Thursday, 5 March 2026

LOOP: Vatican criticizes U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran

THURSDAY, MARCH 5

VATICAN CRITICIZES STRIKES AS IRAN WAR REACHES 5th DAY Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin spoke out March 4 against the joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran as the Trump administration defended the operation and signaled the conflict is accelerating. READ

POPE LEO ON JIMMY LAI: 'I CAN'T COMMENT' Pope Leo XIV told a reporter this week "I can't comment on that" when asked about the imprisonment of Jimmy Lai, a Catholic and outspoken critic of the Chinese Communist Party. Lai was sentenced to 20 years in prison earlier this year under China's national security law. The Holy Father's remark comes amid increase scrutiny of the Vatican's deal with the Chinese government, which critics say works to the disadvantage of the persecuted underground Church in China. READ

DRONE STRIKE HITS CHRISTIAN HOUSING COMPLEX IN IRAQ A drone strike last night struck a Christian housing complex in Ankawa, the Christian district of Erbil in northern Iraq, damaging a building that had served as a refuge for displaced Christian families since the rise of the radical Islamist group ISIS. The Blessed Michael McGivney Apartment Complex is sponsored by the Knights of Columbus. READ

US MILITARY JOINS ECUADORIAN FORCES AGAINST NARCO GROUPS U.S. and Ecuadorian forces launched joint military operations targeting suspected narco-terrorist groups in Ecuador, U.S. Southern Command said March 3. In recent years, Ecuador has seen a sharp rise in cartel-related violence as transnational criminal groups expanded drug-trafficking routes through the country. READ

CNN REPORTS CIA ARMING KURDS IN IRAN CNN reports the CIA has been working with Kurdish opposition groups ahead of a potential popular uprising against the Iranian government. The White House acknowledged President Donald Trump has been in touch with Kurds in the region but said reports of any US commitment to a specific plan are "completely false." READ

LEGENDARY NOTRE DAME FOOTBALL COACH LOU HOLTZ DIES AT 89 Lou Holtz, the legendary Hall of Fame coach who led Notre Dame to an undefeated national championship in 1988 and openly lived out his Catholic faith on and off the field, died yesterday at 89. His family said he will be remembered for "faith, family, service, and an unwavering belief in the potential of others," values that shaped both his coaching and public life. READ

VATICAN DOCUMENT WARNS AI AND TRANSHUMANISM RAISE BIG QUESTIONS ABOUT HUMANITY As artificial intelligence and transhumanist ideas reshape the cultural landscape, a new Vatican document asks what it means to be human? The theologians warn that rapid technological progress must remain ordered to human dignity, insisting that the human person is not something we engineer, but a gift received from God. READ

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CLASSICAL CURRICULUM BEHIND ENROLLMENT BOOST? Following the adoption of a classical curriculum, St. John's Catholic Academy in Johnsburg, Illinois, has seen a notable rise in enrollment. Superintendent of the Rockford Diocese Kim White explained that the curriculum uses "Socratic dialogue and cross-curricular integration in religion, language arts, history and humanities, taught together." READ

POPE LEO'S MARCH PRAYER INTENTION CALLS FOR DISARMAMENT AND PEACE As violence escalates in Iran, Pope Leo XIV's prayer intention for March urges the world to reject war and pursue peace through dialogue. The pontiff warned that "stability and peace are not achieved through mutual threats or weapons," calling instead for sincere diplomacy and renewed commitment to nuclear disarmament. READ

NOT TO BE MISSED... Here are the stories we couldn't fit in today's LOOP:

Texas voters just ousted both GOP Rep. Dan Crenshaw and Democratic Rep. Jasmine Crockett. READ
A pro-life org is targeting pro-abortion candidates for defeat in the midterms. READ
Op-ed: Schools are putting ideology above academic achievement. READ

GET A JUMPSTART ON SPRING CLEANING Spring cleaning doesn't have to wait for warmer weather. This guide highlights six often-overlooked household filters that can quietly collect grime and affect how your home runs, with simple tips on how to find and clean them. READ

CATHOLIC 101 Struggling to love your enemies? Drawing on St. Aelred, this Lenten reflection suggests looking to the crucifix — and invoking Christ's prayer, "Father, forgive them" — as the model for responding to injury with charity. READ

SAINT OF THE DAY Today the Church honors St. John Joseph of the Cross, a Carmelite friar who lived a life of poverty, fasting, strict asceticism, humility, and charity. A giant of mystical literature, St. John is also considered (even by secular critics) to be one of the foremost poets of Spain. READ

DAILY PSALM "Blessed are they who hope in the Lord." (Psalm 1) READ

DAILY READINGS Today's Mass readings. READ

PRAY FOR THE REPOSE OF THE SOUL OF LOU HOLTZ Please join us in praying for the repose of the soul of legendary Notre Dame coach Lou Holtz, who died yesterday at 89. Fun fact: Coach Holtz was a fan of The LOOP — here he is proudly holding his LOOP mug! READ

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Wednesday, 4 March 2026

LOOP: The latest on the Iran war

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 4

UPDATE: IRAN WAR ESCALATES ON 4th DAY The U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran entered its fourth day March 3, marked by intensified Iranian retaliatory strikes across the Persian Gulf, expanded Israeli operations into Lebanon, and mounting casualties. Here are the latest developments. READ

US VATICAN AMBASSADOR EXPLAINS RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN POPE, TRUMP U.S. Ambassador to the Vatican Brian Burch in a recent interview rejected claims that Pope Leo is at odds with President Donald Trump. "I don't see a conflict there. I think people want to make it into a personality fight between the Pope and the president. That's not what it's about." READ

STOCK MARKET, INDUSTRIES REPORT WAR FALLOUT Global stock markets plunged and oil prices surged March 3 as the U.S. and Israel signaled that military operations in Iran could continue for weeks and Iran expanded its retaliatory strikes in the Persian Gulf. READ

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SUPREME COURT SIDES WITH PARENTS AGAINST SCHOOLS HIDING KIDS' 'GENDER' The Supreme Court has sided with concerned parents against a California policy that allows school teachers and administrators to hide kids' "gender transitions" from their families. The high court granted an emergency application to several California parents March 2. READ

FROM NEO-NAZI TO CATHOLIC The man whose photograph became one of the most widely circulated images from the 2017 Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, says the photograph that defined him publicly also marked the beginning of his conversion to Catholicism. READ

TOP LAWMAKER QUESTIONS JUSTIFICATION OF IRAN WAR Senator Mark Warner, a member of the bipartisan "Gang of Eight" top lawmakers granted access to classified intelligence, said there was no imminent threat to the U.S. when the Trump administration went to war with Iran. Warner also pointed out that administration officials have been inconsistent in stating the war's objectives, which have ranged from regime change to nuclear disarmament to sinking Iran's Navy and taking out its non-nuclear missile capabilities. READ

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POPE GRANTS PLENARY INDULGENCE FOR OREGON CATHEDRAL The Vatican has granted a plenary indulgence for the Centennial Jubilee Year at St. Mary's Cathedral in Portland, Oregon, granting special graces to those who participate through Feb. 13, 2027. READ

100,000 PILGRIMS FLOCK TO SAINT'S REMAINS IN ASSISI A newly opened display of St. Francis of Assisi's remains drew about 100,000 pilgrims to the Italian town in its first week, a surge the Franciscan friars managing the display attributed to a desire for communion and prayer amid ongoing violence. READ

NOT TO BE MISSED... Here are the stories we couldn't fit in today's LOOP:

The father of an accused school shooter has been convicted of murder. READ
The Bishops of Green Bay, Wisconsin, nixed plans to merge parishes after objections from parishioners. READ
Eight in ten Hill staffers think soda products shouldn't be eligible for SNAP funding. READ

HOW TO RESET YOUR FAMILY'S LENT A few weeks into Lent, many Catholic parents find themselves wondering: How did we get off track? READ

CATHOLIC 101 A contemporary of Shakespeare and Milton, and a man of the cloth, George Herbert knew prayer. His poetry, rather than being dry or boring, shows all of the complexity and vibrancy of the spiritual life. READ

SAINT OF THE DAY Today the Church honors St. Casimir. The son of the King of Poland, Casimir rejected the luxurious court life, opting instead for a strict asceticism that included sleeping on the floor and staying awake all night meditating on the death of Christ. READ

DAILY PSALM "Save me, O Lord, in your kindness." (Psalm 31) READ

DAILY READINGS Today's Mass readings. READ

IS THIS A JUST WAR? What is a faithful Catholic to make of the situation in Iran? CatholicVote President Kelsey Reinhardt weighs in. READ

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