The LOOP
The Wednesday Loop - March 18, 2026
KEY IRAN LEADERS KILLED, UN WARNS OF RECORD HUNGER
Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz yesterday announced that Israeli airstrikes had killed two of Iran’s top security officials. Iran confirmed the deaths. The World Food Programme, meanwhile, warned that millions of people are at risk of falling into acute food insecurity in the coming months due to the war. Up to 45 million more people could face acute hunger by June due to supply chain disruptions, with a similar number affected by rising food, fuel, and shipping costs.
TRUMP COUNTERTERRORISM CHIEF RESIGNS OVER IRAN WAR
Joe Kent, Trump’s National Counterterrorism Center director, resigned yesterday because he is opposed to the Iran war. Kent said he “cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran,” adding, “Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation, and it is clear that we started this war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby.”
NAPA FOUNDER: POPE SENDING CLEAR MESSAGE OF SUPPORT FOR JIMMY LAI
The co-founder of the Catholic Napa Institute this week argued that Pope Leo XIV supports Jimmy Lai, contrary to worries that the Holy Father has turned his back on the persecuted Hong Kong Catholic for political reasons. “The Vatican’s relationship with China is delicate and complex, a geopolitical and ecclesial tightrope," Tim Busch wrote. "Yet the Pope is sending a clear message of support for Jimmy..."
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TRUMP FLOATS 'TAKING' CUBA TO 'FREE IT'
Trump said this week that he may “take” Cuba, perhaps to “free” it. “I think I can do anything I want with it, if you want to know the truth," the President said.
CATHOLICVOTE, CARDINAL BURKE LEAD PRAYER FOR AMERICA
A new video series featuring Cardinal Raymond Burke is exploring the Catholic understanding of patriotism as the U.S. approaches the 250th anniversary of its Declaration of Independence on July 4. The series is part of CatholicVote’s Zeale for America 250 campaign. Here's how viewers can sign up to view it for free.
KEY PASSAGE SET TO REOPEN IN NORTH CAROLINA
After more than a year of closures following Hurricane Helene, the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina is steadily moving toward a long-awaited full reopening by the end of 2026 — offering renewed optimism for travelers and the small towns that depend on tourism.
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ACCESS 7 CATHOLIC MUTUAL FUNDS
With religious values guided by prominent Catholics, including Tom Monaghan, Raymond Arroyo, and Michael Knowles.
MEXICAN CONFERENCE TO TACKLE 'MASCULINITY CRISIS'
A Catholic men’s conference in western Mexico next month will feature psychologist Jordan Peterson, author Christopher West, and actor Eduardo Verástegui, as organizers seek to address what they describe as a global “masculinity crisis.”
WHITE HOUSE, LAWMAKERS RECOGNIZE ST PATRICK
A White House St. Patrick’s Day message and a new congressional resolution underscored a shared theme on March 17: the enduring role of Christian faith and Irish heritage in America’s founding and identity.
WHAT TO WEAR WHEN IT'S 40 IN MORNING AND 65 BY NOON
This is the in-between season — late winter melting into early spring — and it requires a different kind of dressing. Not heavy winter survival mode or breezy mid-April optimism, but a balance of both through thoughtful, strategic layering.
CATHOLIC 101
St. Leo the Great urges Christians to treat Lent as a deeper purification of the heart, fasting especially from sin and practicing generous almsgiving to draw closer to God.
SAINT OF THE DAY
Today the Church honors St. Cyril of Jerusalem, a fourth-century bishop and Doctor of the Church whose writings are still regarded as masterful expressions of Christian faith.
DAILY PSALM
"The Lord is gracious and merciful." (Psalm 145)
DAILY READINGS
Today's Mass readings.
NEW EPISODE
What is the meaning of patriotism, and can it be a path to holiness? In The Virtue of Patriotism, Cardinal Raymond L. Burke reveals how love of country is not merely sentimental or political, but a virtue ordered toward honoring God. Episode 1 is now streaming on Zeale.
