THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 15

LAWMAKERS DEMAND JUSTICE FOR ‘THE FIVE’ Republican lawmakers and pro-life activists gathered Wednesday on Capitol Hill to call for transparency and clarity regarding the deaths of “The Five,” preemie-sized aborted babies whose bodies are in the possession of Washington, D.C., officials. READ

‘GRAVE’ NATIONAL SECURITY THREAT STIRS FEAR In a cryptic statement, House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Turner, R-OH, on Wednesday warned of a “serious national security threat.” Turner said he shared sensitive intelligence about the threat with all members of Congress and called on President Joe Biden to declassify information about it. The lawmaker did not give further details. READ

TRUMP WINS IN NYTIMES FOCUS GROUP A large majority of participants in a New York Times focus group of undecided independent voters from around the country picked former President Donald Trump over President Joe Biden. Eleven of the 13 participants said they would vote for Trump. Only two said they would back Biden. READ

ICE DRAFTS PLAN TO RELEASE THOUSANDS OF MIGRANTS After conservative Republicans scuttled a controversial border bill, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has reportedly drafted plans to release thousands of illegal migrants and lower its capacity to detain them in order to cut spending. The border bill would have addressed an urgent $700 million budget deficit at ICE but was also tied to a massive sum earmarked for Ukraine. READ

MAYOR ADAMS SAYS SANCTUARY STATUS TIES HIS HANDS New York Democratic Mayor Eric Adams complained this week that the city’s “sanctuary status” legislation limits his ability to address the urgent immigration crisis that has crippled the local welfare system. “I cannot break the law and enforce the law,” he said. “I can’t deport. I can’t stop people from coming in, repeated criminal behavior, I can’t report to ICE for deportation.” READ

NEW CATHOLIC MEDICAL SCHOOL IN THE WORKS The Saint Padre Pio Institute for the Relief of Suffering School of Osteopathic Medicine is slated to open up on the campus of the Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas. Backers say it will be the first U.S. institution fully committed to training doctors to adhere to Church teachings about the dignity of every human life. READ

CV EXPLAINER: BIDEN USING KKK ACT AGAINST PRO-LIFERS The Biden administration’s Justice Department has come under fire for prosecuting and convicting numerous pro-life activists under the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE). But in the latest case, the administration convicted a group of six pro-lifers for violating the Act and the Conspiracy Against Rights statute – also known as the KKK Act. Here’s what that means. READ

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CHINA SILENT ABOUT VATICAN ROLE IN CHURCH China’s reluctance to speak about the Vatican in relation to the Chinese Catholic Church could mean problems for the future of Catholicism in China, according to a recent op-ed from AsiaNews. READ

AGAINST ‘GLITTER ASH WEDNESDAY’ A student organization at Fort Hays State University in Hays, Kansas, held a “Glitter Ash Wednesday.” “Why glitter?” a school email read. To “foster understanding between traditionally rejecting faiths and LGBTQ+ people and their families.” READ

A PROCRASTINATOR’S GUIDE TO LENT If you woke up this morning with the sinking realization that Lent has begun and you have no idea what you’re doing… have no fear because CatholicVote is here! Here are five last-minute ideas on how you can STILL make this a truly fruitful Lent. READ

CATHOLIC 101 In our most ambitious moments we imagine a daily routine that includes reading Scripture and the Catechism, praying 30 decades of the Rosary, going to daily Mass, spending five hours in adoration, and…and…and… But when you’ve got a job, a family, and need to sleep on occasion, your best bet may be to “stack” a new habit onto something you already do every day. READ

SAINT OF THE DAY St. Claude de la Colombière lived in the 17th century and worked closely with Margaret Mary Alacoque to help spread devotion to the Sacred Heart. When a false rumor came out about him involving a Catholic plot against the English monarchy, he was wrongly accused and imprisoned. READ

DAILY PSALM “Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.” (Psalm 40:5) READ

DAILY READINGS Today's Mass readings READ

BEAUTY Recognized as an architectural masterpiece among Catholic churches of the South, St. Mary’s Basilica in Natchez, Mississippi, contains three marble altars, a communion rail, and an episcopal chair. The church has been renovated several times since its completion in 1882, but still maintains its French Gothic revival theme. HISTORY