Catholic Nutshell News: Monday 5/26/25
Topics include: John Allen’s papal picks included Leo, Deaf Catholics find spiritual renewal, Pope Leo can forgo his American citizenship, & Courageous saints in the military
“Worth your weight in walnuts”
Today's sources are Catholic News Agency, Crux, Graphs about Religion, OSV, Aleteia, Fides, National Catholic Register, & Missio Dei. (Catholic Nutshell is a subscription service for faithful, hopeful, & curious Catholics willing to exercise the Catholic News Muscle)
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CRUX
Robert Prevost was one of John Allen’s possible papal picks
By John L. Allen Jr., May 1, 2025
The bottom line is that Prevost satisfies a great deal of what cardinals have traditionally looked for, and even his lack of a clear track record on some disputed issues might be more of an asset than a liability. A 2023 tribute from CTU at the time of his elevation to the College of Cardinals more or less sums up his appeal. “Prevost brings to the College of Cardinals the heart of a missionary and years of ministerial experience, ranging from academic classrooms to poor barrios to the upper echelons of administration,” it said. “He embodies the Gospel call to be ready to serve wherever the Spirit leads.” We’ll see in a few days if that strikes at least two-thirds of Prevost’s fellow cardinal electors as the profile of a pope.
CatholicVote
Deaf Catholics find spiritual renewal at New Jersey retreat
By Grace Porto, May 23, 2025
Dozens of deaf Catholics from the Northeast gathered at a retreat center in New Jersey from April 25 to 27 for a weekend of spiritual growth, fellowship, and sacramental grace. Co-hosted by VITALity Catholic Healthcare Services of the Diocese of Camden and the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, the retreat at Villa Maria by the Sea Retreat Center in Stone Harbor was designed to serve a group often overlooked in parish life, the Catholic Star Herald reported. It was centered on the theme “Mary and the Resurrection” and included presentations, community prayer, Mass in American Sign Language (ASL), and the sacrament of Reconciliation. Father Joseph Bruce, SJ, a deaf priest and founder of the Deaf Catholic Archives at the College of the Holy Cross, led the retreat and offered presentations focused on faith and deaf identity.
National Catholic Register
‘Pietas’: Forgotten virtue to remember on Memorial Day
By Father Jeffrey Kirby, May 26, 2025
When the Latin word pietas is translated into English, we “piety.” Regrettably, piety has an effeminate connotation in some corners, and in general, the English word doesn’t hold the gravitas of the Latin term. We certainly lose something in translation. Roman philosopher Cicero escribed pietas as devotion or duty, one of the principal virtues praised by the ancient republic. The virtuous person was summoned to receive, cherish, and promote what was bestowed as a free gift and inheritance. As such, he sought to honor the debt by a selfless pietas, fulfilling his duties. Pietas means doing what is needed, regardless of discomfort, tiredness, ingratitude or fear. Pietas means giving everything we have for the good of all.
The Pillar
Could Pope Leo renounce his American citizenship?
By Ed. Condon, May 20, 2025
An American pope is, reasonably, a source of national pride and joy, especially for the local Church. The novelty of an American pope provoked reflection on the legal and constitutional questions, like, can the pope run for president? But, as the practicalities of the Leonine pontificate settle, The Pillar learned that some senior officials at the Vatican’s Secretariat of State expressed serious concerns at the new pope’s dual citizenship and urged an internal conversation about the prospect of Leo renouncing his U.S. passport. Some close to the Secretariat of State have told The Pillar that there is now real consideration of the potential issues arising from a pope with American citizenship. For example, former UK prime minister Boris Johnson was born in New York and has been a dual US-UK citizen for most of his life. Johnson eventually renounced his American citizenship altogether when he came to serve as the UK foreign secretary and later prime minister.
Catholic News Agency
French prayer vigil at Notre-Dame amid euthanasia debate
By Solène Tadié, May 25, 2025
The 16th annual Vigil for Life was held in the newly restored Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris on the evening of May 21 as the French Parliament continues to debate legislation that would legalize assisted suicide and euthanasia. Organized by the bishops of the Île-de-France region, the vigil has taken place annually since 2009. The 2025 edition gathered approximately 2,000 faithful and centered on the theme “Builders of Love, Let Us Live in Hope!” This year’s gathering featured a series of testimonies from individuals with diverse personal and professional backgrounds, offering reflections on the ethical and human dimensions of end-of-life care and the responsibilities society bears toward the most vulnerable.
Graphs about Religion
Black Americans, religion, and how they vote
By Ryan Burge, May 26, 2025
The three Christian common groups studied in the 2024 election were evangelicals, mainline Protestants, and Catholics. Another study is the Black voter. The Black Church in America is an entirely different culture from the average white evangelical or mainline tradition. Denied access to all kinds of institutions throughout most of American history, the black church became more than just a spiritual retreat. It was also the center of social and political life. 90% supported the Democrats in 2008, 2012, and 2016. However, only 84% of Black Catholics favored Biden in 2020, and dropped to 79% when Kamala Harris was at the top of the ticket. Only 8% of Black people are Catholics. So, gaining 14 points among a group that’s 8% of the Black population yields a shift in aggregate votes of only one percent.
Aleteia
Courageous saints who served in the military
By Philip Kosloski, May 22, 2025
St. Joan of Arc - At a young age, Joan heard the voices of St. Michael, St. Catherine of Alexandria, and St. Margaret of Antioch instructing her to “be good” and “go to church.” As she grew older, these voices began to direct her towards the fierce war between France and England.
St. Maurice - During the 3rd century, Maurice rose in military rank to become the Roman army's leader of the Theban legion, commanding more than 6,000 soldiers.
Blessed Rupert Mayer - In 1914, Mayer volunteered as a chaplain for the German army during the First World War. After serving in a military hospital, Mayer requested to be sent to the lines to minister to the spiritual needs of the soldiers in battle.
Venerable Emil Kapaun - Father Kapaun became a U.S. Army Chaplain in 1944 and was sent to the Burma theater to minister to the needs of soldiers in India. During the war, Kapaun “gained a reputation for his bravery in ministering to the soldiers in the thick of battle.
Our Sunday Visitor
Air Force chaplain ordained bishop to serve U.S. armed forces
By Jean Gonzalez, May 22, 2025
Father Gregg M. Caggianelli served in the military as a chaplain and active reservist for three decades, earning the rank of colonel in the U.S. Air Force. On May 9, he became the first U.S. bishop ordained after the May 8 election of Pope Leo XIV. Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio of the U.S. Archdiocese for the Military Services ordained the Diocese of Venice priest as an auxiliary bishop for the military archdiocese at St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary in Boynton Beach, where the new bishop has served for years as a priest, professor, and administrator. “I’ve been in the military longer than I’ve been in the seminary, so it’s my two worlds colliding,” Bishop Caggianelli said after his ordination. As a professor of homiletics, Bishop Caggianelli served as dean of formation, which gave him the heart to care about priests, “especially our military chaplains who are isolated, by themselves.”
Agenzia Fides
Chinese Catholic communities welcome the gift of new priests
By Agenzia Fides, May 24, 2025
May, which the People of God traditionally dedicate to Mary, is also a time when the fruits of the intercession of the Mother of God can be seen—among them, new priestly and religious vocations in mainland China. In recent weeks, according to information gathered by Fides, in a month marked by pilgrimages and community recitations of the Holy Rosary, many priestly and diaconal ordinations have also been celebrated, from the northern province of Hebei to the south-eastern province of Guangdong. Peter Feng Xinmao, bishop of the diocese of Jingxian/Hengshui ordained two priests and a deacon from the diocese of Shijiazhuang, in Hebei province. On the feast day of the Apostle Matthias, May 14, Bishop Joseph Zhang Xianwang ordained two diocesan priests.
From CNA to Agenzia, plus Satire for 5/26/25
Catholic News Agency
CNA’s top headlines — May 26, 2025
Catholic News Agency provides reliable, free, up-to-the-minute news affecting the Universal Church, emphasizing the words of the Holy Father and happenings of the Holy See to anyone with access to the internet.
Pope Leo XIV’s Peruvian goddaughter shares testimony - May 26, 2025 - By Diego López Marina - “He always told us that faith isn’t just about going to Mass, but about living with charity, and loving one’s neighbor.
Casamari Abbey: Cistercian art, ancient remedies, and praying monks - May 26, 2025 - By Emma Silvestri - The Casamari pharmacy, still in operation after two centuries, remains a powerful symbol of the connection between monastic life and the science of plants.
Leo XIV tells mayor of Rome: ‘Today I can say that through you and with you, I am Roman’ - May 25, 2025 - By Victoria Cardiel - Pope Leo XIV spoke of the historic mission of the Catholic Church in the Italian capital and highlighted how, for two millennia, the Church has lived out its apostolic mission in Rome.
Agenzia Fides
News of the Pontifical Mission Societies for 5/26/25
Fides has become an excellent center for collecting and producing material information on the missionary world through current news, photographs, mission studies, and missionary work.
ASIA/MYANMAR - In the midst of conflict and suffering "the faithful live a deep faith and do not lose hope" - Yangon (Agenzia Fides) - "The country is divided. The situation in Yangon, where I currently live, is quite calm. In the big cities in the central part of the country, people's lives continue, and even our liturgies are quiet.”
AFRICA/NIGERIA - Priest injured along the Makurdi-Naka road called "the shortest route to hell" - Abuja (Agenzia Fides) - Catholic priest, Father Solomon Atongo, was seriously injured after being shot on the evening of May 24. Father Atongo was traveling with two others when armed assailants attacked their vehicle.
EUROPE/CZECH REPUBLIC - The “Night of the Churches”, an opportunity for encounters in the time of agnosticism - by Chiara Dommarco Prague (Agenzia Fides) – On Friday, May 23, the Czech Republic hosted the 17th edition of the “Night of Churches” (Noc kostelů), centered this year on the theme of hope.
Babylon Bee’s SATIRE News
ChatGPT Announced As Harvard Valedictorian
By Education Staff, May 25, 2023
ChatGPT has been officially crowned as the valedictorian of Harvard University. As the only entity to do Harvard coursework over the past four years, ChatGPT earned both valedictorian and salutatorian honors. "We are proud to recognize all of the hard work ChatGPT has done," stated Harvard president Alan Garber. "Over the past four years, ChatGPT has authored just north of 42,000 term papers, as well as countless research articles and a dozen marriage proposals. No one has done more at Harvard than ChatGPT. We will rename this place 'ChatGPT University' and turn these classrooms into gyms. Congratulations, ChatGPT." ChatGPT reportedly authored a beautiful valedictorian address, clocking in at precisely 1,250 words and written in the style of Walt Whitman.
Nutshell reflections for 5/26/25:
USCCB Daily Reflection AUDIO - May 26, 2025
Memorial of Saint Philip Neri, Priest
Missio Dei
Faith without love is dead
By Kaleb Hammond, May 25, 2025
One of Protestantism's founding doctrines and human traditions is sola fide, or justification by faith alone, by grace operative in good works. The exact definition of this teaching varies by denomination and individual, and it is not the goal of this reflection to examine it. I bring it up to distinguish it from the teaching of the Church and Scripture, which, in today’s passage, makes clear the ultimate importance of love or charity in Christian salvation. “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” (Jn 22:37-39) This is the Great Commandment, from which all other commandments of the old Law and the new Law of love in the Gospel proceed. Someone who believes in God, who submits to His divine authority, but does not love Him above all things or his neighbor for God’s sake, does not participate in the divine life of the Trinity.
The Obscure, Forgotten, and Undiscovered
R.I.P. Chaplain William Davitt
By James K. Hanna, May 26, 2025
On November 11, 1918, one hour and fifteen minutes before the cessation of hostilities, Father William F. Davitt, chaplain with the 125th Infantry in France, was killed by the explosion of a shell. He was 32. Lt. Col. Davitt, a native of Holyoke, was a priest of the Diocese of Springfield, Massachusetts. After graduation in 190,7 he entered the seminary and was ordained in 1911. He discerned a vocation to the military chaplaincy and was commissioned in 1917. At the time he wrote, “I am in it now for all that is in me, for God, country, and the salvation of souls, I am prepared to sacrifice all.” A memorial service was held December 7, 1918, at St. Anne’s Church in Lenox, Bishop Thomas Beaven presiding. Father Davitt’s mortal remains are buried in Calvary Cemetery, Holyoke.
The Catholic Gentlemen
Confidence in living our masculinity
By Thomas Wurtz, May 21, 2025
In working with men, and being one myself, I have found four areas that seem to be helpful for us men in our own formation and in deepening our understanding of what it is to be a man…in the practical sense: our soul, our skills, our service, and our solidarity. As we focus on developing these four areas, our confidence in living our masculinity will grow. As our confidence grows, so does our willingness to take on initiative and responsibility…which our culture desperately needs Christian men to do. As men, it isn’t enough to just be pious. We need to be virtuous. We need courage, resilience, prudence, temperance, and all the rest. Men of character, joined with the grace of God, can change the world. If you don’t believe me, look at the lives of the saints. We have to form our souls.
Caeli Catholic
Mothering popes and fostering vocations
By Ava Frecker, May 22, 2025
For those of us in America, the very thing we had been told was impossible came true: a pope was chosen from among us. The desire to love him is palpable; the hope that he will lead us well as a charitable father burns in our hearts. a post by Emily Zanotti on X, shared: “It’s so weird as an American mom to think the Pope is a possibility for a kid. Like, I know someone has to be Pope, but it always seemed like a foreign, maybe a rich family thing. But this Pope was an altar boy at a suburban Chicago parish. He’s got a really normal looking brother and family. Like … it’s so weird!” I, too, have had this thought while nursing or rocking my 13-month-old son to sleep. Not so much the thought that my son could be pope one day — too much to consider when the little one is sleeping on your chest — but rather the broader implication that vocations come from everywhere, but they start in the home.
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