Thursday, 19 March 2026

LOOP: Israel hits key gas field

THURSDAY, MARCH 19

ISRAEL HITS KEY GAS FIELD, TRUMP FLOATS PINNING HORMUZ ON NATO Israel struck the South Pars gas field yesterday in what was widely decried as a major escalation in the war. President Donald Trump stated Israel did not inform the U.S. before it "violently lashed out at" the field, and demanded Israel stop attacking the facility. Also yesterday, Trump suggested the U.S. may back out of its leading role in securing the Strait of Hormuz and forcing NATO allies to take on the responsibility instead. READ

GABBARD: IRAN MADE NO EFFORT TO REBUILD NUKE PROGRAM Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard testified yesterday that Trump alone bears the responsibility for the claim that Iran posed an "imminent" nuclear that justified starting the Iran war. Gabbard also made clear that the intelligence community believes the U.S. totally destroyed Iran's nuclear enrichment program in 2025, and that Iran has made no effort to rebuild it since then. READ

CATHOLIC WRITER WARNS OF IVF 'DOCTOR-GOD COMPLEX' A Catholic writer is raising concerns about in vitro fertilization (IVF), warning that the practice reflects a growing "doctor-God complex" in which human life is reduced to something engineered rather than a gift from God. READ

AD: ALIGN YOUR CATHOLIC VALUES WITH YOUR FINANCIAL GOALS Want a mutual fund that respects your pro-life, pro-family beliefs? All seven Ave Maria Funds share your Catholic values. They don't invest in companies that support abortion, pornography or embryonic stem cell research, or make corporate contributions to Planned Parenthood. Learn more about Ave Maria, the nation's largest Catholic mutual fund family. LEARN MORE

ISRAELI STRIKE DESTROYS APARTMENT BUILDING IN BEIRUT An Israeli airstrike flattened an apartment building in central Beirut early yesterday morning. The attack is the latest in a wave of strikes that have hit civilian areas and drawn growing scrutiny over Israel's conduct in Lebanon. READ

NEW OHIO MENTESSORI SCHOOL TO SERVE ALL FAMILIES A small Catholic Montessori school in Steubenville, Ohio, is working to provide a holistic approach to education for all children, grounded in a mission to form the whole person and serve all families, "regardless of means." READ

CARDINAL PIZZABALLA CONDEMNS 'PSEUDO-RELIGIOUS' IRAN WAR LANGUAGE Asked about Evangelical U.S. War Secretary Pete Hegseth's use of Christian language in relation to the Iran war, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa did not mince words. "The abuse and manipulation of God's name to justify this and any other war is the gravest sin we can commit at this time," the cardinal said. "We must do everything we can to leave no room for this pseudo-religious language, which speaks not of God, but of ourselves." READ

ATTENTION PRO-LIFE LOOPERS! This is your FREE PHONE ALERT from Charity Mobile to get excellent service without compromising on your values! LEARN MORE

3-18-onward-charity-mobile-loop-graphic-

VICTORY: SCOTTISH SUICIDE BILL DEFEATED The majority of the Scottish Parliament voted March 17 to reject a bill to legalize physician-assisted suicide, and the president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Scotland released a statement assuring the legislators they made the right choice. READ

BRITISH HEALTH OFFICIALS PAUSE CHILD 'TRANS' TREATMENTS England's National Health Service (NHS) has decided to temporarily pause referring minors for "gender transition" hormones while a consultation on the safety of subjecting children to the drugs takes place. READ

ASK ZEALE: HOW SHOULD THE CHURCH SUPPORT FAMILIES? How can the Catholic Church better support young marriages and families? Zeale staff members share advice for supporting the young families in your local parish. READ

CATHOLIC 101 Although St. Joseph did not say a single word in Scripture, he left an indelible mark on the Church through his obedience to God the Father and his care for His Son. READ

SAINT OF THE DAY St. Joseph, the silent guardian of the Holy Family, stands as one of the most trusted figures in salvation history — chosen to protect Mary and raise Jesus with unwavering faith and courage. A humble carpenter, Joseph is remembered for his quiet obedience to God's will and is venerated as patron of the universal Church, fathers, workers, and a happy death. READ

DAILY PSALM "The son of David will live for ever." (Psalm 89) READ

DAILY READINGS Today's Mass readings. READ

TRUTH Patriotism is a virtue!. SHARE

Have feedback? Click here!

Wednesday, 18 March 2026

Trending Now: Five tips for when you’re wide awake at 3 a.m.

Must-read stories around major news events

Trending Now

March 18, 6:17 p.m. EDT

Five tips for when you're wide awake at 3 a.m.

Middle-of-the-night insomnia becomes more common as people age, but it still occurs among everyone from teenagers to 90-year-olds. These techniques might help you fall back to sleep.

Manage my email newsletters and alerts | Unsubscribe | Privacy Policy | Help

You received this email because you signed up for news alerts or because it is included in your subscription.

a source of hope…

Watch our Catholic Moment video.

Friend,

If you've ever felt that you're the only person in your orbit who believes in Catholic values, you're not alone.

Owning a business in Portland, Oregon—one of the most liberal cities in the United States—is difficult for a conservative voter like Jaymi Yazzolino. But, she says, "Finding CatholicVote has always given me a place of hope."

Jaymi first discovered CatholicVote through The LOOP. "I don't remember how I found it, she said, "but I was trying to find a news source where I could learn about politics in a simple quick way." She added, "I also loved that it gave me a Catholic perspective and also gave updates about Church politics and things happening in the broader Church."

As a LOOP reader, Jaymi found our LOOPcast podcast, which she credits with giving her deeper knowledge about issues. "I love how they have helped bring faith and politics together to drive for positive faithful change in our government," she told us.

On a humorous note, Jaymi added, "Boy, was my husband impressed when I could now speak with him in better detail about what was going on in the world!" But Jaymi cites an even more important benefit of becoming a CatholicVote Champion.

Visit our Champions Club donation page to learn about becoming a sustaining supporter of CatholicVote.

"Donating has helped me feel that I am doing something instead of just complaining about the state of affairs," she said. "One should become a donor because it feels great to know your dollars are truly having an impact on promoting truly Catholic values!"

Jaymi added something that affirms we're accomplishing what we set out to do more than two decades ago. "I think the most important thing that CatholicVote does is educate people on how their faith should drive them to action in politics, so we as conservative Catholics can make a difference in the policies of our nation. I used to be depressed about the state of our nation but through the influence of CatholicVote and getting better people in office, I now have hope that my grandchildren won't have to grow up in quite such a crazy world."

To that, we can only say, "Amen!"

Go forward bravely,

Kelsey Reinhardt
President & CEO

CatholicVote