Catholic Nutshell News: Tuesday 8/12/25
Topics include: Witchcraft accusations; Shrine to Mary in Iraq; Pope's General Audience moves indoors; & Large Catholic families are A-OK
“I’ll pray for thee from my pistachio tree”
Today's sources are the National Catholic Register, CNA, UCA News, The CatholicVote, CRUX, The Pillar, OSV, Big Pulpit, and MOM. (Catholic Nutshell is a subscription service for faithful, hopeful, & curious Catholics willing to exercise the Catholic News Muscle)
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Agenzia Fides
Madang Catholics triggered by witchcraft accusations
By Agenzia Fides reporter, August 12, 2021
Witchcraft practices and violence unleashed by superstition have forced the Catholic community in Papua New Guinea to assist pastoral workers in curbing Sorcery Accusation Related Violence (SARV), a phenomenon widespread in various regions of the country. The Archbishop of Madang, Anton Bal, delivered a lecture on this topic during a summer camp to 74 catechists from 22 parishes in his archdiocese. His comments were to reframe the causes of death and illness among local people, which they believe are caused by witchcraft. Accusations are a manipulation, he explained, out of revenge, jealousy, or economic gain against vulnerable people, exploiting the emotional vulnerability of families. "In times of mourning, evil takes advantage to insinuate itself. But it is precisely then that the Church is called to be present," said Bal.
The Pillar
Shrine to Mary, Mother of Persecuted Christians, to open in Iraq
By Luke Coppen, August 11, 2025
A shrine to Mary, Mother of Persecuted Christians, will open in the Iraqi town of Qaraqosh, 11 years after the Christian population was temporarily driven out by ISIS. The shrine in Iraq’s northern Nineveh Plains will be the seventh worldwide dedicated to Mary, Mother of Persecuted Christians, when it opens in the town’s newly built St. Ephrem Church in October. Fr. Benedict Kiely, the founder of Nasarean.org, a charity supporting persecuted Christians, presented an icon that will serve as the shrine’s focal point to Archbishop Benedict Younan Hano, head of the Syriac Catholic Archeparchy of Mosul. Hano, who resides at the archeparchy’s headquarters in Qaraqosh, received the icon Aug. 6, the 11th anniversary of the exodus of the town’s ancient Christian community as ISIS advanced from the nearby city of Mosul. They began to return to the town after it was liberated from ISIS in 2016 by the Popular Mobilization Forces.
Vatican News Service
Pope's Wed. General Audience to be held inside due to 100° heat
By Vatican News, August 11, 2025
The Holy See Press Office announced on Monday afternoon that the Pope's General Audience this week will be held in the Paul VI Audience Hall. "Due to the high temperatures forecast, the General Audience on Wednesday, August 13, will be held in the Paul VI Hall," said a press release. "Afterwards, the Holy Father will go into St. Peter’s Basilica to greet those who could not find a place in the Hall and follow the audience on the screens." The weekly papal audience open to the public will also be broadcast on the giant LED screens set up in St. Peter's Square. Rome is enduring a heat wave this week. Temperatures in the Eternal City are expected to reach 38° Celsius (100° Fahrenheit) on August 13. According to The Pontifical North American College, during the very warm summer and cold winter months, Audiences are moved indoors to the Paul VI Audience Hall, which can hold about 6,000 pilgrims.
CatholicVote
Virginia high school knew about abortion allegations for months
By Hannah Hiester, August 11, 2025
Officials in Virginia’s Fairfax County Public School (FCPS) system have reportedly known since May about allegations that a high school social worker facilitated and paid for a student’s abortion, despite stating that they learned of the claims only last week. Walter Curt, the journalist who investigated the allegations and reported his findings on Substack, wrote in a second report that a student of Zenaida Perez, a teacher at Centreville High School, said the social worker pressured her to have an abortion, and alerted school officials to the situation in May. The social worker, Carolina Díaz, allegedly facilitated an abortion in November 2021 for a student who was then 17, without telling the girl’s family. Under Virginia law, at least one parent must be notified before an abortion can be performed for a minor. “FCPS has claimed to be responding with urgency after ‘learning’ of the allegations last week, but the documented meeting in May shows, definitively, they have been aware for months,” Curt reported.
National Catholic Register
Large Catholic families reflect the beautiful fruits of fertility
By Daniel Payne, August 11, 2025
For Jonas and Ashley Batemen, the growth of their Mid-Atlantic family has been a “transformative experience.” The Batemans were married in 2008 and have six children. Neither Ashley nor Jonas was fully aware of the Catholic Church’s teachings on families and children when they first began their marriage. The Church “is so well-balanced here in recognizing the response to life as a lifelong commitment that must be considered with great respect and dignity for the entire family,” Ashley observed. The Batemans said human life “is not a problem. It is a gift.” Experts warn that a shrinking population over several decades will wreak havoc on infrastructure built up over the past few centuries, and lead to epidemics of loneliness and grief among childless people. Dr. Ray Guarendi, a Catholic psychologist and EWTN TV and Radio host, said that in the past, “It was just understood,” he said. “Children were viewed as something necessary for the family.”
Catholic News Agency
‘Hebrew Catholic’ association launches in Israel
By Madalaine Elhabbal, August 11, 2025
The Association of Hebrew Catholics, dedicated to providing a welcoming space for Jewish converts to Catholicism, celebrated its official launch with a Mass on Aug. 8, the eve of the feast of its patron, St. Edith Stein, who was a Jewish convert to Catholicism. The Syriac Catholic Exarch of Jerusalem, Bishop Yacoub Ephrem Semaan, acted as host for the event and celebrated the Mass, which took place at St. Thomas Syriac Catholic Church in Jerusalem. The Association of Hebrew Catholics was founded by Carmelite priest Father Elias Friedman, OCD, a Jewish convert to Catholicism who lived at Stella Maris Monastery on Mount Carmel in Haifa, Israel. Yarden Zelivansky, a Jewish convert to Catholicism and member of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), worked to bring the Association of Hebrew Catholics to Israel. “We plan to see how we can celebrate [Jewish holidays] in the light of Christ,” Zelivansky said.
CRUX
Spanish bishops in crosshairs of the far-right party
By Fionn Shiner, August 12, 2025
Vox, the leader of the far-right party in Spain, has accused the Spanish bishops of being neutered by government grants and the fallout from the sexual abuse crisis. The row erupted following the decision of the city council in Jumilla, Murcia, to pass a motion on July 28 that allows for the banning of Islamic festivities in the town, in particular the collective prayer with which the Muslim community celebrates the end of Ramadan and the “Feast of the Lamb.” The Spanish bishops argued that both the Spanish constitution and the Declaration of Human Rights enshrine religious freedom. It was this intervention that aroused the ire of Santiago Abascal, leader of Vox. Abascal was vociferous in his criticism of the Spanish ecclesial hierarchy, not just on the Jumilla case, but also on their position on immigration, their silence on what he called “advancing Islamist extremism,” and the Church’s role in the controversy surrounding the removal of Francoist symbols in the Valley of the Fallen.
Our Sunday Visitor
A saint who took on Church corruption by forming priests
By Maryella Hierholzer, August 7, 2025
St. Cajetan of Thiene, an Italian priest, founded a religious order devoted primarily to the formation of priests during the Counter-Reformation. Members of the Congregation of Clerics Regular (Theatines) were models of asceticism and charity toward the poor at a time when the clergy were known for their corruption and indifference. St. Cajetan strove to stop the spread of heresies promoted by John Calvin, Martin Luther, and Ulrich Zwingli in Italy, particularly in Rome. After his ordination in 1516, poised for a prominent position in the Curia as adviser to the pope, St. Cajetan chose instead to help the poor and the sick, founding the local Oratory of Divine Love in Rome, where pious priests and prelates performed charitable works. Despite its strict rule of life and vow of poverty, the Congregation of Clerics Regular grew rapidly. The Theatines played a key role in the reformation of the Church and were the first order to found papal missions in foreign countries
From Pulpit & Agency to Wit for 8/12/25
BIG PULPIT
Tito Edwards Catholic blogger site: August 12, 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.
Pope Leo XIV: The “Suspended” Documents – Andrea Gagliarducci at Monday Vatican
Abp Weisenburger’s New Ombudsman Tied to Heretical, Pro-Gay Network of Priests – Lepanto
Will Pope Leo XIV’s Reforms Get An Assist From Cardinal Pell? – J.D. Flynn at The Pillar
U.S. Supreme Court to Consider Overturning Landmark “Same-Sex Marriage” Decision – CforC
Catholic News Agency
CNA’s top headlines — August 12, 2025
The Catholic News Agency provides reliable, free, and up-to-the-minute news affecting the Universal Church, emphasizing the words of the Holy Father and the happenings of the Holy See to anyone with internet access.
Westminster archbishop issues statement condemning Israel’s plan to take over Gaza City - Aug 11, 2025 - By Madalaine Elhabbal - The Archbishop of Westminster in England and Wales, Cardinal Vincent Nichols, has issued a statement condemning Israel’s plans to take over Gaza.
Syracuse’s bishop takes on extra job of parish priest for 3 churches - Aug 11, 2025 - By Tessa Gervasini - The Diocese of Syracuse’s Bishop Douglas J. Lucia takes over as priest at the parishes. Fr. Benjamin Schrantz will remain the parochial vicar of the churches, and retired Fr. Thomas Ryan will offer sacramental assistance.
Priest injured in church attack as police investigate Northern Ireland murder - Aug 11, 2025 - By Patrick J. Passmore - The parish priest of Downpatrick, Canon John Murray, is in a “serious but stable” condition in the hospital following an attack, while a murder inquiry isunderway after a man was found dead in a house in the County Down town.
Wit from the Archives
Humble wit & humor of St. Philip Neri
By Shaun McAfee/Catholic Exchange, December 11, 2017
Whether you know him as “The Laughing Saint” or “The Humorous Saint,” as named by German poet Goethe, St. Philip Neri is known by many for his humor. Neri kept a journal of jokes on his desk for occasions when dignitaries would arrive, kept a sign above his door that read “House of Christian Mirth,” and played practical jokes on young seminarians — all within the arms’ reach of the Holy See in Rome. How was he taken so seriously? Most saints aren’t known for their outlandish sense of humor, so what made Neri different? In a word: humility. In the 16th century, a humorist was witty and brought out joy in others. St. Neri purposely appeared as a fool. He often went to meetings with half his beard or hair shaved off! His holiness and ambition to make everyone around him holy are what made him a saint. He tells us, “The true way to advance in holy virtues is to advance in a holy cheerfulness.”
Nutshell reflections for 8/12/25:
USCCB Daily Reflection AUDIO - August 12, 2025
Tuesday of the Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Our Sunday Visitor
The Shepherd seeks the lost
By Father Patrick Briscoe, OP, August 12, 2025
“I say to you, he rejoices more over it than over the ninety-nine that did not stray” (Mt 18:12-13). This familiar parable of the lost sheep offers us a powerful glimpse into the heart of God. But let’s ask a deeper question: Does God thirst for us? Yes. He does. The Shepherd leaves the ninety-nine because he desires the one. He searches for the lost not reluctantly, but joyfully. His love is not abstract or passive, said St. Thomas Aquinas; it is deeply personal and entirely particular. God’s love is the very cause of goodness in the world. Everything that exists exists because God loves it into being and continues to sustain it in that love. God sees us even before we act. Even before we stray. And when we do wander, he does not abandon us. He seeks us. He thirsts for our return.
Imaginative Conservative
Are we entering an age of Imagination?
By Michael De Sapio, August 11, 2025
The term “Imagination Age” is being used by some, particularly in the field of technology, to denote a hypothetical era after the Industrial Age and the Information (or Digital) Age. According to the theorists, each of these epochs of modern history brought forth a new kind of production and a new knowledge base. The Industrial Revolution emphasized factory and machine production, while the digital revolution prioritized the collection of data. With the prospect of automation handling much of the data collection and more routine tasks of life, we are now (according to the theory) entering a new age in which Imagination is to the fore. The mere manipulation of data is no longer the determining factor of life; rather, the important thing is how we creatively shape that information and knowledge. Hence, the importance of things like storytelling, art, and the force of imagination generally, including with the aid of the same technology.
Catholic Mom
‘A simple guide to asking for the impossible’
By Caitrin Bennett, August 12, 2025
Have you ever specifically asked God for a miracle? The subtitle of this new book by Anthony DeStefano sums up perfectly what it is: “A Simple Guide to Asking for the Impossible.” The Miracle Book is a short work with bite-sized chapters. Each one focuses on another paradox related to asking God for a miracle: two concepts that seem at odds at first glance but make sense with further study. For example, how can we be called to be precise and specific about what we want in our prayers, yet also be open to whatever God wills? He helps the reader understand how the two seemingly “contradictory” concepts in Scripture and tradition can coexist in our faith. A deeper understanding of each of these paradoxes can help you be in the best position to ask God for a miracle.
Catholic Stand
The Holy Spirit’s strength and gifts
By Deacon Steve Greco, August 11, 2025
Our invitation to accept the gifts of the Holy Spirit for the life of the Church begins the moment we are baptized, when we are anointed with sacred chrism on the crown of our heads. In that anointing, we are appointed priest, prophet, and king. We are called to be God’s servants in loving His people by proclaiming the Gospel, performing charity, and using the gifts God provides us. By receiving the grace of the power of the Holy Spirit, we have authority in Jesus to live out our purpose in life. In His name, we will “move mountains,” proclaim His Good News, and lay hands on the sick, and they will recover. By living out our Christian purpose, we will see great miracles in our lives and the lives of others. We receive the Holy Spirit’s strength and gifts to allow Jesus to work through us.
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