Friday, 13 March 2026

LOOP: Iran's new supreme leader breaks silence amid war

FRIDAY, MARCH 13

THE LATEST IN THE IRAN WAR Conflicting reports and escalating tensions surrounding the Iran war continued March 12, as the White House rejected claims of an Iranian drone threat on U.S. soil, Iran's new supreme leader issued his first public message, and U.S. officials signaled plans to protect global oil shipments in the Strait of Hormuz. Here are the latest updates. READ

OP-ED: TRUMP CAN FULFILL PRO-LIFE CAMPAIGN PROMISES A recent Federalist op-ed argued that President Donald Trump could follow through on several campaign pledges by restoring federal safeguards on the chemical abortion drug mifepristone. READ

ARMED MAN RAMS VEHICLE INTO SYNAGOGUE An armed man rammed a vehicle into one of the nation's largest Reform Jewish synagogues in a suburb of Detroit, Michigan, on March 12, before being fatally shot by security personnel. No staff or children were injured, but eight first responders were reportedly hospitalized. READ

FBI INVESTIGATES VIRGINIA SHOOTING AS TERRORISM The FBI is investigating a deadly shooting at Old Dominion University as terrorism after a gunman killed a retired Army instructor and wounded two others before students stopped him. The gunman, identified as Mohamed Bailor Jalloh, was a former Virginia National Guardsman who pleaded guilty in 2016 to "attempting to provide material support to the terror group ISIS." READ

INCREASED SETTLER VIOLENCE IN HOLY LAND AMID WAR The European Union is calling on Israeli authorities to take swift action to protect West Bank communities suffering amid a reported wave of increased attacks by Israeli settlers. The death toll of Palestinians has risen to six in the past week, prompting outcry from human rights activists and international organizations who warn that the outbreak of the Iran war could be linked to the increased settler attacks. READ

THE SAINTS WHO SHAPED CATHOLIC AMERICA Reflecting on the remarkable lives of bold Catholic figures, those attending a diocesan men's conference earlier this month were encouraged to draw inspiration from the enduring witness of saints and leaders who helped shape "the great American Catholic story." READ

CATHOLICVOTE'S LEGAL FUND JOINS COALITION TO FIGHT ASSISTED SUICIDE A coalition of pro-life, medical, and religious organizations, including CatholicVote's Legal Fund, has filed an amicus brief with the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, urging the court to strike down Delaware's End of Life Options Act, a law that permits physician-assisted suicide for terminally ill patients. READ

AD: BEFORE HIM, WE ARE MADE WHOLE 'Holy Hours of Meditation and Healing' invites you into a sacred encounter with the living Christ through guided reflections and prayerful meditations. Within the stillness of Adoration, you are led to surrender deep wounds, confront fear with hope, and rediscover the unshakable love of God. LEARN MORE

US RELIGIOUS ENGAGEMENT STAYS LOW A new Gallup survey found that Americans' engagement with religion continues to linger at much lower levels than in past decades, and a record share now say they have no religious affiliation. Here are the numbers. READ

TRUMP OUSTS CATHOLIC FROM RELIGIOUS LIBERTY COMMISSION Trump has officially removed Carrie Prejean Boller, a Catholic, from the White House Religious Liberty Commission. The decision comes more than a month after a contentious hearing on antisemitism, Zionism, and religious liberty. Prejean Boller cast the move as an affront to religious freedom and defended her work on the commission. READ

HOW TO PASS DOWN RECIPES The beauty of tradition and family heirloom recipes — Your grandmother may not have any of her favorite recipes written down, but that doesn't mean those recipes are lost to posterity! Here's how to translate her cooking-by-instinct into recipes that your family will continue to cherish for generations. READ

CATHOLIC 101 St. John Chrysostom invites Christians to picture their spiritual life as preparing a beautiful house for God — decorating it with virtues so the heart becomes a worthy dwelling for the Lord. READ

SAINT OF THE DAY Today the Church celebrates the feast of Saint Roderick, a 9th-century Spanish priest and martyr of Córdoba, who was betrayed by his own brothers during the Moorish persecution of Christians. Roderick was accused of apostasy under Sharia law and ultimately beheaded after refusing to deny his Catholic faith. READ

DAILY PSALM "I am the Lord your God: hear my voice." (Psalm 81) READ

DAILY READINGS Today's Mass readings. READ

CELEBRATE AMERICA'S 250TH WITH ZEALE A major national prayer movement has begun. Zeale for America 250 is a nationwide campaign led by Cardinal Raymond L. Burke to prepare our nation spiritually for America's 250th anniversary. Join Catholics across the country in prayer for the renewal of the United States. JOIN THE MOVEMENT

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Thursday, 12 March 2026

Trending Now: Two science-backed ways to improve your breakfast

Must-read stories around major news events

Trending Now

March 12, 8:23 p.m. EDT

Two science-backed ways to improve your breakfast

Eating more calories earlier in the day can be beneficial, but so can adding more fiber and protein.

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Our 2025 Annual Report

Friend,

In the first quarter of 2026, CatholicVote is off and running on a year of important and exciting priorities. We launched our Zeale digital platform, announced our Zeale for America 250 campaign, and began laying the groundwork for making the voice of Catholicism heard loud and clear in the 2026 midterm elections.

As we dive deeply into all of that, I invite you to join me in taking a look back at the many successes of 2025.

I was selected to lead CatholicVote in 2025 and am extraordinarily proud of the incredible team I have the privilege of working with day to day.

You can read the entire annual report for 2025 here. But allow me to share some of the highlights from CatholicVote's 20th anniversary year. Our organization played a pivotal role in key victories, including:

Defending persecuted Christians in Nigeria
Combatting anti-Christian bias
Reducing the bloated Department of Education
Advancing the extension of the middle-class tax cut and a generous increase in the Child Tax Credit
Defunding the politically biased NPR, PBS, and Corporation for Public Broadcasting
Advocating for a new school choice provision included in the Big Beautiful Bill

And our efforts didn't stop there. Our Advocacy team proved an effective presence at the state level, as well. Those efforts included:

COLORADO: Partnered with Protect Kids Colorado to help circulate petition packets in more than 75% of Catholic parishes statewide, supporting ballot measures related to women's sports, parental rights, and protections against child sex trafficking.

TEXAS: Mobilized tens of thousands of Catholics in Texas to contact their lawmakers to successfully pass comprehensive school choice legislation for Texas families. Texas Governor Greg Abbott personally thanked CatholicVote for our involvement and invited our legislative staff to the historic bill signing ceremony at the Governor's Mansion.

NEW YORK: Mobilized thousands of Catholics on legislative issues, including successful opposition to the expansion of assisted suicide.

Among our other accomplishments in 2025: fighting against a black mass in Kansas, providing meals for suffering Christians in war-torn Gaza, helping to prevent an archdiocesan award for abortion proponent Senator Dick Durbin, and more

Please read our 2025 Annual Report. You will come away with an excellent understanding of the work we do and why your support—be it financial, spiritual, or participatory—is so essential.

Go forward bravely,

Kelsey Reinhardt
President & CEO, CatholicVote