WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 17

FEDS THREATEN TEXAS LAW ENFORCEMENT The Biden administration’s Department of Homeland Security (DHS) sent a letter to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton ordering the state to cease its occupation of a border park where many migrants illegally and frequently cross. The DHS letter threatened to refer the matter to the Department of Justice and to “consider all other options available to restore Border Patrol’s access to the border.” READ

POLLING SHOWS ANY GOP CANDIDATE COULD BEAT BIDEN A CBS News/YouGov poll found that all three remaining major Republican nomination candidates are leading President Joe Biden in a hypothetical November general election matchup. Nikki Haley led Biden by eight points, 53% to 45%, DeSantis by three points, 51% to 48%, and Trump by two, 50% to 48%. READ

BILLIONAIRE DEMOCRATIC DONOR ENDORSES BIDEN CHALLENGER Billionaire hedge fund manager Bill Ackman announced he is giving $1 million to Minnesota Democratic Rep. Dean Phillips, who is challenging President Joe Biden for the presidency. Ackman described Biden as “well past his prime,” and quipped that “if he were available in the market for other opportunities, he would have no chance of getting any job, let alone be hired to run” the United States. READ

POLL: YOUNG VOTERS SHARPLY DIFFER WITH ELECTED DEMS A new poll found that nearly two-thirds of young voters are not in favor of unlimited abortion, revealing a stark difference between the views of young Americans and the rhetoric of the Democratic Party heading into the election year. READ

POPE FRANCIS: ‘I LIKE TO THINK OF HELL AS BEING EMPTY’ Pope Francis on Sunday said he personally hopes that hell is empty, sparking a new round of debate about Catholic teachings on damnation. "This isn't dogma, just my thought: I like to think of hell as being empty,” Francis said. “I hope it is." READ

CHICAGO AREA EVs INOPERABLE IN COLD Dozens of electric vehicle (EV) owners found that they were unable to charge their cars as a cold snap took hold of the Chicago metropolitan area over the weekend. “Public charging stations have turned into car graveyards over the past couple of days,” FOX 32 Chicago reported. READ

EXPERT WEIGHS IN ON THE EVIL OF SURROGACY Following Pope Francis’ recent denunciation of surrogacy, a prominent bioethicist and Catholic moral theologian highlighted that both truth and compassion are needed in the conversation around surrogacy because of how painful the cross of infertility is for couples who long to have children. READ

LOOPcast TRUMP TAKES ALL in Iowa. With Iowa in the bag, what’s next in the 2024 Trump saga? Did the media play foul with early calls? Can Nikki Haley count? Did Rachel Maddow just prove she’s a shill? LOOPcast has the hot takes. WATCH

CV EXPLAINER: CAUCUS vs. PRIMARY The 2024 presidential election is underway, and some Catholic voters are already casting their votes for presidential nominees. On January 15, Iowa began its process to elect convention delegates and presidential nominees. Many may still be wondering, “What exactly is a caucus, what is primary, and why should I care?” READ

USCCB RALLIES CATHOLICS IN DEFENSE OF RELIGIOUS FREEDOM After the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) released their first Annual Report on the State of Religious Liberty in the U.S. this week, Bishop Kevin Rhoades said in a statement that “Catholics have a vital role to play in defending religious freedom and promoting the common good.” READ

WHY BEAUTY HURTS Beauty brings delight and pleasure. It gives us hope, courage, and inspiration. Intense encounters with beauty can give us a foretaste of Heaven itself. But beauty, mysteriously, also hurts. A moving piece of music, the face of a loved one, majestic scenery… they sometimes inflict a throb of pain or leave a lingering ache. Why is it that beauty hurts? READ

CATHOLIC 101 Everyone knows the experience of spiritual “dryness” – of having no taste for prayer or no emotional lift during prayer. We usually think, “What am I doing wrong?” Good news: dryness doesn’t mean that anything is going wrong! Here’s a nice summary of the wisdom of St. Francis de Sales on what to do when these dry spells occur. READ

SAINT OF THE DAY During Mass one day, St. Anthony’s life was changed forever when he heard the words: “If you wish to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven.” Anthony felt in his heart the sudden conviction that the words were meant for him. He gave away all he owned and walked into the desert. Anthony of Egypt, known as the father of monasticism, lived to the old age of 105 praying, fasting, and battling demons. READ

DAILY PSALM “Blessed be the Lord, my Rock!” (Psalm 144:1) READ

DAILY READINGS Today's Mass readings READ

INSPIRATION Headed to the March for Life this week? Here’s a look back at last year, when twin sisters Sr. Mary Casey, SV, and Casey were among the most popular speakers on the Washington Mall. Enjoy their heartwarming story – and celebrate the beauty of life! WATCH