VATICAN // The Jesuit journal Civilta Cattolica published an essay attacking conservative Catholics in the United States of embracing fundamentalism from evangelical Protestants. The essay says that American conservative Catholics have come to see their country as righteous, and other peoples as enemies to be exploited. The screed was co-written by Jesuit Fr. Antonio Spadaro — considered by Vatican insiders to be “the mouthpiece of Pope Francis.” And yet, Phil Lawler noted the irony: “Nowhere in the essay does one find a suggestion of the attitude, made popular by Pope Francis, that the Church should ‘accompany’ sinners. No; the sins of American conservatism are unforgivable.” http://cvote.it/2tlGEbv
MEDIA SMEAR // ABC lead the charge, and NBC quickly followed, in labeling a religious freedom organization as a ‘hate group.’ This nasty designation was first hurled by the Southern Poverty Law Center, long known for its civil rights activism. Pro-family groups say the SPLC has itself become a hate group for smearing Christians for believing in traditional marriage. http://cvote.it/2tOVTwI
HEALTH CARE // Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell released the newest version of a Senate GOP health care plan and boldly stated: “We will be voting next week.” Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, endorsed the plan after it adopted a variation of his amendment. http://cvote.it/2tlbocs
HEALTH CARE // Health care policy expert Hadley Heath Manning called the new Senate health care bill a slight improvement over the last draft. “The latest version includes more freedom for insurance companies to offer (and for consumers to buy) insurance plans that don’t meet all of Obamacare’s requirements. Therefore, these plans would be more affordable.” http://cvote.it/2tOUhmU
CULTURE OF DEATH // All five of Hawaii’s pro-life pregnancy centers will be forced to post and distribute to each client a notification that the state offers free abortions. http://cvote.it/2tOL3qV
HUMAN TRAFFICKING // A new bill before Congress would toughen penalties against those involved in the trafficking of young people in prostitution. Rep. Kristi Noem (R-S.D.) noted how authorities in her home state, acting undercover, posted a sex ad which “in less than two days” garnered “over 100 responses to purchase these girls for sex.” http://cvote.it/2tP788z
CULTURE // Stephen Greydanus calls War for the Planet of the Apes “the summer’s best, most morally resonant popcorn blockbuster.” http://cvote.it/2tkQydp
LGBT // Disappointing: 24 Republicans voted with the Democrats to shoot down a bill that would have reversed Obama-era transgender military policies. The measure narrowly failed 209-214. Democrats voted in unison. http://cvote.it/2tlf4Li
CATHOLIC // Bishop Conley of Lincoln, Neb: Evangelizing includes thinking outside the bureaucratic box. “I have one guy here who’s a lawyer from Hastings. He goes to all the Husker football games, puts a table out in front of the stadium and hands out rosaries and answers questions about the Church. That guy’s really doing something.” http://cvote.it/2tgvnsX
SAINT // Saint Kateri Tekakwitha – http://cvote.it/dailysaint
DAILY MASS // “The salvation of the just comes from the Lord.” (Ps 37:39) – http://cvote.it/Daily-Readings
MOVIES // “We shall defend our island!” Here’s the new trailer for Darkest Hour, with actor Gary Oldman as Winston Churchill. http://cvote.it/2tPbWuH