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| GREEN NEW DEAL Senate Democrats refused to vote for the Green New Deal that they endorsed. Four Democrats joined all Republicans in rejecting the legislation that would abolish gas engines and force the country to only use renewable fuels. Even though several Senate Democrats endorsed the legislation, not a single Democrat voted in favor of the legislation. READ |
| CHARGES DROPPED The Cook County State’s Attorney dropped the 16 felony charges against actor Jussie Smollett. Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel slammed the decision as a “whitewash of justice.” Emanuel said: “”Where is the accountability of the system? You cannot have, because of a person’s position, one set of rules apply to them and another set of rules apply to everybody else.” READ |
| PRO-LIFE STATE DEPARTMENT Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced new policies to bolster President Trump’s pro-life Mexico City policy, which prevents taxpayer funding of foreign aid organizations which perform abortions. Under the new policies, the State Department will crack down on organizations which take grant money only to pass it along to pro-abortion groups like Planned Parenthood. “We will enforce a strict prohibition on backdoor funding schemes and end-runs around our policy,” Pompeo told reporters at the State Department. “American taxpayer dollars will not be used to underwrite abortions.” READ |
| EMERGENCY DECLARATION The House failed to override President Trump’s veto on the border wall. Just 14 Republicans voted to break party lines to rebuke President Trump’s emergency declaration on the southern border. READ |
| FORCE A VOTE House Minority Whip Steve Scalise, R-LA, plans to move forward with a discharge petition to force a House vote on a bill to require medical attention for babies who survive abortion. If he can get 218 signatures, he can bypass Speaker Pelosi and bring the legislation to the House floor. But he’ll need at least 21 Democrats to join with him. READ |
| PRO-LIFE UTAH Gov. Gary Herbert, R-UT, signed into law a bill to ban abortions in Utah after 18 weeks. READ |
| POLITICIZING BANKING Sen. Mike Crapo, R-ID, warned big banks against caving to pressure from liberals who want banks to no longer be involved in the buying and selling of guns. “I write to express my concern with recent news reports suggesting that large banks may withhold access to credit and services to customers and companies that are operating businesses that comply with federal and state law (and in some cases, are engaged in Constitutionally-protected activities), but are politically disfavored,” said Crapo. READ |
| POLITICS OF ENVY Anne Hendershott writes that envy is driving politics on the left today. “As wealth grows, inequality grows with it and there is always the seductive appeal of revengeful revolution. Because envy is ever-present—and powerful when aroused—a society’s ability to achieve greatness depends on its ability to control this highly destructive emotion.” READ |
| FRIAR WINS PRIZEFranciscan Brother Peter Tabichi from Kenya won a $1 million global teacher prize. “This prize does not recognize me but recognizes this great continent’s young people. I am only here because of what my students have achieved. This prize gives them a chance. It tells the world that they can do anything,” Brother Peter said. READ |
| CANON LAW CHANGEPope Francis amended canon law to allow the dismissal of a religious man or woman who has deserted their community for over a year and cannot be located. READ |
| CUPICH’S WARNINGCardinal Blase Cupich of Chicago is warning Catholics in Illinois about a pair of pro-abortion bills. One bill would repeal the partial-birth abortion and the other would repeal the state parental-notification law. “The law would no longer guarantee any modicum of humanity or compassion for any unborn person in Illinois, even if they are partially born,” said Cardinal Cupich. READ |
| SAINT OF THE DAY Almost nothing is known about Lazarus of Bethany, who plays an important role in the Gospel of Saint John. There we are told that he was a personal friend of Jesus. Many legends exist about Lazarus’ later life. READ |
| DAILY READINGS “Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.” (Ps 147:12) READ |
| JOY Special Catholics: Parishioners with Down syndrome are blessing the Church with their gifts. SHARE |