LOOP: Documents trace origins of 2016 Russian collusion claims

SATURDAY, JULY 19 DOCUMENTS SHOW INTELLIGENCE BEHIND RUSSIAN COLLUSION CLAIMS ​Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard yesterday released bombshell documentation showing that US intelligence under the Obama administration worked to create the Russian collusion narrative surrounding President Donald Trump. Gabbard stated she has handed over the documents implicating "the most powerful people in the Obama Administration" to the Justice Department for criminal referral.  READ NAMES AND FACES OF GAZA'S CATHOLIC VICTIMS As the Catholic world grapples with outrage, mourning, and prayer after an Israeli shell struck Gaza's only Catholic parish, many will likely want to know more about the victims. CatholicVote obtained the names and faces of the wounded and the dead.  READ TRUMP SUES OVER ALLEGED LEWD LETTER FROM HIM TO EPSTEIN  Trump sued Rupert Murdoch, the Wall Street Journal, and others yesterday over a story revealing the details of a "bawdy" letter the president allegedly sent to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein for his 50th birthday.  READ FEDERAL COURT NIXES ANTI-CATHOLIC WASHINGTON LAW  A federal court yesterday blocked a Washington state law that would have penalized Catholic priests for refusing to report abuse disclosed during Confession. READ AD: BUILD A CULTURE OF LIFE WITH YOUR EVERYDAY CELL PHONE USE  Switching your cell phone service to Charity Mobile helps build a Culture of Life, supporting everything from local pregnancy centers to nationwide Pro-Life causes. 5% of your monthly plan price goes to your favorite Pro-Life charity at no extra cost, and new customers get a free phone offer with promo code LOOP. Get value + your values with Charity Mobile!  LEARN MORE POPE LEO CONFRONTS NETANYAHU IN PHONE CALL  Pope Leo spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu by phone yesterday, one day after an Israeli strike hit Gaza's only Catholic parish, killing three and injuring several others. The Holy Father urged a ceasefire. Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, has decried the strike as a "targeting of innocent civilians and of a sacred place."  READ LIFESITENEWS REINSTATES JOHN-HENRY WESTEN  John-Henry Westen, co-founder of LifeSiteNews, has been restored as the organization's president and CEO following his recent departure.  READ FORMER NPR EDITOR REACTS TO DEFUNDING  Uri Berliner, a former senior editor at NPR, responded to the Senate's vote to eliminate federal funding for public broadcasting with a striking farewell: "Happy Independence Day, NPR. You earned it." Berliner argued NPR's defunding reflects an institutional failure within the organization.  READ STAND UP FOR AMERICA  At a time when so many seem to enjoy bashing the very country that gives them the freedom to complain, we recommend shining a light that pierces such dark talk and reveals the spirit in the heart of most Americans. Speak out loud and proud wherever you go in this bold, top-quality tee. GET YOURS SUMMER BERRY RECIPES  Summer is berry season, yet often we end up letting them get moldy in the fridge or eat them raw and plain by themselves. But berries offer endless possibilities. Here is a collection of both sweet and savory ways to load up on berries this summer. READ EXERCISE FOR SPIRITUAL HEALTH  Catholic writer Tom Thomas is encouraging us — especially the priests among us — to remember that physical exercise may be an important part of maintaining our spiritual health. Here's why. READ GEN Z MONASTERY VACATION  Instead of booking beach houses or planning road trips, a growing number of Gen Z women are spending their summer breaks in convents. According to Vice, some monasteries are now booked solid for months, as young women opt for days of silence over crowded getaways.  READ CATHOLIC 101  Pier Giorgio died when he was only 24, but his zest for life and love for the poor made a big impact. Because he neither did anything astonishing nor sought to draw attention to himself, he gave us an example anyone can follow. Here's a practical way you can imitate him.  READ SAINT OF THE DAY  Today the Church celebrates Saint Arsenius, a Roman noble and tutor to emperors who fled courtly life to seek God in solitude. Known for humility, penance, and prayer, he became a revered desert father. READ SATURDAY'S PSALM  "His mercy endures forever." (Psalm 136:1)  READ SATURDAY'S READINGS  Saturday's Mass readings.  READ SUNDAY'S PSALM  "He who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord." (Psalm 15:1)  READ SUNDAY'S READINGS  Sunday's Mass readings.  READ ANSWER TO THE TRIVIA  William Howard Taft, who was the 27th president of the United States (1909-1913), served as the 10th Chief Justice of the United States, from 1921 to 1930. Taft is the only president who ever served on the Supreme Court. WITNESS Just hours after Holy Family Church in Gaza was struck by an Israeli shell, the church rang its bells, providing a powerful witness to Gaza's Catholics' unshaken faith.  WATCH & SHARE Paid for by CatholicVote Civic Action, a 501(c)(4) organization. Update your email preferences or unsubscribe here. CATHOLICVOTE  |  PO Box 3310  |  Carmel, IN 46082  |  (317) 669-6127