at
| WEDNESDAY, APRIL 11 |
| FACEBOOK GRILLED Sen. Ted Cruz, R-TX, brought the heat to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerburg at Senate hearings over Facebook’s business practices. While other senators focused on privacy, Cruz said: “There are a great many Americans who I think are deeply concerned that Facebook and other tech companies are [engaging in] a pervasive pattern of bias and political censorship.” READ |
| CATHOLIC WITNESS A government-run needle exchange program hosted in a Catholic hospital’s parking lot has stopped distributing condoms, following action from Archbishop Dennis Schnurr and the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. READ |
| MARCH TO END VIOLENCE Following suit from the anti-gun marches, pro-life students are planning to walk out of their classrooms in over 140 high schools and colleges across the country Wednesday. Will the media pay any attention? READ |
| TRUMP’S WELFARE REFORM America has record-low unemployment with near record-high welfare dependency. That’s a direct result of the Obama administration decision to rollback work requirements for welfare. “What happened when states no longer required able-bodied adults to work to receive benefits? Predictably, the number of able-bodied adults on food stamps skyrocketed, more than tripling since 2000, while the cost to taxpayers went up fivefold,” said policy analyst Kristina Rasmussen. “President Trump’s new executive order on welfare reform has laid the groundwork to get more Americans get back to work while protecting and strengthening the safety net for the truly needy.” READ |
| ANTI-TRUMP CAMPAIGN FIZZLES New York Times columnist David Brooks, a frequent critic of President Trump, said: “The anti-Trump movement is a failure.” He cited Trump’s approval rating at a steady 40% overall and support in the 80s with Republican voters. READ |
| THE DANGER OF EUTHANASIA “A handful of U.S. states and our Canadian neighbors have now codified assisted suicide as a legal ‘right.’ Who has benefited from this new found ‘right?’ Rather than increasing options for those facing illness or disability, the lower cost of assisted suicide seems to be influencing the amount of medical care given to those in need, especially those most dependent on government assistance,” says Tom Grenchik, executive director of the Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities at the USCCB. READ |
| MOST RELIGIOUS FILM OF THE YEAR Bishop Robert Barron went to watch “A Quiet Place” and wasn’t expecting a movie with theological themes. But he said: “One would have to be blind not to see a number of religious motifs in John Krasinski’s absorbing film.” READ |
| PRAYING WITH TRUMP’S CABINET A former pro basketball star is leading a Bible study with members of President Trump’s Cabinet. READ |
| SCOLDING THE FAITHFUL Fr. Dwight Longenecker says he wonders why Pope Francis feels the need to scold Catholics who see things differently than he does. And Fr. Longenecker thinks the Pope is also misdiagnosing the problem. “Yes we have some Pharisees, but there are far more Catholics who completely disregard all the rules and regulations of the church than those who are harsh, strict and legalistic.” READ |
| CATHOLIC FAMILY LIFE Seven spiritual mistakes of “good Catholic parents.” READ |
| MEXICO AND MARY To combat violence and corruption in Mexico, Archbishop Emeritus Juan Sandoval Íñiguez of Guadalajara called for the consecration of his country to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. READ |
| SAINT OF THE DAY Saint Stanislaus, the bishop of Kraków, was martyred for denouncing political and social corruption. He became the patron saint of Poland, and remains a popular saint throughout Eastern Europe. READ |
| DAILY MASS READINGS “The Lord hears the cry of the poor.” (Ps 34:7) READ |
| AMAZING An American Frassati? Joe Reali was a dynamic young man whose passion was evident on both the football field and in his Catholic faith. After his sudden death in 2015, thousands turned out for his wake and funeral, where they shared stories about Joe’s sacrificial love for others and his care for the downtrodden. You have to watch this five-minute video. WATCH |