Catholic Nutshell News: Saturday 1/10/26
Topics include: Back to basics for Military Chaplains; Surrogacy is a violation of dignity; Pro-life movement ‘not safe’ in Republican party; & Devout Catholic Mendoza leads Indiana football
“We see through new tender verdant pecan leaves”
Today's sources: National Catholic Register, Catholic News Agency, The Pillar, Crux, George Weigel, Catholic World News, & Aleteia. (Catholic Nutshell is a FREE subscription service for faithful, hopeful, & curious Catholics willing to exercise their Catholic News Muscle)
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National Catholic Register
Back to basics for the Military Chaplain Corps
By Father James Hamel, January 8, 2026
I don’t know who is advising Secretary Hegseth on these matters, but he and his advisers are tapping into a very real tendency in the Chaplain Corps — namely, the impulse to accommodate a (once?) growing secularism. Most military bases have three religious services on the weekend. One is a “General Protestant” service, which is often a hodgepodge of mainline liturgy and evangelical praise and worship. Another is a “Gospel Service,” which incorporates elements of traditional African American worship styles. The third is the Catholic Mass. (Bases that have few Orthodox Christian, Muslim, and Jewish chaplains usually offer one of those services as well.) Any change in emphasis coming to the Chaplain Corps will not be a shock to Catholic chaplains. The recent military action in Venezuela underscores the need for chaplains to be laser-focused on their roles as ordained ministers in order to provide the faith-based care to our nation’s warfighters that only they can. I welcome Secretary Hegseth’s push to have the Chaplain Corps get back to basics, and I know most of my former colleagues do as well.
Aleteia
Pope Leo: Surrogacy is a violation of dignity
By Christine Rousselle, January 10, 2026
Speaking on Friday, January 9, to the diplomats from the 184 nations with diplomatic ties to the Holy See, Pope Leo called life "a gift to be cherished," saying that the family is "its responsible guardian." Leo also spoke about surrogacy, which he said serves to make "gestation into a negotiable service." A surrogate pregnancy is when a woman is contracted to carry a pregnancy to term for someone who either cannot or does not want to get pregnant herself. “This violates the dignity both of the child, who is reduced to a ‘product,’ and of the mother, exploiting her body and the generative process, and distorting the original relational calling of the family,” the pope said. There are two main types of surrogate pregnancies. In a "traditional" surrogacy situation, the child is biologically related to the intended father and the carrier mother. In a "gestational" surrogacy, embryos are created through IVF from biological material of either the intended parents or donor(s).
The Pillar
Leo has laid out his law of attraction for the Church - Jesus Christ
By Ed. Condon, January 9, 2026
The just-ended consistory of cardinals marks the first major statement of intent in Leo’s papacy, and an early test of his promise of greater consultation with the college of cardinals after years of complaints that the college was sidelined under Francis. Leo’s decision to convene a consistory less than one year into his pontificate has been received by cardinals as an “extraordinary act of humility and wisdom — it’s real collegiality.” There is a real, noxious cottage industry which relies on generating clicks and likes and retweets by framing anything the Leo says or does, or doesn’t say or do, as some kind of unambiguous papal monstering of their opponents, political or ecclesiastical. Don’t buy it. Leo has laid out his law of attraction for the Church, the guiding rule of her internal life and the measure of her fidelity to the mission of Christ: love one another; unity attracts, division scatters.
Catholic News Agency
Pro-life leader says movement ‘not safe’ in Republican party
By Daniel Payne, January 10, 2026
Marjorie Dannenfelser, the president of Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, is urging the movement to continue to press for protection for the unborn, calling on advocates to demand more pro-life policy even as the Republican Party shows signs of wavering. “We have to do everything we can to make sure that we’re communicating the moral position and also the political position.” Sparked by President Donald Trump's recent remarks, in which the president urged the Republican party to be more "flexible" regarding the taxpayer funding of abortion, Dannenfelser said bluntly: "There's no flexibility on that. Flexibility should be reserved for what you wear tomorrow, what you're going to eat tonight, where you go on vacation," she said. "This is a matter of life and death." Asked whether the pro-life movement needs to "face reality" and accept changing political priorities with respect to the Hyde Amendment, Dannenfelser said: "I 100% reject it."
The Times of Israel
Mamdani, later, said terror chants ‘have no place in our city’
By Luke Tress, January 10, 2026
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Friday said support for terror groups has “no place in our city,” after a pro-Hamas protest in a Jewish neighborhood sparked outrage from other elected leaders. Anti-Zionist activists chanted “We support Hamas,” “Death to the IDF,” “Intifada people’s war,” and other violent and discriminatory slogans during a Thursday night protest against an Israeli real estate event held at a synagogue in the Kew Gardens Hill neighborhood in Queens. The protest also saw Jewish counter-protesters insult and taunt the anti-Zionist activists by shouting against the Palestinians, chanting in support of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Mamdani’s initial statement did not single out either side or mention antisemitism or Hamas. A follow-up comment posted to Mamdani’s social media was more explicit, saying, “Chants in support of a terrorist organization have no place in our city.”
PIME asianews
2026 may show gradual resurgence of civil resistance in China
By ASIA TODAY, January 3, 2026
Among the many analyses of the past year, an interesting perspective is offered by Yesterday, a project by a group of Chinese dissidents that reports news of protests breaking out within the People’s Republic of China on Chinese social media (often quickly removed). In a post, they say: “Bidding farewell to the stifled silence of 2024, 2025 witnessed a gradual resurgence of civil resistance in China. From farmers and workers fighting for survival, to students and parents fighting for dignity, to netizens standing up against injustice faced by others, increasingly more people choose to confront their fear and refuse silence.” The project, located outside China, recently published on its website the 10 most significant events of 2025, offering an interesting glimpse into grassroots activism across the vast country. (Editor’s note: Interestingly, none of the ten events involves religious protesters)
CRUX
Latin American Churches manifest support to the Venezuelans
By Eduardo Campos Lima, January 10, 2026
The U.S. invasion of Venezuela, which resulted in the seizure of then-President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, prompted the episcopal conferences of many Latin American countries to send letters of solidarity to the Venezuelan Church and people. Since Jan. 3, when dozens of US aircraft broke into the Venezuelan airspace, bombed military targets and abducted Maduro and his wife, Cilia, at least nine Bishops’ Conferences manifested their fraternity with the Venezuelans, besides a number of Latin American Church organizations. That was the case of the Bolivian episcopate, which released on the same day a letter titled Hope doesn’t disappoint. The bishops began their letter expressing their fraternity and solidarity with the Venezuelan episcopate. Archbishop José Domingo Ulloa of Panama City said in his homily that “Venezuela is not alone.” The Panamanian bishops sent a message to Venezuela’s Church with a similar concern.
Vatican News
One thousand days of conflict in Sudan
By Kielce Gussie, January 10, 2026
Today, Sudan – facing one of the most severe humanitarian crises in the world – marks 1,000 days of conflict, a solemn marker. There, over 33.7 million people are living with an urgent need for humanitarian assistance, “effectively two in three people, and where famine has been declared twice in less than a year,” as Caritas Internationalis reported. The ongoing violence has led to the collapse of services and work as 70%-80% of hospitals and healthcare facilities have been made non-operational, leaving 65% of the Sudanese people without any access to healthcare. On top of this inaccessibility to care, almost 21.2 million people in the African nation are struggling with high levels of acute food insecurity—one of the world’s largest food crises. More than 15 million people have been displaced since the outbreak of the conflict in 2023, making their homes in overcrowded and unsafe shelters and settlements, where hunger and disease run rampant.
CNA, aciafrica, & CWR for 1/10/26
Catholic News Agency
CNA’s top headlines — January 10, 2026
Catholic News Agency provides reliable, free, up-to-the-minute news affecting the Universal Church, with updates on the words of the Holy Father and the Holy See.
At annual meeting, Catholic historians assess impact of first American pope - Jan 10, 2026 - By Tyler Arnold, Ken Oliver-Méndez - Sprows Cummings said the College of Cardinals clearly saw in Cardinal Prevost the "pastoral presence, administrative savvy and global vision" that the Church needed at this time and that he was “not elected in some flex of American power.”
St. Elena House launches in UK to help Catholics ‘catch the fire’ of God’s love - Jan 10, 2026 - By Andy Drozdziak - “The Church needs to embrace its call to mission, and I believe this house and others like it will enable and inspire the Church to explore new ways to reach out to people with the Gospel,” said Maria Heath, director of mission in the Diocese of Northampton,.
History erased? Bangladesh Catholics struggle to recover first church land - Jan 10, 2026 - By Stephan Uttom Rozario - A financial crisis has halted the Catholic Church’s efforts to reclaim the site of Bangladesh’s first church, leaving the 426-year-old foundation in Satkhira occupied and unpreserved.
aciafrica
aciafrica’s top headlines — January 10, 2026
ACI Africa was founded in 2019 to provide free, up-to-the-minute news affecting the Catholic Church in Africa, with particular emphasis on the words of the Holy Father and the activities of the Holy See.
Today, January 10, We Celebrate St. Gregory of Nyssa - Jan 10, 2026 - The son of two saints, Basil and Emmilia, young Gregory was raised by his older brother, St. Basil the Great, and his sister, Macrina, in modern-day Turkey.
Nigeria “now the deadliest place on earth” for a Christian: Catholic Activists in Africa - Jan 9, 2026 - By Silas Isenjia - Catholic activists at CitizenGo are calling upon Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs to take immediate action to end the persecution of Christians in the West African nation.
Catholic Archbishop in Tanzania Raises Concern over Neglect of the Boy Child - Jan 9, 2026 - By Nicholas Waigwa - The Local Ordinary of the Catholic Archdiocese of Arusha has raised concern over what he describes as an “emerging trend” that is leaving the boy child increasingly marginalized.
Cathlic World Report
CWR’s Columns, Analysis, & Features - January 10, 2026
Catholic World Report is a free online magazine that examines the news from a faithful Catholic perspective.
Making sense of the Leonine pontificate: An interview with Christopher R. Altieri - By Carl E. Olson January 7 - “To understand the depth of the issues and why Leo might be the perfect man for the job,” said Ken Craycraft in his CWR review of Christopher R. Altieri’s new book about Leo XIV.
A Cathedral Fit for Three Kings - By Father Seán Connolly January 4 - In all my travels, I have beheld few if any more impressive sights than the breathtaking Gothic behemoth of Kölner Dom, “Cologne Cathedral,” illumined at night, bathed in golden-white light, with its twin towers rising above.
Pierre Manent’s challenge to the West is sophisticated, unbound by mere nostalgia - By Andrew Petiprin January 8, In the middle of the seventeenth century, Blaise Pascal was not alone in worrying that his nation and continent were no longer Christian enough. Today, the idea of a Christian society is much farther removed.
Nutshell reflections for 1/10/26:
USCCB Daily Reflection: AUDIO - January 10, 2026
Saturday after Epiphany
Aleteia
Devout Catholic Mendoza leads Indiana to National Championship
By Christine Rousselle, January 10, 2026
Fernando Mendoza and the Indiana University football team's dream season continues, and the quarterback was quick to give credit to God for the team's unprecedented success. The College Football Playoff National Championship game will be held at Miami's Hard Rock Stadium on Jan. 19, near where Mendoza grew up. “First, I want to give all the glory to God,” said Mendoza, after throwing for five touchdown passes in a 56-22 romp over the University of Oregon in the Peach Bowl on Friday, January 9 in Atlanta. He was named the offensive MVP of the game. Mendoza congratulated his teammates, specifically the defense, before pivoting back to God and sharing his faith with a national audience. “The man up above has done so much for us today, and has helped myself and our entire team play at such a high level,” he said. Making it to the national championship, "means a lot, it means the world. And I couldn't have done this without God."
George Weigel
The hand of Providence has guided 250 years of U.S. history
By George Weigel, January 7, 2026
The high drama of June-July 1776 in the HBO miniseries, “John Adams,” based on David McCullough’s eponymous (and wonderful) book, raises an old question with contemporary relevance: How could so diverse a group of men, divided by regional prejudices, religious sectarianism, social conventions, and personal histories, agree on so momentous and dangerous a step as declaring their independence from what was then, and would long remain, the world’s greatest empire? Perhaps it was because, amidst their many differences, they shared the essential rudiments of a common moral culture. They had all read the King James Bible, and whatever their divergent (and, in certain instances, rather bizarre) theological views, they believed that the hand of Providence guided history and that the task of upright men was to follow that guidance, whatever the cost. Catholicism’s public task in this semiquincentennial year is to draw the nation’s attention to that, and to teach, with clarity and compassion, the timeless truths that were declared self-evident, and proved liberating, 250 years ago.
First Things
Theologians may have acquiesced to a practical atheism
By R. R. Reno, January 9, 2025
We’ve lost touch with reality. Technology is certainly a factor. A few years ago, people on airplanes began pulling down the window shades. The world outside, alive with light, interferes with the screens that have become the focus of our attention. The darkened airplane cabins epitomize much of our existence these days. We’re cocooned in a shell of technology. Our flight from reality has other and earlier sources, however. As Henry Vander Goot details in Creation as an Introduction to Christian Thought, a great deal of modern theology has turned its back on God’s creative work. Theologians concede the task of analyzing reality to modern science, purporting to focus on the greater truth of salvation in Christ. The effect, Vander Goot argues, is acquiescence in a practical atheism beneath the veneer of a “personal relationship with Jesus.”
The Catholic Thing
Martyrdom of the apostles
By Brad Miner, January 10, 2026
In The Cost of Discipleship (1937), Dietrich Bonhoeffer writes that Christ invited St. Peter “to the supreme followship of martyrdom for the Lord he had denied. . .thereby forgiving him all his sins. In the life of Peter, grace and discipleship are inseparable.” (p. 49) In Bonhoeffer’s famous reckoning, this was a case of costly, as opposed to cheap, grace. Bonhoeffer, of course, would come to embody the former. On his way to be executed by the Nazis at the Flossenbürg concentration camp in 1945, Bonhoeffer told a fellow prisoner, “This is the end – but for me it is the beginning of Life!” That’s the attitude of all true martyrs when their time comes. Bonhoeffer was hanged. The deaths of the original Twelve Apostles were often more excruciating. All (save John, of course) were likely gone by the year 80. John (December 27 is his feast day) was not martyred. And he is the only one, according to tradition, not killed for preaching the Gospel.
Image of Coconut by Celio Nicoli from Pixabay
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Really solid news curation here. The piece on Pope Leo's surrogacy stance cuts through alot of noise by framing it as dignity violation for both child and mother, not just ethics theater. I've seen similar arguments about commodification in tech contexts where we treat relationships as transactions. The tension between Dannenfelser's hardline on Hyde and evolving GOP priorities shows how values-based coalitions can fracture when pragmatism enters theequation.