Catholic Nutshell News: Tuesday 8/26/25
Topics include: Lack of priests ‘a great misfortune’; ‘Gordian knot’ of Vatican financial problems; ‘Don’t kill for me,’ said victim; & Fifty groups reject downgrading marijuana
“I’ll pray for thee from my pistachio tree”
Today's sources are the National Catholic Register, CNA, 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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ACI Africa
Pope Leo: Lack of priests ‘a great misfortune’ for the Church
By Nicolás de Cárdenas, August 25, 2025
During an audience with French altar servers in Rome on Aug. 25, the feast day of St. Louis IX, king of France, Pope Leo said the shortage of priests is “a great misfortune” for the Catholic Church. “I also wish you to be attentive to the call that Jesus might make to you to follow him more closely in the priesthood. I am speaking to your consciences as enthusiastic and generous young people, and I am going to tell you something that you must listen to, even if it worries you a little: the shortage of priests in France is a great misfortune! A misfortune for the Church, a misfortune for your country!” the pontiff said. He explained that “the answer is perfectly clear and has echoed throughout history for 2,000 years: Only Jesus comes to save us, and no one else: because only he has the power — he is almighty God in person — and because he loves us.”
The Pillar
Pope Leo faces a ‘Gordian knot’ of Vatican financial problems
By Ed. Condon, August 19, 2025
Pope Leo XIV left Castel Gandolfo, a second stint at the papal summer residence, during renovations to the papal apartments. He will take residence with a small Augustinian community there. Eyes remain fixed on how the pope will choose to press ahead (or not) with the implementation of Pope Francis’ motu proprio on the extraordinary form of the Mass, Traditiones custodis. A more personal priority for Leo might be his first encyclical letter, whatever topic he may have in mind. He’ll be thinking hard to consider the Gordian knot of Vatican finances from every angle before acting. But he will not have the luxury of time, nor the scope for many false starts. There are many issues — a budget deficit estimated in the tens of millions of euros, a pension black hole, an underperforming asset portfolio, and a laundry list of scandals and legal issues sapping the Holy See’s credibility.
Vatican News Service
‘Don’t kill for me,’ said victim to save her father on death row
By Francesca Merlo, August 23, 2025
The death penalty is justified as serving justice for the victims. Its advocates say it brings victims closure. The very people capital punishment serves often say the opposite. “I was told it would make me feel better. Why, instead, do I feel so much worse?” they ask. According to Deacon George Kain, the states carrying out executions are using victims as scapegoats. On the 28th of August 2025, in just a few days, Florida is scheduled to execute Curtis Windom, a Black man who has spent 33 years on death row. He grew up in poverty, lives with intellectual disabilities, and has long shown signs of brain damage. His legal defence was riddled with failures. The victims for whom the state claims to act are asking for clemency. Windom’s daughter. “Don’t kill for me, because all this does is prolong my agony,” said Windom’s daughter, whose mother was killed in the crime.
CatholicVote
Fifty groups urging Trump to reject downgrading marijuana
By CV News Feed, August 25, 2025
Nearly 50 diverse organizations, including faith‑based groups like CatholicVote, have sent a letter to President Donald Trump urging him not to reclassify marijuana under federal law. As reported by the Daily Wire, the collective of nearly 50 organizations, including CatholicVote, the Family Research Council, the National Narcotic Officers’ Associations’ Coalition, and the Drug Enforcement Association of Federal Narcotics Agents (DEAFNA), formally asked Trump to maintain marijuana’s Schedule I classification. he Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) schedules substances based on their potential for abuse and accepted medical use. Biden’s Department of Health and Human Services controversially recommended rescheduling marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III. Currently, marijuana remains a Schedule I substance, but there are discussions in the White House about potentially moving the drug to Schedule III.
National Catholic Register
Louisiana and Texas courts won’t allow Ten Commandments
By Andrea M. Picciotti-Bayer, August 25, 2025
As millions of children return to classrooms this fall, parents are aware of a profound truth: While they remain the primary educators of their children, a strong partnership with schools is essential for shaping both intellect and character. That is why laws in states like Louisiana and Texas, requiring the display of the Ten Commandments in public-school classrooms, signal that education is not just about skills, but about cultivating respect for enduring moral truths. The American Civil Liberties Union, representing a handful of residents, challenged these laws because they violate both the Establishment Clause and the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment. Last week, a federal district court in Texas, relying on outdated precedent, halted that state’s law from going into effect. Meanwhile, a three-judge panel of the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals similarly struck down Louisiana’s version.
Catholic News Agency
Dispute over a Native American worship site & religious liberty
By Daniel Payne, August 26, 2025
“Arbitrary government interference.” That’s what the Knights of Columbus warned will befall religious believers in the U.S. if a copper mining company is allowed to take possession of and destroy a centuries-old Native American worship site in Arizona. Oak Flat has been the subject of years of dispute and litigation, with a coalition group of activists known as Apache Stronghold trying to prevent the government from surrendering the ancient religious location to private interests. For decades, the federal government protected the parcel from development in the Tonto National Forest. In 2014, the Obama administration began the process of transferring the land to multinational Resolution Copper. Native American activists have drawn support from religious advocates and stakeholders in the U.S., including the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) and the Knights of Columbus.
CRUX
Catholic Church has role to play for Palestine
By Charles Collins, August 26, 2025
Support from the Catholic Church for the Palestinians in Gaza is “extremely powerful” for the war-torn people, according to Shockat Adam, Member of Parliament for Leicester South, elected in 2024 as a UK Independent, has supported the people of Gaza. Adam said the Holy See is a key ally in supporting Palestinians. “The Vatican has been doing it, but other Christian denominations and even Muslim leaders haven’t been as vociferous and clear on this,” Adam said. Like Pope Francis, Pope Leo XIV – elected May 8 – has appealed for peace in Gaza and convoked a day of prayer and fasting for Friday, August 22. “Of course, there is the religious connotation because of the three holy places of the three Abrahamic faiths,” Adam said. “There’s always going to be a religious influence, but I have found that religion has been weaponized.” He said building peace in Palestine is not going to be easy.
Our Sunday Visitor
AI ‘resurrections’ raise ethical issues, prolong grief
By Gina Christian, August 25, 2025
Interactive recreations of deceased loved ones through artificial intelligence — “AI resurrections” — walk a fine line between honoring and betraying individuals, raising ethical issues and prolonging the grieving process, Catholic experts told OSV News. As AI technology has progressed, trained on increasingly larger amounts of data, several companies have rolled out “digital avatars,” or “deadbots” —deceased persons for bereaved family and friends — who can simulate conversations with the digital creations. Even if the goal is to serve a good cause, said Brian Patrick Green, director of technology ethics at Santa Clara University’s Markkula Center for Applied Ethics, caution is vital. In particular, the Catholic faith — with its core beliefs in the resurrection of the body made possible by Christ’s own death and resurrection, and in the communion of saints — stresses that “there’s a continuum from the dead who have gone before us” and future generations “who are coming in front of us.”
From Pulpit & Agency to Wit for 8/26/25
BIG PULPIT
Tito Edwards Catholic blogger site: August 26, 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.
Leo Gives a Mini-Encyclical to Male Altar Servers – Fr. Allan J. McDonald at Southern Orders
Film: Impact Of Traditionis Custodes Upon Faith Community; Charlotte Diocese – Fr. Z’s Blog
Eucharistic Prayer 2 is Not the Prayer of Hippolytus – Taylor R. Marshall, Ph.D., at Cntrbry Tales
Ireland Against the Irish – Michael O’Shea at The American Conservative
Catholic News Agency
CNA’s top headlines — August 26, 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.
Communio launches first-ever statewide partnership with California Catholic Conference - Aug 25, 2025 - By Madalaine Elhabbal - A partnership between the California Catholic Conference and Communio will help parishes “evangelize through the renewal of healthy relationships.”
Former papal chef opens New York City restaurant - Aug 25, 2025 - By Francesca Pollio Fenton - Salvo Lo Castro’s new Italian restaurant opened in July and has quickly gained popularity, particularly for Lo Castro’s mother’s meatball.
U.S. bishops, Catholic Health Association endorse palliative care legislation - Aug 25, 2025 - By Amira Abuzeid - The bipartisan Palliative Care and Hospice Education and Training Act was reintroduced in the Senate last month by Sens. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wisconsin, and Shelley Moore Capito, R-West Virginia.
Wit from the Archives
A Good Sense of Humor According to Saint Teresa of Avila
By Kate Flannery / Shalom Tidings, June 15, 2016
There is a story about Saint Teresa that has caused me to laugh in genuine appreciation of her character. According to tradition, Teresa fell off her donkey while journeying to visit one of her convents, causing her to land in the mud and dirty her Carmelite habit. With her quick, fiery Spanish temper, Teresa looked up to heaven and said to God, “If this is how You treat Your friends, no wonder You don’t have many.” If prayer is an ongoing dialogue with God through words, thoughts, or actions, what is Teresa’s statement if not prayer? She talks to God with confidence and trust. She is bold about her feelings, knowing that God can handle her honesty. Notably, where does Teresa turn first in her day-to-day life? To God. He is her crutch, her foundation, even in times of frustration and annoyance, He is at the forefront of her mind.
Nutshell reflections for 8/26/25:
USCCB Daily Reflection AUDIO - August 26, 2025
Tuesday of the Twenty-first Week in Ordinary Time
Our Sunday Visitor
Compelling arguments against physician-assisted suicide
By Cecilia Cicone, August 25, 2025
The slogan many proponents and supporters of euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide use to define their cause is “death with dignity.” To suffer, to become a burden on loved ones, and to lose physical and mental control, they say, are an affront to human dignity, and it would be better for some people to be killed quickly and in a manner they can control rather than to go through the natural progression of death. In his latest book, Charles Camosy argues that these practices are based upon a vast misunderstanding of human dignity and are based upon fear cultivated by modern consumerism and throwaway culture. “Living and Dying Well: A Catholic Plan for Resisting Physician-Assisted Killing” is an apologia of the Catholic Church’s opposition to what Camosy terms “physician-assisted killing” or PAK, building upon the basics of moral theology regarding end-of-life care, teachings of saints and the example of monks and friars.
Imaginative Conservative
We have few modern witnesses of God-given mystical spirituality
By David Torkington, August 23, 2025
When the constitution on the liturgy was promulgated at the end of the Second Vatican Council, many were overjoyed because it seemed to embody a genuine modern representation of the liturgy that was so important to our early Christian forebears. I, too, was particularly delighted with this excellent document. But sadly, it was not followed by a further constitution detailing a modern representation of the early God-given mystical spirituality. The power and efficacy of the liturgy is the outward expression of the deep and daily prayerful spirituality of those who participate in it. Take this away, and we are back in the world that Jesus came to transform, because the love on which it was initially founded is lost to sight. Early Christians, like Christ himself, prayed at least five times a day, and even rose to pray at midnight. This was for vocal prayer and meditation too, on the life, death, and Resurrection of Christ.
Catholic Mom (reprint from Word on Fire)
Division has reached crisis levels: There is another way
By Matthew Becklo, August 26, 2025
The world is growing more polarized. We split and split again over religion, politics, culture, and art, and what results are divided countries, states, families, and even our own hearts and minds. Republican or Democrat. Traditional or progressive. Theist or atheist. Spirit or flesh. Faith or works. The number of topics to disagree on seems to have no end. But why can’t both be true? Can intelligent people from both sides disagree on an issue without being wrong? In his book The Way of Heaven and Earth, Matthew Becklo believes that while this division has reached crisis levels and threatens the future of civilization, there is another way (The Way) that would bring unity. The both/and model isn’t saying both/and to good and evil or truth and falsehood, but instead, only to what is good, true, and beautiful. Two ideas can be true (or beautiful, or good) and not contradict.
Catholic Stand
Pray and prepare for miracles
By Deacon Steve Greco, August 26, 2025
St. Teresa of Avila to her nuns: … cast yourself into [the Father’s] arms, you know already He will not cast you away …(The Way of Perfection/Reflections on the Lord’s Prayer, 1566). God is love. Where there is love, there is God. Where there is great love, with our families and those closest to us, I have found that great miracles often occur. What is the key? Faith, prayer and not giving up. The Letter to the Hebrews offers important instruction on persevering. I suggest committing these verses to memory, to recall during discouraging times: Therefore, do not throw away your confidence; it will have great recompense. You need endurance to do the will of God and receive what he has promised (Hebrews 10: 35-36). God wants to heal your families today. He asks for your faith and to expect and experience His miracles.
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