Catholic Nutshell News: Thursday 7/9/26
What Catholics should know: Jews denounce persecution of Christians; Popular Catholic exorcist removed; U.S. military prelate in the spotlight; & U.S. population declines
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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
Jews denounce persecution of Christians by Holy Land radicals
By ZENIT Staff, June 30, 2026
A series of recent developments across Israel, the Palestinian territories, and neighboring countries has heightened concern over the security and long-term future of Christian communities in the Holy Land, where local Church leaders, civil society organizations, and the Holy See are warning of a convergence of threats ranging from religiously motivated harassment to settlement expansion and the humanitarian consequences of ongoing conflict. One of the clearest warning signs comes from Israel itself, where organizations dedicated to protecting religious freedom have documented a sharp increase in anti-Christian incidents. The Israel Religious Action Center (IRAC), affiliated with Israel’s Reform Jewish movement, has formally urged police and state prosecutors to investigate online content that it says incites violence against Christian holy sites.
Our Sunday Visitor
Popular Catholic exorcist removed for public display, not UFOs
By Josephine Peterson, July 8, 2026
Cardinal Robert W. McElroy of Washington said his decision to remove a high-profile priest as an archdiocesan exorcist was driven by the public way he exercised his ministry, not by his specific beliefs about UFOs. Following comments on social media linking UFOs to demonic activity, Msgr. Stephen Rossetti was removed in early June as an exorcist for the Archdiocese of Washington. Cardinal McElroy told Catholic News Service that it should not be interpreted as a judgment on unidentified flying objects or extraterrestrial life, but rather as what he sees as the proper role of an exorcist within the Catholic Church. Msgr. Rossetti has built one of the largest online followings among Catholic exorcists through the St. Michael Center for Spiritual Renewal, with more than 146,000 followers on YouTube and tens of thousands more on his personal Instagram, where he regularly discusses exorcism, spiritual warfare, and demonic activity.
Crux
French Senate rejects assisted suicide bill for third time, but …
By Crux Now Staff, July 8, 2026
The French Senate rejected an assisted suicide bill for the third time, the latest chapter in France’s long-running parliamentary drama that will still likely result in the legislation being adopted. On Tuesday, French senators took just under two hours to vote in favor of a motion to reject the bill. The motion passed narrowly by 169 votes in favor, 164 against, and 11 abstentions. The bill will now return for the fourth time to France’s lower house, the National Assembly, which can make the final decision to adopt the legislation regardless of the Senate’s disagreement. The final reading of the text is scheduled for July 15. “Two irreconcilable conceptions of the end of life are in conflict,” said Christine Bonfanti-Dossat, a member of the conservative Republicans. “There is the one defended by a majority of members of parliament for whom assisted suicide and euthanasia are established as a right widely accessible to patients in the ‘advanced stage’ of their illness … there is the one we defended in committee: medical assistance in dying for patients whose life is at risk in the short term, which is more in line with the ethics we uphold.”
The Pillar
‘No one really knows’ the location of Nicaragua’s Bishop Mata
By Edgar Beltrán, July 8, 2026
Nicaraguan human rights activists have sounded the alarm about the welfare and whereabouts of Bishop Abelardo Mata. The bishop was briefly detained by the Nicaraguan regime on June 29, and while authorities claim he was returned home later that day, no one outside the security forces has been able to establish contact with him since. According to Church sources and local human rights advocates, Mata’s residence has been surrounded by police since June 29, and neither his relatives nor other close contacts have been able to see or speak with him. The lack of independent confirmation of his whereabouts has fueled fears that he is either being held under de facto house arrest or has been transferred to another detention facility. Eighty-year-old Bishop Abelardo Mata, SDB, emeritus Bishop of Estelí, was held in police custody for several hours on June 29 after celebrating Mass in his former diocese on the previous Sunday
Aleteia
The Catholic book that outsold everything for 63 years
By Theresa Civantos Barber, July 9, 2025
At the end of the 1800s, the U.S. was nowhere near a Catholic nation. In 1900, for example, a mere 10 to 12 million Catholics lived in the U.S.—13% of the population. Improbably, at the top of national bestseller lists was a book of Catholic apologetics—a reasoned explanation of Catholic beliefs and doctrine. Amid a very Protestant cultural milieu, it remained there for six decades. Written by James Cardinal Gibbons, The Faith of Our Fathers is largely forgotten today, but it had an enormous impact on generations of Americans. When Gibbons was made a bishop in 1868, he was only 34 years old, making him one of the youngest Catholic bishops in the world at the time—in fact, he was nicknamed “the boy bishop.” His see was North Carolina, with fewer than 700 Catholics out of a population of 1 million. He began traveling and ministering to them, often giving public lectures and speeches on the Catholic faith. The Protestant Christians who came were often shocked to hear him explain the Catholic faith's strong biblical roots.
National Catholic Register
War thrusts U.S. military prelate into the spotlight
By Victor Gaetan, July 8, 2026
The current war in Iran is no abstraction for Archbishop Timothy Broglio, who heads the United States’ only global diocese, the Archdiocese for the Military Services (AMS), a borderless jurisdiction that includes Catholics serving in the U.S. armed forces together with their families. Three of the U.S. military installations visited last Christmas by Archbishop Broglio — bases in Bahrain, Kuwait, and Qatar — were later bombed by Iran in the war launched by the U.S. and Israel on Feb. 28. It has often fallen to Archbishop Broglio to articulate Church teaching on sensitive issues around war, peace, and the primacy of human dignity. The scope of his jurisdiction is daunting: as the head of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, Archbishop Broglio pastors 1.8 million Catholic servicemen, or 20-25% of the total U.S military worldwide, spread across 750 U.S. military bases in 80 countries.
Zeale News
Investigations open into sexual abuse by Moroccan archbishop
By McKenna Snow, July 8, 2026
The Vatican opened a preliminary investigation into allegations of sexual abuse brought by several women against Cardinal Cristóbal López Romero, the archbishop of Rabat, the capital of Morocco, according to a July 7 Morocco World News report. The 74-year-old Spanish cardinal has denied the allegations. At least five women have brought charges against him. The outlet reports that Cardinal López Romero told Agence France-Presse (AFP) in a statement that he will fully cooperate with his ecclesiastical superiors in the investigation and that he had “committed neither aggression, nor violence, nor sexual harassment.” The cardinal announced in the statement that he is stepping away from public ministry as the investigation proceeds. During this time, he will not preside over any public celebrations or participate in any pastoral activities, and the vicar general is the point of contact for pastoral matters. He said he is cooperating with the relevant Church authorities in Rome, who are conducting the investigation.
EWTN News
U.S. population declines as birth rates remain low
By Katherine Matt, July 9, 2026
”The Demographic Dead End: 2026 State of Fertility Report” warns that the United States is approaching a demographic turning point, with fertility rates continuing to fall well below replacement levels and population declines increasingly likely in the coming decades unless current trends change. The Institute for Family Studies presents estimates of fertility trends for every state dating back to 1917. As part of the nation’s 250th anniversary, researchers also reconstructed birth rates in Massachusetts dating to 1660, offering one of the longest historical views of American fertility ever compiled. The U.S. fertility rate has fallen to 1.6 children per woman, well below the replacement level of 2.1 needed to maintain a stable population without immigration. Researchers said the decline is no longer a temporary consequence of delayed childbearing but reflects a sustained demographic shift. If trends continue, the U.S. population will likely peak during the 2050s before entering a prolonged period of decline.
Keep informed - 7/9/26 news for Catholics
Snippets from OSV, EWTN News, & ChurchPOP
OSV News
OSV’s seasoned reporters - July 9, 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.
Analysis: Supreme Court strikes down some Trump priorities, but expands presidential power - by Kate Scanlon - July 8, 2026 - The U.S. Supreme Court ended its 2025-2026 term with major rulings striking down President Donald Trump’s executive order limiting birthright citizenship, and upholding West Virginia and Idaho state laws requiring student athletes to compete on sports teams that correspond to their biological sex rather than their self-identified gender.
As America marks 250 years, Ukrainian Catholic bishops offer a lesson in what freedom costs - by Katarzyna Szalajko - July 8, 2026 - The Ukrainian Catholic bishops’ pastoral letter argues that freedom is not simply a historical inheritance but a responsibility carried by every generation.
Popular podcaster Father Mike Schmitz unpacks Christ’s Gospel parables, offers fresh insights - by Tom Tracy / Florida Catholic - July 7, 2026 - “I think we have to have integrity that who we are is who we claim to be,” Father Schmitz said at the Fort Lauderdale stop on his “Parables” tour.
EWTN News
EWTN’s top headlines — July 9, 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.
Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee says no changes to capital punishment after botched execution - By Tyler Arnold - The execution medical team spent more than an hour unsuccessfully trying to place a second intravenous line required in case the primary IV failed. The Republican governor suspended Carruthers’ execution for one year after the medical team failed to find a vein when trying to set up the backup IV line of lethal drugs.
Corruption in Pakistan’s courts hits poor Christians hardest, report finds - By Kamran Chaudhry - Christians accused under Pakistanʼs blasphemy laws face bribe demands, stalled trials, and courtroom intimidation, according to a new report by two leading human rights organizations.
U.S. House speaker welcomes apostolic nuncio in formal letter - By Madalaine Elhabbal - “In a spirit of goodwill, I pray that your service and mission as apostolic nuncio will continue to foster a deep friendship between the United States and the Holy See,” Speaker Mike Johnson wrote.
ChurchPOP Trending
ChurchPOP provides fun, informative, and authentically Catholic news and culture - July 9, 2026
“We publish inspiring daily stories, fun and shareable faith-centered infographics, prayers, Church history, and more.”
Searching for Mass Times, She Found Her Future Husband! A Beautiful Short Film on the Power of Parish Life - This video truly shows the power of technology in bringing souls to Christ! Joanna meets her husband on multiple occasions throughout the video, but when they arrive at the church at the same time to pray before the Eucharist, sparks fly!
‘It Was the Silence’: How This Catholic Discovered the Breathtaking Beauty of the Traditional Latin Mass - Why try the TLM? I have rarely experienced anything that has had such a massive impact on my spiritual life as my encounter with the Old Mass. And this is coming from someone who has been incredibly blessed his whole life in the Faith.
11 Catholic Soccer Stars at the 2026 World Cup: Meet the Players and Coaches Living Their Faith - Meet the Catholic soccer players and coaches who live out their faith both on and off the field. Behind every goal, every save, and every victory are stories of hard work, sacrifice, and, for many of the stars of the 2026 World Cup, faith in God.
July 9, 2026 - USCCB Daily Mass Readings
You can listen HERE — or read HERE:
Thursday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Today’s Catholic commentary:
National Catholic Register
A priest’s failure should not cost you your faith
By Patti Maguire Armstrong, July 8, 2026
People will disappoint you, and priests are people. They are also in persona Christi — in the person of Christ — bringing us the sacraments and leading us to heaven. We hold them in high esteem, but when they fail, disappointment can threaten to seep into our very faith. If their example seems hypocritical, it can cause confusion, anger, cynicism or even apathy toward religion. Consider who a priest is. He is not his own. The priest belongs to the Church, ordained to serve God and the faithful through sacramental ministry. We pray for vocations and celebrate each new ordination as each man becomes Christ to us, giving his life to the Church. But do we pray for our priests? Our faith is intertwined with our priests, who teach and guide us. Scandal from the clergy, therefore, shakes us up. Some people cannot accept or comprehend it, so they leave. For those who remain, there needs to be a reckoning alongside the disappointment to separate Jesus and his sacraments from human weakness.
Our Sunday Visitor
Priest reflects on hope after sunlight illuminates a crucifix
By Elizabeth Ervin, July 7, 2026
After severe storms tore through central South Dakota late last month, a remarkable photograph captured a crucifix illuminated by sunlight streaming through the storm-split roof of a local Catholic church, inspiring many people, according to local reports. The June 29 storms brought wind gusts of up to 131 mph, splitting the roof of St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Highmore. In a July 7 interview with Zeale News, the church’s pastor, Father John Short, reflected on the image and the days that followed. Recalling his first reaction to seeing the light fall on the crucifix, Father Short told Zeale News, “God gives us — and is — our hope in this storm and the storms of life.” "I believe many people are looking for hope in the midst of their own life's struggles and the current climate in the culture," Father Short told Zeale News. "It seems people want a glimmer of hope, and we need hope."
What We Need Now
A different view of ‘Go and make disciples’
By Michel Therrien, July 7, 2026
Jesus’ last command before ascending was to make disciples in the way he had forged over three years with his apostles (see Matthew 28:19). We might be tempted to interpret this mandate as a call to go and convert people to Christianity. Yet I would suggest that a critical distinction is in order. The way Jesus attracted followers (e.g., performing miracles, public preaching, and doing works of mercy) is one thing, while teaching people to observe the way of Christian discipleship is another. What did Jesus mean by “go and make disciples”? In the sense that Jesus conveys it, making disciples seems to refer more to what happens after people decide to follow him. To observe or obey means learning to embody a certain pattern of life, to live in a manner configured after his example as Master. As he says of himself, “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). Today we might ask ourselves, how did he do it?
Wild at Heart
I made real progress, but it was not enough
By John Eldredge, July 9, 2026
We human beings are made up of three interwoven parts. As Paul says, “May God himself ... sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thess. 5:23). We are body, soul, and spirit. Each part affects the others in a mysterious interplay of life. By seeking healing through counseling, I found God addressing my soul. God’s provision of antidepressants was a tremendous help to my body. I made real progress. But it was not enough. God wanted me to engage my spirit. A foul spirit of depression had its bloody claws in my life. It often works like that—the Enemy knows our weaknesses, and he preys upon them. Demons smell human brokenness like sharks smell blood in the water, and they move in to take advantage of the weakened soul. Paul warns about this in Ephesians, writing to Christians, not to “give the devil a foothold” in our lives through unhealed and mishandled emotions (4:26–27). God had me begin to stand against it.
Image of peanuts by Nicole Köhler, from Pixabay
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