Catholic Nutshell News: Monday 7/13/26
Catholics should know: Yikes about ‘Death with dignity’; Café Catholicism in parishes; Guidance on SSPX - refrain & pray; The world’s largest rosary is in Lebanon
“Worth your weight in walnuts”
Your 5-minute daily Catholic briefing. Today's sources: National Catholic Register, EWTN News, The Pillar, Crux, First Things, Zenit, & 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.
CRUX
‘Death with dignity’ is a siren call: It leads to disaster
By Charles Collins, July 12, 2026
“No one is trying to kill you. You are in the hospital in Nottingham. We are here to help you.” These are the words I heard almost exactly three years ago in Nottingham City Hospital, just after I had a pacemaker installed. The medical practitioner was responding to me after I said, “Just go ahead and get it over with. Kill me. I am tired of waiting around for it.” I am not too proud to admit that I was convinced they really were trying to kill me. In early May of 2023, you see, I had a massive, severe cerebral hemorrhage stroke – that’s the technical term for it – and an unusual one. I think about this because assisted suicide is again being debated in England, where I have lived for a decade. Supporters of assisted suicide often argue that it allows people to “die with dignity.” The main group supporting the proposed legislation is called the Campaign for Dignity in Dying. There is no such thing, not as the proponents of this bill imagine it – God help them – or say they do, as they take a beautiful word for a necessary thing, and turn it into a siren call.
National Catholic Register
Café Catholicism: Parishes are upping their coffee game
By Matthew McDonald, July 12, 2026
Salvation through coffee? Not quite. But at Our Mother of Sorrows Church in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, opening a coffeehouse, Holy Grounds, on the first floor of a former convent in 2016 was one of many decisions that helped turn it around. Coffee and doughnuts in the parish hall after Sunday Mass has been commonplace at Catholic churches in America since at least the 1940s, but in recent years some parishes have stepped up their approach, offering a cut-above coffee in a dedicated space with regular hours. For parish coffeehouses, quality is key, say those who run them. “It’s got to be excellent. We’ve got to get past this, like, ‘If it’s the church, it’s okay to be mediocre.’ Like, that has to die,” said Father Keith O’Hare, pastor of St. Louis Catholic Church in Alexandria, Virginia, which in March 2021 opened Little Way Café in an 1888 wooden former one-room schoolhouse.
Related: A Lebanese Maronite Priest Introduced Coffee to Christendom, Solène Tadié, National Catholic Register, July 13, 2026
EWTN News
National Pilgrimage inspires wave of priestly & religious vocations
By Katherine Matt, July 13, 2026
Forty‑five young adults have served as perpetual pilgrims (vowed consecrated virgins) since the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage began in 2024, and organizers told EWTN News that 26 of them are discerning or pursuing consecrated life. “Being around the Blessed Sacrament all the time and just having that time of really close intimacy with him,” said Cheyenne Johnson. She said the experience strengthened her discernment of a call to religious life. It “was a very important time for me to continue to pray and see if he was still calling me.” Johnson said the opportunity to spend weeks with priests, religious sisters, and fellow pilgrims living out different vocations helped her recognize where she experienced the deepest peace. Organizers noted that eight of the men discerning the priesthood were already seminarians during their pilgrimage and continue to feel called to the priesthood.
PIMA asia news
Singapore marriages fall to a decade low, but …
By Joseph Masilamany, July 13, 2026
Fewer Singaporeans are getting married, with the city-state recording its lowest number of marriages in nearly a decade outside the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet a new government survey suggests those who do marry remain overwhelmingly satisfied with their relationships. The findings, released on 10 July by Singapore’s Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF), paint a nuanced picture of family life in one of Asia’s most affluent but rapidly aging societies. A total of 24,688 marriages were registered in 2025, down 6.2% from 26,328 in 2024. It was the third consecutive annual decline post-pandemic. At the same time, the number of divorces and annulments also fell. A total of 7,242 marriages ended in divorce or annulment in 2025, down 1.9% from the previous year. Couples married between five and nine years accounted for the largest share of marital breakdowns.
The Pillar
Catholic support critical in Venezuela earthquake aftermath
By Edgar Beltrán, July 10, 2026
Caritas Venezuela has received more than 14,700 tons of humanitarian aid for victims of the June 24 earthquakes, according to a July 7 announcement from the humanitarian arm of the Venezuelan bishops’ conference. More than two weeks after twin earthquakes struck Caracas, the country’s capital, and the nearby city of La Guaira, relief efforts have shifted from search and rescue to recovery and care for those affected, with Caritas Venezuela at the helm of much of the response. Official figures put the death toll at more than 4,000, with tens of thousands more unaccounted for, more than 17,000 people left homeless, and nearly 1,000 buildings partially or totally destroyed — numbers that are rising by the day, as assessment of the damage continues. Caritas Venezuela said it had already distributed 61% of the aid it has received, with the remainder still in stock. Water made up the largest share of the distribution, at 4,031 tons.
Related: Caritas, Catholic youth lead flood emergency response in Bangladesh, By Stephan Uttom Rozario, CRUX, July 11, 2026
Denver Catholic
Archbishop Golka’s pastoral guidance on SSPX: Refrain & pray
By Archbishop James Golka, July 5, 2026
“As your shepherd, I have a responsibility to provide clear guidance. Out of care for souls, I must instruct the faithful of the Archdiocese of Denver to refrain from participating in the activities of SSPX in any location, including these locations within our archdiocese: St. Isidore and Annunciation Chapel Society of St. Pius X. I know this news will be difficult for some who sincerely love the Church and have been drawn to SSPX. I encourage all the faithful to remain rooted in parish life, the celebration of the sacraments, and unity with the Holy Father. If you know individuals involved with SSPX, accompany them through this with charity, patience, and prayer, always reflecting the love of Christ. Laity involved with the SSPX community who wish to worship Christ in communion with the Church are welcome in any of our parishes.”
Aleteia
Unique Catholic university doubles its footprint
By Theresa Civantos Barber, July 13, 2026
One of the only Catholic universities dedicated to the creative arts just doubled the size of its campus in an exciting milestone. John Paul the Great Catholic University in Escondido, California, was founded to bring a Catholic perspective to media and creative arts. “The creative arts were something that the Church totally dominated in the Middle Ages [and] the Renaissance,” said the university’s founding president, Derry Connolly, Ph.D. But today? “It’s not very clear that the Church has any great influence on the arts.” Since 2003, the university has sought to prepare entrepreneurs and experts in communications media and the creative arts to evangelize the culture. A new Creative Arts Complex in downtown Escondido will more than double the university’s academic footprint — and the $8 million project represents a significant investment in the university's ongoing work of revitalizing the town. The former home of Johnson Furniture and Sears Roebuck will host community events, outdoor performances, and other events open to the community.
ZENIT
Europe’s secular future still bears the imprint of Faith
By ZENIT Staff, July 9, 2026
For decades, Europe has often been portrayed as the world’s most secular continent, where church attendance has steadily declined, and religious practice has become increasingly private. Yet new research argues that focusing only on empty pews overlooks a deeper reality: religion continues to shape Europe’s economy, institutions, and public life in ways that remain remarkably influential. That is the central conclusion of a comprehensive review published by the Berlin-based Rockwool Foundation. Drawing on centuries of economic research from around the world, the study argues that religion continues to influence prosperity not simply through worship, but by shaping education, family life, savings habits, social norms, and the institutions that guide public policy. In Sascha Becker’s view, religion remains significant because it has shaped—and continues to shape—the norms and institutions of public policy. Becker is one of the authors of the report: Religion and Economic Growth: What We Know and Why It Matters.
Keep informed - 7/13/26 news for Catholics:
Snippets: EWTN News, Catholic World Report, & Catholic World News
EWTN News
EWTN’s top headlines — July 13, 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.
Pope Leo XIV to launch exhibit on water at the Vatican Library - By Ishmael Adibuah - The exhibit “AQVA Catastrophe and Wonder” will include artwork highlighting a “reflection on water as both a threat and a resource,” according to a July 12 press release from the library.
A month of married saints: July brings feast days of holy husbands and wives - By Francesca Pollio Fenton - Throughout July, the Church celebrates the feast days of several holy husbands and wives whose lives continue to inspire Catholic families today. They include Blessed Joseph and Wiktoria Ulma, martyred for hiding Jewish families from the Nazis.
Lebanon’s Christians fear sovereignty will be traded in regional diplomacy - By Romy Haber - Maronite patriarch Cardinal Bechara Boutros Rai expressed hope that the ongoing negotiations between Lebanon and Israel would lead to a true, just, comprehensive, and lasting peace — but Christians there fear their country’s sovereignty may be at stake.
Catholic World Report
CWR’s Columns, Analysis, & Features
Catholic World Report is a free online magazine that examines the news from a faithful Catholic perspective.
The mind of Christ and the limits of human logic - James V. Schall, S.J. - The basic answer at the heart of all human issues is how we stand with God. If we put God first, not ourselves, we will love others and make their lives our own. If we put ourselves first, we will repeat the history of humanity, which fashions our relations to others in terms of power and struggle, intent on protecting oneself, not on giving oneself.
American Babylon: Place of Grace and Exile - David Paul Deavel, July 11, 2026 - This month, Americans celebrate the 250th anniversary of our nation’s founding. Many Catholics who love both God and country will resonate with the words of Fr. Richard John Neuhaus in his last book. In it, he wrote, “When I meet God, I expect to meet him as an American.”
The Magnifica Humanitas case for an under-16 social media ban - Matthew Becklo, July 9, 2026 - On June 15, UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer announced a social media ban for children under 16 in Britain. Beginning in early 2027, Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, X, and other similar platforms will be prohibited for kids. England isn’t the first country to take this measure.
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.
The Scariest Thing I Heard at the ADF Summit - Peter Wolfgang - As I listened to the stories of ADF’s many clients this week, I found myself thinking time and again, “How did it come to this? Doesn’t every American believe in these things and want to defend them?” Sadly, no. It now often happens that freedoms that we thought were sacrosanct have only been preserved because ADF won a battle for us in the courts.
Human reality remains: AI is just another tool - Dr. Jeff Mirus - Some who are interested in artificial intelligence tend to conflate AI with weird theories of transhumanism. More commonly, however, the challenge is simply to prudently discern where AI machinery can be made to work well, providing speed and precision and, even once developed, an economy in performing some tasks that human persons cannot match. We must remember that AI is not really intelligence; it cannot replace the spiritual intellect and will that make us human.
St. Robert Bellarmine: Prince of Apologists - At the height of the Counter-Reformation, St. Robert Bellarmine (1542-1621) was one of the most influential apologists of the time. He openly debated King James I of England, and his most famous book of apologetics was outlawed in England, yet it still became a bestseller. He was also responsible for an updated translation of the Vulgate, which became the Church’s official Latin Bible for centuries.
July 13, 2026 - USCCB Daily Mass Readings
You can listen HERE — or read HERE:
Monday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Today’s Catholic commentary:
Aleteia
The world’s largest rosary is taking shape in Lebanon
By Cerith Gardiner, July 13, 2026
The extraordinary Rosaire du Liban, or Rosary of Lebanon, rises in the hills of Deir el Ahmar. At approximately 2,000 feet long and featuring 59 enormous concrete beads, this remarkable project takes one of the Catholic Church's most familiar devotional objects and transforms it into a landscape pilgrims can actually walk through. And yes, it is described as the world's largest rosary. According to The Beruiter, the project has been years in the making, with roots stretching back to a "spiritual encounter" a young Lebanese man reportedly had in Medjugorje in 2006. Inspired by the idea of creating a place dedicated to Mary and prayer, the vision eventually developed under the Lebanese Maronite Order, with work on the rosary project beginning in 2008. Descriptions of the project give the dimensions of individual beads as 4.9 meters by 3.5 meters — 16 by 11 feet.
Our Sunday Visitor
A baseball rosary found its way to Pope Leo XIV
By John Knebels, July 10, 2026
About two weeks after what he calls the most surreal moment of his life, Kevin Workman remains in awe. That’s no embellishment. After all, imagine being a humble non-celebrity living a quiet life as a devoted family man and suddenly realizing that Pope Leo XIV actually knows your name and possesses something you created just for him. “It’s just amazing,” Workman told OSV News. “Absolutely blown away.” Seven years ago, Workman began making rosaries as a hobby, giving them away at his parish, St. Peter’s, on the southeast side of Fort Wayne. He later expanded his craft by learning to make wire rosaries and eventually began selling them online, where Notre Dame fans became some of his most devoted customers. “Catholic Athletes for Christ” commissioned Workman to create a Chicago White Sox-themed rosary intended specifically for the pope. On June 24, Workman’s meticulously completed work reached the Vatican through a visit by former Chicago White Sox catcher A.J. Pierzynski.
First Things
Anti-wokeness: An obituary
By Matthew Schmitz, July 13, 2025
During Barack Obama’s presidency, several political movements arose that were to define America long after he had left the scene. The first was organized around a new view of sexual assault, enshrined in the 2011 “Dear Colleague” letter sent by the Obama administration to universities. The next was Black Lives Matter, which erupted in Ferguson, Missouri, in 2014. Its indulgence of violent unrest against what was understood to be an inherently racist system would reach a crescendo in 2020. Then came transgender rights in the wake of Obergefell v. Hodges, the 2015 Supreme Court decision that declared a constitutional right to same-sex marriage. Along with the FBI launched “Crossfire Hurricane.” This initiative signaled a new political aggressiveness from Western intelligence agencies, which would work with tech companies to suppress disfavored speech. Critics came to refer to this combination of causes as “wokeness,” an overweening progressivism. Now, as a coherent movement, anti-wokeness has ceased to exist.
The Catholic Thing
The depravity & demonic cruelty inflicted upon Albanian believers
By Msgr. Charles Fink, July 5, 2026
Hoxha, the “Supreme Comrade, Sole Force and Great Teacher,” after taking power in 1945, winning the Albanian “election” with an implausible 93% of the vote – his Communist Front was the only party allowed to stand – began immediately to persecute all religions, but attacked the Catholic Church with particular ferocity, alleging that it was a foreign and disloyal entity. Priests, bishops, and many laypeople were arrested, sent to work camps and prisons, tortured, and denounced. At one point, it is estimated that a third of Albanians were spied upon by their government, making Albania the world’s first true total surveillance State. Christ’s warning that children would betray their parents and parents their children came true; the possession of Bibles or religious images, if seen in the house, would lead to arrest and imprisonment. In 1967, Hoxha declared Albania to be “the world’s first atheist State.”
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 …
