SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 8

TRUMP ADMIN APPEALS JUDGE ORDER ON SNAP PAYMENTS The Trump administration asked a federal appeals court yesterday to halt a judge's order requiring full food stamp payments this month, as the government shutdown continues to strain the program. "This is a crisis, to be sure," the Justice Department wrote in its emergency filing, "but it is a crisis occasioned by congressional failure, and that can only be solved by congressional action." READ

CATHOLIC REP INTRODUCES NIGERIA RESOLUTION Republican Rep. Riley Moore of West Virginia, a Catholic, introduced a House resolution yesterday urging the U.S. to use diplomatic and economic pressure to defend persecuted Christians in Nigeria — echoing President Donald Trump's campaign to confront religious violence there. READ

COURT RULES SCHOOLS CAN'T FORCE 'PREFERRED PRONOUNS' The Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled that schools under its jurisdiction (Ohio, Michigan, Kentucky, and Tennessee) cannot force schoolchildren to use the "preferred pronouns" of fellow students. The decision could mark a turning point in litigation against public school districts whose policies could lead to students being punished for referring to "transgender" students according to their true sex. READ

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DID SHAKESPEARE COME FROM A DEVOUT CATHOLIC FAMILY? William Shakespeare's religious identity has long been debated, and a new peer-reviewed academic article has given substantial evidence that he came from a family that tenaciously kept the Catholic faith despite intense persecution. READ

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THE BEST AND WORST STATES FOR RELIGIOUS FREEDOM Michigan and Washington are the worst states in the nation regarding protecting the freedoms of religious nonprofits, while Alabama and Kansas lead as the most "faith-friendly," according to a recent report from Napa Legal Institute. Here are the details. READ

WHY A RECENT CONSTRUCTION MOVE MADE HISTORY The first part of a massive cross that will sit atop the Tower of Jesus Christ on Barcelona's Sagrada Família Basilica was set in place Oct. 30. It is a significant step toward both the tower and the basilica's completion. With the installation of that section of the cross, Sagrada Família became the tallest church in the world. READ

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HOME MAINTENANCE CHECKLIST Like our cars, we should be keeping up with regular maintenance of our homes to prevent future headaches, wasted money, and surprise expenses. Here is a handy maintenance checklist with tasks for each month, quarter, and year. READ

ULTIMATE TURKEY GUIDE How do I choose the right turkey to buy? What's the best way to thaw it? Cook it? Season it? And what should I do with all the leftovers and bones? This turkey guide explains it all. READ

NEIGHBORHOOD RELATIONSHIPS A survey shows that many Americans don't know or trust their neighbors, but a neighborhood of interconnected relationships is a powerful thing. Here are a few simple tips for forming connections around your block. READ

SAINT OF THE DAY Today the Church remembers Saint Elizabeth of the Trinity (1880-1906), a Carmelite who carried the Presence of the Holy Trinity with her everywhere. Before her death from Addison's disease at age 26, Elizabeth wrote many spiritual retreats. She is the only 20th-century mystic to be quoted in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. READ

SATURDAY'S PSALM "I will praise your name for ever, Lord." (Psalm 145) READ

SATURDAY'S READINGS Saturday's Mass readings. READ

SUNDAY'S PSALM "The waters of the river gladden the city of God, the holy dwelling of the Most High!" (Psalm 46) READ

SUNDAY'S READINGS Sunday's Mass readings. READ

ANSWER TO THE TRIVIA In a letter to his son Michael, J.R.R. Tolkien wrote, "Out of the darkness of my life, so much frustrated, I put before you the one great thing to love on earth: the Blessed Sacrament."