Catholic Nutshell News: Saturday 5/16/26
Topics include: Home to Hebrew-speaking Catholics; End of sex-change procedures on children; Fewer Russians identify as Orthodox; & Repentance and forgiveness in a pornified age
“We see through new tender verdant pecan leaves”
Today's sources: National Catholic Register, EWTN News, The Pillar, Crux, First Things, 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
St. James Vicariate is home to Hebrew-speaking Catholics
By Michele Chabin, May 16, 2026
On May 2, the St. James Vicariate in Jerusalem celebrated its 70th anniversary, marking the first Hebrew-language Catholic Mass ever celebrated in the State of Israel. Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, presided over the Divine Liturgy alongside Father Piotr Zelazko, a Polish priest who serves as the patriarchal vicar for the vicariate. In a region where the vast majority of Catholics speak Arabic as their first language, the St. James Vicariate offers Hebrew-speaking Latin Rite Catholics something unique in the Middle East: a spiritual home grounded in Israeli culture that acknowledges the Jewish roots of Christianity. The community numbers about 1,200 people, spread across seven congregations throughout Israel. Members include Jewish converts to Catholicism, descendants of Jewish-born Catholics, mixed Jewish-Christian families, migrants, and even a small number of Arab Catholic families whose children attend Hebrew-speaking schools. Most of the young people are the Israeli-born children of foreign workers, usually Filipinos.
EWTN News
Texas hospital to end sex-change procedures on children
By Amira Abuzeid, May 15, 2026
Texas Children’s Hospital has reached a major settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton that will bring an end to sex-change procedures on minors at the facility and require the hospital to pay for the country’s first dedicated detransition clinic. The agreement, first announced by Paxton’s office on May 15, resolves a years-long investigation of the hospital that began after whistleblower allegations surfaced claiming the hospital continued performing sex-change procedures on minors in secret even after state lawmakers made such procedures illegal. According to the Justice Department, the Houston-based hospital has agreed to pay more than $10 million in civil penalties and damages for allegedly falsely billing Medicaid and other insurers for these “pediatric sex-rejecting procedures.”
Aleteia
Science finds the Catholic answer to aging healthily
By Cerith Gardiner, May 16, 2026
Catholics may finally have the perfect excuse to spend more time admiring cathedrals, listening to sacred music, or gazing thoughtfully at Caravaggio. According to a new study, engaging regularly with the arts may slow biological aging at levels comparable to physical exercise. The research, carried out by University College London and published in the journal Innovation in Aging, found that adults who regularly participated in artistic or cultural activities appeared to age more slowly biologically than those who rarely did so. And remarkably, the effects were not limited to painting masterpieces or performing in orchestras. Reading, listening to music, visiting museums, attending exhibitions, singing, dancing, photography, and even crafting all appeared to have measurable benefits. Participants who engaged in the arts weekly aged at around 4% slower than those who rarely participated, and even monthly engagement was associated with slower aging.
The Pillar
Fewer Russians now identify as Orthodox
By Luke Coppen, May 16, 2026
The proportion of Russians identifying as Orthodox has fallen from 78% to 65% in the past 15 years, according to Russia’s Public Opinion Foundation on behalf of St. Tikhon’s University in Moscow. The findings, reported May 14 by the Vedomosti newspaper, are significant because the Russian Orthodox Church is the largest of the 14 universally recognized self-governing Eastern Orthodox Churches. Estimates of its membership vary, with some counts suggesting there are 110 million Russian Orthodox Christians worldwide, including 95 million in Russia. But the number of active believers is considered to be far lower. Broadly speaking, Orthodox Christians tend to receive Communion less frequently than Catholics because of more detailed requirements concerning fasting and recent confession. However, the share of active Orthodox Christians who attend communion once a month or more has increased significantly, from 14% in 2011 to 45% in 2020 and 64% in 2026.
OSV News
Catholic experts warn of spiritual dangers online
By Josephine Peterson, May 15, 2026
Catholic exorcists and occultism experts warned that artificial intelligence is increasingly being used for rituals, divination, and even forms of worship, raising concerns that some people are replacing God with technology. At a five-day conference in mid-May on the ministry of exorcism and deliverance prayer hosted by the Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum in Rome, some speakers said the rapid rise of AI chatbots and online occult communities has created new pathways for spiritual confusion, isolation, and what some described as demonic influence. Auxiliary Bishop Cesare Di Pietro of Messina-Lipari-Santa Lucia del Mela in Italy said social media and artificial intelligence can foster the illusion that freedom comes from distancing oneself from God. “When AI or the internet helps us access evil, we are not protected, we are exposed,” he said on May 11, adding that modern culture often lacks the discernment needed to recognize spiritual dangers.
Jerusalem Post
US-Israel attacks on Iran could resume as early as next week
By Jerusalem Post Staff, May 16, 2026
The United States and Israel are preparing for joint attacks on Iran to resume as soon as next week, according to a New York Times report on Friday, citing two Middle East officials. The officials, who wished to remain anonymous, told the NYT that the US and Israel are engaged in “intense preparations” for a potential resumption of hostilities, noting them as the most significant preparations since a Pakistani-brokered ceasefire was established in early April. US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth told lawmakers on Tuesday that the US “has a plan to escalate, if necessary.” “Every time they make a deal, the next day it’s like we didn’t have that conversation,” said Trump. According to the NYT, Iranian Parliament National Security Spokesperson Ebrahim Rezaei threatened that the country may boost uranium enrichment to 90% if attacks resume.
Zeale
Justices Thomas, Alito say ‘Dobbs’ ignored in abortion-pill order
By Elise Winland, May 15, 2026
In dissents issued May 14, Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito criticized the Supreme Court’s unsigned order allowing telemedicine prescriptions and mail delivery of the abortion pill mifepristone to continue while litigation proceeds. Both justices accused their colleagues of undermining the court’s 2022 decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization by allowing abortion pills to continue crossing into states with protections of the unborn. As Zeale News previously reported, the court’s May 14 order stayed a 5th Circuit ruling that would have restored nationwide in-person dispensing requirements for mifepristone. The legal dispute stems from a Louisiana lawsuit arguing that the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) 2023 telehealth and mail-order policies violate the state’s pro-life laws by allowing the abortion drug to be shipped into the state. After the 5th Circuit's ruling, mifepristone manufacturers Danco Laboratories and GenBioPro asked the Supreme Court to intervene.
CRUX
New Orleans kept accused priest in pulpit despite complaints
By Christopher R. Altieri, May 16, 2026
Church leaders in New Orleans knew of complaints against a priest now facing criminal trial on charges of serial sexual assault against multiple victims, but allowed the priest to continue in ministry for years, the archdiocese has admitted to Crux Now. Father Anthony Odiong, a 57-year-old native of Nigeria, served in Austin, TX, from 2006 to 2012 and in New Orleans, Louisiana, from 2015 to 2023, when the latter suspended him in the wake of an investigative exposé that revealed the cleric’s pattern of abusive behavior. In 2019, a full four years before the suspension, the Diocese of Austin told the New Orleans archdiocese of misconduct complaints against Odiong, but just like Austin, New Orleans decided against informing their parishioners, choosing instead to address the matter directly with the priest because the allegations “involved adults,” according to a statement. Under Texas state law, it is a felony for clergy or others with roles of pastoral or spiritual authority to exploit their position in obtaining another person’s participation in a sex act.
EWTN News, aciafrica, & CWR for 5/16/26
EWTN News
EWTN’s top headlines — May 16, 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.
Former finance director admits to stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from New Jersey parish - By Daniel Payne - The former finance director of a New Jersey parish has pleaded guilty to stealing more than half a million dollars from the church to “fund a lavish lifestyle.”
Tarsus diocese restored after more than a century - By Madalaine Elhabbal - The Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch has restored an episcopal presence to Tarsus after more than a century, following the consecration of Bishop Paul Orduloglu in Mersin, Turkey. Orduloglu now serves the newly formed Diocese of Tarsus, Adana, and Hatay, and as patriarchal vicar in Antioch.
Cardinal Czerny on Cuba: Every decision must seek the ‘good of the people,’ not ‘geopolitical ends’ - By Eduardo Berdejo - “Let us pray that the beloved land of Cuba may experience days of greater serenity, of authentic human and social development, of harmony, and of hope. Let us pray that every political, economic, and international decision be illuminated by wisdom, prudence, and a sincere pursuit of the well-being of the people.”
aciafrica
aciafrica’s top headlines — May 16, 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.
Kenyan Bishop Lauds Catholic Schools for “culture of dialogue” Amid Rising Student Unrest - May 16, 2026 - By Sabrine Amboka - Bishop Cleophas Oseso Tuka of Kenya’s Nakuru Catholic Diocese has praised Catholic schools for fostering discipline, dialogue, and mutual accountability amid growing unrest in learning institutions across the nation.
Today, May 16, We Celebrate St. Simon Stock - May 16, 2026 - On May 16, the Catholic Church remembers Saint Simon Stock, a twelfth- and thirteenth-century Carmelite monk whose vision of the Virgin Mary is the source of the Brown Scapular devotion.
“Heartbreaking”: Johannesburg Catholic Priest Laments Desecration of Historic Parish Church - May 15, 2026 - By Jude Atemanke - The Parish Priest of Holy Trinity Parish of the Catholic Archdiocese of Johannesburg in South Africa has described as “heartbreaking” the desecration and vandalism of the parish church
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.
On the Germans, the SSPX, and the theological convictions of Pope Leo XIV - May 13, 2026 - Larry Chapp - On the anniversary of his election, and with a year of the papacy under his belt, it is fair to say that Pope Leo would make, as a friend of mine has stated, a “good poker player.”
In gratitude for the Ordinariate - April 8, 2026 - Larry Chapp - Recently, the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith issued a document on the importance of the Anglican Ordinariates. The text has a long and rather awkward title: “Characteristics of the Anglican Heritage as Lived in the Ordinariates Established Under the Apostolic Constitution Anglicanorum Coetibus.” Whew.
Polygamy remains a point of contention with the Church in many African nations - May 11, 2026 -Ngala Killian Chimtom 19 - Pope Leo XIV’s recent visit to Africa has reignited debate over the Church’s pastoral approach to polygamy. During an April 16, 2026, Fon Fru Asaah Angwafor IV, the traditional ruler of Mankon, called for a more compassionate and inclusive ecclesial posture toward those in polygamous unions.
Nutshell reflections for 5/16/26:
USCCB Daily Reflection: AUDIO - May 16, 2026
Saturday of the Sixth Week of Easter
Catholic Stand
Whom your children surround themselves with matters
By Dan Fitzpatrick, May 16, 2026
It is important to understand that the people we surround ourselves with have a massive impact on our lives. Our approach to life, the goals we set, and the opportunities we are given are usually correlated with the friends we choose and the relationships we forge. Parents would be smart to pass this knowledge on to their children. The success our kids will or will not achieve as they grow up will be due only in part to their hard work and God-given talent. It may also be due to a little luck or happenstance. Yet part of a person’s success is also a collective achievement. It is shaped by the people we keep around us. “Ninety-five percent of your success does not stem from hard work or talent, but rather from the company you keep,” said Harvard psychology professor Dr. David McClelland. His decades of research on what makes a person successful concluded that the individuals one associates with play a pivotal role in determining one’s achievements. A person’s friends influence one’s thoughts, mindset, and aspirations.
Catholic Digest
When it feels like your life is out of control
By Catholic Digest, May 15, 2026
It can be an awful feeling — one that grabs you by the throat, whirls you around in all directions, and removes any sense of balance from your daily existence: the feeling of being overwhelmed. Many times, if you are honest with yourself, you can claim responsibility for it. Yes, you have agreed to do too much, have made multitasking a hobby, and have raised the speed at which you check off tasks on your “to-do” list to death-defying levels. Force yourself to simply stop what you are doing and go into slow motion. Pretend that you are the equivalent of a rag doll suspended in action, just hanging around observing the surrounding chaos (assuming that this would not cause danger to anyone, of course). Is it really going to matter next year or even in a few months? Ask for the courage and energy to simply be up to the challenge of whatever you are facing. Request and receive help from God, from those who love you, from friends and neighbors, from social service agencies, and others. Many people are willing to help but usually wait to be asked.
First Things
Repentance and forgiveness in a pornified age
By Liana Graham & Scott Yenor, May 15, 2025
In 2012, one of us asked two dozen young conservative women in San Diego—most aged twenty-five to thirty—whether they were married. Only one was. When pressed for reasons, the answer came quickly: “The men are addicted to porn.” That moment revealed a quiet crisis. If committed, attractive, faithful young women hesitate to marry because of pornography, the pro-marriage project is in deep trouble. Pornography compromises the sexual and marital dance. As smartphones made high-speed internet porn ubiquitous in the late 2000s, marriage rates, birth rates, and sexual activity tanked. A sex recession and dating recession followed. Nor has the situation bounced back post-COVID, as youngsters who have lived only in a world saturated with internet porn have come of age. Porn explains why women are more skeptical about and less interested in marriage and dating than men.
The Catholic Thing
For a more manly Catholicism
By David Warren, May 15, 2026
Edgar Allan Poe mentioned three things, in connection with the Earthly Paradise, or perhaps there were four; I don’t pretend to be a Poe expert. But so far as I remember, they were: life in the open air, the love of a good woman, and the creation of some original form of beauty. These struck me at the time (I was a teenager, and not yet consciously a Christian) as a useful list, so long as I could choose the location, the girl, and the art. Short of death, we have some moral control over our own behavior and, through family and friends, some slight influence over others' behavior. But it is through politics that we form the illusion that we can take more of the decision-making away from God when we disagree with Him. In the end, however, we may not be consulted on our own fate. Is the world unfair? The Catholic Church has long been aware that political interventions work like this. Those who think that a single clever move, or even a sequence of them, can improve our lives, or even bring Paradise, are, we KNOW, the enemies of prudence.
Image of Coconut by Celio Nicoli from Pixabay
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