The LOOP
The Thursday Loop - February 19, 2026
POTENTIAL IRAN WAR LOOMS
Israel has put its defenses on high alert in preparation for war with Iran. Meanwhile, the Trump administration has sent fighter jets and warships to the region in what is being described as the biggest military buildup since the days leading up to the U.S. Iraq invasion in 2003. U.S. officials have nonetheless signaled a continuing preference for diplomacy.
ANOTHER BISHOP CONFRONTS NOTRE DAME
Bishop Thomas John Paprocki of Springfield, Illinois, a former adjunct professor of law at Notre Dame Law School, has joined a growing chorus of bishops in calling out the University of Notre Dame’s decision to appoint an abortion advocate as head of one of its institutes. Bishop Paprocki described the move as "scandalous" and “incompatible with the mission and moral witness Notre Dame claims to uphold."
TRUMP ISSUES STATEMENT IN HONOR OF ASH WEDNESDAY
President Donald Trump said yesterday that he and First Lady Melania Trump were joining millions of Christians in observing the beginning of the Lenten season. During the 40 days of Lent, Christians engage in prayer, fasting, and almsgiving,” the President noted, to “deepen their faith, reflect on His redeeming Passion and death, and prepare their hearts for the coming Easter miracle.”
RHODE ISLAND BISHOP SPEAKS ON 'SENSELESS' HOCKEY SHOOTING
The bishop of Providence, Rhode Island, this week expressed sorrow over a deadly shooting at a Rhode Island high school hockey game that left two people dead and three others injured, calling the violence “senseless” and “deeply troubling.”
SECOND LADY CALLS FOR SUPPORT FOR DIAPER CENTERS
Second Lady Usha Vance said that as she and Vice President JD Vance prepare to welcome their fourth child, they are asking supporters to help others, not them. “Your support means more to us than we can say,” she wrote. “In place of gifts, we would be honored if you would consider making a donation to your local diaper bank to help families in need.”
INSPIRING: BEN SASSE OPENS UP ABOUT FACING DEATH
Former U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse spoke publicly this month about his terminal cancer diagnosis, reflecting on faith, family, and what it means to “redeem the time” in the face of death.
FREEING JIMMY LAI COULD WIN TRUMP THE NOBEL PRIZE
According to a member of the Wall Street Journal editorial board, freeing political prisoner and Catholic Jimmy Lai may be President Donald Trump’s surest way to receive the Nobel Peace Prize.
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MAKE THE PRO-LIFE CHOICE THIS LENTEN SEASON
Support the life-saving work of your favorite Pro-Life charity with your everyday cell phone use!
EXCLUSIVE: RECLAIMING OUR KIDS' FORMATION IN DIGITAL AGE
Terry Gromes spoke with Zeale News to explain the thinking behind The Canary Project, an initiative aimed at helping parents, educators, and community leaders rethink how technology is shaping our children.
POPE LEO'S ASH WEDNESDAY HOMILY
Pope Leo preached yesterday on the reality of death, the importance of conversion, and the countercultural attitude of acknowledging one’s sins. The need for conversion is "urgent," he said, and "always both personal and public.”
NOT TO BE MISSED
Here are the stories we couldn’t fit in today’s LOOP:
LENT CHALLENGES FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY
It can be difficult to find prayers, penances, and other Lenten practices that work for everyone in your family. Here are some ideas for everyone — from toddlers to grown-ups — to embrace this season of repentance.
CATHOLIC 101
As we strip ourselves of different earthly comforts during the season of Lent, Bishop Jacques-Bénigne Bossuet reminds us that God alone satisfies our happiness.
SAINT OF THE DAY
A nobleman-turned-hermit, St. Conrad of Piacenza once sparked a fire during a hunt that raged out of control — and when an innocent man was condemned for it, he stepped forward, confessed, and gave away everything to repair the damage. Clothed in the Franciscan habit and followed by fluttering birds, he spent 36 years in silence and penance in Sicily, dying on his knees before a crucifix.
DAILY PSALM
"Blessed are they who hope in the Lord." (Psalm 1)
DAILY READINGS
Today's Mass readings.
MARCO RUBIO MAKES HISTORIC SPEECH
CatholicVote President and CEO, Kelsey Reinhardt, offers perspective on Secretary of State Marco Rubio's exceptional remarks at this year's Munich Security Conference. Rubio reached beyond politics and economics to address the vital religious and cultural connections at the heart of our nation's relationship with Europe.
