Catholic Nutshell News: Friday 5/23/25
Topics include: CRS loses funds for food, Jesuit Aleni - the ‘Confucius of the West,’ Archdiocese accepts $180 million settlement, & Pope Leo's continuity on women
Fridays, "Living that coconut kinda life."
Today's sources: National Catholic Register, The UK Tablet, Catholic News Agency, Crux, Word on Fire, 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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Catholic News Agency
Catholic Relief Services loses funds for 11 of 13 food aid programs
By Tyler Arnold, May 22, 2025
As part of President Donald Trump’s efforts to reshape American foreign aid, his administration is ending federal funds for nearly a dozen projects operated by Catholic Relief Services (CRS) to provide free school meals to children internationally. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) ended funding for 11 of the 13 projects CRS operates through the McGovern-Dole Food for Education Program, which was created with bipartisan support in the early 2000s. According to the USDA, the funds support international school feeding and maternal and child nutrition projects with American agricultural commodities. According to CRS, the termination of these funds will affect more than 780,000 school-aged children in 11 countries. The funding will end this July.
Agenzia Fides
400th anniversary of Jesuit Aleni, the ‘Confucius of the West’
By Agencia Fides, May 20, 2025
400 years ago, Jesuit Giulio Aleni, known as the "Confucius of the West," landed in Fuzhou (now the capital of Fujian Province) to tell "the story of Jesus." The Diocese of Fuzhou paid tribute to his witness of the Gospel with a seminar held from May 16 to 17 and blessed his statue in the Cathedral of Saint Dominic, during a ceremony presided over by Bishop Joseph Cai Bingrui. The seminar dedicated to Giulio Aleni—who introduced neophytes to meditation on the mysteries of Jesus' life based on Gospel passages, according to the Ignatian method—was attended by scholars from mainland China, Hong Kong, and Italy. The Italian Jesuit missionary was an astronomer, man of letters, geographer, and mathematician.
The UK Tablet
New Orleans Archdiocese accepts $180 million abuse settlement
By Daniel Payne/CNA, May 22, 2025
The Archdiocese of New Orleans agreed to pay $180 million to victims of clergy abuse, bringing an end to years of bankruptcy proceedings in federal court. Archbishop Gregory Aymond said it could begin “a path to healing for survivors and for our local Church.” The law firm Pachulski Stang Ziehl & Jones LLP, representing abuse victims in the proceedings, said the sum represented “more than 20 times the archdiocese’s initial settlement estimate” when it first filed for bankruptcy in 2020. The settlement, if accepted by the abuse survivors, would end five years of disputes over how the archdiocese handled sex abuse cases in the past and how it planned to compensate victims of clergy abuse.
National Catholic Register
Legal battle looms for Oklahoma Catholic charter school loss
By Matthew McDonald, May 22, 2025
The Supreme Court’s deadlock in the Oklahoma case over a Catholic charter school’s bid to secure public funds keeps a lower-court ruling in place. Still, advocates on both sides expect a rematch that could reshape school-choice law nationwide. The 4-4 tie announced Thursday, which became possible because Justice Amy Coney Barrett recused herself, means that the Catholic charter school can’t get funds from the state government, because a state court ruling denying the funds remains in place. “I think most legal observers believe that she will not recuse herself in other cases presenting the same legal questions, and she can provide the deciding vote,” said David Tryon, from the Buckeye Institute, a think tank that filed a friend-of-the-court brief supporting the Catholic charter school.
CRUX
Pope Leo’s first curial meeting signals continuity on women
By Elise Ann Allen, May 23, 2025
Pope Leo XIV had a private meeting with Italian Sister Simona Brambilla, whom Francis had named in January as prefect of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Religious. One of the most consistent questions up to now, as the world is getting to know Pope Leo, has been what his approach to women will be, and whether he will continue Pope Francis’s trailblazing efforts to create more meaningful spaces for them in governance and authority, including within the Roman Curia. He will unlikely deviate from the line his predecessor took on issues such as women’s priestly ordination, which Francis repeatedly said was a solidly closed door. Not only did Pope Leo meet almost immediately with Brambilla, but during his first public general audience on May 21, nearly all of the lectors who did the Gospel reading and summaries of his catechesis in different languages were women.
Related: Pope appoints Sr. Tiziana Merletti as Secretary of Dicastery for Consecrated Life, Vatican News, By Joseph Tulloch, May 22, 2025
Our Sunday Visitor
Surrendering to the sacrificial call of motherhood
By Grace Babineau, May 11, 2025
When a Catholic thinks about giving his or her life to Christ, the call to religious life or the priesthood often comes to mind. While these vocations are a total surrender to God in a uniquely radical way, the longer I live the vocation of marriage, the more I realize the profound nature of this call as well, particularly for women. Motherhood stretches a woman in every aspect. Physically, she sacrifices her body for another, offering her womb as God’s canvas through which he creates a new person. Emotionally, she surrenders her heart to love this child with an irreplicable intimacy. And mentally, she takes on the responsibility of raising and educating this person to live independently and hopefully reach his or her eternal reward. We exist for God. Our lives were never our own, and we are made to share the sacrifice of the cross alongside the glory of the Resurrection.
The Pillar
Four German bishops opt out of national synodal body
By Luke Coppen, May 22, 2025
Die Tagespost newspaper reported that in a May 19 letter to organizers of the interim synodal committee, the quartet of bishops signaled their intention not to take up their seats on the new synodal body, scheduled to be launched in 2026 and include all 27 German diocesan bishops. The absence of four bishops will likely undermine efforts to present the future body as fully representative of the Catholic Church in Germany. The four bishops were seen as belonging to a conservative minority that opposed Synodal Way resolutions calling for significant changes to Catholic teaching and practice. The Vatican told the German bishops that neither they nor Synodal Way participants had the authority to establish the body. The Vatican was responding to a request from the four bishops to clarify whether they were obliged to join the synodal committee.
Vatican News
Church in Russia ‘struck by Pope’s push for peace’ & unity
By Federico Piana, May 22, 2025
Speaking to Vatican News, the Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of the Mother of God in Moscow said many Russians appreciated his emphasis on unity. “The Pope repeated that word no fewer than eight times during the homily at the Eucharistic celebration marking the start of his Petrine ministry,” he said. “It was an important exhortation not only for our Church but for all of society.” Bishop Dubinin highlighted that the Russian Church seeks to remain above partisan divisions precisely because its parishes exemplify “diverse nationalities, cultural backgrounds, and viewpoints.” “In this situation, the Church shares with the people all their pains and sufferings,” he said. “We deeply feel the impotence of not being able to change events directly, but we trust in Pope Leo XIV’s action, guided by the Holy Spirit.”
Pillar, CNA & Satire for Friday, May 23, 2025
The Pillar
Pillar Articles for 5/23/25
The Pillar is a Catholic Church news and investigative journalism website founded by J.D. Flynn, former editor-in-chief of CNA and former chancellor of the Archdiocese of Denver; and Ed Condon, former Washington, D.C., bureau editor of CNA.
The popemobile is a relatively new car, presented to Pope Francis in late 2024 by Mercedes, which has made cars for popes since 1930 — If you ask me, Leo is the pope with enough social credibility to bring back the earlier papal carriage, if he really wanted to.
At his Mass of inauguration Sunday, Pope Leo XIV told Catholics that St. Peter could only undertake his role in the Church “because his own life was touched by the infinite and unconditional love of God, even in the hour of his failure and denial.”
Vance and Rubio aren’t the only people who came to Rome to see Leo take up the symbols of his office — the fisherman’s ring and the pallium, among others. Sunday’s inauguration Mass was packed with tens of thousands of Catholics from all around the world, who had come to pray with the pope.
Catholic News Agency
CNA’s top headlines — May 23, 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.
Crimes against churches and Christians in Germany on the rise - May 23, 2025 - By Tessa Gervasini - The Federal Ministry of the Interior and the Federal Criminal Police Office found that attacks against German churches increased by 20% in 2024, with a total of 111 registered crimes.
‘Be the love of Christ for others’: St. Louis begins long road to tornado recovery - May 23, 2025 - By Jonah McKeown - The people of northern St. Louis continue to pick up the pieces — assisted by Catholic Charities — after a massive tornado hit the city last week, with a full recovery likely taking multiple years.
Catholic Church strives to reduce violence in Mexico - May 23, 2025 - By Diego López Colín - Amid a wave of violence that has shaken Mexico, including the murder this week of two high-ranking officials in the capital, the Catholic Church is redoubling its efforts to restore peace.
Babylon Bee’s Satire News
The Babylon Bee Is Now A Full-Service Restaurant And All Our Writers Are Compensated Entirely With Tips
By The Babylon Bee Staff, May 22, 2022
The Babylon Bee is no longer a satire website. After months of strategy meetings and lots of thinking really hard, we have decided to pivot to becoming a full-service restaurant empire. In light of this change, all our writers and other staffers will now be known as "waiters," "busboys," and "food-making guys," and will be compensated entirely in "tips." This compensation plan, created without any kind of intent to avoid income taxes or otherwise skirt federal tax laws, is ultimately the best compensation structure for our employees. "This is a great shift for us," said Babylon Bee CEO Seth Dillon. "My $1,500,000 salary? It's now considered 'tips' from 'diners' at our 'restaurant.' Every subscriber who gives us money will be notified that they are 'tipping' their 'waitstaff,' for the 'delicious meals' we are serving them each and every day." ("I'm gonna make so much money," he added, off the record.)
Nutshell reflections for 5/23/25:
USCCB Daily Reflection: AUDIO - May 23, 2025
Friday of the Fifth Week of Easter
ChurchPOP
The Church was built on truth under hierarchical governance
By Father Patrick Briscoe, OP, May 23, 2025
“We have with one accord decided to choose representatives and send them to you, along with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, who have dedicated their lives to the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Acts 15:24-25). At first glance, this might not seem like a particularly stirring or beautiful Scripture verse — but with a little context, it’s quite powerful. Rather than let confusion and division fester, the apostles came together in what we now call the Council of Jerusalem. Guided by the Holy Spirit, they clarified Church teaching and sent official representatives. Sometimes, our Protestant brothers and sisters argue that the hierarchical structure of the Catholic Church is a human invention, something “unbiblical.” But today’s reading demonstrates just the opposite. From the very beginning, the Church has been hierarchical, apostolic in her governance and her teaching.
Catholic Exchange
Confronting death with hope
By Constance T. Hull, May 22, 2023
It will take me quite a while to unpack everything from my dad’s recent and sudden death. A Discalced Carmelite Friar told me it takes a minimum of 5 years to grieve. There was a moment when my dad was in his final 24 hours, when I was asked: “How can you be so calm?” It is an important question. The great graces the Lord pour into us at the foot of the Cross. Since the Lord in His mercy did supply those graces, without hesitating, I answered: “Prayer.” I could never have survived the agony of my dad’s final passion and death without turning to the Lord repeatedly in prayer. I begged Him for the strength I needed to endure it all, and He provided in abundance. Our witness is essential. We should look different from the rest of the world when we come face-to-face with the tremendous sufferings of this life, especially death.
Word on Fire
The ‘Cosmic Authority’ problem fails on real freedom
By Dr. Richard Clements, May 21, 2025
Since the very beginning (see Gen. 3:17), we humans have tended to rebel against the very idea of any “cosmic authority” to which (or, better said, to whom) we might be answerable for the choices we make in our lives. We don’t like someone telling us what we should or shouldn’t do. We want to be our ultimate authority; we want to be our own god, rather than admitting that there is a God to whom we are all accountable (see Rom. 14:10–12). “If there were no God, then I could really be free!” But such thoughts are typically based on a mistaken conception of the nature of freedom—freedom conceived in a negative sense, as freedom from: freedom from all limits, constraints, moral codes, etc.; freedom conceived as complete autonomy; freedom to do whatever I desire. Many people in our contemporary society don’t realize what genuine freedom looks like.
Catholic Stand
We must forgive everyone
By Ray Sullivan, May 23, 2025
We must remember that the sins our fellow human beings have committed against us are a day’s wages, while the sins we have committed against God are like a million years of wages. Why? Because sins committed against an almighty, infinite God who has given us so many good things are written in eternity. The sins committed by people against us are written in time, which one day will stop. The fact that the one original sin of Adam against God (disobedience to His command) still affects us today is proof enough for me that one sin against God outweighs by far any human sin against another. Getting rid of our sins, in the sacrament of Confession, is easy, specifically mentioned by Jesus in John 20:21-23. The healing powers on our mind, psyche, and body of confessing our sins are immense and help us to resist sin the next time we are tempted.
Image of Coconut by Celio Nicoli from Pixabay
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