
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 6 |
ANONYMOUS WHITE HOUSE OFFICIAL The New York Times published an anonymous op-ed from someone who claims to be working in the Trump White House. The mystery author describes how he (or she?) works with other staffers to frustrate the president’s agenda and “his worst inclinations.” President Trump fired back at the New York Times and demanded that the paper disclose the identity of the unnamed official for national security reasons. READ |
KAVANAUGH HEARINGS The second day of Kavanaugh featured more interruptions by hecklers from the audience. But the day featured several exchanges between senators and Judge Kavanaugh on topics like gun control, the travel ban, and the Russian probe led by Special Counsel Robert Mueller. READ |
FEINSTEIN FOCUSES ON ABORTION Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-CA, erroneously claimed that between “200,000 and 1.2 million” women died from illegal abortions before the 1973 Supreme Court decision which forced all 50 states to legalize abortion. READ |
KAVANAUGH ON ABORTION Democratic senators questioned Judge Kavanaugh about a ruling that stated a teen who entered the country illegally and was under government custody must be transported to an abortion facility. Judge Kavanaugh said Supreme Court precedents have acknowledged that states have the ability to enact regulations on abortion like waiting periods. “I was trying to follow precedent from the Supreme Court which allows some delays in the abortion procedure to parental consent requirements,” Kavanaugh said at the hearing. READ |
CATHOLICISM AND CONFIRMATION HEARINGS The Nation is a left-wing publication and they have just published a long article lamenting how Democratic senators don’t go ask tough questions on gays and abortion because of fear they will be labeled anti-religious bigots. “In emphasizing his Catholic faith, Kavanaugh had perfectly teed up conservative activists to launch a preemptive attack on anyone who might question his views on abortion, LGBTQ issues, and religious liberty. Within hours of his nomination, one conservative Catholic advocacy organization, Catholic Vote, which claims nearly half a million lay Catholics as members, declared Catholic voters to be ‘thrilled’ with the pick, but warned that they would be vigilant for ‘any whiff of anti-Catholic bigotry’ in the confirmation process,” wrote Sarah Posner for The Nation. READ |
HECKLER VS. AUCTIONEER A heckler interrupted Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey during his testimony at the House Commerce Committee. So Rep. Billy Long, R-MO, grabbed the microphone and put his skills as an auctioneer into practice, drowning out the heckler. WATCH |
TRUMP ON CHURCH SCANDAL President Trump was asked what he thought about the sex abuse scandal roiling the Catholic Church. “It’s so sad to watch… the numbers, the length of time, you know, going back 70 years, I think it’s having a really negative impact on the Catholic Church. … “To me it’s one of the sadder stories ’cause I respect so much the Catholic Church. And to me it’s a very sad story.” Trump added: “The Pope is handling it, I guess the best anyone can handle it.” READ |
“EXPLORING” AT GEORGETOWN Students who are committed to “exploring” their sexuality and gender have a new living space on campus called Crossroads. Amelia Irvine, a Georgetown University student, wonders why the Catholic university has a new “LGBTQ living space.” She writes: “Intersectional indoctrination should not be the goal of any university program, much less one at a Catholic and Jesuit school.” READ |
“REMOVE MY NAME” The former president of Marquette University asks the school to remove his name off a new residence hall because of how he mishandled accusations of sexual abuse when he served as provincial superior for the Jesuits in Chicago. “During my six years in office, accusations of sexual abuse of minors were lodged against three of our members. Looking back, I would have handled certain aspects of those cases rather differently than I did then,” said Fr. Robert Wild. READ |
QUOTE OF THE DAY “The media/Democratic/NeverTrump/Resistance argument that Donald Trump is a uniquely uncivil monster in a sea of bipartisan decorum is a much harder sell for people who observe, for example, the tantrums going down at the Kavanaugh hearings. Or anything else in this town.” Mollie Hemingway |
SAINT QUOTE “We always find that those who walked closest to Christ were those who had to bear the greatest trials.” –Saint Teresa of Avila |
SAINT OF THE DAY Blessed Claudio was the youngest of nine children whose father died when Claudio was only nine years old. At the age of 15 he entered the army where he served for three years. Eventually, he joined the Franciscans and was known for his artistic abilities. READ |
DAILY READINGS “To the Lord belongs the earth and all that fills it.” (Ps 24:1) READ |
INTERCESSION It’s time to pray to Mary, Exterminatrix of All Heresies. READ |