Fridays, "Living that coconut kinda life."
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Crux
Pope opens conference on predecessor’s controversial exhortation
By Crux Now Staff, October 8, 2026
Church leaders from around the world gathered in Rome on Wednesday, the opening day of a week-long meeting Pope Leo XIV called to assess the decade since Pope Francis released Amoris Laetitia, a highly controversial document on the family. The controversy largely stemmed from one paragraph in Chapter 8 of Amoris, on “Accompanying, Discerning and Integrating Weakness,” which addressed couples in what the Catholic Church has often called “irregular situations,” usually canonically invalid marriages. A single footnote – number 351 – appeared to many observers essentially to vacate the long-standing Catholic rule keeping invalidly married couples from the sacraments so long as they remain sexually active. “This history of more than half a century places upon our meeting a particular responsibility as shepherds,” Leo said, “as the synodal vocation of the whole Church continues to unfold.”
Related: Pope Leo at Amoris conference: Church must proclaim Gospel teaching in fragile situations - Michelle La Rosa, The Pillar, October 07, 2026
Zeale News
Rep. Sarah McBride defends DEI, pledges LGBT advocacy
By Elise Winland, October 8, 2026
Rep. Sarah McBride, D-Del., a man who identifies as a “transgender” woman, defended diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs in a recent campaign interview and pledged to continue advocating for LGBT priorities. In the Oct. 6 sit-down with host Rachelle Wilson on the “Make Some Intelligent Noise” podcast, McBride accused the Trump administration and Congress of demonizing the concepts. “I don’t know what anyone could object to in each of those words,” McBride said. “What do people have against diversity? What do people have against equity? What do people have against inclusion?” The interview comes as some prominent Democrats facing competitive midterm races have distanced themselves from previous positions on “transgender” issues, including support for allowing men to compete in women’s sports. As Zeale News previously reported, the rhetoric shift comes as recent polling shows that the vast majority of Americans are uncomfortable with “transgender” athletes competing on teams that don’t match their sex.
OSV News
Critical thinking: Catholic universities counter ‘false teachers’
By Carol Glatz, October 8, 2026
Pursuing a higher education that values human intelligence can help counter the many “false teachers” exploiting people’s deep yearning for truth, faith and meaning, Pope Leo XIV said. Reason, memory and critical thinking are “fundamental for both faith and mission,” the pope told students from the pontifical universities of Rome during an evening Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica Oct. 8. “Reason, posing questions in light of God’s word and the Church’s Tradition, is an essential part of the journey of faith in following Jesus Christ,” he said. The pontifical universities and institutes in Rome enroll more than 15,000 students from about 125 nations; they study theology and philosophy, as well as liturgy, sacred music, communications, canon law, archaeology, and other subjects. Encountering Christ “brings joy and enthusiasm,” the pope said. “It is never a matter of being ‘bewitched’ or ‘enchanted.'”
Aleteia
Newman: One-word why our spiritual life grows cold
By Fr. Patrick Briscoe, OP, March 12, 2020
Armed with extraordinary intellectual gifts and deep religious faith, Newman tirelessly sought God. For Newman, “growth is the only evidence of life.” Turning over and over the great questions of religion, Newman found himself needing to grow and change often on this side of eternity. Recognizing that Christian life can never be stagnant, Newman writes, “here below, to live is to change. To be perfect is to have changed often.” In recognition of Newman’s theological achievement, Pope Leo XIII named him a cardinal in Newman’s last years of life. “Why do you so little understand the Gospel of your salvation? Why are your eyes so dim, and your ears so hard of hearing? Why have you so little faith? For this one reason, my brethren, if I must express my meaning in one word, because you so little meditate. You do not meditate, and therefore you are not impressed.” For Newman, meditation simply means calling to mind, over and over again throughout the day, what God has done. Think of Christ’s sufferings, the Lord’s mercies, and of Jesus’s teaching.
Related: TODAY: Cardinal Newman’s 1st feast since becoming Doctor of the Church - Kathleen N. Hattrup, Aleteia,10/09/26
National Catholic Register
Greta Gerwig’s ‘Narnia’ film sparks backlash ahead of release
By Ann Schneible, October 8, 2026
From Meryl Streep voicing Aslan to a David Bowie-inspired “rock opera,” details about Greta Gerwig’s adaptation of C.S. Lewis’ The Magician’s Nephew have fans dismayed about the upcoming film. News of Gerwig’s interpretation of the classic fantasy book spread in late September after excerpts from an interview with Empire magazine were released. Online responses from Narnia fans were swift and lukewarm. “To cast Meryl Streep as Aslan in Greta Gerwig’s Narnia is a slap in the face to the genius of Lewis, but also a deliberate mockery of Christianity that is 100% intentional,” Catholic commentator Isabel Brown wrote on X. She added: “Makes me wonder what else they’ll mock about this Christian story ...” Gerwig isn’t the first filmmaker to strip a film of its Christian literary origins. Consider the 2008 adaptation of Evelyn Waugh's Brideshead Revisited, or Alfonso Cuarón’s 2006 film version of Christian author P.D. James's Children of Men.
EWTN News
Catholic health care in Illinois shielded from suicide law
By Daniel Payne, October 8, 2026
Catholic health institutions in Illinois will enjoy broad protection against the state’s assisted suicide law after a federal court expanded a block against the law to protect religious objectors from being forced to participate in it. The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois earlier this year ruled in favor of multiple Catholic plaintiffs, including Springfield Bishop Thomas Paprocki and Chicago archbishop Cardinal Blase Cupich, barring the state from requiring them to participate in the suicide regime there. The order also includes multiple groups of religious sisters. Protected entities include the Catholic Medical Association, the Catholic Psychotherapy Association, and numerous Catholic healthcare affiliates in the Diocese of Springfield. The order is temporary and will last only so long as the lawsuit against the state suicide law plays out, but Thomas More Society litigation head Peter Breen said in a news release that the law firm would “keep fighting until that protection is permanent.”
Religion News Service
Iconic televangelist Jim Bakker, once imprisoned, dead at 86
By David Mark and Adelle M. Banks, October 6, 2026
Televangelist Jim Bakker, who spent five years in prison for a sex and money scandal involving his Praise the Lord ministry and returned to broadcasting “The Jim Bakker Show,” died at 86. By the time Bakker and his first wife, Tammy Faye, were forced to give up their Praise the Lord ministry — known as PTL — in 1987, they were a well-known television couple with a loyal following. His grinning visage and aggressive fundraising became a staple of Christian television, while she was known as much for her heavy mascara as for her religious teachings. The Bakkers were part of a popular wave of religious broadcasters in the late 1970s and 1980s, competing for viewers against rivals such as Jerry Falwell and Jimmy Swaggart. The PTL was among the most successful, as Jim Bakker preached an upbeat message of optimism, health, and wealth. At its height, “The PTL Club” reached 13 million viewers, while the affiliated Heritage USA theme park drew 6 million visitors annually.
Catholic News of Australia
17 seniors died every day waiting for home care last year
By Kate Scanlon, OSV News, October 9, 2026
New data published by the Health Department of Australia revealed 6,436 older Australians approved for Support at Home, but in the queue for funding, died in 2025-26. The figure is an almost 34% increase from the 4,812 people who died while waiting under the former National Priority System for home care packages in the previous year. Council on the Aging Australia chief executive Patricia Sparrow described the figures as “an absolute tragedy”, which demonstrated just how badly the system was keeping up with demand. Sparrow said when people did not get support at home for basic needs like showering or eating, they could end up in hospital or be forced to move into residential aged care sooner. “We need to make sure older people are respected … they don’t put their hand up for assistance until they really need it,” she said. As of June 30, more than 106,000 Australians were on the official waiting list for a Support at Home place.
Keep informed - 10/9/26 news for Catholics
Snippets from Big Pulpit, EWTN, & the Loop
Big Pulpit
Tito Edwards Catholic site: October 9, 2026
The Big Pulpit website is a news aggregator that gathers quality insights and analysis on the Catholic Church worldwide.
Seven Things You Didn’t Know About St. Peter’s Basilica – Patrick Coffin at Catholic Stand Magazine
Religious Sisters Share What They Did Before Discovering Their Vocation – Church Pop
9 October – Feast of St. Abraham, Patriarch of the Old Testament – W.D.T.P.R.S. – Fr. Z’s Blog
The Wall Street Journal Tells the Truth About Hamas – Fr. Gordon J. MacRae at Beyond These Stone Walls
EWTN News
EWTN’s top headlines — October 9, 2026
EWTN News provides reliable, free, up-to-the-minute news affecting the Universal Church, with updates on the Holy Father's words and the Holy See.
U.S. bishops to elect secretary, committee chairs at November meeting - By Tyler Arnold - American bishops will meet for their fall plenary assembly from Nov. 16–19 in Baltimore to include the election of bishops to the positions. Each bishop will serve as bishop-elect for one year before taking over the role at the end of the 2027 fall plenary assembly. They serve three-year terms.
Archbishop of Dijon, France, asks for prayers for Father Bernard Card who died by suicide - By Walter Sánchez Silva - “Let us entrust him to the merciful love of the Lord,” Archbishop Antoine Hérouard of Dijon, France, wrote in a letter to the faithful. “Let us pray for his parishioners, shocked by this unexpected news.”
Exorcists discuss cases, emphasize essential role of sacred music and the Virgin Mary in exorcisms - By Walter Sánchez Silva - Father Giuseppe Grassi, an exorcist and director of the Office of Sacred Music of the Archdiocese of Brindisi-Ostuni, Italy, said sacred music and song are closely tied to the heights of the angelic ministry and can be used fruitfully in exorcism, according to the association.
The Loop
Zeale is CatholicVote, hosting the LOOP
Over half a million people receive the LOOP news rundown six days a week. Zeale is the LOOP's new home. Zeale is a project of CatholicVote, America’s top Catholic advocacy organization leading the fight for faith, family, and freedom.
FDA SAYS ITS MIFEPRISTONE SAFETY REVIEW IS EXPECTED BY MARCH, DRAWING BACKLASH FROM PRO-LIFERS - The Food and Drug Administration expects to complete its safety review of the abortion drug mifepristone by March 2027, prompting pro-life advocates to demand immediate in-person safeguards and warn that continued mail-order access could cost tens of thousands of unborn children their lives.
VANCE ANNOUNCES VISA FRAUD PROBES INTO 9 ELITE UNIVERSITIES - Vice President JD Vance announced investigations into nine universities, including Harvard and Yale, over allegations they used foreign researcher visas to undercut American workers’ wages. Federal investigators have already served subpoenas.
FBI THWARTS ISIS-INSPIRED TERROR ATTACK - The FBI arrested an 18-year-old Minnesota man accused of plotting an ISIS-inspired mass shooting set for later this month at the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota. Authorities say he planned to kill 30 to 60 people before agents intervened.
October 9, 2026 - USCCB Daily Mass Readings
You can listen HERE — or read HERE:
Friday of the Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary Time
Today’s Catholic commentary:
Catholic365
What does the Bible say about the stars?
By Eileen Renders, October 9, 2024
The Book of Revelation depicts Jesus holding 7 stars in His right hand. Revelation 1:20: “As for the mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand, the seven stars are the angels (messengers, pastors) of the seven churches.” In the Book of Revelation, we can see Jesus holding 7 stars in His right hand, representing the bishops/pastors of His earthly churches, showing that those who minister in His name are held in His grip. There was a time after receiving Holy Communion, in deep union with Christ, Jesus whispered into my heart, “You are like a bright shining star in the sky. I know every star because I named them, and know them all by name.” There are millions of stars; why would Jesus name each one of them? Moreover, why was I like a bright, shining star? Genesis 15:5 – God asks Abram to look at the stars and number them, promising that Abraham’s descendants will be as numerous as the stars.
The Pillar
Finally, leader of the Mormons said ‘gambling is morally wrong’
By JD Flynn, October 6, 2026
Finally, D. Todd Christofferson, a ranking leader of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, a Christian-adjacent American religion, told members of his church on Saturday that “gambling is morally wrong. Gambling is built on the desire to obtain something for nothing. Its structure requires that any gain comes at others’ expense.” Christofferson told Mormons to avoid predatory gambling apps on their cell phones, including prediction markets like Kalshi and Polymarket. The Mormon was right. An occasional bout at the tables in Vegas or Atlantic City is probably a tolerable diversion for Catholics, so long as one isn’t betting his children’s milk money or the mortgage. And I’m not above a lottery ticket when the Powerball climbs high enough. But gambling apps are insidious, programmed to take advantage of our neurology in a manipulative way, and prediction markets are no exception — highbrow tech wrappers for basic bookmaking.
The Haeft
Too late: The liberal median is no longer available
By Devin Schadt, July 11, 2025
Self-styled anti-woke centrists like Helen Pluckrose, Sam Harris, James Lindsay (New Discourses), Peter Boghossian, and Jonathan Haidt see the culture war as a lateral back-and-forth movement of incremental steps. The genius of liberal democratic societies, they argue, is that they are self-correcting. The art of common sense centrism is to lead that process of self-correction which really amounts to a nudging of the Overton window back to that Goldilocks median that the system prefers. In the culture war of the last decade these ‘classic liberals’ have found themselves in the uncomfortable position of sitting in the trenches along side real conservatives and even Christians. To the extent that the woke revolution has slowed, this bunch of radical liberals can take a large measure of credit. But having given credit where it is due, it must also be said that they are, as men and women, laboring under a debilitating delusion about the nature of the problem.
Bishop Barron
There is no need for them to go away
By Bishop Robert Barron, October 9, 2026
Friends, in today’s Gospel, we learn of a person possessed by a demon. Jesus meets the man and drives out the demon but then is immediately accused of being in league with Satan. Some of the witnesses say, “By the power of Beelzebul, the prince of demons, he drives out demons.” Jesus’s response is wonderful in its logic and laconicism: “Every kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste and house will fall against house. And if Satan is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand?” The demonic power is always one of scattering. It breaks up communion. But Jesus, as always, is the voice of communio, of one bringing things back together. Whatever drives the Church apart is an echo of this “dismiss the crowds” impulse and a reminder of the demonic tendency to divide. But Jesus is right: “There is no need for them to go away.”
Image of Coconut by Celio Nicoli from Pixabay
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