WEEKEND LOOP: Key Democrat opposes DC statehood

SATURDAY, MAY 1 — FEAST OF ST. JOSEPH THE WORKER

MANCHIN PANS DC STATEHOOD & HR1  Sen. Joe Manchin, D-WV, a key moderate Democratic vote in the 50-50 Senate, said he would not support statehood for Washington, DC, unless done via constitutional amendment – crushing liberal hopes of adding two seats in the Senate. Manchin also said “I would vote ‘no’” on the Democrats’ sweeping election bill, which would ban states from requiring ID to vote.  READ

PRO-LIFE DECLARATION WITHDRAWN  The Biden administration informed the UN that the United States has withdrawn from a historic pro-life declaration started by the Trump administration. The Biden administration informed the other 34 countries who signed the document: “Upon reviewing the Declaration, we have reservations that aspects of the document are not consistent with our current Administration’s policies, including those relating to women’s health, LGBTQI equality, and gender equality.”  READ

FLORIDA VS BIG TECH  The Florida Legislature passed a bill this week that would forbid social media companies like Facebook or Twitter to ban elected officials from communicating on their platforms. The move comes three months after Twitter and YouTube banned former President Trump. Gov. Ron DeSantis, R-FL, has pledged to sign the bill, which is now headed to his desk.  READ

DOWNPLAYING RELIGIOUS FREEDOM  The watchdog group International Christian Concern warns that a rise in international religious persecution is expected as the Biden administration shifts focus away from international religious freedom. In March, Secretary of State Antony Blinken overturned an order from the Trump administration that required agencies to “prioritize international religious freedom.” Olivia Enos of the Heritage Foundation said, “I think it would be a huge mistake for the Biden administration not to build momentum from the work done by the Trump administration to promote religious freedom.”  READ

BIDEN, ABORTION, AND “FAITH”  CatholicVote President Brian Burch spoke with Newsmax on the scandal of politicians who support abortion while claiming to be devout Catholics. ”On no other issue except abortion do they ‘silo’ themselves and not apply their ‘personal’ views to public policy” while at the same time “holding themselves out as devout,” said Burch. “Biden and other Catholic Democrats play us for fools.”  READ

MEDIA ANALYSIS  The 46th president has experienced an extended honeymoon from the mainstream media. Here are ten times in the first 100 days when the media completely fawned over President Biden.  READ

BELLWETHER COUNTY  A recent media profile of a Pennsylvania swing county suggests voters are ambivalent about the Biden administration’s record after 100 days. Northampton County “is one of just 25 counties (out of more than 3,000) that backed former President Barack Obama twice, Mr. Trump in 2016 and Mr. Biden in 2020,” WSJ reported. The county also “had one of the nation’s narrowest margins in November’s election.”  READ

QUOTE OF THE WEEK  “Do not take your freedom for granted. Nor the freedom of others. Your freedom was not given. It was paid by those who gave their lives for it.” —Rob Schneider   LINK

AMERICAN FAMILIES PLAN  Pro-family advocates are warning that the Biden administration’s “American Families Plan” is set to disincentivize marriage and childrearing while allowing government systems to “take over” the family. “While there are good things in this plan, it is essentially a government takeover of family,” tweeted American Principles Project President Terry Schilling Wednesday. “The plan incentivizes parents to spend less time with their children and will further delay marriage and births.”  READ

DEEP DIVE  One of our favorite writers is Carrie Gress. There’s quite a bit of buzz on her newest article: “Why the Cultural Assault on Natural Womanhood Robs Women of Fulfillment.”  READ

CATHOLICISM & ECONOMICS  Thirty years ago today, Pope John Paul II issued a landmark encyclical on economics called Centesimus Annus. Catholic scholar Stephen White notes that John Paul recognized that socialism had a fundamental error in reducing the human person to a cog in a machine that denied the transcendent destiny of every person. But the pope also warned: “[I]nsofar as [the affluent society] denies an autonomous existence and value to morality, law, culture and religion, it agrees with Marxism, in the sense that it totally reduces man to the sphere of economics and the satisfaction of material needs.”  READ

FATHER, HUSBAND, WORKER  In the spirit of St. Joseph the Worker, here is one man’s reflection on the balance between work and family. Drawing guidance from St. John Paul II’s Familiaris Consortio and the Catechism, he explains how work and family are not opposing forces, but that the key is in their right order and relationship. And he offers 3 specific tips for attending to both work and family.  READ

SPRING CLEANING RUGS  To have a rug or not have a rug in the dining room? On the one hand, it looks beautiful and dampens sound. On the other hand, it becomes the hall of fame for your family’s most epic spills. Try machine-washable rugs. And not just for the dining room, but the one by the kitchen sink, the one bearing years of tread in the hallway, and the one, of course, in the mudroom. Here’s a list of great machine-washable rugs for every room in your house.  READ

A CULINARY JOURNEY  Check out Theology of Home’s guide for charcuterie. If you’re not familiar, it’s the assortment of meats, cheeses, breads/crackers, spreads, and other items usually served on a butcher’s board. While rather trendy these days, it’s a classic dish to master for many uses. Think: a welcoming appetizer for guests, a lighter replacement for heavy meals in summertime, a healthier snack alternative to chips and candy, and a super fun experience of food-pairing and creativity.  READ

MOTHER’S DAY GIFT GUIDE  May means… Mother’s Day! Here’s a great guide for meaningful Mother’s Day gifts. Whether “meaningful” means preserving memories, a little luxury, something beautiful, or something delicious, you’re bound to find something good here.  READ

MAKE SUNDAY HOLY  Bishop Thomas Olmsted makes a plea to restore the sanctity of Sundays: “My brothers and sisters in Christ: I realize that for some of us, Sunday has become just another day among others, the second part of the weekend. Most especially during this pandemic, reverence for the Lord’s Day has diminished or been given less prominence. Does this sound like you? If so, let me offer some suggestions for making Sunday feel like Sunday again.”  WATCH

CATHOLIC 101  Today is May Day—a holiday chosen by Communists to celebrate International Workers’ Day, and, in response, a day chosen by Pope Pius XII as the Feast of St. Joseph the Worker. Here is a little history on the competition over this first day of May, and the two fundamentally different ideas of work espoused by our current political leaders.  READ

HOW TO LIVESTREAM SUNDAY MASS
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SATURDAY’S SAINT  Pope Pius XII emphasized both Catholic devotion to Saint Joseph and the dignity of human labor when he created the celebration of Saint Joseph the Worker. Work, as our Church teaches, should always be for the good and benefit of humanity. Saint Joseph is our model and patron in our work endeavors.  READ

SATURDAY’S PSALM  “Lord, give success to the work of our hands.” (Psalm 90:17)  READ

SATURDAY’S READINGS  Today’s Mass readings  READ

SUNDAY’S PSALM  “I will praise you, Lord, in the assembly of your people.” (Psalm 22:26)  READ

SUNDAY’S READINGS  Tomorrow’s Mass readings  READ

ANSWER TO THE TRIVIA  Sen. Joe Manchin, D-WV, lives in a boat while the Senate is in session in Washington, DC.  

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DEVOTION  Here are five ways your family can honor Mary in the month of May.  SHARE