Catholic Nutshell News: Friday 2/6/26
Topics include: Rededicate U.S. as ‘one nation, under God’; Department of Education affirms prayer rights; Should Catholics tithe 10%?; & Martyrdom remains stunningly common
Fridays, "Living that coconut kinda life."
Today's sources: National Catholic Register, EWTN News, Times of Israel, ACIAfrica, CatholicVote, 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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EWTN News
May 17 event to rededicate U.S. as ‘one nation, under God’
By Tyler Arnold, February 5, 2026
President Donald Trump addressed the 74th annual National Prayer Breakfast on Thursday, Feb. 5, touting his record on religious issues and announcing that the United States will hold an event to rededicate the nation to God. In honor of the occasion, Trump announced at the breakfast that he will hold an event, titled “Rededicate 250“ on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., on May 17 “to rededicate America as one nation under God.” “This prayer breakfast comes at a special time for our country as we prepare to celebrate the 250th anniversary of American independence,” Trump said five months ahead of the national celebration of the anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. “When our founders proclaimed the immortal truths that echoed around the world and down all the way through time, they declared that all of us are made free and equal by the hand of our Creator,” the president said.
aciafrica
Second priest narrowly escapes death in Sierra Leone
By Agnes Aineah, February 4, 2026
All four Catholic Dioceses in Sierra Leone have issued a joint statement expressing concern about a spate of violent attacks against their Clergy in the West African nation after a January 27 armed robbery that left a Priest seriously injured. Violent attacks against the Catholic Church in Sierra Leone are not merely criminal but “an assault on the peace and spiritual fabric of our country,” they said. Violent attacks include the murder of a Priest last August and the physical injuries inflicted on another on January 27. Police said Fr. Jamiru sustained injuries to his right thumb, two index fingers, his head, and both knees during the attack. At the time of the incident, he was reportedly alone in the Rectory, as his housekeeper had left for school and had locked the main entrance. Fr. Amadu, who served at Immaculate Conception Parish of Kinema Diocese, was preparing for his Sunday, August 31, farewell Mass when suspected robbers ended his life.
CatholicVote
Department of Education affirms prayer rights in public schools
By Elise Winland, February 5, 2026
The U.S. Department of Education released updated guidance Feb. 5 clarifying when prayer and religious expression are constitutionally protected in public elementary and secondary schools. According to the department, the guidance focuses on three First Amendment protections: the right of parents and children to free speech, the right to freely exercise religion, and the obligation of public schools to avoid establishing or endorsing religion. Under the new guidance, schools must allow religious expression as long as it respects others' rights, does not involve the school in religious activity, and does not favor secular views over religious ones or one religion over another. Religious expression must be evaluated under the same standards applied to secular expression. For example, academic work containing religious viewpoints may not be penalized solely because of its religious content.
National Catholic Register
Should Catholics tithe 10%?
By Jonah McKeown, February 5, 2026
For many Catholics, serious about fulfilling their duty to the Church while adhering to a household budget, a concrete, dollar-figure answer is important. Some assume that Catholics are simply obliged, as biblical precepts suggest, to give 10% of their income to the Church. “Paying God first as a rigid formula can obscure the real point, which is love and responsibility. Financial management is simply one way we practice charity — first toward our spouse and children and then outwardly to the poor and the Church,” said Christopher Warner, author of Catholic Money: A Father Teaches His Son About Family Finances. The Old Testament precept of a fixed 10% gift — found primarily in the Books of Genesis, Leviticus, and Deuteronomy — is not, and has never been, a strict mandate for Catholics. Yet, the Code of Canon Law notes that Christian faithful are “obliged to assist with the needs of the Church so that the Church has what is necessary for divine worship, for the works of the apostolate and of charity, and for the decent support of ministers” (Canon 222).
The Times of Israel
Israeli team detects stellar-creation particles 400 light-years away
By Diana Bletter, February 6, 2026
In a breakthrough, Israeli researchers have measured invisible particles known as cosmic rays deep inside a dust cloud 400 light-years from Earth. The peer-reviewed study detecting these previously unobserved particles could help shed light on how stars are born in the galaxy. “These cosmic rays are crucial for our understanding of the process of formation of new stars,” lead researcher Prof. Shmuel Bialy of the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology’s Physics Faculty told The Times of Israel. “This just opened the door for a whole new field of research in modern astrophysics.” Amit Chemke, 27, a master’s student in Bialy’s group and co-author of the research paper, said “It is important to people on Earth because we’re researching how stars are formed. Our Sun was formed billions of years ago, but how are other suns forming?”
The Pillar
Norbertine brother charged with stealing $2 million from abbey
By Michelle La Rosa, February 5, 2026
A former Norbertine brother in New Mexico has been indicted for allegedly stealing $2 million of abbey money while serving as the community’s treasurer and overseeing a construction project. James Joseph Owens, 68, was arrested Jan. 23. He has been charged with eight counts of wire fraud, 23 counts of engaging in monetary transactions in property derived from unlawful activity, and one count of tax evasion. Prosecutors say Owens stole more than $2 million of Abbey's money, which he used to fund personal investments and the purchase of a house outside of Albuquerque, among other things. Owens, who had spent nearly a decade working as a certified public accountant before joining the Norbertines, was named treasurer of the community in 2016. In that role, he oversaw the community’s investments and budget. The money was stolen through domestic and international wire transfers, brokerage transactions, and cryptocurrency purchases from 2022-23.
CRUX
Publisher affirms publication’s continuance after Allen’s death
By Deirdre Brennan, Publisher, February 5, 2026
Crux’s mission does not end with the passing of its founding editor, John Allen Jr. It continues because it was built to endure. To ensure continuity and stability, Crux is confirming its editorial leadership going forward. Charles Collins, who has served as Managing Editor since 2017, has assumed the role of Editor-in-Chief, while Christopher R. Altieri has stepped into the role of Managing Editor. In Rome, Elise Allen, John’s widow and a longtime Vatican journalist, will continue in her role as Senior Correspondent for Crux, reporting on the Vatican and the global Church from the heart of Catholic life. Her work remains an integral part of Crux’s international coverage. Readers can expect the same commitment to rigorous reporting on the Vatican and the Church, the same global perspective, and the same devotion to diligent fairness.
OSV News
Report finds child ICE detentions up 600%
By Simone Orendain, February 5, 2026
Catholic leaders, including an official from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ migration office, reiterated a pastoral approach to the issue of child detentions by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Following the recent release of a 5-year-old from Minnesota from a Texas family detention facility, and an investigative news report that found a sixfold increase in child detentions at that same facility, the family’s attorney told media they had reportedly entered the country from Ecuador in December 2024 via the Texas border seeking asylum and had been taking the necessary legal steps. From January 2025 through October that year, ICE had detained an average of 170 children per day. On some days, ICE held 400 or more child detainees. The report highlighted the poor mental state of the detained children, who suffered from depression and anxiety, as well as the deplorable conditions that detained parents described in court documents.
Big Pulpit, EWTN News & Zenit for 2/6/26
Big Pulpit
Tito Edwards Catholic site: February 6, 2026
The Big Pulpit website is a news aggregator that gathers quality insights and analysis on the Catholic Church worldwide.
This is All Very Fascinating, Almost Like a Game of Chess! – Fr. Allan J. McDonald
What Could Possibly Go Wrong? Cardinal Fernandez to Meet with the SSPX – Fr. Z’s Blog
Are We Witnessing the Onset of the Ape Church? – Petite Fleur
The True Faith in Latin America – Fr. David J. Nix at Pilgrim Priest
A Secular Love Letter to Catholicism & Hope for a Catholic Presidency – Joshua L. Sohn, J.D.
EWTN News
EWTN’s top headlines — February 6, 2026
EWTN News 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.
‘My Catholic faith guides me’: HHS assistant secretary speaks on policy, saints - By Kate Quiñones - Adm. Brian Christine, a practicing Catholic, talked about the state of the pro-life movement and how his faith guides him.
Archbishop Wenski makes case for ‘permanent’ solution for Haitian refugees in U.S. - By Tessa Gervasini - The Haitians “leaving South Florida and other places in the United States so abruptly would cause great economic damage to the United States,” Archbishop Thomas Wenski said.
Plastic surgeons group recommends against gender surgeries on minors due to low evidence of benefit - By Amira Abuzeid, Tyler Arnold - In a break from major medical associations, the American Society of Plastic Surgeons recommends against gender surgeries and other medical interventions on youth.
Zenit
Zenit - The world seen from Rome - February 6, 2026
Zenit is an international, non-profit news agency staffed by professionals and volunteers that transmits information faithfully and with a commitment to the truth.
Pope Leo XIV brings spiritual exercises back to the Apostolic Palace: they will be preached by a Norwegian monk (and bishop) - the Prefecture of the Papal Household on February 4, foresees two daily meditations from Monday through Friday: one at 9 a.m., preceded by Midday Prayer, and another at 5 p.m., followed by Eucharistic adoration and Vespers. In total, Varden will offer eleven reflections, tracing a distinctly monastic and biblical itinerary through Lent.
The Church Has Fallen: Chapnin Declares Moscow Patriarchate “No Longer Christian” - Sergei Chapnin delivers a harsh critique of the current state of the Russian Orthodox Church. The well-known Russian scholar and former church insider calls Kirill’s organization “a cheap para-religious cult” serving Putin.
In what sense is the Bible the Word of God in human words? Pope Leo XIV responds - “God chooses to speak using human languages and thus, various authors, inspired by the Holy Spirit, have written the texts of Sacred Scripture. As the Conciliar document reminds us, “the words of God, expressed in human language, have been made like human discourse, just as the word of the eternal Father, when He took to Himself the flesh of human weakness, was in every way made like men” (DV, 13).
Nutshell reflections for 2/6/26:
USCCB Daily Reflection: AUDIO - February 6, 2026
Memorial of Saint Paul Miki and Companions, Martyrs
Catholic365
Negotiating Hell: A Sequel to CS Lewis’ Screwtape Letters
By The Catholic Nurse, February 5, 2026
“How do you think the Mary-meeting went today?” asked Red, trying to balance an empty beer bottle on his nose. The five minions sat at a table at Smokey’s Bar and Grill.
“Take that thing off, you moron,” yelled Black. “Today was a disaster. We looked like idiots.”
“Well, maybe that’s because we are idiots,” said Orange, the others glaring at him. “Maybe we shouldn’t have started this. We’ve got no documents, no organization, no equipment, no skills, no nothing ...”
“We do too have nothing,” Yellow contradicted him.
“You’re right,” said Black.
Catholic Weekly
The life of Sr Lucy of Fatima
By Fr John Flader, February 6, 2026
In March 1948, after receiving special papal permission, Lucy of Fatima entered the Carmelite monastery of St Teresa in Coimbra. She remained there until her death. She made her profession as a Discalced Carmelite on 31 May 1949, taking the religious name Maria Lucia of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart. In her last years, Sr Lucy was ailing, and eventually she became blind and deaf. She died at age 97 on 13 February 2005 at the Carmelite monastery in Coimbra, where she had lived since 1948. On 13 February 2008, the third anniversary of her death, Pope Benedict XVI announced that, in her case, he would waive the five-year waiting period established by canon law before opening a cause for beatification. On 22 June 2023, Pope Francis approved the decree on her heroic virtues, thereby declaring her Venerable.
Aleteia
Why some people risk their lives for others
By Cerith Gardiner, February 6, 2026
Many altruists struggle to explain themselves at all. Helping, they say, felt obvious. “This person was going to die, and I felt like I had the ability to help them, and so I did,” is a common response. There is no sense of heroism in their telling — just action. Abigail Marsh, professor of psychology and neuroscience at Georgetown University, where she studies altruism, said altruistic people tend to be more sensitive to others’ distress. They notice fear more quickly. But she is careful to stress that this does not make them a moral elite. Altruism, she believes, can be learned. Like exercise, it grows through repetition. Small acts of kindness train attention outward. Over time, responding to need begins to feel less like a choice and more like a reflex. This understanding sits easily alongside an older moral wisdom the Church has long upheld: virtue is formed before it is tested. We do not summon courage in a crisis; we draw on the habits we have already cultivated.
Bishop Barron
Martyrdom remains a stunningly common fact of Christian life
By Bishop Robert Barron, February 6, 2026
Martyrdom has always been an important chapter of the Christian story, from believers in the early Church who refused to sacrifice to Rome’s pagan gods, to great saints of the Middle Ages such as Thomas Becket and Thomas More who refused to compromise their beliefs for the sake of the state, to modern martyrs killed in what St. John Paul II called odium caritatis, “hatred of charity,” such as Archbishop Oscar Romero of El Salvador. In the early twenty-first century, martyrdom remains a stunningly common fact of Christian life. One high-end estimate for the number of Christian martyrs killed each year is one hundred thousand, while the low end is around eight thousand, ranging from one new martyr every five minutes to one every hour. The Church Father Tertullian said that “the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church,” and it’s a rare case of a theological maxim for which there’s actually empirical confirmation.
Image of Coconut by Celio Nicoli from Pixabay
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