Catholic Nutshell News: Monday 7/27/26
Catholics should know: Peruvian Catholics cautiously hopeful; Ukraine reveals the limits of dialogue; Struggles for Catholic youth ministers; & Who gets custody of the Latin Mass?
“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)
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CRUX
Peruvian Catholics cautiously hopeful as new president prepares
By Eduardo Campos Lima, July 26, 2026
Keiko Fujimori will take office as the new President of Peru this week, facing the challenge of governing a politically divided nation and dealing with the potentially harsh consequences of a super El Niño. It took Fujimori four elections to finally be victorious — she was defeated by Ollanta Humala in 2011, by Pedro Pablo Kuczynski in 2016, and by Pedro Castillo in 2022 — but she has been a central figure in Peruvian politics since the 1990s. Not only was she the First Lady to her father, former President Alberto Fujimori, between 1994 and 2000 – after her mother, Susana, denounced her husband for corruption and was removed from her position – but she has also been the main leader of Fuerza Popular (“popular power,” in Spanish), the Fujimorist party, over the past several years. The Catholic Church will work with the new leader not only on coordinating Pope Leo XIV’s visit, expected to occur in November, but also on social issues, as was announced after a meeting between Fujimori and the heads of the Peruvian episcopate on July 16.
National Catholic Register
Ukraine and the limits of dialogue
By George Weigel, July 17, 2026
For months now, I have been receiving alarming, early-morning text messages from Major-Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk of Kyiv-Halyč, leader of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church. The texts are typically sent after this heroic churchman has spent the entire night in a bomb shelter (as he has done many, many times over the past four and a half years), and they include a digital map of where Russian missiles and drones have lit up the nocturnal sky by hitting Ukraine’s capital city. There are no military targets on the map. Russian strikes are deliberately aimed at civilian sites. This is not war. It is terrorism. Its aim is to destroy national morale. And it isn’t working, any more than the Nazi Blitz of England did in 1940. But Kyiv shouldn’t have to take it. And it is only suffering these terror attacks because Czar Putin is losing the ground war he initiated on Feb. 24, 2022 — a war that continues despite catastrophic Russian casualty figures. Which raises urgent questions about the limits of dialogue in certain historical circumstances.
Related: Pope Leo appeals for dialogue, diplomacy, prayers for just peace in Holy Land, Middle East - by Linda Bordoni / Vatican News, July 26, 2026
EWTN News
Catholic youth ministers are experiencing more complex roles
By Tessa Gervasini, July 27, 2026
Catholic youth and young adult pastoral leaders are juggling more responsibilities and facing new challenges as they accompany young people in the evolving Church ministry, according to research from Ministry Training Source (MTS). The study found that younger generations of ministry leaders are serving in increasingly complex roles and often balancing multiple ministries. They are also facing concerns about pay, role clarity, and long-term sustainability. Despite the challenges, most continue to report that the ministry brings them joy. Of the leaders MTS examined in the 2024 research study, 87% said their ministry “often” or “always” brings them joy, 80% said the ministry they do is “always” or “often” effective, and 65% said they “always” or “often” have community support and networking available. The research names three “pressure points” of pastoral ministers serving youth and young adults — overworked, poor training, & the need to reinvent the ministry.
PIMA asia news
Tokyo is preparing a second capital for emergencies
By Japan, July 27, 2026
The Japanese parliament has passed a law paving the way for the creation of a second capital, with the aim of ensuring the continuity of national institutions in the event of major earthquakes, typhoons or other disasters affecting Tokyo. The bill, backed by the governing coalition led by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and passed at the close of the parliamentary session before the summer, has reignited political tensions over the balance of power between central government and local authorities. The law authorizes the government to designate an alternative city capable of temporarily hosting the state’s main functions should the capital be paralyzed by a natural disaster or other emergency. The Prime Minister will identify the location, selecting it from among nominations by prefectures that meet certain criteria in terms of population, economic importance and infrastructure. Japan faces a high risk of earthquakes, and for years experts and governments have been discussing the need to establish an alternative administrative center in the event of a major earthquake in the Tokyo metropolitan area.
The Pillar
Trial of former Broome bishop begins
By The Pillar, July 22, 2026
The criminal trial of 76-year-old Australian Bishop Christopher Saunders on historic sexual abuse charges began this week, with the bishop facing the prospect of lengthy incarceration if convicted. Saunders, who served as Bishop of Broome, Western Australia, from 1996 until his resignation in 2021, is facing 26 charges of sexual offenses against three young Aboriginal men. He denies the charges. Prosecutor Adam Ebell told the court that Saunders was sexually attracted to Aboriginal males and invited them to “alcohol-fueled” parties at Church properties across the state’s Kimberley region, Australia’s ABC News reported. The prosecutor said the dress code at the parties was “shirts off” and there was a “seemingly endless supply of alcohol and cigarettes,” bought using Church funds. The prosecutor said the dress code at the parties was “shirts off” and there was a “seemingly endless supply of alcohol and cigarettes,” bought using Church funds.
Zeale
Abortion-inducing drug found in drinking water of 3 US cities
By Elise Winland, July 24, 2026
A new study reports detecting mifepristone, an anti-progesterone drug used in chemical abortions, in water samples from three U.S. cities, raising concerns about potential harmful implications for fertility and pregnancy. The research article, “Anti-Progesterone in Environmental Water,” collected 36 water samples near Austin, Texas; Blacksburg, Virginia; and Carbondale, Illinois. In each area, they collected four upstream and four downstream samples from a wastewater treatment facility, along with four municipal tap water samples. Eight of the nine groups of upstream, downstream, and tap water samples showed significantly greater anti-progesterone activity than the lab’s baseline control samples consisting of distilled water. Individual measurements reached as high as 0.041 micrograms per liter, or 41 parts per trillion, in one sample. “Because of the importance of progesterone for human and animal health, the presence of anti-progesterone in environmental and tap water poses potential health risks,” said co-author Elise Rose.
Aleteia
When your child dreads going back to school
By Cerith Gardiner, July 27, 2026
Towards the end of every summer, there comes a moment when parents tentatively begin mentioning school again. For some children, it's all part of the excitement. They can't wait to see their friends, compare summer stories, or fill a new pencil case with freshly sharpened pencils. For others, however, the mood shifts almost overnight. A child who has been chatty and carefree all summer suddenly goes quiet whenever school is mentioned. They insist their shoes don't fit, even though they wore them perfectly happily in June, or complain of mysterious stomach aches that seem to appear whenever the conversation turns to the first day back. It is easy to put it down to vacation ending. Some are returning to classrooms where they have been bullied, while others are simply exhausted by the constant effort of trying to fit in. And for children with additional needs, the return to noisy corridors, changing routines, and sensory overload can feel overwhelming long before the school gates come into view.
ZENIT
Franciscans ask Rubio for help from persecution by Jewish settlers
By Joachin Meisner Hertz, July 24, 2026
The crisis engulfing the Holy Land is also being measured in abandoned villages, threatened schools, blocked humanitarian aid, and the gradual disappearance of communities that have inhabited the land for centuries. For Christians, the alarm is particularly acute. In the West Bank, the Franciscan leadership in the United States has publicly urged Secretary of State Marco Rubio to act against the growing violence attributed to Israeli settlers targeting Palestinian Christians. The appeal followed attacks in Taybeh, the West Bank’s last entirely Christian village, where homes and vehicles were set ablaze in late June. Israeli authorities said five suspects were arrested after the attack, which reportedly left three people dead. The Franciscan concern is not isolated. Church leaders in Jerusalem have repeatedly denounced vandalism, desecration, spitting at clergy and verbal and physical attacks attributed to extremist ultra-Orthodox Jewish elements.
Keep informed - 7/27/26 news for Catholics:
Snippets: EWTN News, Catholic World Report, & Catholic World News
EWTN News
EWTN’s top headlines — July 27, 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.
New Zealand’s first new Catholic cathedral in 120 years unveiled in Christchurch - By EWTN News Staff - The Diocese of Christchurch has unveiled the design of its new Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament, set to become the first Catholic cathedral built in New Zealand in more than 120 years, and launched the public campaign to fund the US$46 million project.
Catholic book clubs: Tips for building community and growing in faith - By Diego López Colín - Betania Club de Lectura Católico (Bethany Catholic Book Club) and El Carmelo Descalzo (The Discalced Carmelite) offer some recommendations for those who want to start a similar project in their parish, university, or community.
Major restoration in Minneapolis aims to renew ‘every square inch’ of country’s oldest basilica - By Daniel Payne - The massive church, which was dedicated in 1915 and became the first basilica in the United States when it was designated as such by Pope Pius XI in 1926, has been undergoing a major restoration project since 2025.
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.
An Educational Perfect Storm - Dr. Randall B. Smith, July 27, 2026, The 1991 “perfect storm,” made famous by the movie of that name starring George Clooney, resulted from a rare collision of three distinct weather systems that converged to create an exceptionally massive and destructive storm.
Exploring ‘Landscapes of Grace’: On the Virtues of Wandering Around Outside Monica Seeley, July 24, 2026 - Reminiscent of a leisurely conversation with a walking companion, Landscapes of Grace takes the reader through the reasons why simply being outside is so important, with some unhurried side trips. Along the way, Gardner takes us back to his Utah childhood, and the shadow of his father looms even as he reflects on his own parenting
Listening Without Hearing: A Critique of Synodal Study Group 9 on Homosexuality - CWR Contributors, July 22, 2026 - Nowhere in the document is there a testimony from one of the many Catholics who have lived chastely with same-sex attraction and found therein fulfillment, spiritual depth, and peace. The “listening” the Report performs is attuned only to one particular register of human “lived experience.”
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 high costs of the German ‘church tax’ - Phil Lawler - The bishops find themselves presiding over an enormous bureaucracy, acting as employers and managers rather than shepherds of souls. And it shows. The Archdiocese of Munich/Freising received approximately €630 million ($718 million) from German taxpayers last year. Imagine what an American diocese could do with that amount of revenue.
St. Robert Bellarmine: Father of the Poor - Dr. James Papandrea (Audio) - St. Robert Bellarmine (1542-1621) was a man known for his generosity. He was also well known for his writings on topics of spirituality, which were widely popular and were read by both Catholics and Protestants.
Why Catholics Should Be Rooting for J.D. Vance - Peter Wolfgang - His critics are ripping him for inconsistencies, for cynically altering his worldview to match his ambitions. My reaction is just the opposite. The JD Vance that I read in Communion is the same JD Vance that I read in Hillbilly Elegy.
July 27, 2026 - USCCB Daily Mass Readings
You can listen HERE — or read HERE:
Monday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time
Today’s Catholic commentary:
First Things
Who gets custody of the Latin Mass?
By Stephen Daisley, July 27, 2025
In any messy breakup, there are the inevitable conflagrations over custody of the kids, the dog, the vinyl collection. The parting of ways between the Catholic Church and the Society of St. Pius X (SSPX) has certainly been messy, with the Church saying the SSPX brought it on themselves, and the SSPX accusing the Church of dumping them without justification. Talk is turning to the division of assets, specifically the Church’s greatest treasure. Who gets custody of the Latin Mass? In the 2007 apostolic letter Summorum Pontificum, Pope Benedict XVI acknowledged that young Catholics, having discovered the Extraordinary Form, “found in it a form of encounter with the Mystery of the Most Holy Eucharist, particularly suited to them.” His successor, Pope Francis, thought otherwise. The question of what to do with the Latin Mass has been bubbling away in the background of Leo XIV’s papacy.
Aleteia
Martha, rebuked by Jesus, is still a saint
By Philip Kosloski, July 27, 2026
“Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things; one thing is needful. Mary has chosen the good portion, which shall not be taken away from her” (Luke 10:38-42). In the Gospels, Martha isn’t given the most positive profile. She does all that she can for Jesus, and somehow is “rebuked” for it? What’s really happening? One thing to note is that some translations say Mary has chosen the “better part,” while the RSV-CE names it, “the good portion.“ This is an important distinction, as “the good portion” does less to minimize the service that Martha is doing for Jesus as a host. What she is doing is still “good,” but there is something different about what her sister Mary is doing. Pope Benedict XVI explained it this way. "The human person must indeed work and be involved in domestic and professional occupations, but first and foremost needs God, who is the inner light of Love and Truth. Without love, even the most important activities lose their value and give no joy."
Our Sunday Visitor
How deeply parables of the kingdom touch us
By Father Joshua J. Whitfield, July 24, 2026
Wearied by the world, tired of it all, tired even of myself because of my sins, nonetheless, when I take a deep breath and find the silence of prayer, I find him, my hidden Lord. He comes to me; I find rest in him. Sinful, worn out, frightened, it doesn’t matter: Jesus, gentle and lowly, gives himself to me (Mt 11:29). And he comes as mercy, as peace which passes understanding (Phil 4:7). Such is the sabbath rest that is Christ himself, what we find in Christ, for “he himself is our peace” (Eph 2:14). Such is the rest without which St. Augustine said we will always be restless. Again, I think you probably grasp what I’m talking about, because you’re looking for him the same as me. Another word for it is kingdom. The sabbath rest that is Christ, the peace which passes understanding: it’s also the kingdom of God. It’s what Jesus said is “at hand” (Mt 4:17). When he announced the arrival of the kingdom, Jesus announced his own arrival.
The Catholic Thing
My hope for Christian Europe
By Kristen Ziccarelli, July 27, 2026
French existentialist Gabriel Marcel called hope “the stuff of which the soul is made.” Dante marked the entrance to Hell by its absence: Lasciate ogni speranza, voi ch’entrate (“Abandon all hope, you who enter here.”) Civilizations are not often measured in terms of hope. We are more inclined to judge them by military might, political stability, or economic outputs – all of which are fair metrics, in a way. Yet at a moment when many argue that Europe and the United States are forgetting their civilizational roots and in need of a revival of faith, love, and law, there’s a deeper, lingering question: What kind of future do our people believe is possible? I have noticed how many Americans visit Europe seeking inspiration from her Christian past. Yet when it comes to the present, I have also noticed how many Americans comment that Europe appears worse off in terms of economics, the practice of the Faith, respect for life, birthrates, and optimism about the future. And yet, as true as this might be, I’ve found increasing reason for hope, not because of Europe’s institutions, economies, or politics, but because I’ve come to know her Christians.
Image of Coconut by Celio Nicoli from Pixabay
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