The LOOP

The Monday Loop - July 20, 2026

TWO US SERVICE MEMBERS KILLED IN IRANIAN ATTACK ON JORDAN

Two U.S. service members were killed and one remains missing after Iran launched ballistic missiles and drones at American and partner forces in Jordan on July 17, prompting President Trump to order retaliatory airstrikes the following day. U.S. Central Command said it has now completed eight consecutive nights of strikes against Iranian targets as the two countries continue trading daily attacks.

USHA VANCE GIVES BIRTH TO FOURTH CHILD AS VP MAKES HISTORY

Second Lady Usha Vance gave birth yesterday to a baby boy, Alec Neel Vance, making Vice President JD Vance the first sitting vice president in modern history to welcome a child while in office. The family said in a statement that Usha and the baby are healthy, and that their three other children, ages 4 to 9, are "overjoyed to meet their little brother."

FOREST SERVICE WORKERS HELD HOSTAGE 15 HOURS, RESCUED IN CALIFORNIA

Two U.S. Forest Service employees were zip-tied and held at gunpoint for nearly 15 hours in a trailer in Shasta-Trinity National Forest before being released early Friday after FBI negotiators intervened, officials said. The suspect and his adult son were arrested and charged, while their motive remains under investigation.

RUBIO ANNOUNCES VISA CRACKDOWN ON FAR-LEFT TERRORIST NETWORKS

Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced a new visa-restriction policy barring foreign nationals who finance, recruit for, or otherwise support far-left terrorist and violent criminal networks from entering the U.S., stating that international counterterrorism efforts have long had a "blind spot" toward organized left-wing violence.

IRELAND APPROVES PAID LEAVE AFTER ABORTION

Ireland's Cabinet approved a bill granting five days of paid leave after pregnancy loss — including abortion — even as parliament advanced legislation to eliminate the existing three-day waiting period required before abortions. Pro-life advocates called the combination a contradiction, noting the government is acknowledging abortion causes grief while removing a safeguard that leads roughly 17% of women to reconsider.

POPE LEO: 'GOD FAVORS SMALLNESS'

In his Sunday Angelus from Castel Gandolfo, Pope Leo XIV reflected on Jesus' parables of the mustard seed and yeast in the dough, saying God's Kingdom spreads through "humility, patience, and hidden acts of love." Drawing on a reflection by then-Cardinal Ratzinger, the Pope urged the faithful to embrace "the logic of the seed," making themselves small and serving others rather than pursuing success.

LIVE ACTION: CHILDBIRTH AFFORDABILITY IS A PRO-LIFE ISSUE

In a new op-ed, the pro-life advocacy group Live Action's Director of Government Affairs Mark Wiltz argued that skyrocketing costs of housing, healthcare, and childcare — not a lack of desire — are driving American families away from having children, calling it "a crisis of affordability, not values."

MOMS & GRANDMAS: CHOOSE ANY 2 CHILDREN'S BOOKS—JUST $2 EACH!

Browse 16 summer best-sellers for kids of every age, including unique titles and the best-of-the-best in series, including Seek & Find, Prayers in Sacred Art, The Very Young Catholic Project, and more. Choose ANY 2 books for just $2 each—for your children, grandchildren, gifts, or school library. Use code $2LOOP for this 2-for-$2-each deal. ANY 2 BOOKS FOR $2 EACH

VANCE TALKS POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY WITH BISHOP BARRON

Vice President JD Vance sat down with Bishop Robert Barron of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester for a wide-ranging conversation on faith and public life, discussing the influence of his confirmation saint, Augustine of Hippo, on his spiritual journey, the insights of philosopher René Girard, and his visit with Pope Francis shortly before the late Pontiff's death. WATCH

NM DIOCESE DEMANDS JURY TRIAL IN MOUNT CRISTO REY SEIZURE CASE

The Diocese of Las Cruces filed a court response this month demanding a jury trial after the federal government sued in May to seize more than 14 acres at the base of Mount Cristo Rey, a historic Catholic pilgrimage site in New Mexico topped by a 29-foot limestone statue of Christ. The diocese argued the seizure would violate religious freedom and "deface" a site Catholics have climbed in prayer for nearly a century.

PRO-LIFE GROUPS APPEAL ARREST FOR CHALKING 'BLACK PRE-BORN LIVES MATTER'

The Frederick Douglass Foundation and Students for Life of America are asking the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit to overturn a lower court ruling after two of their advocates were arrested in 2020 for writing "Black Pre-Born Lives Matter" in chalk outside a Washington, D.C., Planned Parenthood.

CLEAN YOUR STRAWBERRIES

Strawberries can carry pesticide residue, dirt, and mold spores, so here are the best ways to make sure they're clean before eating them.

CATHOLIC 101

To heal from our pain, trauma, and sorrow, we must embrace suffering through charity, writes author and advocate Jenny DuBay.

SAINT OF THE DAY

Today, the Church celebrates St. Margaret of Antioch, a virgin and martyr traditionally believed to have died for refusing to renounce her Christian faith, whose legendary story made her one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers and the patron saint of childbirth.

DAILY PSALM

"To the upright I will show the saving power of God." (Psalm 50)

DAILY READINGS

Today's Mass readings.

HEARTWARMING

Catholic football star Fernando Mendoza arrived at the 2026 ESPYs with his mother, Elsa, who uses a wheelchair due to MS. He proudly wheeled her down the red carpet as the two shared a joyful moment, smiling from ear to ear. WATCH & SHARE