The LOOP
The Monday Loop - February 9, 2026
JIMMY LAI SENTENCED TO 20 YEARS IN PRISON
Jimmy Lai on Feb. 9 received a 20-year jail sentence in a Hong Kong court. The prominent media mogul’s five-year imprisonment and prosecution has sparked global concerns about China’s communist regime encroaching on civil liberties in Hong Kong.
POPE NAMES NEXT ARCHBISHOP OF DENVER
Pope Leo XIV has named Bishop James R. Golka as the next archbishop of Denver. Archbishop-designate Golka, who currently leads the Diocese of Colorado Springs, will succeed Archbishop J. Samuel Aquila. The 59-year-old Nebraska native will be installed on March 25.
WAPO CEO STEPS DOWN
Will Lewis stepped down as CEO of The Washington Post on Saturday, days after the Jeff Bezos-owned paper laid off more than 300 staffers. Lewis, who led the publication for two years, said his departure is part of a difficult but necessary period of change.
US, IRAN HAD 'GOOD TALKS,' WILL MEET SOON
"The US and Iran will meet again 'early next week' after President Trump said the two sides held 'very good talks' in Oman, even though the risk of armed conflict remains high as both [countries] continue to trade warnings," The New York Post reports.
SENATE STANDOFF OVER DHS FUNDING
Senate talks on funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) remain stalled with just days left before a Feb. 13 deadline, as Democrats press for immigration demands and most Republicans refuse to budge. The standoff raises the likelihood of a partial government shutdown that would affect border, security, and emergency agencies.
INSPIRING: AN ART TEACHER'S JOURNEY TO WRITING ICONOGRAPHY
Most creative callings don’t arrive at convenient moments. For Garrett Hines, the rediscovery of his artistic calling as an iconographer came alongside the responsibilities of marriage, fatherhood, and a full-time teaching career in Texas. In an exclusive interview with Zeale News, Hines talked about how God calls each person to a unique path.
POPE: LIVE THE JOY OF THE GOSPEL
In his Feb. 8 Sunday Angelus, Pope Leo XIV encouraged Christians to respond to Christ’s call to be the “salt of the earth” and the “light of the world” by embracing the transformative joy of the Gospel. “This joy springs from a way of life, a way of inhabiting the earth and of living together that must be desired and chosen," he said. "It is the life that shines in Jesus, the new flavor of his words and deeds.”
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COURT TAKES UP CASES OF CHRISTIANS BANNED FROM TURKEY
The European Court of Human Rights has taken up 20 cases brought after Turkey designated hundreds of foreign Christian residents as threats to national security and barred them from re-entering the country or obtaining residence permits.
YOUNG PRIEST CONFRONTS DEATH IN HOSPITAL MINISTRY
Father Charles Marie Rooney, O.P., recently wrote a profound reflection on his experience in hospital ministry, where he encountered death, faith, darkness, and light. "I have cancer,” an elderly woman told him from her hospital bed. “But cancer is not the sickness. Cancer is the cure. Because cancer brings you close to God.”
TOP 10 MOVIES FOR YOUR NEXT COZY NIGHT IN
Planning to spend the evening at home? This list rounds up 10 must-watch movies that are comfort-viewing at its finest.
CATHOLIC 101
Discouragement is one of the devil’s biggest traps, especially for those striving to live faithfully. This reflection, inspired by the teachings of St. Catherine of Siena, examines how humility, self-knowledge, and perseverance in prayer protect the soul from despair.
SAINT OF THE DAY
Today the Church honors St. Apollonia, a third-century Christian from Alexandria who was martyred during a violent uprising against believers. Tradition holds that she endured torture rather than renounce her faith.
DAILY PSALM
"Lord, go up to the place of your rest!" (Psalm 132)
DAILY READINGS
Today's Mass readings.
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