Rise Right

June 26th, 2026 - Happy feast of Ss. John & Paul, Vigilius of Trent, and Josemaria Escrivá!
The Supreme Court handed the Trump administration two major immigration victories yesterday, clearing the way for officials to end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for nationals of Haiti and Syria and upholding the government’s authority to turn back some asylum seekers before they physically reach U.S. soil. A federal judge in Massachusetts yesterday struck down key portions of President Donald Trump's executive order seeking to create a federal voter eligibility database. Vice President JD Vance said talks with Iran have already produced breakthroughs, including a direct communication channel between CENTCOM and the Iranian military to avert future conflicts. A landmark First Amendment case over abortion pill reversal opened for trial in the California Superior Court this week. The state is seeking nearly $20 million in penalties against Heartbeat International, a pro-life nonprofit that operates crisis pregnancy centers. Venezuela's health ministry has raised the earthquake death toll to at least 235. Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar of Israel is requesting the Israeli Government to officially recognize the Armenian Genocide. Several Pennsylvania Catholic dioceses are urging the faithful to contact lawmakers and oppose H.B. 2632, legislation they say would jeopardize access to Catholic education for thousands of students. 
Rise Right is a live morning program hosted by Sarah Cain & Jakob Martin Kraft, designed to help Catholics begin their day grounded in faith, clarity, and peace. The goal is simple: help listeners start their day well. Stay rooted in prayer, informed about the world, and able to face each day with joy and reason.
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June 25th, 2026 - Happy feast of St. William the Abbot!
At least 164 have been killed and hundreds more injured after two significant earthquakes struck Venezuela, collapsing multiple buildings and causing widespread damage in the capital, Caracas, and elsewhere. The casualty toll is expected to rise. Multiple countries have pledged aid, including the US, Israel, El Salvador, Ecuador, and Chile. A federal judge yesterday blocked key provisions of President Donald Trump's executive order aimed at tightening federal election rules, including a directive requiring voters to provide documentation proving U.S. citizenship when they register to vote. In its final act before leaving Washington, D.C. for an over two-week break, the Senate rejected Democrats’ attempt to rein in Trump’s war powers in Iran as talks continue between Iran and the U.S. to hammer out a long-term peace deal. Trump yesterday canceled a planned signing ceremony for a major bipartisan housing affordability bill, saying he would delay action on the measure until the Senate passes the SAVE Act. After years of growing support for LGBT issues, a recent Gallup poll shows U.S. public opinion has shifted modestly in the other direction. The head of the U.S. Postal Service testified yesterday that USPS will not deliver mail-in ballots in states that refuse to hand over voter rolls tied to absentee ballot distribution in keeping with an election integrity order from President Donald Trump. The Priestly Society of St. Pius X (SSPX) has issued an open letter to Pope Leo XIV and the College of Cardinals accompanied by a 28-page profession of faith, just days before the society plans to consecrate new bishops without the Holy See’s permission. Dominion voting systems agreed to drop a $1.3 billion defamation lawsuit against Mike Lindell (the MyPillow guy), for his claims that Dominion machines enabled the stealing of the 2020 election.
Rise Right is a live morning program hosted by Sarah Cain & Jakob Martin Kraft, designed to help Catholics begin their day grounded in faith, clarity, and peace. The goal is simple: help listeners start their day well. Stay rooted in prayer, informed about the world, and able to face each day with joy and reason.
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June 24th, 2026 - Happy feast of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist!
Multiple socialist candidates endorsed by Zohran Mamdani won their Democrat primaries in New York last night, among them Claire Valdez, who has called for a Trans Bill of Rights, national rent control, and unlimited refugees. The Department of Health and Human Services is preparing to terminate $67 million in teen pregnancy prevention grants due to a department review. The Trump administration saw two immigration enforcement victories yesterday: The Supreme Court ruled that green card holders can lose their admission status based on pending criminal charges and the D.C. Circuit cleared the way for nationwide expedited removal of noncitizens. A United Nations inquiry accused Israeli authorities and security forces of deliberately targeting Palestinian children in Gaza, concluding that the alleged conduct amounted to genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes. The Vatican Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments told the president of the German Bishops’ Conference that laypeople may not, even in exceptional circumstances, give the homily during Mass. Controversy recently erupted after Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia, former head of the John Paul II Institute on Marriage and Family Life, said that the changes he made during his tenure aimed to start a “profound reform” of the idea of natural law. Pete Hegseth has requested General CD Donahue, the top U.S. Army officer in Europe, to resign. Donahue will reportedly resign today. Donahue has been critical of the lack of U.S. assistance to Ukraine; he was the last U.S. soldier to depart Afghanistan in 2021.
Rise Right is a live morning program hosted by Sarah Cain & Jakob Martin Kraft, designed to help Catholics begin their day grounded in faith, clarity, and peace. The goal is simple: help listeners start their day well. Stay rooted in prayer, informed about the world, and able to face each day with joy and reason.
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June 23rd, 2026 - Happy St. John's Eve and the feast of St. Giuseppe Cafasso!
Major League Baseball appears to be backtracking regarding the San Francisco Giants players who wrote Bible verses on their Pride Night caps. The players will not face discipline. Federal Judge Sparkle Sooknanan yesterday blocked the Trump administration’s creation of a citizen database to ensure no noncitizens could vote in U.S. elections. Cardinal Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, and Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem (Theophilos III) arrived in Gaza yesterday for a pastoral visit. Cardinal Pizzaballa spoke of “the pastoral responsibility of the Churches of Jerusalem toward the local churches and toward the whole population of Gaza”. Bishop Daniel Thomas of the U.S. Bishops' pro-life committee marked the fourth anniversary of the overturning of Roe v. Wade yesterday by warning that the pro-life victory "risks being undone by the massive influx of abortion pills" that federal law continues to allow under the Trump administration. Pope Leo XIV sent a message to participants in the Franciscan University of Steubenville’s Summer Youth Conferences, telling young people that true joy and peace will not be found in “doom scrolling”. 
Rise Right is a live morning program hosted by Sarah Cain & Jakob Martin Kraft, designed to help Catholics begin their day grounded in faith, clarity, and peace. The goal is simple: help listeners start their day well. Stay rooted in prayer, informed about the world, and able to face each day with joy and reason.
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June 22nd, 2026 - Happy feast of Ss. Alban, John Fisher and Thomas More!
Pakistan and Qatar, the two countries mediating talks between the U.S. and Iran, announced that the nations have formed an oversight committee and agreed to a “roadmap towards reaching a final deal within 60 days”. Tickets for the Sept. 24 beatification Mass of Ven. Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen are available this week. The number of countries experiencing high or very high levels of religious social hostility increased for the third consecutive year, according to a new report released by the Pew Research Center. British PM Kier Starmer announced his resignation. He hopes a replacement Labour leader can be chosen and appointed by the end of the summer. The Labour Party’s National Executive Committee will open nominations on July 9th. The DOJ is challenging a New York law in court, which mandates long-term care facilities to house transgenders based on so-called “gender identity.”
Rise Right is a live morning program hosted by Sarah Cain & Jakob Martin Kraft, designed to help Catholics begin their day grounded in faith, clarity, and peace. The goal is simple: help listeners start their day well. Stay rooted in prayer, informed about the world, and able to face each day with joy and reason.
RiseRight.org

June 19th, 2026 - Happy feasts of Ss. Romuald & Juliana Falconieri!
President Donald Trump yesterday renewed his call for peace across the Middle East, urging all parties to uphold ongoing negotiations as Israel moved to deepen its military presence inside southern Lebanon. Israel has carried out dozens of airstrikes on Lebanon in the past few hours, with one Israeli minister declaring: “For each tear an Israeli mother sheds, a thousand Lebanese mothers must cry. All of Lebanon must burn.” Vice President JD Vance warned Israeli critics of the U.S.-Iran nuclear agreement yesterday, saying President Donald Trump is "the only head of state in the entire world who is sympathetic to the nation of Israel at this moment in time." Pope Leo approved updated governing rules for the Vatican's child protection commission, replacing the original 2015 statutes with new measures meant to strengthen safety, boost accountability, and better integrate the body into the broader Roman Curia. The Department of Justice warned Major League Baseball (MLB) that it may have violated federal civil rights law by threatening to discipline San Francisco Giants pitchers who wrote Bible verses on their Pride Night caps. The Archdiocese of San Francisco issued a statement backing the three Giants pitchers who wrote a Genesis reference on their rainbow Pride Night caps, saying athletes "should not be asked to check their faith at the clubhouse door." Kaiser Permanente has agreed to implement corrective measures to resolve religious discrimination charges surrounding their denying of religious exemptions to employees who refused the COVID-19 vaccine.
Rise Right is a live morning program hosted by Sarah Cain & Jakob Martin Kraft, designed to help Catholics begin their day grounded in faith, clarity, and peace. The goal is simple: help listeners start their day well. Stay rooted in prayer, informed about the world, and able to face each day with joy and reason.
RiseRight.org

June 18th, 2026 - Happy feast of St. Ephrem the Syrian!
President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance signed a preliminary U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding while attending the Group of Seven summit in France, the White House announced, even as Israel signaled it would not abide by key provisions calling for an end to military operations in Lebanon. The Holy Father has praised the upcoming agreement, stating, “I welcome with satisfaction the agreement reached between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States of America, which is to be signed on Friday, as an encouraging outcome of patient dialogue and negotiation.” Archbishop Hubertus van Megen touched down in Berlin this week to begin his new assignment as the apostolic nuncio to Germany – pray for him! A Louisiana teenager and her baby survived after she was given abortion drugs without her consent and delivered the child at 23 weeks gestation. A Christian high school student who honored Charlie Kirk with a Bible verse on a boulder used to share messages on campus has been officially exonerated after a legal battle over free speech and religious expression. More details are still emerging over the planned attack at the UFC event that President Trump and others are attending. The conspirators allegedly planned to deploy drones armed with explosives in and around the UFC Freedom 250 event before shooting at those fleeing.
Rise Right is a live morning program hosted by Sarah Cain & Jakob Martin Kraft, designed to help Catholics begin their day grounded in faith, clarity, and peace. The goal is simple: help listeners start their day well. Stay rooted in prayer, informed about the world, and able to face each day with joy and reason.
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June 17th, 2026 - Happy feast of St. Botulph!
Pope Leo said yesterday he may still attempt once more to convince the leadership of the Society of St. Pius X (SSPX) to reverse course on the illicit episcopal ordinations that the Vatican has said would result in excommunication. An independent British inquiry released a 219-page report yesterday, concluding that organized networks of predominantly Pakistani Muslim men sexually exploited as many as 250,000 girls and women across the United Kingdom over several decades while police, social workers, and politicians repeatedly failed to intervene or suppressed evidence of abuse. Jeremy Clarkson, a British television legend and the former face of “Top Gear”, has revealed a prostate cancer diagnosis, saying the cancer is aggressive, but was caught early, and treatment begins soon. Major League Baseball (MLB) told three San Francisco Giants pitchers they had violated uniform rules after they wrote Bible verses on their "Pride Night" caps during a June 12 game. The Trump Administration is continuing to increase sanctions on Cuba, which is being felt by those who live on the island. 
Rise Right is a live morning program hosted by Sarah Cain & Jakob Martin Kraft, designed to help Catholics begin their day grounded in faith, clarity, and peace. The goal is simple: help listeners start their day well. Stay rooted in prayer, informed about the world, and able to face each day with joy and reason.
RiseRight.org

June 16th, 2026 - Happy feast of St. Lutgardis!
8 Americans were reported killed yesterday after an Air Force B-52 Stratofortress bomber crashed shortly after takeoff for a test flight from Edwards Air Force Base in California. The cause of the crash is under investigation. Please pray for the repose of those killed. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz restated yesterday that the nation would not withdraw its troops from land Israel has captured in Lebanon. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu also stated in an address that the Trump administration’s deal with Iran is President Donald Trump’s “decision” and not Israel's. Trump is reportedly pressuring Israel strongly to withdraw from Lebanon by Friday. A large-scale Russian missile and drone attack struck Kyiv early June 15, damaging the historic Kyiv Pechersk Lavra monastery complex and killing at least five people in the Ukrainian capital, Ukrainian officials said. Pope Leo’s brother, Louis Prevost, was spotted chatting with Vice President JD Vance during Trump’s UFC event at the White House. Vice President JD Vance and Second Lady Usha Vance discussed their family’s Mass attendance practices ahead of the release of Vance’s memoir, explaining that having a priest celebrate Mass at their home is “one of the rare privileges of this life.” The FBI and its law enforcement partners disrupted an alleged plot targeting this weekend’s UFC Freedom 250 event in Washington, DC. Five people were in custody as of yesterday, and investigators identified 23 people as part of a potential network of plotters. The alleged plan involved using explosive-laden drones to hit buildings near the event, force a mass evacuation and steer crowds toward a pre-staged sniper team.
Rise Right is a live morning program hosted by Sarah Cain & Jakob Martin Kraft, designed to help Catholics begin their day grounded in faith, clarity, and peace. The goal is simple: help listeners start their day well. Stay rooted in prayer, informed about the world, and able to face each day with joy and reason.
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June 15th, 2026 - Happy feasts of Ss. Vitus, Germaine Cousin & Bernard!
After the Trump administration announced it was hours away from finalizing the Iran deal to end hostilities, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered strikes on Beirut, Lebanon, a move Trump decried for nearly scuttling the effort to end the war. Trump said he was "very angry" that Netanyahu struck Lebanon, accusing the Israeli leader of having no discretion or judgment. The U.S. and Iran have officially come to an agreement to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and cease hostilities as they continue negotiations throughout today. Vice President JD Vance told "CBS Sunday Morning" that he expects the President to be "very supportive" of whatever Vance and second lady Usha Vance decide regarding a potential presidential run. The Scottish girls who became famous online for wielding a knife and hatchet, one of whom came to be known as ‘Sophie Of Dundee’ were vindicated in court, when their aggressors were formally convicted.
Rise Right is a live morning program hosted by Sarah Cain & Jakob Martin Kraft, designed to help Catholics begin their day grounded in faith, clarity, and peace. The goal is simple: help listeners start their day well. Stay rooted in prayer, informed about the world, and able to face each day with joy and reason.
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June 12th, 2026 - Happy feast of the Sacred Heart, along with Pope St. Leo III!
President Trump canceled his proposed strikes against Iran, citing progress on a Memorandum of Understanding that is expected to be signed on Sunday. Details include cessation of hostilities, the opening of the Strait of Hormuz, and Iran’s commitment to not seek nuclear armament. The White House issued a presidential message yesterday supporting the U.S. bishops’ consecration of the nation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. At the consecration event, new papal nuncio Archbishop Gabriele Caccia struck a tone of support and friendship with the US bishops, which many noted was markedly different from the previous nuncio’s often antagonistic relationship with American prelates. Cardinal Raymond Burke will be celebrating Mass for the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus and enthroning the Sacred Heart at the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe today at 5PM Eastern Time There will be a livestream, if you would like to watch and pray along. In a shocking announcement that included reports of serial child abuse, DHS announced that they have found some of the unaccompanied children who were lost by the Biden Administration. Supporters of Karmelo Anthony, who was just convicted in the murder of Austin Metcalf at a high school track meet, have been threatening jurors with violence. Jacksonville police are investigating videos showing assaults of those who look like jurors. 
Rise Right is a live morning program hosted by Sarah Cain & Jakob Martin Kraft, designed to help Catholics begin their day grounded in faith, clarity, and peace. The goal is simple: help listeners start their day well. Stay rooted in prayer, informed about the world, and able to face each day with joy and reason.
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June 11th, 2026 - Happy feast of St. Barnabas! Thank you from the bottom of our hearts to everyone who donated and helped us reach full funding in our Spring Appeal.
U.S. Central Command yesterday evening announced it had renewed bombings against Iran, calling the strikes "self-defense" in response to the downing two days earlier of a U.S. Army helicopter near the Strait of Hormuz. President Donald Trump signed the Secure America Act into law, approving almost $70 billion in funding to bolster U.S. immigration enforcement and deportation operations through the end of fiscal year 2029. During his apostolic journey in Spain, Pope Leo yesterday prayed the Rosary at a 1,000-year-old Benedictine monastery and visited with inmates at a penitentiary. Protests continue in Belfast after the attempted beheading by an immigrant. A water cannon was deployed on a crowd of 200 yesterday.
Rise Right is a live morning program hosted by Sarah Cain & Jakob Martin Kraft, designed to help Catholics begin their day grounded in faith, clarity, and peace. The goal is simple: help listeners start their day well. Stay rooted in prayer, informed about the world, and able to face each day with joy and reason.
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June 10th, 2026 - Happy feast of St. Margaret of Scotland!
We're in the home stretch of our Spring Appeal - "Lord, Save my Loved Ones". Just $33,000 left to raise, so we're fundraising on the air for one more day! As soon as we hit our goal, we'll be back to regular programming. To donate, call 1-877-711-8500 or visit RiseRight.org.
Rise Right is a live morning program hosted by Sarah Cain & Jakob Martin Kraft, designed to help Catholics begin their day grounded in faith, clarity, and peace. The goal is simple: help listeners start their day well. Stay rooted in prayer, informed about the world, and able to face each day with joy and reason.
RiseRight.org

June 9th, 2026 - Happy feast of St. Columba!
“I call the shots,” Trump said Sunday. “Bibi does not.” Trump added yesterday that he had told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, “you better be very careful what you do, because you could be left alone facing Iran very soon.” Pope Leo received a nearly ten-minute standing ovation at the Spanish Parliament after telling lawmakers to protect human life from conception until natural death. He added, “The moral greatness of a nation is manifested, above all, in its capacity to accompany, protect and love those lives that are most fragile.” Federal authorities have uncovered a sophisticated cross-border tunnel stretching nearly 2,000 feet from Mexico into California. Two crew members from a U.S. Army Apache helicopter were rescued by American forces after the chopper went down near the coast of Oman while patrolling regional waters. The Soldiers were safely rescued within approximately two hours and are in stable condition. The cause of the incident is under investigation. In a shocking incident caught on video, a Somalian attempted a beheading on the streets of Belfast last night before being tackled by police. The victim was hospitalized with serious injuries. Theophilos III, the Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem, met with Trump at the White House and urged him to protect the Christians and Muslims of the Holy Land. The meeting came amid growing concerns stemming from radical settler activity in the region, restrictions on worship, and pressure on ancient Christian communities across the Middle East. 
Rise Right is a live morning program hosted by Sarah Cain & Jakob Martin Kraft, designed to help Catholics begin their day grounded in faith, clarity, and peace. The goal is simple: help listeners start their day well. Stay rooted in prayer, informed about the world, and able to face each day with joy and reason.
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June 8th, 2026 - Happy feast of St. William of York!
Bishop Afonso of the Diocese of Quelimane, Mozambique, a country in southeastern Africa, was fatally shot in the chest in the early hours of the morning on Saturday at his episcopal residence. The Church in Mozambique is left "in a state of shock." The Israeli Air Force carried out strikes on targets in western and central Iran last night, hours after Iran launched a wave of ballistic missiles at northern Israel, with explosions reported in Tehran, Tabriz, and Isfahan. President Trump has called for a ceasefire between the two countries in response. Vice President JD Vance recently condemned the murder of a British university student Henry Nowak, citing the incident to criticize European immigration policies. Xavier Becerra, who served as Health and Human Services Secretary under President Joe Biden, will now advance to the November general election to replace California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom. The State Department announced more than $240 million in humanitarian assistance to Catholic Relief Services this weekend, with U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See Brian Burch making the announcement in Rome alongside senior officials.
Rise Right is a live morning program hosted by Sarah Cain & Jakob Martin Kraft, designed to help Catholics begin their day grounded in faith, clarity, and peace. The goal is simple: help listeners start their day well. Stay rooted in prayer, informed about the world, and able to face each day with joy and reason.
RiseRight.org