CATHOLIC // Some Notre Dame students are planning on walking out during Vice President’s speech during commencement on Sunday. The organizers claim that they are doing the walkout in “solidarity with all marginalized people affected by Pence’s politics.” http://cvote.it/2q2b14L
RUSSIA // Trump says he ‘respects’ the decision to appoint a special counsel, but he regarded the media attacks as a ‘witch hunt.’ Regarding the allegations on a connection between Russia and his campaign, Trump said: “There was no collusion, and everybody — even my enemies have said there is no collusion.” http://cvote.it/2q1ZGBK
QUOTE OF THE WEEK // “The great challenge is that of winning people’s minds and hearts for their faith. Once they practice their faith, they love their religious freedom. And once they love their religious freedom, they expect more from their government in defending it,” said Archbishop William Lori, chairman of the Bishops’ Ad Hoc Committee for Religious Liberty. http://cvote.it/2q2gDfl
HEALTH CARE // Two weeks after the House passed the health care bill, they still haven’t actually sent the bill over to the Senate yet. That’s because they are waiting for the Congressional Budget Office to calculate how it would affect the deficit — which is crucial to ensure it can pass the Senate with a simple majority vote. It’s possible the House might have to vote again, to tweak the bill. http://cvote.it/2q2b5ld
MEDIA // Roger Ailes, who made Fox News into an empire, has died at age 77. He was removed from Fox News last year in the wake of sexual harassment allegations. His death comes at a time of great turmoil for conservative journalism. http://cvote.it/2q29H23
OIL // OPEC is effectively dead. And the worldwide collapse in the price of oil has plunged Saudi Arabia, Venezuela, and Russia into economic crises. http://cvote.it/2q2aikd
ABORTION // After state budget cuts, Planned Parenthood announced it would close 4 of their 12 facilities in Iowa. http://cvote.it/2q2hLjj
EDUCATION // The Trump administration is considering several different school choice proposals. Catholic education experts prefer tax-credit scholarship programs. “People donate to an organization; they get their tax break; a kid gets a scholarship,” said Sr. Dale McDonald. http://cvote.it/2q2dzQH
CATHOLIC // The first Catholic church in 60 years is being built in Cuba. http://cvote.it/2q2gb0P
CATHOLIC // The war-torn city of Aleppo, Syria, was consecrated to Our Lady of Fatima on the 100th anniversary of the first apparition. http://cvote.it/2qxAiaG
SAINT // Theophilus of Corte – http://cvote.it/dailysaint
DAILY MASS // “I will give you thanks among the peoples, O Lord.” (Ps 57:10) – http://cvote.it/Daily-Readings
HUMOR //