Catholic Nutshell News: Friday 6/5/26
What Catholics should know: Cardinals to discuss just war tradition; Nuncio hopes for peace in Ukraine; Crime-fighting priest in Detroit; & Law requiring Church to hire nonbelievers
Fridays, "Living that coconut kinda life."
Your 5-minute Catholic briefing for busy faithful. Today's sources: National Catholic Register, EWTN News, OSV News, Zeale, Bishop Barron, & Aleteia. (Catholic Nutshell is a FREE subscription service for faithful, hopeful, & curious Catholics willing to exercise their Catholic News Muscle)
Please support the following Catholic news services and spiritual support sites. Click here to view this email on the Catholic Nutshell News website. Today’s Catholic Nutshell News audio podcast is available on the Substack App.
Zeale News
Cardinals to discuss just war tradition at June Consistory
By McKenna Snow, June 4, 2026
The schedule for the June 26-27 Extraordinary Consistory of Cardinals — a meeting of cardinals from around the world with Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican — includes sessions focusing on the Pontiff’s recent encyclical, debates over what constitutes a just war, and the implementation of the Synod on Synodality. Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, dean of the College of Cardinals, wrote that the discussion will raise awareness of the painful reality of these struggles affecting many of the cardinals, especially those in war-torn regions. The discussion, he added, will also challenge the conditions that “are re-emerging that weaken the possibility of reconciliation and coexistence.” “In particular, we shall be invited to reflect on how best to reaffirm today that the “just war” theory, which has all too often been used to justify any kind of war, is now outdated,’” he wrote, quoting paragraph 192 of the encyclical, “and what concrete paths might help peoples and Christian communities to safeguard and build peace.”
OSV News
Nuncio hopes for peace after Zelenskyy calls for talks with Putin
By Junno Arocho Esteves, June 5, 2026
The apostolic nuncio to Ukraine expressed his support for initiatives that will lead to the end of the war following the release of an open letter by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, calling for peace talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Archbishop Visvaldas Kulbokas, who has served as nuncio to the war-torn country since 2021, said that when it comes to war, “the Church’s judgment is clear.” “God has never revoked the Decalogue, and he has not authorized us to kill. Never,” the Lithuanian archbishop said. “Therefore, I appreciate and accompany with prayer every initiative that sincerely and seriously aims to rebuild peace.” In his open letter, Zelenskyy commented on the full-scale invasion that began in 2022, noting that history will remember it as Putin’s “personal choice” and “a war without a real cause.”
Aleteia
Crime-fighting priest: ‘… just another day in the D’
By Theresa Civantos Barber, June 5, 2026
Not all heroes wear capes. Some wear cassocks. Priests are real-life superheroes, but one Detroit priest took that to a whole new level when a crime suspect tried to flee police right in front of his church. Not on this priest’s watch! Rev. Canon Jean-Baptiste Commins took down the suspect and helped police apprehend him. Canon Commins was in his church parking lot Monday evening when he heard tires squeal and a loud crash. A stolen car had crashed into another vehicle with police in pursuit when a young man ran from the scene wearing only one shoe. An onlooker yelled, “Stop him!” and Canon Commins jumped into action. Jumping in to help is “just another day” for Canon Commins, according to his flock. Rebecca has been a parishioner at his parish, St. Joseph Shrine, for six years, and she told Aleteia she’s not surprised to hear of his brave actions. He went right back to his typical routine after the brief stint of crime-fighting. He told the reporter, “Yes, I went and had to do my prayers as usual and have dinner with the community… just another day in the D.”
National Catholic Register
Is the Church as troubled as the SSPX Claims?
By Larry Chapp, June 4, 2026
There is only so much controversy that one can absorb before our psychological defense mechanisms kick in and we become numb to it all, preferring the silent suffering of an exhausted soul over a constant engagement with things that are seemingly impossible to resolve and therefore disturb the soul all the more with a sense of anguished futility. One of the negative side effects of the entire debate is that we have been forced to focus on the SSPX leadership's claim that the Church is in such a grave crisis of apostasy that the society’s schismatic acts are warranted and, therefore, are not even really schismatic at all. What the debate has done is to focus our eyes on the negative. Does the Church have many problems today? Yes, of course it does, as the Church has always been faced with various crises and problems. But what then of the positive things going on in the Church? Is it really as dark as the SSPX claims? No, it is not, and therefore, the best counterargument that the Church can give to the SSPX is to begin a renewed focus on what is right with the Church.
EWTN News
Illinois diocese: Wants to block law requiring it to hire nonbelievers
By Tyler Arnold, June 5, 2026
The Diocese of Springfield is asking a federal appeals court to strike down a state law that they say would force it to hire workers who disagree with its religious and pro-life missions. Springfield’s diocese filed suit against the state in March 2025 alongside the Pregnancy Care Center of Rockford. Both parties had argued that the Illinois Human Rights Act “dictates how religious employers must speak and act about employees’ voluntary reproductive decisions like abortion, contraception, and sterilization.” That law “prohibits employers from disciplining or refusing to hire employees” regarding their decisions about abortion and further “requires employers to grant employee accommodations” regarding abortion, the lawsuit said. Springfield Bishop Thomas Paprocki said in the Alliance Defending Freedom press release that the diocese "proclaims, teaches, and encourages Catholics to live out all the teachings of the Church, including the dignity and value of human life.”
The CRUX
Populist right, pro-life Catholics in Europe clashing with bishops
By Fionn Shiner, June 5, 2026
Many of the new far-right parties – or populist right, as some prefer – sweeping across Europe, position themselves as defenders of Christian civilization. Paradoxically, this sometimes puts them in conflict with their countries' bishops, particularly on immigration. Recent polling by the Center for Sociological Research (CIS) found that 75% of Vox voters identify as Catholic — 39% of that group say they are practicing, and 61% non-practicing. Only 6% of Vox voters identify as atheist. In the last four local elections, Vox won 16.9% of the vote in Extremadura, 18.9% in Castile and León, 17.9% in Aragón, and 13.8% in Andalusia. Why are Catholics voting for them? Crux Now spoke with Anna, a 30-year-old Catholic who is a supporter of Vox, who explained that “it is the only Spanish political party that defends the right to life” as opposed to PP, which holds an “ambiguous position.” She added, “As a political party, Vox has quite a few members of parliament, local councilors, and grassroots members who come from pro-life movements and who publicly identify themselves as both Catholic and pro-life.”
ANSA English
Pope’s Spain visit will run into a lowering numbers of Catholics
By Marie-Lucile Kubacki, June 5, 2026
A survey published by CIS (Survey on Social Trends V, Study No. 3535, December 2025) documents that 15.2% of respondents identify as practicing Catholics. Of all respondents, 11.4% stated that they attend Mass “every Sunday and on holy days of obligation,” while 4.7% attend Mass “several times a week.” In light of this situation, the Spanish Episcopal Conference has been conducting an in-depth reflection of the realities of the country for several years. “The difficulties we encounter in evangelization, coupled with the aging and declining membership of the Christian community—married couples, consecrated persons, pastors, and lay people committed to the Church’s mission—lead to a certain discouragement within the Church, which is further exacerbated by the workload and challenges of evangelization, especially among the ordained clergy,” the document wrote.
Related: Well-traveled Pope Leo knows Spain better than many Spaniards, author says, By Victoria Cardiel, EWTN News, June 5, 2026
Zenit News
Leo XIV reveals ambitious plan for an energy-independent Vatican
By Valentina di Giorgio, June 3, 2026
Through a pontifical decree dated June 1, 2026, Pope Leo XIV has established the “Fratello Sole” Foundation, a new Vatican entity tasked with overseeing a large agrivoltaic project designed to provide the entire Vatican City State with sustainable energy. The initiative marks a new phase in the Holy See’s long-term effort to combine environmental responsibility, technological innovation, and practical stewardship of resources. More than a symbolic ecological gesture, the project seeks to make the Vatican fully self-sufficient in energy production while preserving agricultural activity and protecting the surrounding landscape. Under the new plan, the area will host an agrivoltaic installation capable of generating renewable electricity while allowing agricultural use of the land beneath and around the solar infrastructure. The objective is twofold: to guarantee the energy needs of the Vatican Radio complex and, ultimately, to supply the entire Vatican City State.
Keep informed - 6/5/26 news for Catholics
Snippets from Big Pulpit, EWTN, & the Loop
Big Pulpit
Tito Edwards Catholic site: June 5, 2026
The Big Pulpit website is a news aggregator that gathers quality insights and analysis on the Catholic Church worldwide.
Leo Links Young People’s Mental Health Issues to Loss of Interior Life, Sense of Meaning – CWN
Trust in the Church Has Been ‘Destroyed’ for Many in Recent Years – Michael Haynes
God Showed Up in the Middle of the Mess – Kendra Von Esh at Catholic Stand Magazine
Three Reasons Gay Marriage Approval is Plummeting – Them Before Us
EWTN News
EWTN’s top headlines — June 5, 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.
Catholic law firm offers guidelines to help school districts uphold parental rights - By Tessa Gervasini - Guidelines urge districts to “immediately and expressly adopt a parental notice and opt-out policy,” which provides prominent and regular notice that will reach all parents.
World’s oldest priest dies at 110 - By CNA Deutsch - Ordained in 1950, Father Bruno Kant served the Diocese of Fulda in Germany for decades. After retiring from active ministry, he remained a confidant, pastor, and spiritual guide for many parishioners.
Cardinal Koovakad to lead Sanremo meeting on interreligious dialogue - By Angela Ambrogetti - The October gathering follows a pastoral letter by Bishop Antonio Suetta on charity, Christian witness, and the proclamation of the Gospel to Muslims living in the diocese.
Zeale / Loop / CatholicVote
Zeale is CatholicVote, hosting the LOOP
Over half a million people receive the LOOP news rundown six days a week. Zeale is the new home of the LOOP. Zeale is a project of CatholicVote, America’s top Catholic advocacy organization leading the fight for faith, family, and freedom.
DETRANSITIONER PLEADS WITH CONGRESS TO PROTECT KIDS - Chloe Cole, a 21-year-old detransitioner, urged Congress during an emotional June 3 hearing to ban the practice of subjecting children to gender “transition” procedures, alleging that doctors lied to her family and left her with irreversible physical and emotional harm. READ
DOWN SYNDROME FAMILIES RESPOND AFTER YOUTUBER ABORTS BABY -Parents of children with Down syndrome took to X June 4 to share stories of love and advocacy, responding to a viral post by YouTuber Jesse Ridgway in which he announced he and his wife aborted their unborn child after learning the baby had Trisomy 21, or Down syndrome. READ
STUDENTS FOR LIFE PUSHES CONGRESS ON PLANNED PARENTHOOD FUNDS - Students for Life Action is calling on Congress to permanently defund Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers by July 4 or face an “F” grade on its Pro-Life Generation Report Card. READ
June 5, 2026 - USCCB Daily Mass Readings
You can listen HERE — or read HERE:
Memorial of Saint Boniface, Bishop and Martyr
Today’s Catholic commentary:
Catholic365
UFO’s and aliens: The final deception?
By Gary Sullivan, June 4, 2026
As UFOologists and Alien enthusiasts await the ‘Day of Disclosure’ promised by both the Trump administration and the movie producer Steven Spielberg, where they believe that alien secrets will be revealed including a messianic answer to theological questions regarding the meaning of human existence, solutions or ‘salvation’ from the predicament of the fallenness of the world and the spread of sin and its malignant effects and an overall technological utopia. More than ever, when it comes to UFO’s and aliens we must beware of demonic deception… We don’t need disclosure because we already have Divine Revelation which is complete. We don’t need a messiah because we already have Jesus. We don’t need a utopia because we already have the promise of heaven. Secret knowledge, salvation and paradise derived from alien or UAP disclosure sounds demonic on the surface level.
Catholic Weekly
The strength of Jimmy Lai & the weakness of Emperor Xi
By George Weigel, June 5, 2026
At his May summit in Beijing, President Trump made an effort to convince Chinese leader Xi Jinping to release Jimmy Lai from his imprisonment in Hong Kong. That conviction has no more legal or moral validity than that of the Lord by Pontius Pilate. And I find it deeply moving that, in the prison cell where Jimmy does coloured pencil sketches of religious scenes, many of them depict the Crucifixion. One of those sketches is among my most prized possessions. By conforming himself in prayer to the crucified Lord, Jimmy Lai is living his unjust punishment as an occasion of grace. That, however, doesn’t change the brutal reality of his situation: namely, the virtual certainty that he will die in jail, having never been restored to his family – unless Emperor Xi lets him go into exile. Either Xi lacks the power to resolve the dispute between the prudential diplomats and the security thugocracy, or he fears that coming down on the side of the foreign ministry would jeopardise his firm grip on the internal security apparatus, to his own peril.
Aleteia
St. Anthony and the mule who knelt down before the Eucharist
By Philip Kosloski, May 30, 2026
St. Anthony of Padua lived during the 13th century and possessed a great zeal for the Real Presence of Jesus in the Holy Eucharist. One day Saint Anthony heard of a man in Rimini named named Bononillo who did not share the same belief. In fact, Bononillo openly mocked people who believed that Jesus was truly present under the appearances of bread and wine. St. Anthony tried his hardest to convince Bononillo with the proofs of scripture and argument, but discovered that the man was as stubborn as a mule. St. Anthony received an inspiration. He challenged the wealthy merchant, "If the mule you ride adored the Body of Christ in the Eucharist, would you believe in the truth of the Blessed Sacrament?" Given a pile of hay or the Eucharist, what would the mule do? When the mule, starved for 3 days by Bononillo, was close, the animal bent his front legs and kneeled in adoration of the Eucharst. When Bononillo saw this miraculous change of events, he immediately knelt down and professed his belief in the truth of the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist.
Bishop Barron
Recognize Jesus, and let your burdens go
By Bishop Robert Barron, June 5, 2026
Friends, in our Gospel today, Jesus quotes a psalm where David calls him Lord. It calls to mind a question: Do you also recognize Jesus as Lord? Is Christ commanding your life in every detail? Is he the Lord of your family life? Of your recreational life? Of your professional life? Is he the Lord of every room in your house, including the bedroom? Does your sexuality belong to him? Do your friendships serve his purpose? Are you totally given over to him, under his lordship When we surrender to the path of love that he has laid out for us, our lives become infinitely lighter, easier, and more joyful, for we are moving with the divine purpose. We will have moved out of what Paul calls the way of “the flesh” and into the way of “the Spirit.” Flesh refers here not to the body as such but to sin. When you are caught up in patterns of self-regard and self-protection, life becomes a burden, and you find yourself taking up the weapons of war all the time. But when you recognize Jesus as Lord, you can let all of that go.
Image of Coconut by Celio Nicoli from Pixabay
Listen to an audio podcast of today’s Catholic Nutshell News on the Substack App!
At the top of your phone, while in the app and reading a post, you can press the ▶️ play button and have Catholic Nutshell News read to you every day …
