Catholic Nutshell News: Thursday 6/11/26
What Catholics should know: Pope moves his Spanish audiences; UN admits Christians targeted in Nigeria; Christians on Iraq World Cup team; & Pope Leo met Bad Bunny
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Your 5-minute Catholic briefing for busy faithful. Today's sources include Aleteia, EWTN News, National Catholic Register, The Pillar, Zeale News, John Eldredge, and ChurchPOP. (Catholic Nutshell is a subscription service for faithful, hopeful, & curious Catholics willing to exercise the Catholic News Muscle)
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Zenit
Pope Leo delivers a running series of moving talks in Spain
By ZENIT Staff, June 2, 2026
Zenit news covers Pope Leo XIV’s warmly received talks throughout his visits over the past few days in Spain.
Nicodemus and the Path of Life: Leo XIV’s Existential Reflection in Barcelona - June 8
Related: Pope Leo XIV sidesteps Catalan controversy in Barcelona - By Fionn Shiner, CRUX, June 11, 2026
Our Sunday Visitor
Children, saints, causes, World Youth Day on US bishops’ agenda
By Julie Asher, June 10, 2026
Headlining the June 10 public session of the U.S. bishops’ spring plenary in Orlando were addresses by the president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and the new apostolic nuncio to the United States, along with a preliminary presentation on proposed updates to the bishops’ “Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People.” A highlight in the afternoon was a report on World Youth Day 2027, accompanied by a gift of traditional Asian paper fans for each bishop from South Korea — whose capital, Seoul, will host the international event. The bishops also heard from mathematical biologist Santiago Schnell, a Catholic scientist and provost of Dartmouth University. The Catholic imagination needs to be reawakened in academic life to nurture leaders who can become “voices for the Catholic Church,” Schnell advised the nation’s bishops.
Crux
UN admitting Christians are targeted in Nigeria is ‘long overdue’
By Ngala Killian Chimtom, June 11, 2026
For the first time, UN experts have admitted that there are “credible reports of killings, abductions, sexual violence, forced conversion, forced marriage, abductions and acts tantamount to enforced disappearances targeting Christian and other religious minority communities in Nigeria, particularly women and girls.” In a June 8 release, UN experts on religious freedom say the reports are “deeply troubling,” and explain that the “deteriorating security situation in northern Nigeria and the Middle Belt has created an environment in which armed extremist groups, including Boko Haram, Islamic State West Africa Province, and radicalized individual herdsmen involved in the ‘farmer-herder’ conflict continue to operate with devastating consequences for civilians, amid persistent reports of impunity, institutional failures, and inadequate protection by authorities.”
The Pillar
Christians among representation in Iraq’s World Cup campaign
By Filipe d’Avillez, June 10, 2026
As national squads begin to arrive in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico for the 2026 World Cup, the Iraqi national team is already making headlines. Two of the team’s members – a player and the team photographer – were held and questioned at the Chicago airport for several hours before being released. But Iraq’s team is noteworthy for another reason: four Christians are on the roster of 26 players. That means 15% of the team is Christian, in a country where Christians currently account for less than 1% of the population. Aimar Sher was born in Iraq, but his family moved to Sweden when he was only four. Rebin Sulaka was born in the predominantly Christian suburb of Ankawa in Erbil, Iraqi Kurdistan, and also later moved to Sweden when he was 10 years old. Sulaka is a center-back who currently plays in Thailand. Kevin Yakob was born in Sweden and began playing for Assyriska BK in Gothenburg. Finally, Frans Putros was born in Denmark to Iraqi Christian immigrant parents. He is a defender and currently plays in the Indonesian league.
Aleteia
What happened when Pope Leo met Bad Bunny?
By Cerith Gardiner, June 11, 2025
Have you heard the one about a pope, a reggaeton superstar, a room full of artists, and a conversation about transcendence? It sounds less like a Vatican event and more like the beginning of a joke, yet that was essentially the scene in Madrid this week when Pope Leo XIV met Puerto Rican musician Bad Bunny. Although there were no photos of the meeting, the occasion certainly sparked curiosity. After all, popes and global music stars do not usually occupy the same corners of the cultural imagination. One is associated with cassocks, the other with concert arenas. One speaks in homilies, the other in chart-topping hits. Yet both found themselves participating in a conversation about something surprisingly universal: beauty.
National Catholic Register
America’s consecration to the Sacred Heart
By Msgr. Roger Landry, June 11, 2026
As the United States prepares to mark the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the birth of our country, the bishops of the United States, meeting in Orlando, Florida, are solemnly consecrating the country to the Sacred Heart of Jesus today. To consecrate the country to the Sacred Heart of Jesus means to prayerfully entrust its present and future to Jesus’ sacred humanity and to the divine and human love symbolized by his burning and crucified heart. The consecration was originally proposed to take place tomorrow, on the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, at the conclusion of the bishops’ spring plenary assembly. But a motion was made during the bishops’ meeting last November to celebrate the consecration the day before, on June 11, so that bishops might return home to their dioceses on the solemnity to consecrate their dioceses to the Sacred Heart.
Zeale News
House passes Rep. Chris Smith’s bill on religious freedom
By Elise Winland, June 10, 2026
The House overwhelmingly passed legislation June 8 to extend the independent federal watchdog that monitors and exposes violations of religious freedom around the world and authorize its annual funding through fiscal year 2028. The measure, H.R. 1744, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) Reauthorization Act of 2026, was authored by Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., who is Catholic and is a senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has also expressed support for USCIRF. “The Catholic Church has long viewed religious freedom as a basic human right since it is rooted in the dignity of the human person and is critical to the health of societies,” the USCCB wrote in a 2024 letter cited by Smith. The bill now heads to the Senate. If signed into law, it would keep the commission authorized through fiscal year 2028.
EWTN News
A century later, Pope Leo XIV fulfills Gaudí’s dream
By Victoria Cardiel, June 10, 2026
One of the historic milestones of Pope Leo XIV’s visit to Spain was the opportunity to realize Antoni Gaudí’s dream: the inauguration and blessing of the Tower of Jesus Christ, coinciding exactly with the centenary of the great architect’s death. “God’s architect” died, leaving behind a vast legacy of art and devotion visible throughout Barcelona — like an open-air Gospel sculpted in stone. The spectacular central spire — crowned by a white cross that makes the basilica the tallest in the world and which will be open to visitors starting in 2028 — is undoubtedly one of them. After Mass, Leo XIV stepped outside to bless and inaugurate the Tower of Jesus Christ — a beautiful ceremony in which the pope, rather than simply putting his stamp on a finished work, charted a course for Christians. “The Sagrada Família is the tallest church in the world — not to stand out in worldly rankings, but to guide the steps of God’s people journeying through this land of Catalonia.”
Keep informed - 6/11/26 news for Catholics
Snippets from OSV, EWTN News, & ChurchPOP
OSV News
OSV’s seasoned reporters - June 11, 2026
OSV News — information service and evangelization partner that enables dioceses to connect and boost engagement with the faithful by sharing timely, trustworthy, and accurate content about what is happening in the Church and the world.
Catholic higher education should form ‘voices for the Church,’ says scholar - June 10, 2026 - The Catholic imagination needs to be reawakened in academic life to nurture leaders who can become “voices for the Catholic Church,” said Mathematical biologist Santiago Schnell, provost of Dartmouth University.
US bishops show support for local advancement of 2 American canonization causes - June 10, 2026 - Meeting in Orlando for their annual spring plenary assembly, the members of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops on June 10 gave a unanimous show of support for the advancement of pioneer missionary priest Msgr. Joseph Buh, and entrepreneur-turned-evangelist John Rick Miller.
Human trafficking prevention advocates share World Cup challenges, opportunities - June 10, 2026 - As the U.S. prepares to host the World Cup, faith leaders and others working to prevent human trafficking are seeking to raise awareness to prevent such abuse. “The full continuum of the pro-life ethic” upholds “the dignity and rights of every person.”
EWTN News
EWTN’s top headlines — June 11, 2026
EWTN provides reliable, free, up-to-the-minute news affecting the Universal Church, emphasizing the words of the Holy Father and the activities of the Holy See, and is available to anyone with internet access.
Cardinal Kikuchi urges Caritas Asia to stand with the poor as funding shrinks - By Stephan Uttom Rozario - Caritas Asia serves as the regional secretariat for one of the seven regions of the Caritas Internationalis network, said Benedict Alo DʼRozario, president of Caritas Asia, and global funding is gradually decreasing.
LIVE UPDATES: Pope Leo XIV in the Canary Islands — Day 6 of his visit to Spain - By EWTN News Staff - Stories include: Pope Leo XIV prayed with a young man’s rosary in Barcelona — and gave it back, and he blessed a cross made from the wood of migrant boats.
European Court of Human Rights rules governments cannot ban evangelization - By Bryan Lawrence Gonsalves - The Strasbourg court found that a Bulgarian cityʼs vaguely worded ban on “religious propaganda” breached the right to freedom of religion under the European Convention.
ChurchPOP Trending
ChurchPOP provides fun, informative, and authentically Catholic news and culture - June 11, 2026
“We publish inspiring daily stories, fun and shareable faith-centered infographics, prayers, Church history, and more.”
Pope Leo Played Football? Here’s His Secret to Teamwork Ahead of the World Cup - “Someone who may be a star but never passes the ball does not let others enter the game—and will probably lose.”
The Little-Known Story of Pope St. Paul VI’s First Chasuble, Made From His Mother’s Wedding Dress - Did you know Pope St. Paul VI’s first chasuble was made from his mother’s wedding dress? Here is the fascinating story!
12-Year-Old Boy Makes Rosaries Out of Lily Seeds for Children in Hospitals - “When you visit a child’s room and see that what you’re bringing has made them happier, it makes me happy too,” Samuel said.
June 11, 2026 - USCCB Daily Mass Readings
You can listen HERE — or read HERE:
Memorial of Saint Barnabas, Apostle
Today’s Catholic commentary:
Live Action News
Catholic bishops in Liberia split with religious council over abortion
By Cassy Cooke, June 10, 2026
The Inter-Religious Council of Liberia (IRCL) has endorsed a draft public health bill now before the Liberian Senate for consideration that would implement sweeping reforms. While some of the reforms are positive, such as increased maternal care and improved disease control frameworks, they would also legalize abortion. As such, it was applauded by pro-abortion groups; currently, in Liberia, abortion is legal in cases of rape, incest, fetal abnormality, or risk to the woman’s physical or mental health. In cases of rape or incest, proof must be submitted to the court, and two physicians must attest to the medical exemption. Illegal abortions are punishable by up to five years in prison. In a statement, the Catholic Bishops Conference of Liberia (CABICOL) strongly condemned the endorsement, saying that doing so justified abortion. After the CABICOL statement was released, the IRLC reversed course and withdrew its endorsement, specifically saying the Liberian religious community rejects abortion.
National Catholic Register
US Sacred Heart consecration carries echoes of French history
By Joseph Pronechen, June 10, 2026
More than a century before the French Revolution, Visitation Sister Margaret Mary Alacoque wrote to the then-reigning “Sun King” Louis XIV, telling him Jesus had requested that he consecrate France to his Sacred Heart. Centuries later, on June 11, the United States will be consecrated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, fulfilling what France’s monarchs had failed to achieve at the behest of the French saint. The consecration will take place just weeks ahead of the 250th anniversary of American independence, hard-won by a revolution that, in turn, inspired France to follow suit over a decade later. Ironically, this Reign of Terror claimed the life of Louis XVI, who, prior to his execution, had planned to consecrate France to the Sacred Heart, fulfilling the request first made to his predecessor.
Related: The Consecration of the United States to the Sacred Heart - Stephen P. White, The Catholic Thing, June 11, 2026
The Catholic Thing/The Catholic Herald
How to make holiness a habit
By David Hahn, The Catholic Herald, June 11, 2026
As we begin the tenth week of Ordinary Time, it is a good time to apply the spiritual equivalent of a tune-up. The afterglow of Easter and Pentecost has, by this time, worn off for most. What was a rich flavour has grown less tasteful, and keen enthusiasm has ebbed. The honeymoon period of Baptism is over, as I heard from a recent OCIA initiate. If this has been happening to you, rest assured, there is a gift hiding in this season – one that is far more profitable than feeling good. God wastes nothing. Yes, this strain reveals the weakness of our love, but, like physical exercise, a muscle can only grow when it is pushed to its limit. God had our weakness in mind when He saved us and gave the Sacrament of Confession as our way to begin again when we have failed. If this Ordinary Time is a time for exercising our wills, then we should not neglect our nutrition. The Eucharist is given ever so generously by Our Lord for us to approach Him. Daily, we must make the effort to meet with God.
Wild at Heart
Are you in the Lord’s army?
By John Eldredge, June 11, 2026
We’ve exchanged that great hymn “Onward, Christian Soldiers” for a subtle but telling substitute, a song that is currently being taught to thousands of children in Sunday school each week, which goes something like this (sung in a very happy, upbeat tune): I may never march in the infantry, ride in the cavalry, shoot the artillery, I may never fly over the enemy but I’m in the Lord’s army, yes sir! There is no battle, and there is no war, and there is no Enemy, and your life is not at stake, and you are not desperately needed this very hour, but you’re in the Lord’s army? If you want the life and freedom that Jesus offers, then you are going to have to break free of this religious fog in particular. The stream of Spiritual Warfare was essential to Jesus' life and ministry. It follows that it must be essential to us if we are to be his followers.
Image of peanuts by Nicole Köhler, from Pixabay
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