Catholic Nutshell News: Friday 8/22/25
Topics include: Malpractice for Late-term abortionist; Only 40,000 Religious Sisters left; Catholic apostolate resumes in Gaza; & Wisdom or danger using saints in AI?
Fridays, "Living that coconut kinda life."
Today's sources: National Catholic Register, Catholic News Agency, Word on Fire, CatholicVote, Agenzia Fides, & Missio Dei. (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
Late-term abortionist faces complaint for ‘medical malpractice’
By Kate Quiñones, August 22, 2025
A pro-life group filed a formal complaint against late-term abortionist Cesar Santangelo this week, citing “a documented history” of medical malpractice and serious injury of patients. Leaders of the Survivors of the Abortion Holocaust group allege that Santangelo has “a pattern of injuring patients, endangering people’s lives, and prematurely ending at least one” in the complaint, which was addressed to members of the Washington, D.C., Board of Medicine. Pro-life activists associated Santangelo’s clinic with the discovery of the remains of five late-term unborn children. Pro-life activists said they found the children’s remains at the Washington Surgi-Clinic, an abortion center in northwest D.C. that Santangelo operates.
The Pillar
Only 40,000 Religious Sisters are left in the U.S.
By Jack Figge, August 21, 2025
Catholic media outlets frequently herald the vocations crisis, bewailing that young men and women are not becoming priests and religious sisters anymore. However, some dioceses are struggling, while others are blessed with many young men entering seminary. Five hundred women’s religious communities in the U.S. have not had new vocations in years. But others do see women enter. In 1965, convents were booming with vocations — 181,421 U.S. religious sisters. Five years later, it plummeted to only 153,645. Following the Second Vatican Council, a 66% decline in women religious leaves 40,000 religious sisters in the United States. “It really comes down to the breakdown of the family,” said Sister Liz Sjoberg of the Daughters of Charity. “People are having fewer kids.” However, “There is an uptick of interest and of entrance, so God is faithful.”
CatholicVote
Catholic apostolate resumes distributing baby formula in Gaza
By Stephen Herreid, August 21, 2025
One week after a bomb reportedly destroyed the warehouse in Northern Gaza where over 4,000 cans of baby formula were being staged for distribution among starving infants, a US-based Catholic apostolate resumed distributing the precious food Aug. 21. “We are undeterred,” said Jason Jones, president and founder of the Vulnerable People Project (VPP). Jones told CatholicVote Aug. 21 that his team had managed to source and distribute 213 cans of baby formula – far less than the large stockpile lost in the bombing. He shared footage and photographs last week of the aftermath of the reported Aug. 14 bombing, which VPP reported took the lives of two of its humanitarian aid workers. All that appeared to be left of the warehouse was rubble.
National Catholic Register
Wisdom or danger in AI that impersonates the saints?
By Jonah McKeown, August 22, 2025
Magisterium, a project of the Catholic start-up Longbeard, is an AI product focused on making Church teaching and Catholic insight more accessible. The interface is similar to other “generative” AI websites, such as ChatGPT. But unlike ChatGPT, Magisterium is trained only on Catholic sources. Magisterium’s newest project, “Saint Chat,” can generate text-based responses to questions from avatars of saints such as St. Paul, St. Augustine, and St. Jerome. Matthew Harvey Sanders, the founder and CEO of Longbeard, admitted that there was some considerable debate internally at Longbeard about the wisdom and prudence of creating a program that essentially impersonates the saints. “In this whole realm of Catholic AI, there’s a real risk of leading people astray. We take that very seriously,” Sanders said.
Aleteia
Pope Leo wants to keep ‘community life’ at Vatican
By I.Media’s Kathleen N. Hattrup, August 21, 2025
There is speculation that when the Pope finally moves into the renovated papal apartment in the fall, he may have a small Augustinian community with him. Religious priests have similarities with nuns -- they take vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience, and most often, live with other members of their spiritual family, forming a type of home life, or community life. Popes John Paul II and Benedict were diocesan priests. Francis, like Leo, was a religious priest. Leo will move into the papal apartment in the Apostolic Palace in the fall, left vacant by Francis. The 10-room apartment will be home to a “small community of three or four Augustinians” from the Pope's religious congregation, along with Leo XIV and his secretary, the Peruvian priest Edgar Rimaycuna. Augustinians — one Italian, one Filipino, and one Nigerian — currently live near the Sistine Chapel.
Agenzia Fides
Protection of indigenous peoples in the Cordillera region
By Agenzia Fides, August 22, 2025
The Cordillera administrative region in northern Luzon, known for its exceptional natural beauty, is at risk of devastation and could lose a priceless natural resource due to large-scale mining projects, which the indigenous population, particularly in the province of Abra, is protesting against. This is the complaint of the local Catholic community after the multinational company "Yamang Mineral Corporation" obtained authorization to explore the subsoil and begin mining without obtaining the consent of the local indigenous peoples. Bishop Leopoldo Jaucian and other ecclesiastical authorities representing the community said, "The disregard for the law and the parishes raises deep concerns about credibility, respect, and justice.” The Abra Province in the Cordillera region of Luzon Island is known for its rich biodiversity, watersheds, and forests inhabited by indigenous groups, primarily the Tinguiann, who settled there 500 years ago before Spanish colonization.
CRUX
Nun brings vampires back to Catholic Church in new novel
By Charles Collins, August 20, 2025
Vampires have always had a weird romance with the Catholic Church – holy water, crucifixes, and the Eucharist were always seen as the proper weapons against the legendary demonic creatures, but this began to change in the 1990s. “Good vampires” hit their peak in the 2000s, when the Twilight series of movies showed the love between a vampire and a human woman. The Catholic trappings of the evil bloodsucker’s mythology seemed to be disappearing forever. However, one Catholic religious sister is hoping to bring vampires back to their Catholic roots, only with a modern twist. The Curse He Chose is a new book by Daughters of St. Paul Sister Allison Regina Gliot, which was published by Pauline books at the beginning of August. Gliot said the idea was planted by “very ridiculous hypothetical conversations” when she was at the Catholic University of America, admitting she was talking with “theology nerds.”
Our Sunday Visitor
Pro-life coffee company is saving thousands of babies
By Katie Yoder, August 21, 2025
When Anton Krecic started his pro-life coffee company, Seven Weeks Coffee, four years ago, he didn’t know where it would lead. Today, he is amazed at its success: the company has grown enough to donate $1 million to pro-life organizations and save an estimated 9,000 unborn babies. “When I started it, it was just, ‘Let’s raise some money for our local pregnancy resource center,'” Krecic, founder and CEO of Seven Weeks Coffee, told Our Sunday Visitor. “Now to expand that upon centers across all 50 states and $1 million donated … I’m just in awe.” At Seven Weeks Coffee, 10% of every sale goes to pro-life organizations, most of which are local pregnancy centers that provide free help and resources to pregnant and parenting women in need. Some donations also go to adoption and maternity homes.
Big Pulpit, CNA & ChurchPOP for 8/22/2025
Big Pulpit
Tito Edwards Catholic site: August 22, 2025
The Big Pulpit website is a news aggregator gathering quality insight & analysis on the Catholic Church worldwide.
Leo Recommends the Moral Theology of Great Pre-Vatican II Moralist & Saint – Fr. McDonald
A Catholic Beethoven? – John Ahern at Public Discourse
Women Will Abandon This Type of Man – The Lila Rose Podcast
Offensive Mass Bible Readings to be “Updated” for Inclusivity in 3 Countries – Radical Fidelity
Catholic News Agency
CNA’s top headlines — August 22, 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.
What is the ‘Queenship of Mary’ and why does it matter? - Aug 22, 2025 - By Bishop Robert Barron - The Catholic Church annually celebrates the feast of the Queenship of Mary on Aug. 22.
Villanova University Mass interrupted by ‘active shooter’ was a hoax - Aug 21, 2025 - By Kate Quiñones - Villanova University confirmed Thursday that reports of an active shooter on campus that interrupted an opening Mass for new students was a frightening hoax.
ICE arrests take toll on DC churches - Aug 21, 2025 - By Madalaine Elhabbal - Catholic churches that serve Spanish-speaking communities in the Archdiocese of Washington have reported anxiety as immigration enforcement increases.
ChurchPOP Trending
ChurchPOP provides fun, informative, and authentically Catholic news and culture - August 22, 2025
‘Barely a Grade 2’: Trent Horn Praises God for Wife Laura’s Unexpected Cancer Update - Ven. Aloysius Schwartz and Saint Peregrine, please watch over and pray for Laura!
The Powerful Role of Mary, Queen of Heaven & Earth: 6 Quotes From Pope Pius XII's 'Ad Caeli Reginam' - “But the Blessed Virgin Mary should be called Queen, not only because of her Divine Motherhood, but also because God has willed her to have an exceptional role in the work of our eternal salvation."
Need a Budget-Friendly Travel Hack? Stay in a Convent or Monastery - Here's How to Do It! - Have you ever stayed at a convent or monastery while traveling? Here's how to do it!
Nutshell reflections for 8/22/25:
USCCB Daily Reflection: AUDIO - August 22, 2025
Memorial of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Aleteia
World War II prompted Pius XII to create August 22 feast
By Philip Kosloski, August 20, 2025
In the midst of World War II something had to be done. Pope Pius XII, seeing all the carnage, made a firm decision to consecrate the world to the Immaculate Heart of Mary in direct response to the plea of the Blessed Virgin Mary at Fatima. The consecration was conducted on Oct. 31, 1942, during the year that celebrated the 25th anniversary of the Fatima apparitions. Pope Pius XII prayed, "O, Mother of Mercy, obtain peace for us from God! Obtain especially those graces, which can convert human hearts quickly. Those graces, which can prepare, establish, and ensure peace. Queen of Peace, pray for us; Give the world at war the peace for which all are longing, Peace in truth, Justice, and the Charity of Christ. Give them peace of the arms and peace of mind, that in tranquility and order the kingdom of God may expand."
Crisis Magazine
Can world peace get Donald Trump into Heaven?
By Mark Haas, August 22, 2025
Donald Trump recently made a strikingly personal comment about his diplomatic work toward peace agreements. “I want to try and get to heaven if possible. I’m hearing I’m not doing well. I hear I’m really at the bottom of the totem pole. But if I can get to Heaven, this will be one of the reasons.” Indeed, Trump has played a major role in brokering recent peace deals in troubled regions. Can such incredible work bring a man to Heaven? Ultimately, the answer of Heaven begins with Jesus Christ Himself. St. Peter proclaimed before the Sanhedrin: “There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). Vatican II also acknowledged that God’s mercy extends to those who, through no fault of their own, do not know Christ or His Church but sincerely seek the truth and strive to do His will (see Art. 16).
Word on Fire
Will we reach a time when designer babies can be purchased?
By Dr. Christopher Kaczor, August 20, 2025
Imagine a future where people order up their children’s eye color, height, IQ, and skin color the way they choose appliances for their kitchen. People order not just books and games on Amazon but baby boys and girls who are, as Newsweek put it recently, “genetically optimized.” Participants in an upcoming debate will tackle the question “Is Designing Babies Unethical—or a Moral Imperative?” What would happen if everyone were to order up their idealized baby Barbie or baby Ken? Well, people want to optimize their children so that they will have advantages. if everyone were to make designer babies, then these advantages would evaporate. Everyone’s child would be tall, intelligent, and conscientious. If everyone made designer babies, then making designer babies would be pointless. Obviously, not everyone could make designer babies—only the rich and privileged, which would further extend their family’s advantage over the poor and marginalized.
Missio Dei
St. Paul’s letter writing craft likely learned from general culture
By Phillip Hadden, August 20, 2025
Due to the spread of Greek culture surrounding the Mediterranean, Greek rhetorical schools, where the skill of letter writing could be learned, were common in various parts of the Greco-Roman world. The difficulty for scholars is that there is not a lot known about St. Paul’s early education. Paul may have learned the craft of writing letters in a Greco-Roman rhetorical school; however, Pauline expert Fr. Raymond F. Collins suspects that Paul, being a pious Jew, would not have attended such a school. Paul would have learned the craft of letter writing from the general culture. In the Greco-Roman world, the cheap ink that was typically used to write a letter could be easily washed off papyrus, so letters were sent in a waxed leather case to protect them from the contents being lost. Paul would likely have written his letters on a single papyrus sheet or a roll.
Image of Coconut by Celio Nicoli from Pixabay
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