THURSDAY, AUGUST 6

YOUNGKIN TAKES SCHOOL-CHOICE FIGHT NATIONAL Former Virginia Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin has launched Empowering America’s Parents, which plans a multimillion-dollar campaign urging holdout states to join President Donald Trump’s Education Freedom Tax Credit. The campaign will begin in four Democratic-led battlegrounds: Arizona, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. READ

PRO-LIFE DEFEAT IN KANSAS SUPREME COURT BATTLE A constitutional amendment to replace Kansas' lawyer-majority judicial nominating commission with direct Supreme Court elections was defeated this week. Pro-life advocates backed the change as a long-term way to reshape a court whose 2019 ruling recognized a state constitutional "right" to abortion. Planned Parenthood celebrated the result. READ

AMERICANS LESS GLOOMY ON ECONOMY—BUT STILL PESSIMISTIC Gallup’s Economic Confidence Index rose seven points to -31 in July, continuing its rebound from a May low of -45. But 67% of Americans still say the economy is worsening. READ

DNC ACCUSED OF BURYING CHAPTER BLAMING BIDEN, PARTY ELITES Democratic consultant Paul Rivera says the party omitted an entire chapter from its 2024 election autopsy questioning President Joe Biden’s reelection bid and asking whether wealthy operatives had lost touch with ordinary voters. READ

MASKED VANDAL BEHEADS MARY STATUE AT NEW YORK CHURCH Surveillance footage shows a hammer-wielding man knocking down and beheading a Blessed Virgin Mary statue outside St. Rita Roman Catholic Church in Queens. It was the fourth vandalism incident at the parish since 2024. The NYPD Hate Crime Task Force is investigating, and the pastor says parishioners are frightened. READ

CARIBBEAN BISHOPS: GENDER IDEOLOGY DENIES TRUTH OF THE BODY The Antilles Episcopal Conference warns that separating gender from biological sex treats the body as meaningless and obscures its sacramental purpose. Calling for truth joined to compassion, the bishops urged parents and educators to teach young people that “the human body is good, sexual difference is sacred, and love is ordered towards communion.” READ

MAN CHARGED AFTER FIRING FIVE ROUNDS AT CATHOLIC CHURCH Federal prosecutors charged Matthew Alarcon, 40, with illegally possessing a firearm and ammunition after he allegedly shot at the glass entrance of St. Genevieve Catholic Church in Las Cruces, New Mexico. No one was injured. Alarcon has allegedly confessed and could face up to 15 years in prison. READ

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BISHOP MARKS ANNIVERSRARY OF VOTING RIGHTS ACT On the Voting Rights Act’s 61st anniversary, Austin Bishop Daniel Garcia urged eligible citizens to vote and policymakers to protect ballot access and fair representation. READ

CHURCH LEADERS CLASH OVER POPE LEO, LATIN MASS RESTRICTIONS Cardinal Arthur Roche says Pope Leo XIV will not reverse Traditionis Custodes, although the Pope has issued no formal decision. Cardinal Robert Sarah and Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone, on the other hand, are urging broader access to the Traditional Latin Mass. They warn that liturgical warfare and tight restrictions threaten Church unity, especially as traditional worship draws growing numbers of young Catholics. READ

MOM-APPROVED WAYS TO TEACH KIDS TO LOVE AMERICA From making Thomas Jefferson’s ice cream and Benjamin Franklin’s favorite apple pie to crafting flags and trying a hands-on George Washington lesson, this family-friendly guide makes the Founding fun for young children. Patriotism doesn’t require an elaborate curriculum. Its stories, songs, and heroes can be woven into ordinary family life. READ

CATHOLIC 101 Christ’s words to Martha did not condemn her generous service; they redirected an anxious heart toward the one thing necessary: listening to Him. Her sainthood shows that loving correction is an invitation to deeper friendship with Jesus, not a reason to give up in embarrassment or pride. READ

SAINT OF THE DAY The Feast of the Transfiguration celebrates the moment Christ revealed His divine glory to Peter, James, and John. READ

DAILY PSALM "The Lord is king, the Most High over all the earth.” (Psalm 97) READ

DAILY READINGS Today's Mass readings. READ

NEW EPISODE Michigan Democrats are rocked by a stunning Senate primary upset as Abdul El-Sayed defeats the party establishment. Meanwhile, 60,000+ migrants from Morocco invade Spain. And finally, an alarming study finds an abortion-inducing drug in the drinking water of three U.S. cities. All this and more on the LOOPcast! WATCH

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