President Trump proposes a temporary cap on credit card interest rates at 10%. What does this mean, and who does it help? Meanwhile, anti-ICE protests continue to spread nationwide with new footage arising. Who is behind all this? And finally, Pope Leo baptizes 20 infants in the Sistine Chapel. All this and more on the LOOPcast!

Timestamps:

00:00 Welcome to the LOOPcast
03:01 Trump Announces Cap on Credit Card Interest Rates
31:59 DOJ Probe into Powell
40:42 Anti-ICE Protests
54:38 Good News
1:04:10 Twilight Zone
1:15:30 Closing Prayer

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O Mother Bourgeoys, you, whose compassionate power is ever increasing, show us your way of Truth, Faith and Holiness. Make us humble enough to abandon ourselves to the Will of God, generous enough to find in the Cross the joy of the Loving Giver. May your fidelity to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament lead us ever nearer to this source of light and peace. May your spirit of openness help us to be concerned for our brothers and sisters throughout the world. Finally, may Our Lady of the Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, bring us to this unity of eternal grace to which God has called you for all eternity. Amen.

All opinions expressed on LOOPcast by the participants are their own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of CatholicVote.

What really happened in the fatal Minneapolis ICE shooting? We break down the verified facts, the competing narratives, and the growing political fallout as protests spread across the nation. Meanwhile, Pope Leo delivers one of his strongest condemnations yet of surrogacy. And finally, the federal government unveils a new food pyramid that could reshape school lunches, SNAP benefits, and public health policy. All this and more on the LOOPcast!

Timestamps:

00:00 Welcome to the LOOPcast
03:37 Minneapolis ICE Shooting
34:29 Trump’s Move for Single-Family Homes
45:34 New Food Pyramid
55:45 Good News
01:07:27 Twilight Zone
01:18:35 Closing Prayer

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O Glorious Saint Joseph, model of all those who are devoted to labor, obtain for me the grace to work in a spirit of penance for the expiation of my many sins; to work conscientiously, putting the call of duty above my natural inclinations; to work with thankfulness and joy, considering it an honor to employ and develop by means of labor the gifts received from God; to work with order, peace, moderation and patience, never shrinking from weariness and trials; to work above all with purity of intention and detachment from self, keeping unceasingly before my eyes death and the account that I must give of time lost, talents unused, good omitted, and vain complacency in success, so fatal to the work of God.

All for Jesus, all through Mary, all after thy example, O Patriarch, Saint Joseph. Such shall be my watch-word in life and in death. Amen.

All opinions expressed on LOOPcast by the participants are their own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of CatholicVote.

American college students can’t do basic math – and the problem didn’t start in college. In this episode of The Deep, Erika breaks down shocking new data from UC San Diego, exposes how grade inflation and dishonest standards hollowed out education, and explores whether the “Mississippi Miracle” is the solution to America’s math crisis.

Timestamps:

0:00 - Intro: college freshman lack high-school math skills
2:33 - What the UCSD report uncovered
4:18 - Standardized tests and grade inflation
7:18 - The system is broken
10:07 - Getting at the root to solve the math crisis
13:35 - Conclusion: putting the soul back in education

Sources:

Bloom, Allan. The Closing of the American Mind. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1987.

Horowitch, Rose. 2025. “American Kids Can’t Do Math Anymore.” The Atlantic, November 19, 2025. Accessed December 5, 2025. https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/11/math-decline-ucsd/684973/.

Piper, Kelsey. 2025. “When Grades Stop Meaning Anything.” The Argument, November 18, 2025. Accessed December 5, 2025. https://www.theargumentmag.com/p/when-grades-stop-meaning-anything. theargumentmag.com

Rawat, Saannidhya, and Vikram K. Suresh. 2024. GPT Takes the SAT: Tracing Changes in Test Difficulty and Students’ Math Performance. SSRN Working Paper, August 3, 2024. Accessed December 5, 2025. https://papers.ssrn.com/abstract=4915452. SSRN

Salzman, Matthew, and Tyler Cowen. 2024. “Math, SAT Scores May Be Doing Worse Than We Had Thought.” Marginal Revolution, August 2024. Accessed December 5, 2025. https://marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevolution/2024/08/math-sat-scores-may-be-doing-worse-than-we-had-thought.html.

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What does President Trump actually want from Venezuela, and is Greenland next in line? We break down the strategic, economic, and geopolitical stakes behind the headlines. Meanwhile, priests in Charlotte are raising serious concerns and taking them directly to the Vatican. And finally, we reveal the truth behind a bizarre Hilton ICE scandal that exploded online. All this and more on the LOOPcast!

Timestamps:

00:00 Welcome to the LOOPcast
03:25 Venezuela + Greenland
35:36 What is Trump Doing With the Hyde Amendment?
47:53 Good News
55:27 Something Rare Happened in the Charlotte Diocese
01:13:00 Twilight Zone
01:27:28 Closing Prayer

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Daily Prayer:
Soul of Christ, sanctify me.
Body of Christ, save me.
Blood of Christ, inebriate me.
Water from the side of Christ, wash me.
Passion of Christ, strengthen me.
O Good Jesus, hear me.
Within your wounds hide me.
Permit me not to be separated from you.
From the wicked foe, defend me.
At the hour of my death, call me
and bid me come to you
That with your saints I may praise you
For ever and ever. Amen.

All opinions expressed on LOOPcast by the participants are their own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of CatholicVote.

The United States captures Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in a stunning overnight operation, sending shockwaves across the globe and raising massive questions about sovereignty, precedent, and what comes next for Venezuela. We break down how it happened, why now, and what this means for America. All this and more on the LOOPcast!

Timestamps:

00:00 Welcome to the LOOPcast
02:25 Operation Absolute Resolve - US Captures Maduro
31:34 What’s the plan for Venezuela moving forward?
38:05 Good News
47:30 Twilight Zone
57:21 Closing Prayer

EMAIL US: loopcast@catholicvote.org
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All opinions expressed on LOOPcast by the participants are their own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of CatholicVote.

Zohran Mamdani is sworn in as New York City’s mayor in a historic and controversial inauguration—what his speech reveals about the future of progressive politics. Meanwhile, after the chaos in Minnesota, new fraud revelations continue to emerge, raising serious questions about oversight and taxpayer dollars. And finally, the New York Times appears to suddenly “discover” ICE, reigniting debate over immigration enforcement and media narratives. All this and more, LIVE on the LOOPcast.

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 Welcome to the LOOPcast
03:27 First Friday Devotion
06:36 Zohran Mamdani Sworn In
35:10 Fraud, Fraud, and More Fraud
52:30 Good News
1:03:27 Twilight Zone
1:16:07 Closing Prayer

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All opinions expressed on LOOPcast by the participants are their own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of CatholicVote.

Eternal rest grant unto [MICAH JOSEPH KIM], O Lord,

and let perpetual light shine upon him.

May his soul and the souls of all the faithful departed,

through the mercy of God, rest in peace.

Amen

It's been a wild ride. A recap on the biggest stories from 2025: Trump, Charlie Kirk, Pope Leo, and more! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

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EMAIL US: loopcast@catholicvote.org

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Remember us, O God;

from age to age be our comforter.

You have given us the wonder of time,

blessings in days and nights, seasons and years.

Bless your children at the turning of the year

and fill the months ahead with the bright hope

that is ours in the coming of Christ.

You are our God, living and reigning, forever and ever.

Amen.

All opinions expressed on LOOPcast by the participants are their own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of CatholicVote.

Erika looks back on everything she read in 2025 – American history, satire, murder mysteries, and children’s classics—while juggling motherhood, work, and ten-minute reading windows. This year-end book roundup considers what our reading habits reveal about attention, endurance, and staying human in a distracted age.

Timestamps:

0:00 - Intro
1:33 - The Civil War: A Narrative — Shelby Foote
2:57 - Jayber Crowe — Wendell Berry
4:28 - Martyrs of the 20th Century — Robert Royal
4:59 - Blood and Thunder: An Epic of the American West — Hampton Sides
5:55 - Death Comes for the Archbishop — Willa Cather
6:32 - Dominion — Tom Holland
7:37 - Scoop — Evelyn Waugh
8:42 - Tiger in the Smoke — Margery Allingham
9:14 - Against the Machine — Paul Kingsnorth
11:07 - Advent Homilies — John Henry Newman
11:40 - Children’s Books (Rapid-Fire)
12:59 - Conclusion

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