Catholic Nutshell News: Friday 4/25/25
Topics include: US Catholics viewed Pope Francis favorably, Professor gets $1.6 million, Church approach to African 'healers', & Few US Presidents attend papal funerals
Fridays, "Living that coconut kinda life."
Today's sources: National Catholic Register, The UK Tablet, Catholic News Agency, Crux, Church Life Journal, CatholicVote, Our Sunday Visitor, & Catholic Stand. (Catholic Nutshell is a FREE subscription service for faithful, hopeful, & curious Catholics willing to exercise their Catholic News Muscle)
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CatholicVote
Majority of US Catholics viewed Pope Francis favorably
By Hannah Hiester, April 24, 2025
A Pew Research Center survey discovered that more than three-quarters of US Catholics viewed Pope Francis favorably in early 2025 and consistently gave him positive ratings across his papacy. Pope Francis died April 21 after suffering a stroke, CatholicVote reported. He was 88 and had been pope for 12 years. According to the survey, 78% of US Catholics said in February that they approved of Pope Francis, up three points from the previous year. Pew added, “At least 80% of Catholics have expressed a favorable opinion of him in 10 of the 15 U.S. surveys in which we have asked about the pope since 2013.” His highest favorability rating was in February 2015, when 90% of Catholics approved of him. Pew also discovered that Catholic Democrats were much more likely to have approved of Pope Francis than Catholic Republicans (88% vs. 69%).
Catholic News Agency
Professor fired over child ‘gender transitions’ gets $1.6 million
By Tyler Arnold, April 24, 2025
The University of Louisville has agreed to pay a former professor nearly $1.6 million after the university demoted him and refused to renew his contract following off-campus expert testimony in which he spoke about the dangers of performing transgender operations on children. Allan Josephson, a psychologist who had led the university’s division of child and adolescent psychiatry and psychology, received pushback from the university’s LGBT Center immediately after he voiced his concerns on a panel at the conservative Heritage Foundation. “I’m glad to finally receive vindication for voicing what I know is true,” Josephson said in a statement provided by his attorneys at Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) after the settlement.
The UK Tablet
Research studying Church approach to traditional African ‘healers’
By Ngala Killian Chimtom, April 18, 2025
Catholic bishops in southern Africa opened discussions on approaching the growing number of traditional healers, known as “Sangomas.” The bishops are considering the suggestion to welcome them into the Church and even allow them to receive Holy Communion. This move could mark a sharp departure in the Church’s attitude towards traditional healers. “Ubungoma is the system through which our people were healed, and received several other ways of assistance,” said Fr Thulani Joel Skhosana, a member of the Theological Advisory Committee of the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference (SACBC), which is researching Ubungoma, or traditional healing, in which healers act as intermediaries between the visible and invisible world. Given the surge in the number of people practicing traditional healing, he said it was critical to find a way of addressing the issue.
National Catholic Register
A (very short) history: US Presidents attending papal funerals
By Matthew McDonald, April 24, 2025
Within hours of Pope Francis’ death Easter Monday, President Donald Trump told the world that he plans to attend his funeral. But not so many popes ago, such an announcement by an American president would have been unthinkable. For most of its history, the U.S. government sent no one to the funeral of the bishop of Rome. In 1867, after decades of a formal U.S. presence in Rome, Congress voted to cut off funding for a diplomatic delegation to the Holy See, at a time when anti-Catholic sentiment was running high in the United States. When John Paul II died in 2005, President George W. Bush surprised the diplomatic world by announcing that he would attend the funeral. When Pope Francis died on Monday, the president ordered flags at half-staff.
CRUX
‘There are no candidates in a conclave,’ says Filipino Cardinal
By Joseph San Mateo, April 24, 2025
Filipino Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David downplayed talks about “popular candidates” in the upcoming conclave. He said a papal election is unlike the political processes seen in different parts of the globe. David left Manila for Rome on Thursday morning to attend Pope Francis’s Saturday funeral and participate in the conclave. “There are no candidates in a conclave,” David, the bishop of Kalookan, told reporters on Tuesday after a Mass for the soul of Francis at the Kalookan Cathedral. David dispelled the notion that the conclave is like a political election — a relevant metaphor because the Philippines is holding its midterm elections on May 12. “No one will give dole-outs. No one will put up tarpaulins. No one will mount a campaign,” the cardinal said.
Related: Each day between April 24 and the conclave to elect a successor to Pope Francis, on a date yet to be set, John Allen offers a profile of a different papabile, the Italian term for a man who could be pope. See Crux to review.
Our Sunday Visitor
Greenland’s only Catholic priest
By Gina Christian, April 3, 2025
Father Tomaž Majcen, a Conventual Franciscan, is the only Catholic parish priest in Greenland, working alongside two fellow Franciscan friars. “I spend several weeks in Greenland at different times throughout the year, and along with some priests from Denmark, I make sure the Mass is celebrated for the faithful every Sunday. It is in English, although most people also understand Danish.” There are about 300 Catholics in Nuuk and a few in other towns in Greenland. “I assume there are 500 in total, more or less,” said Father Majcen. The majority of Catholics in Greenland come from the Philippines and other European and Latin American countries. “As for the Indigenous Inuit (Kalaallisut-speaking Greenlandic people), only a very small number are Catholic. Most Indigenous traditionally follow Lutheran Christianity, which was introduced by Danish missionaries,” he said.
The Pillar
The competing legacies of Francis
By JD Flynn, April 21, 2025
It will be decades, if not centuries, before the history books — and the Church — reach a consensus on the legacy of Pope Francis. It takes a long time for the decisions made in a pontificate to come to fruition, and for personal loyalties or animus to fade enough for a clear-eyed assessment. It is simply too soon to say how Christians 100, 200, or 500 years from today will talk about the unusual, and historic, pontificate of Jorge Mario Bergoglio. But while history books are long in the making, Catholics and non-Catholics are already making their own judgments about the meaning, legacy, and consequences of the Francis pontificate. Those assessments are extraordinarily varied — offering lenses on the pope, and on the way he was understood around the world.
UCA News
Sri Lankan police stop pilgrimage of Vietnamese monks
By UCA News reporter, April 25, 2025
Authorities in Sri Lanka have stopped a popular Vietnamese monk and his companions from continuing a walking pilgrimage to India after Vietnam’s state-sanctioned Buddhist association accused him of being a threat to public order. Sri Lankan police stopped Thich Minh Tue and his group's onward journey on foot last week, citing a letter from Vietnam’s Buddhist sangha or Buddhist association, Radio Free Asia (RFA) reported on April 24. The Buddhist association had issued a letter accusing Tue of impersonating a Buddhist monk, attempting to establish a dissident sect, and posing a threat to public order and the nation’s reputation, RFA reported. Tue became an internet sensation in Vietnam after his austere lifestyle and barefoot pilgrimages across Vietnam drew social media influencers who streamed his activities live.
Pillar, CNA & Satire for Friday, April 25, 2025
The Pillar
Pillar Posts by Ed Condon for 4/25/25
The Pillar is an American news and investigative journalism website focusing on the Catholic Church. Founded D Flynn, former editor-in-chief of Catholic News Agency and former chancellor of the Archdiocese of Denver; and Ed Condon, former Washington, D.C., bureau editor of Catholic News Agency
You can read, if you’ve not already, our obituary on Pope Francis here. I think it’s a good snapshot of a complicated figure, and worth sharing with people who want to understand him.
As mourners prayed in the square, world leaders offered their condolences and memories of the late pontiff. Luke Coppen compiled the responses.
Between now and when we have a pope, the college of cardinals will govern the Church, or at least manage things, until a new Bishop of Rome can be elected and installed. The meetings are called general congregations when they get together to talk about logistics.
Catholic News Agency
CNA’s top headlines — April 25, 2025
Catholic News Agency provides reliable and free up-to-the-minute news affecting the Universal Church, with updates on the words of the Holy Father and the Holy See.
LIVE UPDATES: Vatican reports on Friday morning that 128,000 mourners have viewed Pope Francis' body - Apr 25, 2025 - By CNA Staff - Pope Francis has died at 88. Follow here for the latest live updates. Read more
Jesuit superior Father Sosa: Pope Francis did not seek popularity - Apr 24, 2025 - By Hannah Brockhaus - Father Arturo Sosa, SJ, superior general of the Society of Jesus, answered a question about what qualities are needed in the next pope. “Undoubtedly, we are looking for another man of God,” he said.
Catholic Charities USA to launch nationwide traveling exhibit on Christian service - Apr 24, 2025 - By Madalaine Elhabbal - The exhibit, titled “People of Hope: Faith-Filled Stories of Neighbors Helping Neighbors,” will tour the U.S. for two and a half years, according to a press release from the organization on Wednesday.
Babylon Bee’s Satire News
God Introduces New Hydrating, Zero Sugar Beverage With No Artificial Dyes
By Health Staff, April 24, 2022
Health enthusiasts received exciting news this week, as God introduced a new hydrating, zero-sugar beverage that has absolutely no artificial dyes, no carbs, and is completely devoid of any calories. With so many people growing more conscious about what they put into their bodies and concerns growing over processed foods and chemical additives, proponents of healthier lifestyles were quick to rejoice over God's introduction of the new drink. "This seems too good to be true," said Dr. Nate Thomas. "You mean to tell me there's a new beverage that can help people stay hydrated, flush out their systems, and maintain better overall bodily function… and it's free of any artificial dyes? No calories? No sugar? Where has this been all our lives?"
Nutshell reflections for 4/25/25:
USCCB Daily Reflection: AUDIO & VIDEO - April 25, 2025
Friday in the Octave of Easter
Church Life Journal
A heart inhabited by hope: In memoriam, Sabine MacCormack
By Innocent Smith, April 24, 2009
A few days before our dinner, Sabine MacCormack at the University of Notre Dame attended a papal audience where Pope Benedict XVI spoke about St. Augustine. After the Pope gave an address in Italian, describing the various conversions the saint had experienced throughout his eventful and fascinating life, short summaries were proclaimed in Spanish, French, German, and English. Sabine observed that each summary emphasized a different aspect of the main text, nuancing the message in light of the genius of each language. As I listened, enraptured by Sabine’s magisterial commentary on what she acknowledged to be a magisterial lecture on Augustine, I began to think that there were only two people in the Paul VI Audience Hall that afternoon who had been fully aware of each moment of the event: Sabine MacCormack, and the Pope himself.
Obituary: In memoriam: Sabine MacCormack, Hesburgh Professor of Arts and Letters, June 18, 2012, by Michael O. Garvey
Catholic Exchange
Joyful generosity: Almsgiving and tithing renewed in parishes
By Paul Knickelbein, April 24, 2023
Joy is at the heart of Christian generosity. When we give freely, whether through almsgiving, tithing, or offering our time, we participate in something far greater than ourselves: a life rooted in faith, hope, and love. These acts of charity are more than spiritual disciplines. They are visible signs of a living, joyful Church. Encouragingly, recent findings from the 2025 State of Church Giving Report indicate a resurgence in generosity across Catholic parishes, igniting a message of joy, hope, and renewed commitment among the faithful. Amid widespread uncertainty in recent years, the report provides inspiring evidence of resilience and generosity within Catholic communities. In 2024, 51% of churches surveyed reported increased giving. The most common growth in giving ranged between 4-7%, a statistic signaling more than just financial support.
Catholic Weekly
The Christian heroism of Australia & New Zealand’s ‘Anzac Day’
By Darren Ally, April 17, 2025
You find heroism in the most unexpected places, sometimes far from the battlefield. This year’s conjunction of Holy Week and Anzac Day presents a thought-provoking lesson. Good Friday, Easter Sunday, and Anzac Day on the following Friday form a kind of triptych illustrating what that word really means. A blind Baptist priest, reading in braille, gave a short and eloquent address about the heroes who had died to keep Australia free. Anzac Day is a national day of remembrance observed on April 25 each year in Australia and New Zealand, commemorating the members of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) who served and died in all wars, conflicts, and peacekeeping operations. It marks the anniversary of the Gallipoli landing in 1915 during World War I, and is celebrated with dawn services, marches, and memorial ceremonies.
Catholic Stand
Why Heaven could be like Star Trek
By Kenneth Cramer, April 25, 2025
Jesus is sentenced to death. Sentenced to end living in this life, the life that we are born into and know and experience through the physical body and five senses. But it the Resurrection of Jesus isn’t only about what happened to Him. It’s about what’s promised to us. Easter is not the conclusion of the Gospel. It’s the beginning of our destiny. Jesus didn’t just return from the dead. He passed through death and into glory. This was not resuscitation. It was a new creation, the likes of which had never been seen before. What if heaven feels a little like Star Trek? Not Star Wars, but Star Trek. Why? Well, because Star Trek is far superior. What if, in the resurrection, our glorified bodies are not only radiant but capable, capable of seeing more, knowing more, loving more, moving more? What if, in the new heavens and the new earth, we are given space, not just to rest, but to become? Imagine traveling through the resurrected universe not to escape suffering (because there is no more), but to deepen love.
Image of Coconut by Celio Nicoli from Pixabay
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