Catholic Nutshell News: Saturday 8/1/26
Catholics should know: Ultrasound captures unborn baby smiling; California targets abortion pill reversal; Coca-Cola's earlier ‘friar’ version; & Women religious shielded from assisted suicide law
“We see through new tender verdant pecan leaves”
Your 5-minute Catholic briefing for busy faithful. Today's sources: National Catholic Register, EWTN News, The Pillar, Crux, First Things, OSV 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
Ultrasound captures unborn baby smiling as her father speaks
By Alyssa Murphy, July 31, 2026
A beautiful moment exposing the truth of life in the womb is going viral online today. The setting was a routine prenatal checkup for two parents anxious to meet their little bundle of joy. The quiet hum of the clinic room provided a steady rhythm to an otherwise routine appointment in Ontario, Canada. Lia Oliveira lay back as the ultrasound probe glided over her baby bump, bringing black-and-white contours to life on the nearby monitor. It was July 25, and gathered inside the room were the expectant parents, family and medical staff — all focused on the small screen. Holding her mobile phone steady, Lia’s sister began recording, intent on capturing the adorable glimpse of her unborn niece for the family archive. “Good morning. Happy Saturday,” the baby’s father whispered softly, as he leaned in close to Lia’s belly. “Are you hungry?” Across the monitor, the baby girl’s features softened, and a distinct, heartwarming smile stretched across her face.
EWTN News
California bishops slam state for targeting abortion pill reversal
By Kate Quiñones, July 31, 2026
Abortion pill reversal gives a mother the option to save the life of her child after she has taken the first chemical abortion pill. If she changes her mind, she can take the hormone progesterone to potentially save the child. Two Catholic bishops are criticizing the California government’s targeting of abortion pill reversal ministries and urging support for the right of women to choose life, a cause the bishops argue people on all sides of the aisle should support. California’s attorney general is asking the Alameda County Superior Court to stop nonprofits Heartbeat International and RealOptions from offering this reversal, demanding up to $20 million in fines for alleged false advertising, with the government calling the measure “an unproven and largely experimental procedure.” The state government is targeting those ministries for “telling women who regret swallowing the abortion pill that there is a medical treatment that can sometimes save their babies,” San Francisco Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone and Oakland Bishop Michael Barber wrote in a July 30 op-ed for the Wall Street Journal.
Related: California’s case against second chances, Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone & Bishop Michael C. Barber, Wall Street Journal (posted by The Catholic Thing), July 31, 2026
Aleteia
Coca-Cola had an earlier ‘friar’ version
By Cyriac Zeller, August 1, 2026
Father Manuel Russo, rector of the San Marco convent on Via Cavour in Florence, was sorting through the pharmacy archives when he came across a yellowed promotional flyer he did not recognize. It described an elixir vinoso ricostituente — a restorative wine elixir — made from 10 grams of Bolivian coca leaves and 30 grams of kola nut, blended with wine, and promoted as a tonic against fatigue caused by illness and aging. The flyer is believed to date to the mid-to-late 19th century. The ingredients were familiar. They are, essentially, the same ones American pharmacist John Stith Pemberton used in 1886 when he created the syrup that eventually became Coca-Cola. Pemberton’s formula — also combining coca leaf extract and kola nuts — used carbonated water instead of wine, after local alcohol laws prevented him from replicating the wine-based version he had originally developed. Father Russo said the discovery “provides a fascinating reminder that Florence’s convent pharmacies were once centers of scientific experimentation as well as spiritual life.”
The Pillar
The legal ‘state’ of the Vatican updated by Pope Leo
By Luke Coppen, July 31, 2026
Pope Leo XIV issued a new Fundamental Law of Vatican City State Friday, replacing a previous version adopted in 2023. The difference between the 2023 and 2026 texts is found in Article 8, which previously said that the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State was composed solely of cardinals. The new version notes that the Pontifical Commission consists of “cardinals and other members.” The Fundamental Law of Vatican City State was first issued by Pope Pius XI in 1929, following the state’s creation under the Lateran Treaty, signed by Italy and the Holy See. Pope St. John Paul II promulgated a new version of the Fundamental Law in 2000, which Pope Francis revised in 2023. The law’s existence “reaffirms the singular distinctiveness and autonomy of the Vatican legal order, as well as the role of the Governorate, which contributes to the State’s own mission and is at the service of the Successor of Peter, to whom it answers directly.” It also identifies the Vatican City State flag, the Holy See’s coats of arms, and the state’s official seal.
OSV News
Court shields women religious from New York assisted suicide law
By Kate Scanlon, July 31, 2026
A federal judge July 30 temporarily shielded four orders of women religious and Catholic healthcare ministries from enforcement of a New York state law allowing physicians to aid terminally ill adults in dying by suicide. The Catholic entities — the Carmelite Sisters for the Aged and Infirm, the Dominican Sisters of Hawthorne, the Missionary Sisters of St. Benedict and the Little Sisters of the Poor — sued the state July 17, arguing the law would require them to facilitate such deaths for their patients in violation of their faith. “Forcing Catholic nuns to participate in suicide — and robbing New Yorkers of the choice to receive faithful, life-affirming care — is both unlawful and unjust,” Mark Rienzi, president of Becket, a religious liberty law firm, and the lead attorney for the healthcare ministries. Bishop John O. Barres of Rockville Center, New York, said: “New York cannot force the Church to answer suffering with suicide or abandon the sick and dying when they need care most.”
Related: Catholic advocate warns of safety risks as New York assisted suicide law looms - by Tessa Gervasini - August 1, 2026
Zeale
Florida AG: Schools could lose vouchers over COVID mandates
By Zeale News, July 31, 2026
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier, warning the Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops, said Catholic schools must honor parents’ religious objections to mandated shots or risk losing access to state scholarship dollars. Catholic schools could jeopardize their eligibility for state-funded scholarships and vouchers by denying religious exemptions from vaccination requirements. “Ironically, they won’t offer religious exemptions as prescribed by state law,” Uthmeier wrote in an announcement of his letter to the bishops. “This is troubling and may disqualify them from state scholarships and vouchers.” Uthmeier said he learned that Catholic schools might refuse exemptions to parents who object to vaccines developed using cell lines derived from aborted children. The Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee, for example, says that requests for religious exemptions “will not be considered in any Catholic schools of this diocese” because the Church does not teach that vaccination is intrinsically evil.
PME AsiaNews
Technology is the ‘servant of humanity, not its master’
By Santosh Digal, August 1, 2026
Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David, bishop of Kalookan and former president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) has doubts about the major semiconductor and artificial intelligence project announced by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Calling for an assessment of the impact on the environment, workers, and the country’s development, he urges decision-makers to subordinate economic interests to the common good. Pax Silica is a US-led project to reduce dependence on Chinese technology supply chains by establishing a technology hub in the Philippines, a goal the government intends to pursue. In a message posted on social media yesterday, the cardinal said the creation of the new facility dedicated to semiconductors and artificial intelligence (AI) in the Philippines raises questions and poses possible risks for people and the environment.
CRUX
Sri Lanka death penalty means life in prison
By Krishan Francis, July 31, 2026
A Sri Lankan court on Friday sentenced a former police chief and a former top Defense Ministry official to death after finding them guilty of criminal negligence that allowed Islamic State-inspired bomb attacks on Easter Sunday in 2019, which killed more than 260 people. A death penalty in Sri Lanka typically means life in prison because the country has had a moratorium on executions since 1976. Current President Anura Kumara Dissanayake supports maintaining the moratorium. Former Police Chief Pujith Jayasundara and former Defense Ministry Secretary Hemasiri Fernando were convicted and sentenced Friday by the three-member High Court bench. They have the right to appeal the ruling. The near-simultaneous bombings in 2019 were carried out at three tourist hotels and three churches — two of them Catholic and one Protestant — and killed 42 foreigners.
Keep informed - 8/1/26 matters for Catholics:
Snippets: EWTN News, aciafrica, & Word on Fire
EWTN News
EWTN’s top headlines — August 1, 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.
Inspired by Duolingo, Catholic missionary launches Creedo faith app - By Madalaine Elhabbal - Catholic campus missionary Caleb Burbach wanted to make Church teaching more accessible and easy to digest — so he designed Creedo to do just that.
3 Catholic churches desecrated in a single French archdiocese - By Walter Sánchez Silva - For the seventh time in two years, churches in the Archdiocese of Tours have been desecrated. The Archdiocese of Tours in France reported that three Catholic churches within its jurisdiction have been desecrated and announced that Masses of reparation will be held at the affected churches.
More than 2,000 Catholic Scouts gather for Mass at Scouting America National Jamboree - By Tessa Gervasini - With 70% of Scouting units in the United States chartered by religious organizations, “faith is integral to who we are as an organization,” Michael Ramsey, chief marketing officer for Scouting America, told EWTN News.
aciafrica
aciafrica’s top headlines — August 1, 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.
Caritas Kenya Engaged in “anticipatory planning” to Minimize Floods Devastation - Aug 1, 2026 - By Agnes Aineah - The humanitarian and development arm of the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB) is working on its readiness to respond to the forecast that the country will receive El Niño rains later in 2026.
Seminarian Abducted from Catholic Bishop’s Residence in Nigeria, Diocese Appeals for Prayers - Jul 31, 2026 - Nigeria’s Catholic Diocese of Otukpo has appealed for prayers for the “quick and safe release” of Seminarian Kelvin Ochai, who was abducted from the Bishop’s Residence in Benue State.
Slain Mozambican Catholic Bishop’s Blood Could Become “seed of a better Church”: Apostolic Nuncio - Jul 31, 2026 - By João Vissesse - The representative of the Holy Father in Mozambique has expressed hope that the killing of Bishop Osório Citora Afonso of the Diocese of Quelimane will become a catalyst for the renewal of the Church
Word on Fire
Fresh insights from the Word on Fire Institute - August 1, 2026
Word on Fire reaches millions every year by effectively sharing the Gospel via podcasts, videos, books, articles, Scripture studies, and Gospel meditations.
‘Toy Story 5’ Helps Us Cultivate Wonder Anew - Dr. LuElla D’Amico - July 31, 2026 - For readers who have not yet seen the film, Toy Story 5 follows eight-year-old Bonnie as she grows increasingly attached to Lilypad, an interactive device designed to educate, entertain, and accompany children through nearly every part of the day.
Can America Disagree Better? - Jack Trent - July 30, 2026 - Disagree Better is an initiative of the National Governors Association started by Spencer Cox, governor of Utah, in 2023. Through various initiatives, Disagree Better seeks to model healthy civic disagreement. Over twenty governors have joined the movement.
Interior Silence and Accepting Reality to Foster God’s Presence - Christopher Hazell - July 29, 2026 - The importance of fostering interior silence is likely not new to us, evidenced by the somewhat common Lenten practice of giving up music or podcasts to, presumably, help improve one’s spiritual connection to God. We tend to intuitively know that to foster a deep relationship with God we must step away from the commotion and noise of our lives.
August 1, 2026 - USCCB Daily Mass Readings
You can listen HERE — or read HERE:
Memorial of Saint Alphonsus Liguori, Bishop and Doctor of the Church
Today’s Catholic commentary:
National Catholic Register
A Little Sister’s great mission: The legacy of Mother Maria Stieren
By Edward Pentin, July 30, 2026
A flourishing missionary congregation in the Tanzanian desert, founded against the odds by a holy and diminutive Bavarian-born religious sister who had an unwavering trust in God, celebrated its 50th jubilee on July 21. More than 800 local laity and religious, led by Bishop Athanasius Schneider, auxiliary bishop of Astana, Kazakhstan, took part in the festivities, which recalled the remarkable life and witness of Mother Maria Stieren (1923-2008), the founder of the Mothers and Missionaries of the Holy Cross in Puma, near Singida in central Tanzania. Mother Maria founded the congregation in 1976 after receiving, like St. Teresa of Calcutta, a “call within a call” while she served as a German missionary Benedictine sister in Ndanda in the southern part of Tanzania in the 1960s and ’70s.
First Things
Seize the things that have ceased to astonish us
By Ephraim Radner, July 31, 2025
The dismantling of the places we live has become a modern imperative. The courageous moral critic is asked, in the phrase of the Marxist thinker Henri Lefebvre, to “demystify” the world’s streets, as it were, in order to expose their economic and political levers as they impose injustice. This is not just a left-wing vocation, but one taken up by every therapeutic adept from Freud on. Whether it’s our play or labor, our restaurants or grocery stores, the “everyday” is, we are told, the site of conflict and violence, a perverted spiritual realm. Lefebvre and theologian-sociologists like Michel de Certeau became virtuosos in describing the corners of our quotidian existence as both witness to and means of oppressive diseases. Georges Perec (1936–1982) exhorts in Approaches to What? (1973): “What we need to question is bricks, concrete, glass, our table manners, our utensils, our tools, the way we spend our time, our rhythms. To question that which seems to have ceased forever to astonish us.”
The European Conservative
Germany is engaged in cultural suicide
By William Grice, August 1, 2026
Angela Merkel opened Germany’s borders to vast numbers of Syrian asylum seekers in late August and early September of 2015, but in 2020 I had noticed no real issues. New police data now shows that foreign nationals feature disproportionately in violent crimes, with sharp regional disparities, according to The European Conservative. I suspect the answer is that the headline influx of one million migrants has since been eclipsed by hundreds of thousands more men from Africa and the Middle East. The data confirms Germany received 113,236 asylum applications in 2025, 229,751 in 2024, and 329,000 in 2023—a cumulative total of 672,000, albeit on a declining trend. Public sentiment appears to have shifted, too, with polling in recent years consistently showing immigration ranks among Germans’ top political concerns. A kind immigrant I recently met reminded me that we are all God’s children and immigration ultimately has a human face. Yet open borders cannot be justified by individual stories alone.
The Catholic Thing
Lucifer: The real founder of modern revolutionary spirit
By Francis X. Maier, July 31, 2026
The late political activist Saul Alinsky named the founder of the modern revolutionary spirit on the epigraph page of his Rules for Radicals: “the first radical known to man who rebelled against the establishment and did it so effectively that he at least won his own kingdom – Lucifer.” Alinsky was an agnostic secular Jew. He had no belief in a personal devil. He had far more interest in the power structures of this life than in any imagined next. His reference to Satan was thus purely ironic and deliberately provocative. But his epigraph does capture a distinctly modern (if discreet) sympathy for Lucifer as a kind of Prometheus; a wronged hero fighting for his dignity, insisting on his own path, and courageously resisting tyrannical authority. It’s a view that derives from 19th-century Romantic-era writers like Blake, Shelley, and Byron, who in turn drew on John Milton’s great epic poem Paradise Lost, recasting Milton’s Lucifer as less a villain and more a tragic figure. Except they got Milton’s Satan entirely wrong.
Image of Coconut by Celio Nicoli from Pixabay
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