LOOP: Pope Leo mourns Europe's falling birthrates

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 15 - Memorial of Saint Teresa of Avila POPE LEO LAMENTS DECLINING BIRTHRATES IN EUROPE  In a speech in Italy after his first official visit with the nation's president yesterday, Pope Leo lamented falling birth rates and called for the promotion of family. "In recent decades, we have witnessed in Europe as we have seen a notable decline in the birth rate," he said. "This calls for a concerted effort to promote choices at all levels in favor of the family, supporting its efforts, promoting its values, and protecting its needs and rights."  READ TRUMP ADMIN STRIKES ANOTHER VENEZUELAN VESSEL  President Donald Trump announced Oct. 14 that the U.S. military has conducted its third strike in recent weeks against a vessel linked to drug trafficking off Venezuela, killing six men the administration described as "narcoterrorists."  READ MEDIA OUTLETS REJECT PENTAGON PRESS RESTRICTIONS  Several of the nation's leading news organizations have rejected a new policy restricting press access to the Pentagon ahead of an Oct. 14 deadline set by the Defense Department. The New York Times, Washington Post, and The Atlantic first said they would not sign the agreement, with the Associated Press and Reuters quickly joining, describing it as an infringement on First Amendment protections.  READ MEL GIBSON CASTS NEW ACTOR TO PLAY CHRIST  A new actor has been cast to play Jesus in the 2027 two-part film The Resurrection of the Christ, Mel Gibson's long-awaited sequel to the 2004 movie The Passion of the Christ, according to Variety. Finnish actor Jaakko Ohtonen, 36, will be stepping into the lead role, replacing Jim Caviezel. Ohtonen has starred in a number of TV series, including "Vikings: Valhalla."  READ AD: SAVE UNBORN LIVES AND SAVE MONEY WITH CHARITY MOBILE!  When you switch your cell phone service to Charity Mobile, 5% of your monthly plan price supports the live-saving work of your favorite pro-life charity. All monthly plans are under $50 before taxes and surcharges, including Unlimited, and you can save even more with every line you add! Plus, every new line gets a free phone offer with promo code LOOP.  LEARN MORE TRUMP AWARDS HIGHEST CIVILIAN HONOR TO CHARLIE KIRK  Trump posthumously awarded Charlie Kirk the Presidential Medal of Freedom yesterday, hailing the Turning Point USA founder as a "fearless warrior for liberty" who inspired millions of young Americans.  READ POPE LEO CALLS ITALIANS TO PRESERVE CULTURAL ROOTS "There is a certain tendency, these days, to undervalue, at various levels, the models and values that have developed over the centuries and that shape our cultural identity," Pope Leo warned during his address in Italy yesterday. "Let us not disdain what our ancestors experienced and what they passed on to us, even at the cost of great sacrifices." READ AD: ACCESS 7 CATHOLIC MUTUAL FUNDS  ...with religious values guided by prominent Catholics, including Coach Lou Holtz, Callista Gingrich and Michael Knowles. GET INFORMATION TODAY WASHINGTON EXPLAINS NEW PROTECTIONS FOR SEAL OF CONFESSION  Following a crucial legal agreement Oct. 10 that will help protect religious freedom in Washington state, the Office of the State's Attorney General issued an explainer outlining how a new bill related to mandatory reporting will respect the seal of Confession.  READ UN EXPERT CALLS OUT SURROGACY INDUSTRY Reem Alsalem, the United Nations (UN) special rapporteur on violence against women and girls, again condemned surrogacy as a form of "violence" against women and children during a UN event in New York last week. READ NOT TO BE MISSED...  Here are the stories we couldn't fit in today's LOOP: •    A North Dakota Court this month allowed a child-protective law against "transgender" interventions to stand. READ •    Contractors are boycotting a New Mexico abortion center. READ •    Oklahoma Catholics joyfully celebrate 150 years of faith.  READ ON CONVERTING SPOUSES  "Is being a good Catholic the best thing I can do to convert my husband to the Faith?" Author Emily Stimpson Chapman answers this difficult question, and the pain behind it. It's a huge burden not to be on the same religious page as one's husband or wife. How much pressure or obligation rests on the shoulders of the faithful spouse?  READ CATHOLIC 101  If you sit in Adoration doing nothing, or spend 10 minutes in front of the crucifix in your bedroom spacing out, you might think that you've wasted time. But our prayer is often infected by an activism in which we feel we must be saying or doing something the whole time. If mental prayer is "nothing else than a close sharing between friends" as St. Teresa of Avila said, here's why "wasting time with God" may be one of the best forms of prayer.  READ SAINT OF THE DAY  Today the Church honors St. Teresa of Avila (1515–1582), a mystic and Doctor of the Church. St. Teresa renewed Carmelite spirituality through prayer, reform, and perseverance, often amid stiff opposition. Her works, including The Interior Castle and The Way of Perfection, remain timeless guides to contemplative life. READ DAILY PSALM  "Lord, you give back to everyone according to his works." (Psalm 62)  READ DAILY READINGS  Today's Mass readings.  READ WITNESS  Thousands of Catholics filled the streets of New York City for the Napa Institute's Eucharistic Procession, lifting their voices in song to praise the Lord.  WATCH Paid for by CatholicVote Civic Action, a 501(c)(4) organization. Update your email preferences or unsubscribe here. 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