FRIDAY, JANUARY 5

VATICAN ISSUES CLARIFICATION ON ‘SAME-SEX’ BLESSINGS The Vatican’s Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith issued a long "clarifying" statement in response to the worldwide pushback against its declaration “Fiducia supplicans.” The new document warns bishops against refusing to implement the controversial declaration, while also adding that “catechesis” may be necessary to keep “irregular” couples from getting the impression the Church endorses their sin. READ

NEARLY 100 CHURCHES ATTACKED IN CANADA Vandals and arsonists have attacked nearly 100 Christian churches across Canada in the two and a half years since activists first popularized the now-debunked claim that there are mass graves of indigenous children under Catholic schools. READ

2024 STATE OF PLAY As Iowa Caucus participants are set to cast their votes in a week and a half, nomination polling shows that barring a major development, a rematch of the 2020 Election is almost certain to take place in November. CatholicVote's Anthony Iafrate has all the latest numbers. READ

BIDEN ADMIN SUES TEXAS OVER LAW AGAINST ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION The Biden administration’s Department of Justice (DOJ) announced it is suing Texas over a recently-signed law that will make illegal immigration a state crime. “I like my chances,” Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott said in response to the suit. “Texas is the only government in America trying to stop illegal immigration.” READ

PRO-LIFE VICTORY IN TEXAS A federal appeals court this week rejected an appeal from the pro-abortion defendants in the lawsuit Texas v. Becerra. The ruling means that Texas can uphold its pro-life laws and is not legally required to adhere to a pro-abortion federal law issued by President Joe Biden in 2022. READ

PRO-ABORTION ATTACKERS GET OFF WITH COMMUNITY SERVICE Two activists violently attacked pro-life students and speakers at a scheduled talk at Virginia Commonwealth University last year. They were arrested and charged, and both faced stiff fines and up to a year in prison. The radicals got through the incident relatively unscathed, however. They will serve an unspecified amount of community service and will have no criminal record. READ

FIRST OUT-OF-STATE ASSISTED SUICIDE IN VERMONT A 76-year-old woman from Bridgeport, Connecticut, passed away in Vermont Thursday morning after legally giving herself a lethal injection. Cancer patient Lynda Bluestein was the first person from out of state to die via “assisted suicide” in Vermont. READ

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WEIGEL ON ‘CARICATURE’ OF AMERICAN CATHOLICS In an op-ed published by First Things, George Weigel calls out a little-known writer for spreading a caricature of American Catholicism that misleadingly pits U.S. bishops and priests against Pope Francis and the Vatican. While Christopher Lamb’s inaccuracies used to be of no account due to his obscurity, CNN has now given him a massive platform. READ

DIOCESE CALLS FOR PRAYER AFTER SCHOOL SHOOTING The Des Moines Diocese called for “all people of good will to pause and pray for the children, the parents, the educators” in response to a school shooting that took place on Thursday morning in Perry, Iowa. Five people were injured and one sixth-grade student was killed in a shooting at Perry High School on January 4. READ

CAN'T SLEEP AT NIGHT? Usually, if you’re having trouble falling asleep, the harder you try, the worse it gets. There are all sorts of tricks that are supposed to help you relax and shut off your brain. But sometimes you’re simply stuck in your conscious state. So here is an alternative, and it comes from monks and nuns. READ

CATHOLIC 101 We’ve all heard of well-meaning people baptizing on the sly, from nurses baptizing those in their care to grandparents administering the sacrament to the offspring of fallen-away children. After all, Christ taught that “no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit.” So how can the Church forbid the baptism of someone who would likely not otherwise get that chance? READ

SAINT OF THE DAY While he was the first bishop of an American diocese to be beatified, St. John Neumann was actually born in Bohemia and was one of six children. He was the first to organize a diocesan Catholic school system. As a priest and bishop, he was always concerned for the common people, learning multiple languages in order to hear the confessions of his immigrant congregation. READ

DAILY PSALM “Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.” (Psalm 100:2) READ

DAILY READINGS Today's Mass readings READ

INTERVIEW Has the Church approved “gay blessings?” Archbishop Joseph Naumann guides us through the mass confusion and backlash sparked by the Vatican’s release of Fiducia supplicans. LISTEN