Catholic Nutshell News: Monday 10/13/25
Topics include: Man desecrates Basilic; Sagrada Familia soon world’s tallest church; Glimmers of hope for the Holy Land; & We have religious ‘Nones’ and now ‘Dones’
“Worth your weight in walnuts”
Today's sources are Catholic News Agency, Graphs about Religion, OSV, Aleteia, Fides, UCA, CWN, National Catholic Register, & Christian Post. (Catholic Nutshell is a subscription service for faithful, hopeful, & curious Catholics willing to exercise the Catholic News Muscle)
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Catholic News Agency
Man desecrates altar of St. Peter’s Basilica
By Daniel Payne, October 11, 2025
A man urinated on the Altar of Confession of St. Peter’s Basilica on Friday before being taken away by security officers in the famous basilica, according to news reports. The man climbed the altar and “urinated under the stunned gaze of hundreds of tourists,” according to the newspaper Corriere della Sera’s Rome edition. Video of the desecration was widely shared on social media. Il Tempo reported that the man “was promptly reached by plainclothes police officers present in the basilica” and was escorted out of the church. This is not the first time this year that a vandal has attacked the altar from which the pope says Mass. In February, a man desecrated the altar by climbing on top of it and throwing six candelabras that were on the altar to the ground. In June 2023, a Polish man approached the high altar as the basilica was about to close, undressed, and climbed onto the altar.
CRUX
Nigerian officials upset over claims of Christian persecution
By Ngala Killian Chimtom, October 11, 2025
A senior official in the administration of Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu has called out some US lawmakers over their push to have the US State Department redesignate Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC). The CPC designation may be used under US law to identify any country deemed by the US Secretary of State to practice “systematic, ongoing, egregious violations of religious freedom.” The US designated Nigeria a Country of Particular Concern in December of 2020, in the lame duck period of current US President Donald Trump’s first term in office. The Biden administration removed the African country from the CPC list on November 17, 2021, one day after the then-US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken visited Nigeria. A number of US lawmakers are now calling on the current US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, to restore Nigeria’s CPC status.
Aleteia
Sagrada Familia will soon be the world’s tallest church
By Daniel Esparza, October 12, 2025
Once Barcelona’s Sagrada Família central Tower of Jesus is finished — planned at about 172–172.5 meters (about 565 feet) — the basilica will overtake every church on earth, edging past Germany’s Ulm Minster (161.5 m / 530 feet). Until that topping-out happens, these are the current giants. Ulm’s filigreed Gothic spire remains the world’s tallest at 161.53 meters. You can climb into its lacework of stone for wind, bells, and views over the Danube. On the savanna of Yamoussoukro, the Basilica of Our Lady of Peace pairs African light with classical symmetry. Besides its height, including the cross, at 158 meters (518 feet), it is the largest church by area. Two needle-like spires anchor Cologne’s skyline and frame the Rhine’s bustle below. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Cologne Cathedral, at 157.2 m, is a masterpiece of Gothic ambition.
Vatican News
Pope hails glimmers of hope for the Holy Land, prays for Ukraine
By Francesca Merlo, October 12, 2025
At the conclusion of the Mass for the Jubilee of Marian Spirituality in St Peter’s Square, Pope Leo XIV turned his thoughts to those suffering the consequences of conflict, political instability, and other forms of injustice around the world. “Two years of conflict have left death and destruction everywhere,” the Pope said. “Especially in the hearts of those who have brutally lost their children, their parents, their friends - everything.”Assuring those affected that the Church stands beside them, Pope Leo reminded them of God’s unwavering presence, even in the darkest of moments, and in doing so quoted: “Dilexi te – I have loved you.” the Pope encouraged the recent agreement between Israel and Hamas and urged all parties involved to continue, with courage, along the path toward “a just, lasting peace” that honours the legitimate aspirations of both the Israeli and Palestinian peoples.
The Pillar
U.K.’s Syro-Malabar bishop claims rule over local Knanaya Catholics
By Luke Coppen, October 10, 2025
Bishop Joseph Srampickal, head of the Syro-Malabar Eparchy of Great Britain, issued an Oct. 7 circular letter in response to protesters who want to retain their membership in India’s Syro-Malabar Archeparchy of Kottayam while residing in the U.K. The Kottayam archeparchy is a unique ecclesiastical jurisdiction because, although it is part of the Syro-Malabar Church — one of the 23 Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with Rome — it was established in 1911 solely for members of the ancient Knanaya people. Srampickal said that after Pope Francis created the Syro-Malabar Eparchy of Great Britain in 2016, all the nearly 80,000 Syro-Malabar Catholics in the U.K., including Knanaya Catholics from the Kottayam archeparchy, fell under its jurisdiction. “In Great Britain, the priests appointed by the Bishop of the Eparchy of Great Britain are the proper pastors of the Syro Malabar faithful, including the Knanaya faithful,” he said.
Related: Knanaya Catholics protest against Syro-Malabar Eparchy of Great Britain, by Rita Joseph & Aili Winstanley Channer, 7 October 2025, The Tablet
Our Sunday Visitor
Why you should pray the psalms every day
By Leonard J. DeLorenzo, October 10, 2025
By praying the psalms, the Church and each of her members can meet Christ Jesus, who “did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men” (Phil 2:6-7). His humility meets our joys and hopes, our griefs and anxieties — he takes it all on willingly. The Christian practice of praying the psalms is an act of assent to the mystery of the Incarnation. The entire field of Christian prayer is filled with the presence of Christ; there is no Christian prayer that stretches beyond the bounds of his love and mercy. The psalms indeed offer us a spirituality of the Incarnation, which is made complete in his (and eventually our) ascension: Christ toward us in mercy, us following Christ to glory. His works are the possibility of our union with God.
Graphs about Religion
From the category of ‘Nones’ now comes the ‘Dones’
By Ryan Burge, October 11, 2025
We don’t want to overstate the rigor of our methods or analysis, but through the course of The Nones Project, we have managed to isolate a portion of non-religious Americans who don’t seem to express any real yearning for God. When we saw this cluster of nones pop up out of the algorithm, it was pretty easy to name this group: The Dones. They comprise 33% of all non-religious Americans, which means that about one in ten American adults has nothing to do with religion at all, and no interest in changing that. In fact, 68% of them said that religion was not at all important to them and spirituality was not all important either. Another 22% said religion was not at all important and spirituality was not too important. That’s 90% of the sample scoring about as low as you can possibly imagine. When we say that the Dones are done, we mean it.
National Catholic Register
Elon Musk is Right: ‘Cancel Netflix for the Health of Your Kids’
By Alyssa Murphy, October 9, 2025
Last week, the internet was abuzz with an animated show, apparently with a target audience of 7-year-olds, showing a character all punked out with short blue hair, an earring, and looking ever so androgynous, explaining to her friend that she was “trans” now. “It’s not the part. It’s me. I’m trans, Norma,” the character shares with her friend on the ominously titled: Dead End: Paranormal Park. “And everyone at school knows, and everyone at home knows. And being here, it’s like a whole new place.” Within this 41-second clip, Netflix is promoting not only transgenderism but also the spirit world, complete with an animated demon. All for 7-year-olds. This is just the first in many examples that have parents raising the alarm on the dangers of this programming. Live Action’s Lila Rose took to social media. “They are trying to destroy your children’s innocence,” calling her followers to boycott Netflix. Elon Musk said in his X account: “Cancel Netflix for the sake of your kids.”
CatholicVote
Trump restores Columbus Day: ‘We’re back’
By Elise Winland, October 12, 2025
President Donald Trump signed a proclamation last week officially restoring Columbus Day, declaring Oct. 13 as the holiday this year. “Columbus Day, we’re back,” Trump said at the Oct. 9 signing ceremony. “We’re back, Italians.” Columbus Day became a federal holiday in 1971. In recent years, activists pushed to replace Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples’ Day, arguing that Columbus represents colonialism and genocide against Native Americans. White House Staff Secretary Will Scharf introduced the proclamation, calling Columbus a “great Italian explorer” who “discovered the New World in 1492. He sailed his three ships, the Niña, the Pinta, and Santa Maria, across the Atlantic Ocean, and landed in what’s today the Caribbean,” Scharf said. “And this is a particularly important holiday for Italian Americans who celebrate the legacy of Christopher Columbus, and the innovation and explorer zeal that he represented.” Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni praised the move in an Oct. 9 statement, thanking Trump “for restoring Columbus Day and for thus reminding us that history cannot be erased.”
Related: Columbus Day highlights explorer’s ‘legacy of faith,’ Trump says, Catholic News Service, Oct 13, 2025, By Tessa Gervasini
CNA, UCA, and CNW News for 10/13/25
Catholic News Agency
CNA’s top headlines — October 13, 2025
The Catholic News Agency provides reliable, free, and up-to-the-minute news affecting the Universal Church, emphasizing the words of the Holy Father and the happenings of the Holy See to anyone with internet access.
How the ‘Miracle of the Sun’ in Fátima helped to end an atheist regime - Oct 13, 2025 - By CNA Staff - Oct. 13, 1917, marked the last Marian apparition in Fátima, a day on which thousands of people bore witness to the miracle of the dancing sun — a miracle that shattered the prevalent belief at the time that God was no longer relevant.
Altar wine for Mass in Kenya now required to bear Catholic bishops’ coat of arms - Oct 12, 2025 - By Nicholas Waigwa - The Catholic faithful have welcomed the news as many believe the wine previously used “had lost its sanctity due to its widespread use outside the Church,” according to a BBC report. The wine formerly used is reportedly widely sold in liquor stores, bars, and supermarkets.
Thousands of pilgrims join Pope Leo XIV in St. Peter’s Square to pray the rosary for peace - Oct 11, 2025 - By Kristina Millare - Before the statue of Our Lady of Fatima, which was brought to Rome from Portugal for the Oct. 11–12 Jubilee, Pope Leo said “Her last words at the wedding feast in Cana [‘Do whatever he tells you’] are particularly precious,” he said.
UCA News
The Union of Catholic Asian World News - 10/13/25
UCA News (UCAN) is the leading independent Catholic media service from Asia, with a convergent media approach that couples traditional journalistic practices with multimedia and social media
Vatican greets Hindus ahead of Diwali, urges dialogue for peace - October 13, 2025 - The festival season coincides with the 60th anniversary of Nostra Aetate, the document on the Church’s relationship. The Vatican has extended greetings to Hindus worldwide ahead of their Diwali festival, calling it an occasion to promote peace, dialogue, and reconciliation in a divided world.
Jailing of Bangladeshi indigenous rights activist sparks uproar - October 13, 2025 - Michael Chakma, missing since April 2019, was released from a secret detention center on Aug. 6. A Bangladeshi court jailed an ethnic tribal leader for eight years for an alleged charge of extortion, about a year after he was released from nearly five years in secret detention.
Cambodian villagers blasted with ghostly sounds by Thai military - October 13, 2025 - Pre-recorded high-decibel sounds of ghosts, children screaming, dogs howling, rattling chains, and helicopters were blasted across the border at night over the weekend after the Thai military moved into the area and demarcated large parcels of land with demining equipment on Oct. 10.
Catholic World News
CatholicCulture.org from Trinity Communications
Catholic World News (CWN) is an independent Catholic news service staffed by lay Catholic journalists, dedicated to providing accurate global news from a distinctly Catholic perspective.
Big Fail By Trump Administration on Abortion Drug - Peter Wolfgang, Oct 11 - Trump and Vance were fantastic in and around the March for Life. What are we to make, then, of the disheartening fact that the FDA approved a cheaper version of the abortion pill mifepristone mere hours before the government shutdown?
Pope Leo’s apostolic exhortation points us to the poor - Dr. Jeff Mirus, Oct 10 - Dilexi Te, directed deliberately to “all Christians” on the subject of “love for the poor,” is a beautiful text, a moving call to all Christians to avoid compartmentalizing the poor as a spiritual and material afterthought, but rather to imitate Christ in orienting their lives to the needs of the poor.
Israel in Gaza: a just cause, an unjust campaign - Phil Lawler, Oct 7 - In the interview from which Cardinal Parolin’s critical remarks were taken—an interview that was posted on the Vatican News site, and thus readily available to the Israeli embassy—the Vatican Secretary of State certainly did not overlook the culpability of Hamas.
Nutshell reflections for 10/13/25:
USCCB Daily Reflection AUDIO - October 13, 2025
Monday of the Twenty-eighth Week in Ordinary Time
Our Sunday Visitor
The angels are in spiritual combat
By Father Patrick Briscoe, OP, September 29, 2025
On September 29, the Feast of Saints Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, Archangels, we read at Mass, “War broke out in heaven; Michael and his angels battled against the dragon. The dragon and its angels fought back, but they did not prevail, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. The huge dragon, the ancient serpent, who is called the Devil and Satan, who deceived the whole world, was thrown down to earth, and its angels were thrown down with it” (Rev 12:7-9). St. Michael defends us against the Enemy who prowls about seeking the ruin of souls. St. Gabriel speaks God’s truth, cutting through the devil’s lies with the light of the Gospel. St. Raphael brings God’s healing where sin has wounded us. Their mission is not imaginary; it is part of the real, unseen battle that surrounds every Christian. The Archangels still fight on our side. Our task is to stand firm, clothed with faith, ready to resist the darkness.
National Catholic Register
A Catholic response to the immigration and deportation debate
By Father Christopher Trummer, October 12, 2025
Few issues in American public life are as divisive and emotionally charged among Catholics as immigration. The topic stirs deep and often conflicting convictions: compassion for migrants and refugees, concern for national sovereignty and legal order, a longing for justice, and anxiety about social and economic change. Conversations on this topic are often marked by polarization, misunderstandings, and mutual suspicion — if not mutual silence. A Catholic approach to immigration is morally grounded, theologically sound, and capable of fostering genuine dialogue. By recovering the Church’s principles, acknowledging the role of prudential judgment, and affirming the distinct vocation of the laity in the political sphere, we can engage this issue with greater clarity, charity, and courage. This is not a partisan argument or an endorsement of any particular policy. It is an invitation to a deeper understanding of what is at stake in this crucial matter of public life.
George Weigel
The problem(s) framing folks as ‘LGBTQ Catholic’
By George Weigel, October 8, 2025
I read an article indicating that a churchman I admire, who indicated some sympathy with the charge that the Catholic Church in the West is “obsessed” with questions of sexual morality, nonetheless himself used the term “LGBTQ Catholic.” a churchman using the term “LGBTQ Catholic” of any member of the Catholic Church strikes me as incoherent to give at least a nod of credibility to the charge that certain sectors of the world Church are obsessed with sexual morality and then use the hypersexualized term “LGBTQ Catholic” — which, whatever its provenance, reduces an individual to their sexual desires, confusions, or both. As was pointed out at several synods beginning with Synod 2018, this usage has no warrant in Catholic history, for the Church has never identified its members by libido. Which means it’s just as untoward to speak of “Heterosexual Catholics” as it is of “LGBTQ Catholics.” Why? Because “you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28) and subdividing Catholics this way fractures the unity of the Church.
The Christian Post
Senior adults are leaving the Church in alarming numbers
By Thom S. Rainer, October 12, 2025
For years, church leaders have sounded the alarm about the departure of younger generations. There is another exodus taking place in our churches, one that rarely makes the headlines and seldom finds its way into our strategy sessions. It is the quiet departure of senior adults. Unlike younger generations, seniors don’t typically leave with dramatic announcements or angry social media posts. They simply fade. A pew that was once filled by a faithful couple is now empty. A Sunday school teacher who served for decades suddenly isn’t there anymore. A widow stops attending after her friends pass away. There is no confrontation, no uproar, just absence. This overlooked exodus matters. When they drift away, the church feels it in the offering plate, in the fellowship hall, and in the spirit of the congregation.
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