WEDNESDAY, JULY 30

NORTH CAROLINA LAWMAKERS KILL VETO, PROTECTING FAMILIES North Carolina lawmakers voted July 29 to override Democratic Gov. Josh Stein’s veto of a wide-ranging bill that strengthens parental rights, protects children, and reaffirms biological sex in state law.  READ

PATRIARCHS CONFRONT ISRAEL OVER ATTACKS IN WEST BANK  Jerusalem's top Catholic and Orthodox leaders this week called on the Israeli government to hold accountable the Israeli extremists who have been attacking the Christian village of Taybeh in the Holy Land. The patriarchs called out “Israeli police statements" that have "reduced the matter solely to property damage, omitting the broader context of systematic intimidation and abuse."  READ

DISTRICT JUDGE BLOCKS PLANNED PARENTHOOD FUNDING CUT  An Obama-appointed district judge this week blocked a one-year ban on Medicaid reimbursements to Planned Parenthood, a key provision in President Donald Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill.” The judge argued it would cause “an increase in unintended pregnancies” and other “complications." READ

EXPOSED: HOW BIDEN DOJ WENT AFTER CONCERNED PARENTS  Newly released emails show that senior officials in the Biden Justice Department sought legal justification to investigate parents who spoke out against COVID-19 mandates, critical race theory, and “transgender” policies during local school board meetings. The move came after a controversial teachers' union letter likened the parents' actions to “domestic terrorism.” READ

TEXAS CONFRONTS NEW YORK FOR PROTECTING ABORTIONIST  Texas Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed a legal petition against a New York county clerk who is shielding an abortionist from being held accountable for illegally causing the death of a baby in Texas last year.  READ  

POPE SURPRISES YOUNG PILGRIMS AT JUBILEE OF YOUTH  In a stirring display of pastoral warmth and spontaneity, Pope Leo XIV thrilled more than 120,000 young Catholics the evening of July 29 by appearing unannounced at the opening ceremony for the 2025 Jubilee of Youth.  READ

MEDICAL GROUP: DON'T LET RELIGIOUS PARENTS OPT OUT OF SHOTS  The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) this week called for the elimination of religious exemptions from vaccinations, arguing that allowing American parents to opt out of shots makes schools “less safe.”  READ

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POPE LEO ADDRESSES AI, SOCIAL MEDIA  Pope Leo this week outlined the duty of Christians to facilitate true connection in a rapidly developing digital sphere. “It is not simply a matter of generating content, but of creating an encounter of hearts," he said. "This will entail seeking out those who suffer, those who need to know the Lord, so that they may heal their wounds, get back on their feet, and find meaning in their lives.”  READ

LIFESITENEWS CEO EXPLAINS HIS OUSTER, REINSTATEMENT  "I was blindsided," said LifeSiteNews CEO and Editor-in-Chief John-Henry Westen in a video statement released yesterday. The statement detailed the events that led to his brief removal from leadership and his subsequent reinstatement by the publication's board of directors.  READ

THE PROBLEM OF MODERN DECADENCE  The older generations have blamed Millennials for their expensive avocado toast and daily Starbucks. "That's why you can't buy a house!" But the truth is a little more complicated, because in this economy, necessities have become luxuries and luxuries have become necessities. Here's how.  READ

CATHOLIC 101  “If one loves, everything is easy," wrote Venerable Archbishop Fulton Sheen, "if one does not—everything is hard.” But it's not as simple as it sounds.  READ

SAINT OF THE DAY  On July 30, the Catholic Church celebrates Saint Peter Chrysologus, a fifth-century Italian bishop known for testifying courageously to Christ's full humanity and divinity during a period of doctrinal confusion in the Church. READ

DAILY PSALM  "Holy is the Lord our God." (Psalm 99:9)  READ

DAILY READINGS  Today's Mass readings.  READ

THE CHURCH'S POWERBROKER  Bishop Spellman was a driving force for the Church in the 1900s. He rose quickly through the ranks of the Church with the help of his friends and his ability to raise money for his Diocese. He was appointed auxiliary bishop of Boston by Pope Pius XI on July 30, 1932.  READ