LOOP: Pope mourns victims of Congo Catholic church massacre

TUESDAY, JULY 29 POPE LEO MOURNS CHRISTIAN VICTIMS OF MASSACRE IN DRC Pope Leo XIV expressed "consternation and deep affliction" in a telegram responding to the deadly attack on Blessed Anuarite Parish in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Armed assailants killed dozens in the Sunday attack. The Holy Father assured victims' families and the Christian community of his "closeness and prayer."  READ TRUMP ADMIN REINFORCES RIGHT TO SHOW FAITH AT WORK  The Trump administration yesterday issued new guidance affirming that federal employees may openly express their religious beliefs at work — including praying with others, sharing their faith, and displaying religious symbols in their offices. CatholicVote President Kelsey Reinhardt praised the move as "a restoration of our most fundamental freedoms."  READ TRUMP ACKNOWLEDGES STARVATION OF CHILDREN IN GAZA  President Donald Trump pledged July 28 to work with European allies to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza, breaking with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu by acknowledging "real starvation" among children in the region. READ RADICAL ISRAELI SETTLERS REPORTEDLY ATTACK TAYBEH AGAIN  A group of extremist Israeli settlers reportedly launched another attack on the Christian village of Taybeh in the West Bank at approximately 2 a.m. local time yesterday morning, throwing stones at several homes and attempting to set one on fire. The news comes after several weeks of mounting violence against residents of Taybeh, the only all-Christian town in the Holy Land. READ MASSIVE FORMER ABORTION FACILITY TO CLOSE  Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast (PPGC) will close two of its Houston facilities — one of which was formerly the largest abortion facility in the US — at the end of September in an organization restructuring that is partly due to increased expenses and workforce shortages. READ GOP CONGRESSMAN MOVES TO SAVE POPE'S US CITIZENSHIP  Republican Rep. Jeff Hurd of Colorado introduced a bill earlier this month to protect Pope Leo's American citizenship amid questions over whether he could be required to give it up under US law due to his status as a head of state.  READ   RESPECTED CANON LAWYER 3rd TO BE FIRED BY DETROIT ARCHBISHOP  Ed Peters, a prominent US canon lawyer, was dismissed from his position as professor and Edmund Cardinal Szoka Chair of Faculty Development at Sacred Heart Seminary last week, marking the third such unexplained firing by Archbishop Edward Weisenburger.  READ AD: AN UNBORN STORY  Enchanting illustration and heartfelt verse reveal Jellybean's journey from Mom's womb to God's arms. Consoles siblings and parents. GET 'JELLYBEAN' TODAY GERMAN PRIEST CUTS TIES WITH DIOCESE OVER LIBERAL PUSH  A Catholic priest in Germany has publicly announced that he is no longer affiliated with his diocese, stating that its support of Fiducia supplicans and same-sex unions influenced his decision.  READ CATHOLIC YOUTH BUCK SECULARIST TRENDS  Journalist Rod Dreher recently offered an eyewitness look at a striking religious revival among young French Catholics. His account followed 20,000 mostly young pilgrims in June as they journeyed on foot from Paris to Chartres — a demanding, 62-mile trek marked by prayer, chanting, and devotion to traditional Catholic worship.  READ BONUS NEWS...  Here are the stories we couldn't fit in today's LOOP: •    A new WSJ poll found Americans trust Republicans over Dems in Congress. READ •    A Polish priest confessed to killing a homeless man. READ •    Wyoming's Highway Patrol has partnered with ICE to target illegal migrants.  READ 4 WAYS TO GET THE KIDS READY FOR SCHOOL  As we near the end of the dog days, it's time to start gearing up for a return to school. The anticipation of a new school year is an exciting time for children, but may come with some apprehension as well. Help your children feel ready and enthusiastic for their school year with these four back-to-school preparations.  READ CATHOLIC 101  To be on "mission" is so often described by where one goes or what one does. But at its heart, mission is a way of being. That's how a saint like Therese of Lisieux can become patron of missionaries without leaving one building or publishing a single document in her lifetime. This article illustrates what this inner meaning of mission looks like.  READ SAINT OF THE DAY  Today, the Church honors Saint Martha, the sister of Mary and Lazarus. Luke 10:38-42 recounts Jesus' visit to Martha and Mary's home and Martha's anxiety about serving Him. John 12:1-9 tells of Jesus reclining with the three siblings at dinner and simply states that "Martha served." READ DAILY PSALM  "The Lord is kind and merciful." (Psalm 103:8)  READ DAILY READINGS  Today's Mass readings.  READ CHINA'S AMERICAN BISHOP  The heroic Bishop James Edward Walsh spent his life serving the people of Communist China as a Maryknoll missionary. After years of serving in China without issue, Walsh was arrested by communist government forces that were attempting to purge China of foreign and Christian influences. Walsh was held captive for 12 years before his release.  READ Paid for by CatholicVote Civic Action, a 501(c)(4) organization. Update your email preferences or unsubscribe here. CATHOLICVOTE  |  PO Box 3310  |  Carmel, IN 46082  |  (317) 669-6127