Catholic Nutshell News: Friday 12/12/25
Topics include: Most Catholic voters support Trump & deportations; California bishops at ICE detention center; AI has no soul — and never will; & ‘Remarkable convergence’ of Methodists & Catholics
Fridays, "Living that coconut kinda life."
Today's sources: National Catholic Register, Catholic News Agency, Word on Fire, Catholic World Report, Zenit, & Aleteia. (Catholic Nutshell is a FREE subscription service for faithful, hopeful, & curious Catholics willing to exercise their Catholic News Muscle)
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Catholic News Agency
Most Catholic voters support Trump and deportations
By Tyler Arnold, December 4, 2025
Trump won the Catholic vote in the 2024 election last year, and one of his campaign promises was mass deportations — a policy strongly opposed by the country’s Catholic bishops. A majority of Catholic voters in the United States have a favorable opinion of President Donald Trump and support the broad-scale deportation of immigrants who are in the country illegally, according to a poll published by EWTN News and RealClear Opinion Research on Dec. 11. Among white Catholics, 60% support broad-scale deportations and only 26% oppose it. Among Latino Catholics, 41% support it and 39% oppose it. “President Trump launched a task force to eliminate anti-Christian bias, pardoned Christian and pro-life activists, enforced the Hyde Amendment, defunded Planned Parenthood, stopped the chemical mutilation of our nation’s children, and stopped men from competing in women’s sports and invading their private spaces,” said White House Assistant Press Secretary Taylor Rogers.
Related: Border czar Holman says Homan said he is “willing to sit down with anybody in the Catholic Church and talk” about deportations - CNA, by Tessa Gervasini, Dec 12, 2025
aciafrica
Bishop on remarks about Christian genocide: ‘I am deeply sorry’
By Agnes Aineah, December 10, 2025
Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah of the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto in Nigeria has expressed regret that his position on the anguish of Christians in the West African nation has been misinterpreted. In a statement published on Tuesday, December 9 by the Diocese of Sokoto, Bishop Kukah says he is “sincerely sorry” to be associated with “representations” stemming from “the pain of my brothers and sisters within the body of Christ.” In the statement, the Nigerian Catholic Bishop dismisses allegations that he denies the persecution of Christians in Nigeria. “For over a week, I have been in the news on the basis of multiple claims that I had said that there was no persecution of Christians in Nigeria,” Bishop Kukah said. “Nothing could be further from the truth.”
CatholicVote
California bishops celebrate Mass at ICE detention center
By Elise Winland, December 11, 2025
Bishop Alberto Rojas of San Bernardino and six other California bishops celebrated Mass for about 300 detainees Dec. 10 at the Adelanto Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Processing Center outside Los Angeles. The bishops celebrated the outdoor Mass on a basketball court inside the men’s section of the facility, NPR-affiliate KVCR reported. The outlet said that several detainees asked the bishops to bless Bibles and rosaries. Following the Mass, the bishops held a press conference at Christ the Good Shepherd Catholic Church in Adelanto. “We want those in detention to know they are not forgotten. The Church walks with them in their uncertainty,” Bishop Rojas said, according to a separate Desert Sun report. Bishop Rojas criticized ongoing immigration enforcement operations, saying “the tactics they’re using are not humane.” Bishop Cantú said the bishops’ hope “is that every center handling people in detention treats them with dignity and allows us to minister to them,” KVCR reported.
National Catholic Register
AI has no soul — and never will
By Michael Augros, December 9, 2025
Will AI take our jobs, cure diseases, destabilize governments, or make us rich? Beneath all these loud debates sits a quieter, more basic question—can AI truly think? Perhaps it can “think” or “perceive” in some metaphorical sense, just as a spell-checker “thinks” you misspelled a word even when you didn’t. But does it possess real understanding — an interior awareness of itself and the world, like the awareness we find in ourselves? Or is it simply a well-designed circuit shuttling electrical signals about, generating the appearance of perception, reasoning, and self-expression, yet wholly unaware of anything it does? Impressive as they are, LLMs plainly understand nothing, given how they operate. Current large language models (LLMs), such as ChatGPT, produce text by computing the probabilities. That is not the same thing as grasping the meaning of words. Impressive as they are, LLMs plainly understand nothing, given how they operate. There is an insurmountable difference between man and machine.
The Times of Israel
Egypt tells US Hamas attacks on Israel are still possible
By Lazar Berman, December 12, 2025
Egypt told US interlocutors in conversations this week that Washington should not underestimate the “military capabilities that still exist within the Gaza Strip despite the war,” and that attacks against Israel could still take place from Gaza, Egyptian officials tell the Lebanese Al-Akhbar daily. The Egyptian officials also tell the US that Hamas disarmament “is linked to the establishment of a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital.” Furthermore, the officials say Hamas will not disarm unless it has firm guarantees that Israel will not violate any potential agreement and resume strikes on Hamas, the officials say. To this end, Egypt and Qatar are warning the US in meetings that Israel is trying to impose realities on the ground in Gaza, including expanding the width of the buffer zone, according to the report.
Catholic World Report
Mary’s Immaculate Conception is explained by the Saints
By Dawn Beutner, December 8, 2025
The world was shocked when Pope Pius IX defined the dogma of the Immaculate Conception in 1854. While Protestants rejected the teaching outright, even many Catholics objected to the pope’s decision. Exalting the role of Mary in salvation history not only seemed bad for ecumenical relations, but some were concerned that the teaching also lacked theological and historical grounds. However, the Church has been trying to understand Mary’s role since the very beginning. The argument was resolved by recognizing that Jesus Christ possesses both a divine and a human nature, yet is one person, not two. It is therefore fitting to call Mary the mother of that one Person, the Mother of God (see CCC, 495). The practice of celebrating a feast in honor of the conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary by Saint Anne, began as early as the 4th century.
CRUX
Basque court acquits pro-lifers praying outside abortion clinic
By Fionn Shiner, December 12025
A criminal court in Vitoria, northern Spain, has acquitted 21 pro-life volunteers who were accused of harassment for praying peacefully outside an abortion clinic. The judge in the administrative capital of the Basque Country ruled during the proceedings at Criminal Court No. 1 that they had “done nothing more than exercise their free right of assembly” and had behaved in an “exquisitely peaceful manner.” The complaint concerned the actions of the pro-lifers between Sept. 28 and Nov. 6 2022, when the volunteers gathered as part of 40 Days for Life, an international grassroots campaign in which volunteers pray outside abortion clinics for 40 days. “[The defendants] did nothing more than exercise their right to free assembly, choosing a location near a clinic where abortions are performed – praying for life and offering their help – to reach its primary recipients directly,” Judge Beatriz Román wrote.
Vatican News
Book affirms ‘remarkable convergence’ of Methodists & Catholics
By Devin Watkins, December 12, 2025
The book is titled “We Believe in One God: Sixty years of Methodists and Catholics walking together.” The Methodist-Roman Catholic International Commission released an updated synthesis of the fruits of 60 years of theological dialogue, affirming that the two Churches converge much more than they diverge. Printed by the Vatican Publishing House (LEV), the document examines the theological progress made over the past six decades between the Catholic and Methodist Churches. The Vatican recalls no history of formal separation between the Catholic and Methodist Churches, since Methodism originated as a revival movement within the Church of England in the mid-18th century. Division is real, however, and the book shows the need for a “healing of memories, acknowledgment of past wrongs, and the retelling of histories to honour victims and foster mutual respect and trust.”
Big Pulpit, CNA & Zenit for 12/12/25
Big Pulpit
Tito Edwards Catholic site: December 12, 2025
The Big Pulpit website is a news aggregator that gathers quality insights and analysis on the Catholic Church worldwide.
Video: The Numbers Don’t Lie: The Catholic Faith Is in Freefall – Anthony Stine, Ph.D.
For the Crime of Being a Priest – The World Is Quiet Here
How the Liturgy Guides Us to Live the Mass Beyond Sunday – St. Dominic Media
Dropped Eucharists & Christ’s Secret Wound – Laramie Hirsch at The Weltgeist
Catholic News Agency
CNA’s top headlines — December 12, 2025
Catholic News Agency provides reliable, free, up-to-the-minute news affecting the Universal Church, with updates on the words of the Holy Father and the Holy See.
Fact or fiction? 9 popular myths about Our Lady of Guadalupe - Dec 12, 2025 - By David Ramos - In the almost 500 years since Our Lady of Guadalupe appeared, her image has become the subject of several popular myths
Pope Leo calls for promoting ‘cultural diplomacy’ to overcome borders and prejudices - Dec 11, 2025 - By Victoria Cardiel - Pope Leo XIV emphasized that its literary and monumental sources constitute an essential part of the “roots” of European society and nations.
U.S. bishops, Catholic groups denounce DHS rule change for migrant workers - Dec 11, 2025 - By Madalaine Elhabbal - U.S. Catholic bishops are calling on the Department of Homeland Security to rescind a rule change. The IFR “removes the only mechanism that has prevented widespread work-authorization lapses” amid ongoing adjudication delays at USCIS.
Zenit
Zenit - The world seen from Rome - December 12, 2025
Zenit is an international, non-profit news agency staffed by professionals and volunteers to transmit information with fidelity and service to the truth.
What is death? A short but profound catechesis by Pope Leo XIV - The mystery of death has always raised profound questions in human beings. Indeed, it seems to be the most natural and at the same time most unnatural event that exists.
The Gospel According to the Elves: Quebec Secularism Law Targets Even Baby Jesus - Quebec’s new “Secularism 2.0” law is less about neutrality than about neutering religion, reducing faith to folklore while policing prayer out of public life.
Japanese court reaffirms natural marriage, creating new tensions in Japan’s LGBT debate | ZENIT - Presiding judge Ayumi Higashi argued that the current statutory language, which describes marriage as the mutual consent of “both sexes,” cannot be stretched to include same-sex couples without legislative intervention
Nutshell reflections for 12/12/25:
USCCB Daily Reflection: AUDIO - December 12, 2025
Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe
Catholic365
Reasons why Catholic families are homeschooling
By Jeannine Szumigala, December 11, 2025
In the early 2000s, there were about 1.4 million homeschooled students. The last three decades marked a significant increase, with approximately 3.1 million K-12 students by 2020-2022. A greater majority of homeschool programs serve Christian families, with some that are denomination-specific, including Mennonite and Catholic. Catholic schools historically educated the whole person, but In some cases, the only option for Catholic schooling is at home. Although costs vary by region, some studies cite an average tuition of $4800+ per year for Catholic elementary schools. Students with developmental and/or learning disabilities often need a special education teacher. Sometimes there is a lack of funding for specialized teachers and teacher aides. Homeschooling and choosing a Catholic curriculum comprised of wholesome books that support a traditional Catholic worldview gives many parents peace of mind.
Catholic Culture
Europe’s ‘Civilizational Erasure’ happened when it snubbed JP II
By Peter Wolfgang, December 6, 2025
“Trump Administration Says Europe Faces ‘Civilizational Erasure,’” reads a headline in the New York Times yesterday. According to the subheading, “America’s goal should be ‘to help Europe correct its current trajectory,’ the administration said in its new National Security Strategy.” Leaders in Europe are not happy to see the unpleasant truths about them spoken aloud in the new U.S. Strategy. But I am. This has been decades in the making. They should have listened to Pope St. John Paul II when they had the chance. When the Wall Street Journal writes of a trans-Atlantic alliance that promoted “Western values” after World War II, I know what that they mean. I was a teenager during the last decade of the Cold War. It was a source of pride to see the U.S. and our allies fight for the captive nations behind the Iron Curtain to have the same liberties we have in our Bill of Rights. But that was forty years ago. I don’t know what the phrase “Western values” means anymore.
Aleteia
5 great bibles for children
By Theresa Civantos Barber, December 12, 2025
The Story Of All Stories - The first distinctly Catholic story Bible tells the entire story of salvation history. This heirloom-worthy book includes beautiful illustrations
The Bible Illustrated and Explained for Children - The simple texts of this engaging Bible convey the beauty and richness of Scripture for young readers.
The Great Adventure Kids Catholic Bible Chronicles - 70 stories chosen to capture the story of salvation history from Adam and Eve to Christ and the Apostles
The Action Bible - The most complete picture Bible with more than 230 fast-paced narratives
Ælfred Rex Bible Story Book - This book is more old-fashioned, but a solid pick for a chronological and faithful telling of the narrative of Scripture.
Word on Fire
The Church has a profound moral obligation on education
By Mark Bradford, December 11, 2025
According to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), government schools are required by law to provide a “free, appropriate, public education” in the “least restrictive environment” to children with disabilities. Catholic schools are not government-funded schools, so they’re not obligated to do the same, at least, not obligated by law. The most recent data from the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA) shows that 9.1% of students in Catholic schools have a diagnosed disability. Still, the data doesn’t specify if those are disabilities like dyslexia or Down syndrome. Schools may welcome children with dyslexia, but most Catholic schools exclude children who have greater learning challenges, like Down syndrome. According to the National Catholic Board on Full Inclusion, only 2% of Catholic schools are inclusive schools.
Image of Coconut by Celio Nicoli from Pixabay
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