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| WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 9 |
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| PRIME TIME ADDRESS President Trump called for a border barrier in a national address from the Oval Office. He called the situation on the southern border “a crisis of the heart and a crisis of the soul.” Trump cited human trafficking and drug smuggling as major reasons to tightened border security. “The cost of illegal drugs exceeds $500 billion a year — vastly more than the $5.7 billion we have requested from Congress,” said Trump. READ |
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| NO EMERGENCY DECLARATION President Trump opted against declaring a national border emergency for now, but he did push back at Democrats for not working with him on funding for a border wall. “Democrats in Congress have refused to acknowledge the crisis,” the president said. “The federal government remains shut down for one reason, and one reason only: Because Democrats will not fund border security.” READ |
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| RELIGIOUS TESTS Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, a Democrat from Hawaii, pushed back at two senators who attacked judicial nominee Brian Buescher for his membership in the Knights of Columbus. “If Buescher is ‘unqualified’ because of his Catholicism and affiliation with the Knights of Columbus, then President John F. Kennedy, and the ‘liberal lion of the Senate’ Ted Kennedy would have been ‘unqualified’ for the same reasons,” said Gabbard. READ |
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| “CORE MISSION” For years, Planned Parenthood sought to publicly downplay the amount of abortions they perform by claiming it was just 3% of what they do. But the group’s new leader told Buzzfeed that abortion was integral to their organization. “Our core mission is providing, protecting and expanding access to abortion and reproductive health care,” said Leanna Wen, President of Planned Parenthood. READ |
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| TRADITIONAL MASCULINITY The American Psychological Association has declared war on “traditional masculinity.” READ |
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| HOLLYWOOD VALUES Actor Neal McDonough claims that he was fired from ABC’s “Scoundrels” show because he refused to engage in sex scenes with his co-star. “After that, I couldn’t get a job because everybody thought I was this religious zealot. I am very religious. I put God and family first, and me second. That’s what I live by. It was hard for a few years,” he said. READ |
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| BISHOPS’ RETREAT OVER The week-long retreat for U.S. bishop has ended. And journalist J.D. Flynn says that bishops must now “contend with a growing anticlerical populist backlash in the U.S. Church, one that seems to foster broad distrust for episcopal initiatives and the Church’s governing structure, rather than on calling for or supporting reform efforts.” READ |
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| SAINT OF THE DAY An African by birth, Saint Adrian was assigned by the Pope as Archbishop of Canterbury. Feeling unworthy, he declined the position, but the Pope sent him to Canterbury anyway where he became an abbot and teacher. READ |
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| DAILY READINGS “Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.” (Ps 72:1) READ |
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| TRUTH SHARE |
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