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PULSE POINTS:
❓What Happened: England is becoming Catholic once more as young people increasingly turn to the Roman Catholic faith over protestant Anglicanism.
👥 Who’s Involved: Roman Catholic Church, Church of England, young people in Britain.
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📍 Where & When: A survey of young practising Christians in England and Wales was released on May 8.
💬 Key Quote: “Ten years ago, numbers might have been half that.” – Catholic priest Father Kensy Joseph on attendance at a London church youth program.
⚠️ Impact: If the trend continues, practising English Catholics will outnumber Anglicans for the first time since the Protestant Reformation.
IN FULL:
An increasing number of young people in England and Wales are joining or practicing the Roman Catholic faith, with the number of practicing Catholics now exceeding the number of practicing Anglicans. A poll from YouGov reveals that young men, particularly, are flocking to the Christian faith.
The poll, commissioned by the Bible Society, shows a 56 percent rise in those attending church at least once a month. Among those aged 18 to 24, regular church attendance jumped from just four percent in 2018 to 16 percent in 2024.
The Church of England, the state religion of England, headed by King Charles III, is not where young people are going. Many are attending Roman Catholic churches to the extent that practising Catholics now outnumber Anglicans among those aged 18 to 54.
If the trend continues, practising Catholics could be a more significant bloc than Anglicans for the first time since England’s Protestant Reformation, sparked by King Henry VIII in the 1500s.
“Ten years ago, numbers might have been half that,” said Catholic priest Father Kensy Joseph, speaking of the attendance at the Farm Street church in London, which normally attracts as many as 180 people for its young adult program.
The interest in Catholicism in England comes amid a surge of adult baptisms in France this year. The country saw a record 10,384 adult baptisms at Easter last month.
Young Catholics are also increasingly interested in the traditional Latin Rite, also known as the Traditional Latin Mass (TLM), in many parts of the world. A 2023 French survey found 40 percent of young French Catholics like the TLM, while the traditionalist pilgrimage from Paris to Chartres last year saw a record 18,000 attendees.
The rise in popularity of Catholicism in some parts of Western Europe comes amid the election of Pope Leo XIV, who some are optimistic may unify the liberal and traditional wings of the Church.
PULSE POINTS:
❓What Happened: Defending Democracy Together (DDT), a Never Trump advocacy group, has expanded into a network of left-leaning political action committees (PACs), policy nonprofits, and media properties, raising at least $151 million since 2018.
👥 Who’s Involved: Former Republicans Bill Kristol and Sarah Longwell, who lead the DDT Network.
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📍 Where & When: Washington, D.C.; network activities and fundraising have been ongoing since 2018.
💬 Key Quote: The New York Times described Kristol as “someone who has probably picked over as many greenroom fruit plates as anyone in Washington.”
⚠️ Impact: The DDT Network resembles a political party infrastructure and has directed significant funds towards opposing President Donald J. Trump and supporting Democratic causes.
IN FULL:
Defending Democracy Together (DDT), a Never Trump advocacy group spearheaded by former Republicans Bill Kristol and Sarah Longwell, has evolved into a substantial network comprising left-leaning political action committees (PACs), policy nonprofits, and media entities. Since its inception in 2018, the network has successfully raised over $151 million, with its financial momentum showing no signs of slowing down. A recent report from the Capital Research Center (CRC) has revealed the Never Trump organization’s vast network of far-left funders and affiliations with a web of anti-Trump political groups.
Kristol, a veteran of Washington politics and staunch neoconservative, serves as the principal officer, while Longwell is the executive director of both Defending Democracy Together and the Defending Democracy Together Institute (DDTI). The duo also oversees the Republican Accountability PAC, a political action committee (PAC).
In 2020, the network’s efforts to defeat President Donald J. Trump were bolstered by a $10,050,000 grant from the Sixteen Thirty Fund, part of the far-left Arabella Advisors dark money network. The network’s financial transparency remains limited, with a significant portion of its backing sourced from anonymous contributions.
Prominent donors to the DDT Network include Democracy Fund Voice, backed by eBay founder Pierre Omidyar, and American Future Republic, connected to LinkedIn founder Reid Hoffman. These contributions have enabled the network to direct substantial resources towards opposing Trump and supporting Democratic candidates, with Hoffman contributing $9.5 million directly to the Republican Accountability PAC. Other significant donors to the PAC include Netflix co-founder Reed Hastings, who has given $6.9 million; John Pritzker, a San Francisco real estate mogul and member of the Pritzker family, who has contributed $3 million; and the leftist daughter-in-law of Rupert Murdoch, Kathryn Murdoch, who gave $2 million.
The DDT Network has also funneled funds into media ventures such as The Bulwark, a Never Trump website, and The Liberal Patriot, a platform that critiques the Democratic Party’s focus on “woke” culture and climate issues. Additionally, the network supports groups like George Conway‘s Society for the Rule of Law (SFL) and the Never Trump group Principles First.
Sarah Longwell’s consulting firm, Longwell Partners, has received over $21 million as a contractor for the DDT Network, suggesting the network also serves as a significant income conduit for its leaders.
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The U.S. and China agreed to suspend most tariffs for 90 days following high-stakes weekend trade negotiations in Geneva, Switzerland over the weekend.
The details: The agreement will see both nations slash their tariffs from 125 percent to 10 percent during the three-month reprieve. A separate 20 percent tariff on China for its role in the fentanyl trade will remain in place.
Your free, daily feed from The National Pulse.
- Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Sunday the talks led to “substantial progress,” and U.S. Trade Rep. Jamieson Greer added that the differences were “not as large as maybe thought.”
- China echoed the optimism, calling the pending joint statement “good news for the world.”
Markets react: U.S. stock futures surged, with the tech-heavy NASDAQ rising more than three percent. The dollar and bonds also jumped.
Trump reacts: President Trump struck an optimistic tone on Sunday, writing:
- “A very good meeting today with China, in Switzerland. Many things discussed, much agreed to. A total reset negotiated in a friendly, but constructive, manner. We want to see, for the good of both China and the U.S., an opening up of China to American business. GREAT PROGRESS MADE!!!”
What happens next? Talks will continue, led by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng.
These terms go into effect on Wednesday.
Peace is in the air: Over the weekend, President Trump also announced that India and Pakistan agreed to a “full and immediate ceasefire” following negotiations mediated by the United States.
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The U.S. and China agreed to suspend most tariffs for 90 days following high-stakes weekend trade negotiations in Geneva, Switzerland over the weekend. show more
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