Catholic Nutshell News: Tuesday 4/29/25
Topics include: New York bishops against assisted suicide, Detroit mural dedicated to St. Joseph, Cardinals run the media gauntlet, & Trump rating still high among Christians
“I’ll pray for thee from my pistachio tree”
Today's sources are the National Catholic Register, CNA, Aleteia, The CatholicVote, The Pillar, OSV, Big Pulpit, and Matt Fradd. (Catholic Nutshell is a subscription service for faithful, hopeful, & curious Catholics willing to exercise the Catholic News Muscle)
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Aleteia
New York bishops urge action against assisted suicide
By Christine Rousselle, April 29, 2025
The Catholic bishops of New York are urging people to contact their legislators as a vote to legalize physician-assisted suicide looms on the horizon. "The NYS Assembly is expected to vote on physician-assisted suicide legislation as early as next week. Assembly Bill 136 would allow physicians to prescribe lethal doses of medication for the express purpose of ending a patient’s life," said the website for the New York State Catholic Conference. The New York State Catholic Conference "represents the Bishops of the state in working with government to shape laws and policies that pursue social justice, respect for life and the common good." Lawmakers, said the bishops, "need to hear from their constituents if we hope to avoid yet another assault on human life here." A phone call, they said, "is one of the most effective ways to get our message heard."
The Pillar
New mural in Detroit dedicated to St. Joseph the Worker
By Daniel Meloy, April 26, 2025
It was a project a long time in the making, but motorists driving into downtown Detroit on Gratiot Avenue might notice a new mural in Eastern Market that pays tribute to St. Joseph the Worker. The building-size mural of St. Joseph, working as a carpenter with a market in the background, is the newest addition of a series of murals that mark Detroit’s Eastern Market, one of the largest farmers markets in the Midwest. The mural is the product of a four-year, $20,000 campaign by parishioners from nearby St. Joseph Shrine, who wanted to commission a mural of their patron saint to tie the parish to the surrounding community. “Not only is he a great model for what Detroit is (as) a working-class man who cared for his wife and foster son, he is also a great example for men and workers throughout this city,” said Daniel Egan, who first envisioned and organized the mural effort.
UCA News
Cardinals run the media gauntlet ahead of conclave
By AFP, Vatican City, April 29, 2025
Cardinals will be locked up for the papal conclave, but for preparatory meetings this week, they must run the gauntlet of journalists desperate for insights into who will be the next pope. "Your Eminence! Your Eminence!" shout reporters in front of Bernini's colonnade, a few steps from the majestic St Peter's Square, as the "Princes of the Church" meet every morning at 9:00 am (0700 GMT). The Catholic Church's 252 cardinals have been surrounded by a swarm of cameras, smartphones, and microphones, and in black cassocks and red skullcaps, struggle to make their way into the Paul VI Hall where the "general congregations" are held. Most walk past with their eyes fixed on the floor, but some offer a few nuggets to the waiting press, although rarely any real insights.
CatholicVote
Alarming study exposes complications from abortion
By Susan Berry, Ph.D., April 28, 2025
A bombshell study published Monday has revealed nearly 11% of women experience severe or life-threatening complications after an abortion via the drug mifepristone. This rate is 22 times higher than indicated on the drug’s label approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA). A research team at the Washington, D.C.-based Ethics and Public Policy Center (EPPC) analyzed 865,727 mifepristone abortions that occurred between 2017 and 2023, a number “28 times larger than in all FDA clinical trials combined.” “This largest-known study of the abortion pill is based on analysis of data from an all-payer insurance claims database,” write Jamie Bryan Hall and Ryan T. Anderson of EPPC for the study titled “The Abortion Pill Harms Women. 10.93% of women experience sepsis, infection, hemorrhaging, or another serious adverse event within 45 days following a mifepristone abortion.”
Vatican News
Jubilee of Persons with Disabilities calls for ‘culture of belonging'
By Federico Piana, April 29, 2025
Joy, hope, tears, and smiles were just some of the emotions in the conference hall of the “Augustinianum” Congress Centre in Rome, packed to capacity — people with disabilities and their caregivers, plus heads of numerous charities. The conference, “We: Pilgrims of hope,” was organised by the Italian Bishops' Conference (CEI). At the Jubilee of Persons with Disabilities, paralympic athletes BeBe Vio and Oney Tapia shared stories with the audience, to face difficult situations with renewed impetus and without fear, noting that, in the end, disability is an asset for the whole of society. "It is beautiful to see men and women of every language and nation coming together to give thanks to the Lord," said Sr. Veronica Donatello, head of disability outreach for the Italian Bishops. "In recent years, we’ve worked a lot on the culture of belonging: looking at the person with disabilities beyond their limitations."
Catholic News Agency
Trump approval rating still high among Christians, poll finds
By Kate Quiñones, April 29, 2025
U.S. President Donald Trump’s approval ratings are significantly higher among Christians than among the religiously unaffiliated, according to a poll by Pew Research released to coincide with Trump’s first 100 days in office. Trump’s rating continues to be highest among white evangelical Protestants, while Catholics are almost split at 42%, according to the poll. Across the board, Christians gave Trump a higher approval rating than nonaffiliated Americans by more than 20 percentage points (48% versus 26%, respectively). The approval rating for President Donald Trump among Christians is also 8 points higher than among U.S. adults overall.
National Catholic Register
Catholic activist’s resolve defied his torturers: He became a priest
By Zelda Caldwell, April 28, 2025
Since growing up in communist Vietnam, Thong Nguyen thought about becoming a Catholic priest. Not until he fled to the United States, granted political asylum for challenging the regime’s persecution of the Catholic Church, did he hear the call to the priesthood. Today, Father Joseph Thong Nguyen, a former human-rights activist, is a priest in the Archdiocese of Washington, widely admired because of his joyful personality. His affable manner belies a steely determination, a quality tested and refined at the hands of Vietnamese authorities who jailed and beat him years ago in a failed attempt to force him to betray his Catholic faith. Thong is one of seven children, raised by devout Catholic parents in the Diocese of Vinh in northern Vietnam. Three of six boys in the family are priests, and one is a seminarian.
CRUX
Cardinals discuss abuse while sanctioned prelate joins meetings
By Elise Ann Allen, April 28, 2024
As cardinals meet in Rome ahead of a conclave to elect the next pope, a Peruvian cardinal accused of sexual abuse and whose ministry was restricted by Pope Francis has joined private meetings with his fellow red-hatters. Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said April 28 that during a morning session of pre-conclave general congregations that day, cardinals discussed “issues of relevance for the future of the Church.” The discussion on abuse and who will be up to the task of credibly tackling it by the roughly 180 cardinals present, over a 100 of whom are eligible to vote in the conclave, came the day after a cardinal who Pope Francis had sanctioned for sexual abuse was seen at a public event with his fellow prelates paying homage to the late pontiff, and after he was seen leaving the hall where the meetings are taking place.
From Pulpit & Agency to Satire for 4/29/25
BIG PULPIT
Tito Edwards Catholic blogger site: April 29, 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.
Conclave Watch: Francis Faction Nervous? – Donald R. McClarey, J.D., at the American Catholic
French President Trying To Block Cardinal Sarah’s Path to Papacy? – Complicit Clergy‘The Courage to Be Candid’ – Chaput on What’s Next – The Pillar
Conclave Showdown: Backwardists vs. Bergolians – Fr. Allan J. McDonald at Southern Orders
Catholic News Agency
CNA’s top headlines — April 29, 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.
Cardinals hold sixth general congregation, confirm 2 electors will not be at conclave - Apr 29, 2025 - By Kristina Millare - Matteo Bruni, the director of the Holy See Press Office, said the names of the two cardinals would not be revealed — the number of cardinal electors for the conclave may vary until the last minute and cannot yet be confirmed.
Haiti’s first and only cardinal set to vote in upcoming conclave to elect new pope - Apr 29, 2025 - By Kristina Millare - Following the death of Pope Francis, Cardinal Chibly Langlois released a statement honoring the life and ministry of the pontiff.
CNA explains: What is a conclave and how does it work? - Apr 29, 2025 - By Jonah McKeown - The conclave to elect a new pope will begin on May 7. Here’s what you need to know.
Babylon Bee - Satire News
With No Pope To Oversee Them, Cardinals Stay Up All Night Playing Goldeneye And Building Pillow Forts
By Church Staff, April 28, 2025
With no pope to oversee them, the College of Cardinals has been staying up every night playing Goldeneye 007 and building pillow forts, according to Vatican insiders. The cardinals converged on the Vatican to mourn Pope Francis and also to take up the heavy burden of picking Francis' successor. But at some point during the funeral proceedings, it dawned on one of the cardinals from Africa that they could really stretch this whole conclave business out as long as possible and get in some great "bro time." "Bro time" for the cardinals reportedly consists of firing up the Vatican's Nintendo 64, guzzling down liters of Mountain Dew Code Red, and hanging out in their extravagant papal pillow forts.
Nutshell reflections for 4/29/25:
USCCB Daily Reflection AUDIO & VIDEO - April 29, 2025
Memorial of Saint Catherine of Siena, Virgin and Doctor of the Church
CRUX
The bureaucracies of the global church must remain personal
By Fr. Jerry Pokorsky, April 28, 2025
We cannot love mankind. Love is personal. Institutional pressures often neglect the hallowed organizational principle of human love: subsidiarity. The concept is simple. Small-scale institutional structures are usually preferable if they prioritize personal encounters, promote human dignity, and solve problems locally. Subsidiarity fosters church attendance. Small is beautiful. The globalism of the Catholic Church essentially runs contrary to the excesses of corporate globalism. Despite her globalist appearance—and many institutional failures—subsidiarity hard-wires the Catholic Church. The salvation of souls is local. Our relationship with the risen Jesus through the mediation of the Church and her priests is intensely personal. Every sacrament is a personal encounter. “So faith, hope, love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” (1 Cor. 13:13) Small is beautiful—and Catholic.
Our Sunday Visitor
How we cross the bridge of mercy
By Father Patrick Briscoe, OP, April 29, 2025
Today is April 29, the Memorial of St. Catherine of Siena, Virgin and Doctor of the Church. Continuing with the story of Nicodemus in John, we read at today’s Mass, “No one has gone up to heaven except the one who has come down from heaven, the Son of Man.” (Jn 3:13). We celebrate the radiant witness of one of the Church’s great mystics, teachers and saints: St. Catherine of Siena, Doctor of the Church, Dominican Tertiary and fearless servant of Christ. A woman ablaze with divine love, Catherine gave her life in contemplation of the Lord’s passion and in tireless service to the Church. Catherine reminds us that we do not ascend to heaven by our own strength. Our sin separates us from God, and yet God, in his mercy, builds a way back.
Matt Fradd's Terrifying Ruminations
The Divine Mercy devotion is not heretical
By Matt Fradd, April 22, 2025
Lately, I’ve seen more and more Catholics online—a loud minority, to be sure—casting suspicion on the Divine Mercy revelations and devotion, questioning its legitimacy and authenticity, and in some cases, warning others to stay away from it entirely. What’s especially disheartening is that many of these criticisms come from well-meaning, doctrinally serious Catholics who, unfortunately, have picked up bad information or misunderstood the Church’s actual position. They aren’t trying to cause harm, but by spreading confusion, they often end up discouraging others, even their own friends or parishioners, from embracing a devotion the Church has explicitly judged worthy of belief. See here, here, and here if you’d like to see how to respond to Divine Mercy objections.
The Catholic Weekly
Hope of the resurrection through St Catherine of Siena
By Christina Guzman, April 29, 2025
As we continue to bask in the joy of the Easter season, the life of St Catherine of Siena whose feast we celebrate today offers us a powerful reminder that the Resurrection isn’t just a historical triumph—it’s a loving invitation to ongoing transformation. It’s easy to forget that saints were once as human as we are. They faced ordinary struggles, strained relationships, disappointments and days when the path ahead felt unclear. We often place them on pedestals, forgetting that sanctity wasn’t just handed to them. It was forged in the quiet, where they refined and renewed their virtues, day after day. Renowned for her asceticism, her deep Dominican spirituality, and her profound contributions as a Doctor of the Church, one aspect of her life is often left in the shadows: her relationship with her mother.
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