Catholic Nutshell News: Tuesday 2/10/26
Topics include: Aid to Cuba through the Church; Nigerian teen on sainthood path; Jimmy Lai is a ‘hostage’, not a criminal; & Scouting America backtracks from DEI
“I’ll pray for thee from my pistachio tree”
Today's sources are the National Catholic Register, EWTN, The Imaginative Conservative, CRUX, The Pillar, Big Pulpit, and CatholicVote. (Catholic Nutshell is a subscription service for faithful, hopeful, & curious Catholics willing to exercise the Catholic News Muscle)
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EWTN News
U.S. sends second shipment of aid to Cuba through the Church
By Eduardo Berdejo, February 6, 2026
The U.S. government announced that it will send a new shipment of humanitarian aid to Cuba worth $6 million, which will be delivered directly to the population through the Catholic Church. On its website, the U.S. State Department announced on Feb. 5 that the decision was made “following the success of the partnership” with the Catholic Church in Cuba to distribute the first $3 million in aid. The department explained that this second round of assistance “will be delivered through the same channel as the first $3 million, with prepackaged commodities transported from Miami and delivered by local parish representatives.” “This method has proven highly effective at ensuring that the failed Cuban regime cannot interfere with, or divert, assistance intended for the island’s needy population,” said the department, headed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the son of Cuban immigrants.
ACI Africa
Nigerian teen on sainthood path for her ‘heroic witness’
By Abah Anthony John, February 6, 2026
The life of Vivian Uchechi Ogu, the 14-year-old Nigerian girl, who chose to be killed rather than be sexually defiled, has been recognized as heroic, courageous, and faith-filled. Vivian, a native of Nigeria’s Catholic Archdiocese of Benin City, was murdered on 15 November 2009 by armed robbers who attacked her home. The armed men took Vivian out of the house and attempted to rape her. She refused and chose to be killed instead. Speaking to ACI Africa during an awareness campaign for Vivian Ogu Movement in the Catholic Archdiocese of Abuja, the Director of the movement, Fr. Stephen Dumbiri, said Vivian’s commitment to chastity deepened after she learned about Saint Maria Goretti, a young Italian Saint who died defending her purity. Fr. Dumbiri said her example continues to shape the moral imagination of young people across the Catholic Archdiocese of Benin City and beyond.
The Pillar
Jimmy Lai is a ‘hostage’, not a criminal, says his daughter
By The Pillar, February 9, 2026
After Catholic newspaper publisher Jimmy Lai was sentenced Monday to 20 years in prison, his daughter Claire Lai told The Pillar that her father is committed to treating his incarceration as a kind of “evangelization.” Claire Lai added her family’s hope that international pressure on the Beijing Chinese government might eventually secure her father’s release. The media magnate, who saw his company newspaper, Apple Daily, shuttered by state authorities in 2021, and with it, Hong Kong’s last pro-democracy publication. Lai repeatedly stressed the importance of his Catholic faith as inspiration for championing civil rights. Claire Lai said the decades-long sentence was the latest discouragement after years of protracted legal processes. Six former Apple Daily staffers and two human rights activists were also sentenced on Monday. Lai’s codefendants received sentences ranging from 6 to 10 years.
Zenit
Gender ideology: UN prepares to define new ‘gender crimes’
By ZENIT Staff, February 2, 2026
The UN is set to define new “gender crimes” in international criminal law. Western nations want these to include opposition to abortion and LGBT issues from political leaders and possibly civilians. Most Western nations want the term “gender” in a new UN treaty on crimes against humanity to be left undefined to include gender as a social construct and sexual and gender identity issues. They also want a slew of new gender crimes to be listed in the treaty, including “gender apartheid” and “reproductive violence.” The Holy See and traditional countries, mainly from Asia and Africa, pushed back against this effort in a special committee of the General Assembly that met over the last two weeks of January 2026 to discuss a preliminary draft of the treaty. They insisted on the need to define gender to avoid weaponizing international criminal law against conservatives.
CatholicVote
Scouting America backtracks from DEI
By Hannah Hiester, February 9, 2026
Scouting America, formerly known as the Boy Scouts of America, is reportedly moving away from its DEI policies after the Department of War threatened to sever its partnership and cut federal funding unless the organization returns to its founding principles. Sean Parnell, assistant to the Secretary of War for public affairs, explained on X that the Department of War has been reviewing its relationship with Scouting America for several months. Parnell said the review also discovered that for more than a decade “Scouting America’s leadership has made decisions that run counter to the values of this administration and this Department of War, including an embrace of DEI and other social justice, gender-fluid ideological stances.” American Heritage Girls’ (AHG) founder and executive director emeritus Patti Garibay criticized Scouting America’s backdown as a calculated attempt to cater to funding sources rather than an honest return to traditional values.
Aleteia
What exactly is going on in the Book of Revelation?
By Theresa Civantos Barber, February 10, 2026
The Book of Revelation is notoriously challenging — thanks to its heavy use of apocalyptic, symbolic language, and non-linear, dramatic imagery. Written to encourage persecuted Christians, the book promises that Christ will ultimately triumph over evil. But it’s a tricky part of the Bible to understand. From Fathom Entertainment and Caravel Films comes The Apocalypse of St. John, an unforgettable docudrama that will bring audiences on a journey through prophecy and mystery as the events of the Book of Revelation unfold before their eyes. “The original inspiration came from a deep conviction that the Book of Revelation has been profoundly misunderstood. For many, it has become associated with fear, speculation, or sensationalism, when in fact it is the ultimate book of hope,” said Director Simon Delacre. Tickets for American premiere showings may be purchased at Fathom Entertainment
CRUX
Catholic cross a beacon of unity in Olympic host city Milan
By María Teresa Hernández, AP, February 10, 2026
Much like the Olympic flame, there is another symbol of triumph and transcendence — far less known — that graces one host city after another: a one-of-a-kind, wooden cross. The Cross of the Athletes has arrived in Milan for the Winter Games and holds pride of place beside the main altar in the Basilica of San Babila. It is one of the city’s oldest churches that — for a few weeks, while the cross is within its walls — holds the title of Church of Athletes. The presence of the cross at the Games is a tangible sign of the Catholic Church’s belief that sport is a powerful way to bring people together. And this cross is unique in that it is made from pieces of wood sourced from five continents, an apparent nod to the five Olympic rings that convey the same sentiment. “We think of sport not as an instrument that separates, but as one that unites,” said Father Stefano Guidi, who heads the Archdiocese of Milan’s Service for Oratories and Sport.
OSV News
Religious Liberty Commission tussles over antisemitism
By Kate Scanlon, February 9, 2026
The Religious Liberty Commission held its fifth hearing — with some tense exchanges — to examine a rise in antisemitism Feb. 9, the same day a lawsuit was filed challenging the committee’s creation as unlawful. The hearing took place at the Museum of the Bible, where commissioners looked at an increase in cases of antisemitism and hate crimes towards Jewish Americans. The Anti-Defamation League, which tracks antisemitic attacks, recorded 9,354 antisemitic incidents across the U.S. the previous year, in a 2025 report—a 344% increase over the group’s findings from the previous five years. Nostra Aetate, the 1965 Document on the relation of the Church to non-Christian religions, states that Jesus Christ’s voluntary submission to his passion and death for the redemption of humankind “cannot be charged against all the Jews, without distinction, then alive, nor against the Jews of today.” The text also declared that “the Jews should not be presented as rejected or accursed by God, as if this followed from the Holy Scriptures.”
Pulpit, EWTN, & Fides News for 2/10/26
BIG PULPIT
Tito Edwards Catholic blogger site: February 10, 2026
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.
Leo’s Not Just Appointing Bishops, He’s Profiling a Way to Serve in the Church – Southern Orders
U.S.A. in 2026? A No for Pope Leo, Where Then Will He Go? – Rome Reports
Leo XIV, Between Traditionalist Crisis & Traditional Thought – Andrea Gagliarducci at Mond Vatican
Will the SSPX Reach an Agreement with Pope Leo XIV? – Jan Filip Libicki via Rorate Cæli
SSPX Lies Exposed: Why Rome Must Act Now – David L. Gray, Th.M. – Diane Montagna
EWTN News
EWTN’s top headlines — February 10, 2026
EWTN News 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.
U.S. and Hungarian thought leaders share ethical concerns over mass migration - “The Crisis of Migration for Families and Nations” was the subject of a Feb. 4 symposium that brought together American and Hungarian thought leaders who share concerns about the phenomenon of mass migration and its impact on the common good of their respective nations.
Catholic leaders express sorrow over racist Trump post; bishops demand apology - U.S. Catholic Bishops Garcia and Weisenburger, with Cardinal Cupich, condemned President Trump’s social media tweet posting Barack and Michelle Obama as apes. Trump deleted the Feb. 5 Truth Social post, and said he did not intend to post a depiction of the Obamas as apes, and condemned the racist part of the video. He refused to apologize for posting it.
Cardinal Dolan to co-lead New York Police Department’s chaplains’ unit - New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch is naming Cardinal Timothy Dolan to co-lead the NYPD’s chaplain’s unit. Dolan, who recently retired as archbishop of New York, will serve alongside Rev. A.R. Bernard, pastor and founder of the Christian Cultural Center in Brooklyn, according to a Feb. 9 press release from the archdiocese.
Agenzia Fides
Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies - 2/10/26
Fides News Agency (Fides) was established in 1927, at the direction of the Council Superior General of the Pontifical Society for the Propagation of the Faith, as the first Missionary Agency of the Church and among the first agencies in the world.
AFRICA/NIGERIA - ‘A military base must be established immediately’ in Papiri, where the children from the school in Papiri were kidnapped - Abuja (Agenzia Fides) – “Mr. President, this is a desperate appeal to you to put an end to the relentless attacks against the population living in the local administrative areas of Agwara and Borgu, both located in the Emirate of Borgu,” said Bishop Bulus Dauwa Yohanna of Kontagora in a video released on social media.
ASIA/THAILAND - Bishop of Surat Thani: “The new government must promote a lasting peace agreement with Cambodia” - Bangkok (Agenzia Fides) – “The social situation after the elections seems calm. What Thais expect is governability and stability for the country; this is what the vote reflected,” saud Bishop Paul Trairong Multree of Surat Thani, in southern Thailand.
AMERICA/HAITI - Security, change, aid, and structured elections: the priorities of the population at the mercy of gangs - Pourcine Pic Makaya (Agenzia Fides) – Haiti has been without a president since 2021, following the assassination of Jovenel Moïse (see Fides, 8/7/2021). It is now under Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé, a transition that has further destabilized Haiti's political and social climate.
Nutshell reflections for 2/10/26:
USCCB Daily Reflection AUDIO - February 10, 2026
Memorial of Saint Scholastica, Virgin
National Catholic Register
Fulton Sheen: From Emmy awards to exposing communism
By Joseph Pronechen, February 9, 2026
Venerable Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen (1895-1979) was one of the best-known Catholics of 20th-century America and the world. His preaching on radio and TV drew acclaim, and he also served as a bishop, first as an auxiliary of the Archdiocese of New York and then as bishop of Rochester, New York, from 1966 to 1969. The beatification miracle happened in his home diocese. Bonnie and Travis Engstrom and their stillborn and revived Sheen-named son, James Fulton, were the recipients of the miracle leading to Sheen’s forthcoming beatification. Fulton Sheen is the first American beatified who hosted major television and radio programs. Sheen’s famous television series, Life Is Worth Living, launched in 1951. Among the few items he had on stage during his TV shows was the statue of Madonna and Child that he called “Our Lady of Television.” When made a bishop, Sheen chose as his motto “To Jesus through Mary.”
Imaginative Conservative
Contemplate our civilization at The Bible Museum
By Michael De Sapio, February 8, 2026
Lately, I have been spending more time at one of the newest additions to the city’s circle of museums, the Museum of the Bible. It is a place where I always feel at home. Though aspects of our faith will be on display in much of the painting and sculpture in the various art galleries, here the faith becomes something deeper, something more than cultural bric-a-brac (as it tends to become for the art connoisseur). In the Bible Museum, the word of God is not secondary but central. It was created as a showcase for how scripture has permeated our entire culture and civilization. In a fragmented world, it offers a focal point, centering on the world-altering significance of the Word of God. The museum was designed by people who take theology and belief seriously—scholars, certainly, but not the type of scholar who aspires to a spurious “neutrality” regarding the deepest existential questions.
Pints With Aquinas
‘For your sake, it is better that I’m here’
By Matt Fradd, February 9, 2026
Catholic apologist Trent Horn, in a candid, honest discussion about faith and suffering, chats with Matt Fradd about how to evangelize with both truth and love. “I spend a lot of time on the internet, seeing what the buzz is, what’s going on. I don’t really post on social media, but I lurk there to keep my finger on the pulse and see what’s going on. If you talk about things that are really popular and offer a Christian point of view on them, you can get your message out more. But man, social media is just an inhuman thing. The internet itself is just so overstimulating. I hate looking at a computer that much. If I could just live more of an analog apologist life — writing a book on a typewriter and teaching — I’d love that. I can’t do that right now. It’s like in Philippians, Paul says my desire is to depart and be with Christ, but for your sake, it is better that I’m here. This is the best place, even if it’s hard, and there are times I don’t like it, but it’s the best way to help people.” (From Two Boomers Complaining About The World (Fradd & Trent Horn) Ep. 565)
Catholic Digest
We have shed our old nature and put on a new one
By Bert Ghezzi, January 15, 2026
But we must not jump to the conclusion that anger is always bad. It may often trouble us as a problem. But anger is a normal part of our human nature, just like touch, sight, or desire. We receive it as a God-given gift designed to help us get through challenging situations. The Bible and the Church direct us to express our anger (see Ephesians 4:26). The best practical advice says that we must not suppress it. If we push anger down, it roams around inside us, looking for a way to break out. And it will. In several places, St. Paul warns us against rage (see Ephesians 4:31; Colossians 3:8). We must not let our anger get out of control or let it control us. Abiding by these scriptural restrictions, we can employ anger for good purposes or to oppose evils. Scripture also shows us how to replace bad reactions with good behaviors. In his letter to the Colossians, Paul says that the Holy Spirit has changed us so that we have shed our old nature and put on a new one.
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I don't understand why a person who chooses to die before being raped is headed for Sainthood. It was a terrible thing but many folks face that choice and find that they should live. I would think the church is saying the girl chose to give up her life rather than live out God's plan for her. I simply do not understand why this stands out for sainthood. Are you able to clarify?