FEDERAL JUDGE BLOCKS TEXAS BORDER SECURITY LAW;VOTERS WANT MAYORKAS IMPEACHED;NEW YORK USING OVER 100 HOTELS TO SHELTER MIGRANTs; POPE FRANCIS AGAIN BLASTS ‘GENDER IDEOLOGY

 

SATURDAY, MARCH 2 FEDERAL JUDGE BLOCKS TEXAS BORDER SECURITY LAW  A federal judge on Thursday granted the Biden administration’s request to temporarily block a Texas law that made illegal immigration a crime in the Lone Star State. The judge stated that if the law were “allowed to proceed” it “could open the door to each state passing its own version of immigration laws.”  READ VOTERS WANT MAYORKAS IMPEACHED  A Harvard poll found that 62% of Americans want Biden administration Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas impeached. Broken down by party, 81% of Republicans, 54% of independents, and a stunning 48% of Democrats support his impeachment.  READ NEW YORK USING OVER 100 HOTELS TO SHELTER MIGRANTS  New York City has reportedly converted over 100 hotels into “emergency shelters” for illegal immigrants. Sen. John Kennedy, R-LA, reacted: “If you want to know where Democrats’ soft border policies are taking America, just look at NY.”  READ NEW YORK ATTORNEY GENERAL: BAKE THE CAKE  New York Democratic Attorney General Letitia James drew widespread criticism after she blasted the Christian baker who owns Masterpiece Cakeshop. He “refused to make a customer a cake when they found out it was to celebrate her transition,” James wrote. Observers noted that James failed to mention the true nature of the “trans” customer’s request, which was obscene and demonic.  READ TIME CITES SAINTS IN ARTICLE ABOUT SELF-IMMOLATION  “Time magazine issued a flowery piece on the glory of self-immolation on Wednesday,” writes Erika Ahern, “complete with a dose of anti-Catholic bigotry.”  READ UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA DUMPS DEI  The University of Florida (UF) fired all of its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) employees and reallocated millions of dollars in spending previously earmarked for DEI. Chris Rufo noted that while UF was “previously spending $5 million per year on DEI initiatives,” those funds will now go toward “recruiting faculty and ... [replacing] the old DEI standard with a new standard of ‘universal human dignity.’”  READ POPE FRANCIS AGAIN BLASTS ‘GENDER IDEOLOGY At a Friday audience, Pope Francis issued a sharp rebuke of far-left gender ideology. “Today the ugliest danger is gender ideology, which cancels out differences,” Francis declared. “Erasing differences is erasing humanity.”  READ HOW TO TALK ABOUT IVF  Slamming the in-vitro fertilization (IVF) industry for profiting off of couples’ fears and struggles, prominent pro-life activist Kristan Hawkins offered pro-lifers advice on how to talk about IVF. “To start, the pro-life movement’s criticisms of IVF do not mean that children created via IVF are less worthy of life than other children.”  READ LOOPcast  Self-immolation: martyr material or mental case? SCOTUS considers censorship on social media, and the Left cries “Free Speech”! Biden emerges from his basement HQ for a Late Night appearance, and what would you say to a whale?  WATCH A COMPELLING CONFESSION HOW-TO  We often make our confessions in a perfunctory way: “I got angry with my kids… I had lustful thoughts… I haven’t been praying as much as I should…” But there’s a more intentional and compelling way to do confession. For example, why did you get angry? Of what deeper issue was your anger a symptom? Here’s how you can prepare yourself for a deeper confession.  READ SIDES FOR FRIED FISH  You’re doing a fish fry for Lent, but what meatless sides do you have to go with it? Fries, coleslaw, and tartar sauce are classic, but in case you don’t want to stick to the same old, same old, here are 21 delicious alternatives.  READ BEING AN HONEST DISSIDENT Stories about dissidents and rebels (for a good cause) are some of the most inspiring. In today’s society, we must become increasingly dissident against mainstream culture and politics. Here is the story of Alexei Navalny, a lesser-known honest dissident from the Soviet Union. He described four things that made his dangerous work much, much easier: courage, conviction, clarity, and Christ.  READ CV MOVIE REVIEW: ‘CABRINI’  “The film sheds light on the grit and determination that is needed when our Christian responsibility requires us to swim upstream,” writes Rose Church in a review of the new film “Cabrini.” “Cabrini herself is complexly depicted with not only admirable strength and resilience, but also gentleness and deep human empathy.”  READ CATHOLIC 101  As Catholics, we make the Sign of the Cross every time we pray. We do this not simply as a pious gesture, but also as a powerful prayer and a sacramental of the Church. Looking to Scripture, Church teachings, and the saints, we can see why something so easy to do can open us up to life-transforming grace.  READ SAINT OF THE DAY  Blessed Charles the Good of Denmark was a strong warrior and a just Catholic ruler. His strong opposition to unethical marketing tactics and his fidelity to Catholic social teaching eventually led to his death. When he acted against grain hoarders, Charles’ enemies assassinated him in the Church of St. Donatian in 1127. READ SATURDAY'S PSALM  “The Lord is kind and merciful.” (Psalm 103:8)  READ SATURDAY'S READINGS  Saturday's Mass readings.  READ SUNDAY’S PSALM  “Lord, you have the words of everlasting life.” (John 6:68)  READ SUNDAY’S READINGS  Sunday's Mass readings.  READ ANSWER TO THE TRIVIA  True, there is a Preamble to the Bill of Rights. It reads in part: "THE Conventions of a number of the States, having at the time of their adopting the Constitution, expressed a desire, in order to prevent misconstruction or abuse of its powers, that further declaratory and restrictive clauses should be added." READ THE REST HAVE A TIP?  Send us your news for the Weekend LOOP.  EMAIL ARTWORK  Although St. Andrew’s martyrdom is typically depicted with an x-shaped cross, Baroque Italian master Caravaggio's dramatic portrayal paints the apostle breathing his last from a vertical cross like his Lord and Savior’s.  READ MORE HERE The LOOP is a publication of CatholicVote Civic Action, a 501(c)(4) 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