Catholic Nutshell News: Monday 9/15/25
Topics include: Vatican lights up with drone show; Pope Leo reframes synodality; The list of ‘new martyrs’; & ‘DEI means God’ essay published by mistake
“Worth your weight in walnuts”
Today's sources are Catholic News Agency, Graphs about Religion, OSV, Aleteia, Fides, UCA, CWN, National Catholic Register, & JK Hanna. (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
Vatican lights up with drone show - 3,000 create images
By Hannah Brockhaus, September 14, 2025
St. Peter’s Square became the stage for an unprecedented spectacle on Saturday night, as tens of thousands gathered for Grace for the World, a massive concert closing the third World Meeting on Human Fraternity. The event opened with breathtaking symbolism: more than 3,000 drones illuminated the night sky above the basilica, tracing the image of Pope Francis, framing Michelangelo’s dome and Bernini’s colonnade in light. The display, a first for the Vatican, drew reverent silence before the crowd erupted in applause. The moment was accompanied by a stirring duet of "Amazing Grace" performed by world-renowned tenor Andrea Bocelli and American singer Teddy Swims. Their voices rose over the hushed square, blending with the faint hum of the drones in an atmosphere of solemnity and awe.By Victoria Cardiel
CRUX
Pope Leo reframes synodality, while maintaining its spirit
By John L. Allen Jr., September 14, 2025
From the initial set of excerpts from Pope Leo XIV’s first interview with Elise Ann Allen’s book León XIV: ciudadano del mundo, misionero del siglo XXI, meaning “Leo XIV: Citizen of the World, Missionary of the 21st Century,” comes a guide to the mind and the heart of the new pontiff. Released by Penguin Peru in Spanish first, Pope Leo XIV introduces himself to the world. “Synodality is an attitude, an openness, a willingness to understand. Speaking of the Church now, this means each and every member of the church has a voice and a role to play through prayer [and] reflection,” he told Allen. It would be hard to issue a more full-throated endorsement of the controversial synodality direction of Pope Francis. Thinking in part of those Catholics who had a sort of allergy to virtually anything they perceived as originating with the Argentine pope, Leo also gently suggests that the idea itself has much deeper roots, saying a participatory and dialogic spirit grew up in Latin America.
Aleteia
The list of ‘new martyrs’ honored by the Church
By Camille Dalmas, September 15, 2025
Nearly 1,700 Christians have been recorded as martyrs since 2000. Pope Leo XIV paid tribute to them yesterday in Rome during a major Jubilee celebration. This list of contemporary martyrs recalled a similar one compiled for the Jubilee of 2000 at the request of John Paul II. The Polish pope had honored the many victims of 20th-century ideologies — particularly communism and Nazism. While the updated list has not yet been published, commission members emphasized that it was not a formal recognition of martyrdom — which requires a lengthy canonical investigation for beatification — but rather a reliable historical record of those who died for their faith or in defense of values directly linked to it. It was within this perspective of an “ecumenism of blood” that some martyrs listed also belonged to other Christian denominations.
Vatican News
Arab, Islamic states meet in Qatar after Israeli strike
By Nathan Morley, September 15, 2025
Arab and Islamic nations convened an emergency meeting in Qatar following Israel’s airstrike last week targeting Hamas leaders in Doha. The U.N. Security Council has condemned the strike. Analysts now say diplomatic pressure may intensify. Earlier, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem to discuss the situation. President Donald Trump has already criticized the strike, calling for restraint. Meanwhile, Israel has intensified its military campaign in Gaza. Army Radio reported that approximately 300,000 residents have fled Gaza City amid ongoing bombardments. Gaza’s health ministry said Israeli attacks in the northern part of the enclave killed at least 68 Palestinians and wounded 346 others in the past 24 hours.
Related: As Hamas urges Gazans to stay put, its leaders are trying to flee Strip, The Times of Israel, By Emanuel Fabian 14 September 2025
The Pillar
USCCB: ‘DEI means God’ essay published by mistake
By The Pillar, September 13, 2025
The U.S. bishops’ conference told The Pillar Friday that a controversial essay on “diversity, equity, and inclusion” policies was mistakenly published and does not represent an official position of the USCCB. The essay, entitled “DEI means God,” was published this month on the website of the U.S. bishops’ conference and was written by Washington, DC, auxiliary bishop Roy Campbell. The bishop’s essay lamented that the presidential administration of Donald Trump “wants to erase Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion from the American conscience.” Campbell pointed out the initials for diversity, equity, and inclusion programs form the letters DEI, which make “dei,” a form of the Latin word for God. Some Catholic intellectuals and leaders have proposed alternatives to DEI, which they say better draw from Christian anthropology and Catholic social teaching.
Related: Dignity, Equality, and Solidarity: A Catholic Alternative to D.E.I. - D.I.E. (Diversity, Inclusion, Equity)—wrongly erase moral distinctions among individuals and unfairly assign organizational benefits based on group identity, Dr. Matthew Petrusek, February 15, 2023
Our Sunday Visitor
Catholic pilots flying for the kingdom of God
By Eric Peat, September 14, 2025
Father Allen Corrigan, who has been flying since 1998, is currently serving his second stint as president of the National Association of Priest Pilots: a group of clergy from across the country who share not only the common thread of priestly ministry, but also an interest in aviation. In addition to an annual convention, the NAPP held its 61st this year in Clear Lake, Iowa — the 120 national members also meet quarterly by region. Some members have held a fascination for flying since childhood, like Father Corrigan, who remembers Sister Marie Jose yelling at him during first grade for drawing pictures of airplanes on the desk. “I devised little controls so I could fly my desk around the room.” Father Ed Moran flew an Army helicopter as an aeroscout platoon leader and later became a chaplain in the Air Force. With only 15 priests to serve over 400,000 square miles in the diocese of Fairbanks, Alaska, parishioners must sometimes go months without Mass. Enter Father Falsey, a Michigan native with a self-described “missionary attitude.”
Graphs about Religion
Higher degrees of education builds a more religious people
By Ryan Burge, September 15, 2025
Folks who didn’t finish high school are the most likely to identify as non-religious (39%). Among those who went a bit further in their education, about 35% are atheists, agnostics, or nothing in particular. For those who have completed a four-year degree, one-third are non-religious, and this percentage drops even lower for those who have taken graduate-level coursework — just 31% are nones. Those with the most education are the least likely to identify as atheist, agnostic, or nothing in particular. Individuals with graduate degrees are slightly less likely to be atheists, agnostics, or those with no specific affiliation compared to those who didn’t finish high school. For Black folks who stopped at a high school diploma, about 40% are nones. For those who complete graduate school, the rate is half that — 21%. Among Asians with a doctorate, the nones are the highest in the entire sample at 42%.
National Catholic Register
Dubai’s hidden faith: The city’s Catholic community thrives
By Solène Tadié, September 15, 2025
Dubai’s climate of tolerance is real, but measured. Catholics can worship freely on parish grounds, run schools and catechism programs, but public religious visibility remains tightly circumscribed. The most emblematic city of the Persian Gulf, famous for its skyscrapers, ostentatious opulence, and mosques, is also home to one of the most popular Catholic parishes in the world: St. Mary’s in Oud Metha. Each weekend, tens of thousands gather there for Mass, with liturgies spilling into courtyards and school halls. Within the compound stands a replica of the Lourdes grotto, a quiet place of prayer hidden from the street — symbolic of a faith lived fervently yet discreetly in the city. Christian communities remain confined mainly to designated compounds. Approximately 850,000 Catholics lived in the UAE in 2020 — 9% of the total population. The numbers have increased rapidly since then.
CatholicVote
Cardinal Pizzaballa forgives families’ diocesan school debts
By McKenna Snow, September 14, 2025
As a special gesture for the 2025 Year of Jubilee, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa has announced that his diocese will forgive all debts owed by families to the schools of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem for all years leading up to the 2024-2025 school year. “We hope that this gesture will make life easier for many of our families in need and help them to regain confidence and hope,” Cardinal Pizzaballa wrote in the announcement dated Sept. 14, the feast of the Exultation of the Holy Cross. He emphasized that the Jubilee Year is chiefly “a time of conversion, penance, mercy and forgiveness,” stressing that forgiveness is especially needed during times of war and violence. He explained that debt remission during Jubilee years has Biblical roots, and the same attitude is evidenced in the New Testament, when Christ speaks on the parable of the servant who begs forgiveness but does not himself forgive others.
CNA, UCA, and CNW News for 9/15/25
Catholic News Agency
CNA’s top headlines — September 15, 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.
British royal family set to have first Catholic funeral in centuries - Sep 15, 2025 - By Eduardo Berdejo - The first Catholic funeral of a member of the British royal family since the Anglican Reformation will take place at Westminster Cathedral on Sept. 16, that of the duchess of Kent, who converted to Catholicism in 1994.
Death of Melkite Catholic in Syrian prison sparks debate over security abuses - Sep 14, 2025 - By Souhail Lawand - The death of Milad Farakh, a member of the Melkite Greek Catholic community from the village of Kafra in Syria’s Valley of Christians (Wadi al-Nasara), has stirred controversy on social media.
Juan Dabdoub, tireless defender of life and family in Mexico, dies - Sep 14, 2025 - By David Ramos, Walter Sánchez Silva - Juan Dabdoub Giacoman, a legendary and tireless defender of life and family in Mexico, passed away at 71 after a long battle with cancer.
UCA News
The Union of Catholic Asian World News - 9/15/25
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
Indian PM urges warring groups in Manipur to embrace peace - September 15, 2025 - Critics call Narendra Modi’s first visit two years after violence broke out in the northeastern state ‘tokenism.’
Military airstrike blamed for 22 deaths in Myanmar boarding school - September 15, 2025 - Junta on the offensive as war, floods, and earthquakes provide a daily recipe for fear.
Macau's first 'patriots' election sees low turnout - September 15, 2025 - Poll sees record number of blank and invalid ballots cast after candidates disqualified, former lawmaker arrested
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 Charlie Kirk who was assassinated this week was a much better Charlie Kirk than the one who first burst onto the scene many years ago. And the conservatism for which Charlie was a pied piper to the young was a much better conservatism than the one for which he was initially advocating.
God transformed the Cross into an instrument of life, Pope tells pilgrims - “God saves us by showing himself to us, offering himself as our companion, teacher, doctor, friend, to the point of becoming bread broken for us in the Eucharist,” Pope Leo told pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square.
Leading African, Asian, Latin American cardinals call for ‘economic degrowth’ to avert climate catastrophe - “It is not just a technical problem: it is an existential issue of justice, dignity and care for our common home,” said Cardinals Jaime Spengler, OFM (Brazil), Filipe Neri António Sebastião do Rosário Ferrão (India), and Fridolin Ambongo Besungu, OFM Cap (DR Congo).ICongress.
Nutshell reflections for 9/15/25:
USCCB Daily Reflection AUDIO - September 15, 2025
Memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows
The Obscure, Forgotten, and Undiscovered
1943: Catholic poet (Everson) runs into atheist novelist (Dreiser)
By James K. Hanna, September 15, 2025
The poet William Everson (1912-1994), also known as Brother Antonius from his days as a Dominican lay brother, and his friend James Harmon had a random encounter with novelist Theodore Dreiser (1881-1945) in 1943. It happened in the restroom of a diner in Oregon. “Mr. Dreiser, we’re two poets, and we’re going to San Francisco. We hope to meet some other writers there and renew our acquaintance with the literary scene,” said Everson. “There are thousands of you. You crawl about the country from conference to literary conference,” replied Drieser. “The world is being torn apart in agony, crying out for truth, the terrible truth. And you …” He paused, his voice growing weary. “You have nothing to say.” For a moment, the contempt seemed to fade from his face, and a kind of geniality gleamed there. “Well,” he said, “take it easy. It lasts longer that way.” Then he was gone.
National Catholic Register
‘Hey Culligan man!’: ‘Yes’ to life changed their world
By Father Kevin Culligan, September 14, 2025
My father was Emmett J. Culligan, the renowned “Culligan Man” who founded the worldwide water-conditioning industry. He and my mother, Anna Bridget Harrington, of strong midwestern Irish-Catholic stock, raised seven children. I am the youngest and the only one remaining. My father’s business success provided us with a home life that, while not extravagant, was very comfortable and incredibly enriching. But it was not always so. My father was a zeolite salesman for National Aluminate Company (NALCO). The country was in the midst of the Great Depression. My father was nearly broke. My mother, emotionally fragile, was pregnant with me, but they reaffirmed their Catholic faith in Divine Providence with an unequivocal “Yes.” Dad often commented that God not only gave us our daily bread, but it came buttered. In March 1936, at the age of 43, he resigned from NALCO and started Culligan Zeolite Company in the Chicago suburb of Northbrook. I was ordained in 1963.
George Weigel
Let’s make America serious again
By George Weigel, September 10, 2025
Having spent most of July and August off the grid while teaching in Poland and vacationing in Canada, I missed a lot of the Great Cracker Barrel Logo Fracas. But from what little I have observed of this absurd “debate” over whether removing a white man from the company logo constituted another corporate cave-in to wokery, which was followed by the equally inane “debate” over whether Cracker Barrel’s restoration of that figure to its logo was a further step toward the end of democracy, I have to wonder whether our country has become fundamentally unserious. War is raging in Ukraine, a beleaguered, brutalized country that looks to the United States for support in its struggle for survival—and Americans are obsessing over Cracker Barrel logos? There are serious questions. A morally serious country would take them seriously.
The Christian Post
Minor discrepancies in the Bible do not change Jesus, the savior
By Robin Schumacher, September 15, 2025
What helped me is understanding the truth that nowhere in Scripture will you find glaring, black-and-white major divergences, such as one book stating Jesus was raised from the dead and another saying He wasn’t. Minor apparent contradictions (see my article, What if the Bible Has Errors for a discussion of them), like Matthew writing Peter will deny Jesus “before a rooster crows” (26:34), but Mark saying the denial will happen before “a rooster crows twice” (14:30) never challenge a single core biblical doctrine of salvation or the validity of Christianity. And, as one person puts it, it’s not the discrepancies in the Bible that bothered him but rather the explicit, undisputed, and life-changing content found in Scripture. That’s the big takeaway anyone challenging the veracity of the Bible needs to understand.
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