COWARDICE? A sheriff’s deputy was armed and on patrol at the Florida high school but ‘never went in’ during the attack. The deputy was stationed on the school’s campus, but remained outside for four minutes during the six-minute attack. Sheriff Isreali said that he was ‘devastated’ by the news. “Sick to my stomach. There are no words.” The deputy has resigned. http://cvote.it/2HDTKsF
GUN SALES Gun stocks climb as President Trump and the NRA debate regulation after the Florida school shooting. http://cvote.it/2HFKzIo
BREAKING AMERICA? The fissures revealed during the CNN townhall on guns have the potential to tear the country apart, says David French. “There were millions of Americans who watched all or part of the town hall and came away with a clear message: These people aren’t just angry at what happened in their town, to their friends and family members; they hate me. They really believe I’m the kind of person who doesn’t care if kids die, and they want to deprive me of the ability to defend myself.” http://cvote.it/2HFyrqI
BILLY GRAHAM Christian evangelist Billy Graham will lie in honor in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda. http://cvote.it/2HDnsy7
GOVERNOR SCANDAL Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens was indicted for felony invasion of privacy. He admitted to having an extramarital affair, but he denies allegations of blackmail. http://cvote.it/2HCtE9w
HOUSE 2018 Pennsylvania Republicans threaten to impeach judges from the state’s supreme court over their decision to impose a new electoral map that heavily favors Democrats. http://cvote.it/2HDi3at
NO COMMUNION Springfield Bishop Paprocki reaffirms that Sen. Dick Durbin is not to be admitted to Holy Communion. The bishop cited Durbin’s decision to block a vote on protecting children from late-term abortions. http://cvote.it/2HDAnjG
PREVENTABLE CRISIS Since the Great Recession of 2008, the national fertility rate has fallen more than 16%, a decline that shows no sign of slowing down. But Lyman Stone reports an even more alarming fact: Millennial women on average are unlikely to have as many kids as they say they’d like to have. http://cvote.it/2HFfB38
SAINT OF THE DAY Saint Polycarp, bishop of Smyrna, disciple of Saint John the Apostle and friend of Saint Ignatius of Antioch, was a revered Christian leader during the first half of the second century. http://cvote.it/dailysaint
DAILY MASS READINGS “If you, O Lord, mark iniquities, who can stand?” (Ps 130:3) – http://cvote.it/Daily-Readings
CONFRONTING LIES The media likes to call congressional candidate Conor Lamb a “devout Catholic.” When it came to abortion, Lamb called his views a “personal religious belief.” But during a TV debate, Rick Saccone pushed back and said “this isn’t a matter of religious faith,” but about protecting those without a voice. “That’s why I’m endorsed by CatholicVote.org.” http://cvote.it/2HGcM1Q