CENSUS BUREAU: POVERTY UP FOR FIRST TIME IN YEARS;TIM SCOTT SUGGESTS TEACHERS UNION HEAD IS RACIST; DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE DEFENDS ‘THEMSELF’; POPE FRANCIS TALKS CLIMATE CHANGE AT CLINTON FOUNDATION

 

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 19 CENSUS BUREAU: POVERTY UP FOR FIRST TIME IN YEARS  The latest U.S. Census report shows that the nation’s poverty rate increased by 60% last year, marking the first time it has increased since the Obama administration. The report found that in 2022, 12.4% of Americans were living in poverty – or about one in eight. This was a significant increase, up from 7.8% the year before.  READ LAWMAKERS INVESTIGATE BIDEN’S MAUI RESPONSE House Republicans are investigating the Biden administration’s response to the deadly wildfires that devastated Maui last month. “President Biden built his entire reputation on empathy and compassion but failed to deliver an appropriate response when it mattered most,” wrote Reps. James Comer, R-KY, and Pete Sessions, R-TX. READ HOUSE REPUBLICANS REACH POTENTIAL SPENDING DEAL  A group of House Republicans released a draft bill to fund the government after weekend negotiations to avoid a shutdown. The bill would keep the government funded and authorize $1.59 trillion of spending until the end of October. Most of the bill’s text involves conservative border security legislation that was included in the Secure the Border Act of 2023, passed by the House in May.  READ HUNTER BIDEN SUES IRS OVER WHISTLEBLOWER  After news broke that President Biden’s son Hunter had filed a lawsuit against the agency, IRS Supervisory Special Agent Gary Shapley’s legal team issued a statement condemning the action. Biden filed the lawsuit claiming that Shapley and IRS Agent Joseph Ziegler revealed confidential information about his taxes in public interviews and statements when they became whistleblowers against alleged corruption at the IRS.  READ TIM SCOTT SUGGESTS TEACHERS UNION HEAD IS RACIST  Presidential candidate Sen. Tim Scott, R-SC, blasted teachers union head Randi Weingarten for comparing parents’ rights groups to segregationists. “I can't think of anything more actually racist than trapping poor black kids in the failing schools in these big blue cities dominated by a super-majority of radical progressives who are running the cities and destroying the schools,” Scott said.  READ DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE DEFENDS ‘THEMSELF’  The Department of Defense (DoD) issued a “clarification” for Change 5, their controversial new pronoun policy that uses “themself” in place of “himself” or “herself” in commendations for military heroes. Following weeks of backlash, the Pentagon said Change 5 will remain in place, “but with language that ‘clarifies’ that the change does not ban the use of the pronouns ‘himself’ or ‘herself,’” The Daily Signal reported.  READ CATHOLICVOTE’S BURCH RESPONDS TO TRUMP  CatholicVote President Brian Burch responded to former President Donald Trump’s recent remark that Florida’s pro-life “heartbeat” law was a “terrible mistake.” Burch said in part: “Pro-life Catholic voters helped deliver him the White House in 2016, and a record number of votes in 2020. He cannot expect to win again without these same voters.”  READ EDIFY  Corporate media outlets push bad political agendas so constantly and so subtly that it’s hard not to subconsciously take in at least a few of the false ideas they normalize. Catholic journalist Mary Margaret Olohan offers five tips to help you understand which news sources are telling you the truth.  WATCH FRANCISCAN FRIAR BECOMES BISHOP IN ALEPPO  A new chapter has begun in the history of the Catholic Church in Syria. For the first time, one of its own sons has become bishop of the Latin-rite Catholics in Aleppo. Fr. Hanna Jallouf, a Franciscan brother, was ordained a bishop and took on the role of apostolic vicar of Aleppo for the Latins.  READ POPE FRANCIS TALKS CLIMATE CHANGE AT CLINTON FOUNDATION  Pope Francis called for more aggressive climate change policies, promoted diplomacy to prevent war, and pushed for changes surrounding healthcare and immigration in a public conversation with former President Bill Clinton. During the pope’s virtual appearance at the Clinton Foundation event, he said politicians should address what he called “the ecological catastrophe” of climate change “before it’s too late.”  READ PRAY TOGETHER, STAY TOGETHER  In this clip from KnightCast, Ryan Young walks us through the importance of establishing a routine, how to build up the spiritual life of the family through the Sacraments, and the practical boundaries that he sets for his children.  WATCH CATHOLIC 101  Clinical psychologist and EWTN radio host Dr. Ray Guarendi recently appeared on “The World Over with Raymond Arroyo” to talk about his new book “Simple Steps to a Stronger Marriage.” Dr. Ray offers five ways that Catholics can form strong and holy marriages to fight the culture of death – a culture that promotes selfishness, pleasure, and the kind of transactional relationships Pope St. John Paul II warned us about.  READ SAINT OF THE DAY  St. Emily de Rodat was born in late-1700’s France to a wealthy family. One day, she overheard mothers talking about how they could not afford to send their daughters to school. Their conversation inspired her to eventually start her own order dedicated to education, the Religious Congregation of the Holy Family of Villefranche. The order expanded to also care for the elderly, prisoners, and orphans. At the time of her death, Emily’s sisters had started 38 charitable institutions.  READ DAILY PSALM  “I will walk with blameless heart.” (Psalm 101:2)  READ DAILY READINGS  Today's Mass readings  READ WITNESS  Watch this NFL player's powerful testimony of faith.  SHARE The LOOP is a publication of the CatholicVote Education Fund, a 501(c)(3) organization. The LOOP is organized, funded, and published by faithful Catholic laity. We do not claim to speak for any individual bishop or the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. CATHOLICVOTE | PO Box 3310 | Carmel, IN 46082 | (317) 669-6127