Catholic Nutshell News: Saturday 6/28/25
Topics include: Right to opt-out of LGBTQ+storybooks; ‘Full visible communion’ with Orthodox; Peace plan in Congo, & Vietnam abolishing capital punishment
“We see through new tender verdant pecan leaves”
Today's news sources are Aleteia, CRUX, Catholic News Agency, National Catholic Register, Aleteia, First Things, and The Catholic Thing. (Catholic Nutshell is a subscription service for faithful, hopeful, & curious Catholics willing to exercise their Catholic News Muscle)
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National Catholic Register
Supreme Court affirms right to opt-out of LGBTQ+storybooks
By Andrea Picciotti-Bayer, June 27, 2025
On Friday morning, the Supreme Court strongly rebuked ideologues running Montgomery County, Maryland, schools and reaffirmed the Constitution’s protection for religious freedom. Mahmoud v. Taylor joins the ranks of other key Supreme Court civil-rights cases in safeguarding Americans of faith and their children. A group of parents from diverse religious traditions in Montgomery County, who object to their children being subjected to a collection of storybooks imbued with LGBTQ+ content that undermines the tenets of their faith. The parents, represented by the religious-freedom powerhouse law firm Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, argued the storybooks are inconsistent with their religious beliefs and that denying them notice and the opportunity to opt their children out of exposure to the books violated their rights under the First Amendment.
Catholic News Agency
Loretto Community: A vibrant Catholic youth movement in Europe
By Alexander Folz, June 28, 2025
The Loretto Community traces its roots to the mid-1980s, when Georg Mayr-Melnhof, a businessman and permanent deacon from Salzburg, Austria, first visited Medjugorje, the Bosnian town known for its reported Marian apparitions. What began as a modest prayer meeting in a Vienna student apartment in 1987 has grown into one of Europe’s largest Catholic youth movements. The Loretto Community — named after the Marian shrine of Loreto — now draws over 12,000 participants to its annual Pentecost Festival, held simultaneously at 28 locations across four countries. The Loretto Community identifies with the Catholic Charismatic Renewal, emphasizing a personal relationship with Jesus and openness to the Holy Spirit’s gifts — described as Marian, charismatic, and Eucharistic, reflecting devotion to Mary, a focus on spiritual gifts, and the centrality of the Mass.
Agenzia Fides
Vietnam abolished capital punishment for eight crimes
By Agenzia Fides, June 17, 2025
Vietnam has abolished the death penalty for eight crimes, including bribery, embezzlement, and activities to overthrow the government, as reported by the official Vietnam News Agency. These include the destruction of state property, the production of counterfeit medicines, incitement to war, espionage, and drug smuggling. As of July, the maximum penalty for these crimes will be life imprisonment. Those sentenced to death for these crimes before July 1 will have their sentences commuted to life imprisonment. Catholics in Vietnam are praying and hoping that the death penalty will be definitively abolished in the country. Father Dominic Ngo Quang Tuyen, priest in Ho Chi Minh City and secretary of the Evangelization Commission, said, "It is a step that gives hope: a society of solidarity offers prisoners the opportunity to return and live a dignified life.
Aleteia
Pope backs effort for ‘full visible communion’ with Orthodox
By Kathleen N. Hattrup/I.Media, June 28, 2025
“As I think back with gratitude on the progress made thus far, I assure you of my desire to persevere in the effort to restore full visible communion between our Churches,” said Leo XIV on June 28, 2025. “After centuries of disagreements and misunderstanding, the resumption of genuine dialogue between the sister Churches of Rome and Constantinople was made possible through courageous and farsighted steps taken by Pope Paul VI and Ecumenical Patriarch Athenagoras. Their venerable successors to the Sees of Rome and Constantinople have pursued with conviction the same path of reconciliation, thus further strengthening our close relations.” Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew has made several references to Leo continuing with the plan that the Patriarch and Pope Francis had made to celebrate the Nicaea anniversary together.
Related: 1,700th anniversary: The dates of Nicaea, in 325 and in 2025, Aleteia, byKathleen N. Hattrup - 05/20/25
Rorate Caeli
The Traditional Mass orders were ignored in Vocation Crisis report
By New Catholic, June 24, 2025
The gravest crisis in a significant part of the Church is that of vocations, and France is no exception. With current trends persisting, a huge proportion of active priests in France in a few decades will be those dedicated exclusively or mostly to the Traditional Latin Mass (cf. here, for instance). Leo XIV met with the outgoing board of the French Bishops' Conference (CEF) last week, and, as publication Silere non Possum (I cannot be silent) notes, it is the silence on vocations — particularly of the traditional communities, completely ignored in the bishops' 2025 dramatic report — that is noteworthy: There is also a glaring omission: no mention whatsoever of ordinations within traditionalist communities — those groups that regularly celebrate the Roman rite in its ancient form and are, in France, not only numerous but also notably young. These are not schismatic communities; they are fully in communion with the Pope. And yet they are systematically ignored, as though their very existence were to be erased.
CRUX
Congo Christian leaders submit peace plan in Congo
By Ngala Killian Chimtom, June 28, 2025
Catholic bishops and Protestant pastors in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) submitted what they call a “Social Pact for Peace and Living Together in the Democratic Republic of Congo” to President Felix Tshisekedi in the capital, Kinshasa. The peace plan sent on June 21 is the result of three months of broad-based consultations that not only involved talking with the rebels wreaking havoc in the eastern part of the DRC, but also with the Congolese people both at home and abroad. Conflict has stoked particularly eastern DRC for decades, but reached a new high in 2022 when the Rwanda-backed March 23 Movement (M23) launched an offensive, overrunning whole cities, displacing thousands and triggering loss of lives. Amnesty International reports that by April 2024, the conflict had displaced at least 7.3 million people.
Related: Rwanda and DR Congo Commit to Peace Plan Starting with Disbanding of Genocidal Militia, Kigali Times, June 28, 2025
The PILLAR
LA pastors minister to migrants amid immigration raids
By Jack Figge, June 25, 2025
As immigration raids continue, parishes in Los Angeles have reported a significant decline in Sunday Mass attendance among Hispanic parishioners. With many local Catholics saying they are scared to leave their homes, pastors are finding new ways to minister to their flocks. Recent data suggests that between 800,000 and 900,000 undocumented immigrants reside in Los Angeles County — nearly 10 percent of the county’s population. On June 6, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers began conducting raids on immigrant communities across the Los Angeles region. Spontaneous raids have occurred at shops, in neighborhoods, and at restaurants, among other locations. “The fear is not limited to those who are undocumented. The fear extends to those with some sort of document who also fear that their document could be revoked.”
VOX
Why is Gen Z getting more religious?
By Jonquilyn Hill, June 10, 2013
“To be a young person is to rebel against your parents,” Ryan Burge says. “In my generation it was like, ‘Oh, I grew up very hardcore Catholic or evangelical and so I became an atheist.’ That was the most rebellious thing you can do. But imagine if you are a second-generation atheist or third-generation atheist. You know what the most rebellious thing you can do? It’s to be Orthodox Christian or be Catholic.” Gender could also be at play. More women have been regular church attendees than men, but not with Gen Z. According to Burge, Catholicism is seeing a huge rise in young men. “I wonder if politics might be driving this religious divide among young people. Women had Time’s Up and Me Too. … I think a lot of men feel like they’re being overlooked. And if you go to a Catholic church, it’s one of the few places in society where men have a privileged position in that hierarchy.”
From CNA & Big Pulpit to Satire for 6/28/25
Catholic News Agency
CNA’s top headlines — June 28, 2025
Catholic News Agency provides reliable, free, up-to-the-minute news affecting the Universal Church, emphasizing the words of the Holy Father and happenings of the Holy See to anyone with access to the internet.
Benedict XVI, Francis, and Leo XIV recommend this book, which warns of a world without God - Jun 28, 2025 - By Almudena Martínez-Bordiú - The last three popes — Benedict XVI, Francis, and Leo XIV — have on more than one occasion recommended reading “Lord of the World,” the dystopian science fiction novel written by Robert Hugh Benson in 1907.
Catholic trainer merges faith and fitness in theology of the body-inspired program - Jun 28, 2025 - By Francesca Pollio Fenton - Hypuro Fit’s programming is rooted in St. John Paul II’s theology of the body and offers members one-on-one programs, fitness, and personal training apostolate called Hypuro Fit.
More than 50% of U.S. adults support allowing Christian prayer in public schools - Jun 27, 2025 - By Madalaine Elhabbal - According to Pew Research Center, 52% of adults support allowing public school teachers to lead their classes in prayers that prayers that refer to Jesus, with 27% saying they strongly support it and 26% saying they favor it.
The Big Pulpit
Tito Edwards Catholic blogger site: June 28, 2025
The Big Pulpit website is an intelligent news aggregator offering quality insight & analysis on the Catholic Church worldwide. Here are Chief Editor Tito Edward’s top recommendations for today.
Throwing Things at the Pope – Philp E. Lawler at Catholic Culture
She Protested a Drag Show at a Jesuit Col., What Happened Next Will Stun You – Crd Nw Sc
An Excellent Commentary on Pope Leo XIV’s First 50 Days. . . – Fr. Allan J. McDonald
A Study in Contrasts on Latin in the Liturgy – Fr. Z’s Blog
Babylon Bee’s Satire News
Man Wakes Up Filled With Regret For Not Having More To Drink Last Night
By Life Staff, June 28, 2024
Local man Mark English woke up this morning deeply regretting that he didn't have more alcohol last night. As he slowly rolled out of bed and turned on the coffee, English hung his head in shame, hating himself for not pounding more beers and passing out on the floor. "I regret everything," moaned English as he made himself breakfast. "Ugh, why didn't I do those shots of whiskey with the guys? I always do this. I go out, start having a nice time, and then stop drinking at a responsible hour and go to bed. I've got to stop this, it's killing me." English was seized with jealousy after one of his friends texted to say that he was so hungover he couldn't get off the concrete on his patio. At publishing time, English had once again been struck with regret after failing to get a fourth helping of steak at Golden Corral.
Nutshell reflections for 6/28/25:
USCCB Daily Reflection - AUDIO - June 28, 2025
Saturday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time
What We Need Now
The sublime vocation of Catholic school teachers
By Fr. Peter M. J. Stravinskas, June 24, 2025
In many respects, the vocation of teaching is the most important professional vocation in the Church. Why? Because without good Catholic school teachers, the priest could not function properly in the sanctuary; the pews would be more empty than they are today; the faith would stop with this generation; society would be impoverished by lacking the leaven of Catholic graduates; and the rich traditions of our faith would fade into the distant past. In point of fact, without the work of evangelization and catechesis, liturgy would be reduced to magic and superstition. And so it is fair to say that Catholic school teachers are not merely cogs in a wheel; they are the very hub! Unfortunately, like the Chosen People of old, most of our contemporaries do not realize that they are dead and that the culture is moribund. It is our task to demonstrate to them just how lifeless the whole culture is.
The Catholic Thing
Woe are we, due to no-fault divorce
By John M. Grondelski, June 25, 2025
The entire purpose of “divorce reform” in the 1960s-70s was to eliminate moral responsibility for breaking up a marriage. Up until then, the requirement to show cause – some moral defect like adultery, abuse, or abandonment — ensured that initiation of divorce proceedings lay with the victim. Introduction of “no-fault divorce” shifted that equation in two critical ways. First, since the world would no longer “be cursing or forgiving,” the victimizer could also launch the divorce. Second, the new model of divorce destroyed the idea of marriage qua institution. Marriage was now just a conventional agreement between two individuals. When one’s “path is free to walk,” fewer men want to take the risk of walking down the aisle. When the “path is free to walk,” fewer women want to risk the economic security of a job for the financial dependency that often comes with motherhood.
Bishop Barron
Choose today whom you will serve
By Bishop Robert Barron, June 28, 2025
Friends, today’s Gospel passage acclaims a centurion’s trust in the Lord Jesus. To trust is to have hope, to turn one’s heart to God. It means to root one’s life in God, to ground and center one’s concerns. And oppositely, to trust and to turn one’s heart to human beings means to root the whole of one’s life, to ground and center one’s concerns, in the things of this world: in wealth, fame, power, honor, or pleasure.
What is the center of gravity of your life? What is your “ultimate concern”? The Bible consistently lays this out as an either/or. Think of the passage in the book of Joshua when Joshua lays it on the line for the people of Israel: “Choose today whom you will serve.”
First Things
The return of Jewish theology
By R. R. Reno, June 26, 2025
I‘ve often been told that Jews don’t “do theology.” A glance at The Guide for the Perplexed by the great medieval Jewish thinker Maimonides puts paid to that sweeping claim. But my Jewish interlocutors are engaging in hyperbole to make a larger point, one about the primacy of Torah observance. They distinguish Judaism, with its ideal of keeping God’s commandments, from Christianity, which emphasizes confessing one’s faith. If you will permit me my exaggeration, the point is this: Judaism is concerned with doing the truth, while Christianity emphasizes proclaiming the truth. In his 2024 book God-Talk, David Novak does not dispute the evident fact that Judaism and Christianity have fostered distinct intellectual traditions. But he wishes to challenge his fellow Jews to entertain theo-logos, “God-talk,” not the least because God has something to say about himself.
Image of Pecans by tseiu from Pixabay
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