops of New York and Cardinal Dolan issued the joint statement yesterday denouncing the state's assisted suicide bill as “egregious,” emphasizing that assisted suicide is a grave moral evil that directly conflicts with Catholic teaching on the sanctity of life.
HEGSETH VOWS TO RESTORE MILITARY CHAPLAIN CORPS
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced a series of reforms to the military’s Chaplain Corps Dec. 16, promising to restore its focus on religious ministry and eliminate what he called years of drift toward secular self-help programs.
CROCKETT LEADING DEMOCRATIC FIELD IN TEXAS PRIMARY
A new poll suggests Rep. Jasmine Crockett has taken an early lead in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate in Texas, as Democrats once again test whether the traditionally Republican state could be competitive in a high-stakes 2026 election. Here are the numbers.
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CARDINAL CUPICH LEADS CHARGE AGAINST ABORTION MANDATE
“The Church’s pro-life mission is under attack in Illinois. The State is pushing an aggressive mandate seeking to punish healthcare workers who refuse to aid and abet abortion,” Cardinal Blase Cupich wrote in a strongly worded statement this week. “The Catholic bishops of Illinois are standing side by side with these conscientious objectors to stop this inhumane mandate.”
WHY PEOPLE KEEP THEIR CHILDHOOD RELIGION
Following a survey that found about one in 10 adults globally leave their childhood religion, the Pew Research Center questioned why most people stay with the beliefs they were raised with. Here's what they found out.
NOT TO BE MISSED ...
Here are the stories we couldn't fit in today's LOOP:
BISHOP CONLEY ON LITERATURE
Bishop James Conley of Lincoln, Nebraska, has a cure for cultural amnesia: get lost in the world of literature. The humanities teach us about ourselves, where we come from, and what we're made for. In a culture so unmoored and directionless, steeping ourselves in great literature is imperative.
CATHOLIC 101
Psalm 80 stands out prominently among the Psalms of the Old Testament that express a longing for God’s mercy and hopeful expectation of His mighty work of salvation. This hymn of ancient Israel (one of the few not written by King David) highlights themes of desolation, waiting, and hopeful expectation. By those same themes, it provides rich fodder for our own meditation as we move through this season of Advent.
SAINT OF THE DAY
Today the Church celebrates St. Gatian, who lived during the third century and served as the first bishop of Tours. Along with St. Denis of Paris, Gatian was one of the seven bishops sent out by Pope St. Fabian to convert the people of Gaul – now France.
DAILY PSALM
"Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever."
DAILY READINGS
Today's Mass readings.
BEAUTY
Christmas at the Vatican is enchanting.
