Catholic Nutshell News: Wednesday 5/13/26
Topics include: Israel expels priest; SSPX faces excommunications; Young Americans despondent about jobs; & Are we now anctifying sodomy?
“Here was an almond tree in bloom before me”
Today's sources are the CRUX, National Catholic Register, Vatican News, The Pillar, Aleteia, and EWTN News. (Catholic Nutshell is a subscription service for faithful, hopeful, & curious Catholics willing to exercise the Catholic News Muscle)
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The Pillar
Israel expels priest leading West Bank youth ministry
By Filipe d’Avillez, May 12, 2026
The Israeli government has declined to renew the visa of a Catholic priest in the West Bank, who was responsible for youth ministry among the region’s Christian community. According to sources close to the situation, Fr. Louis Salman was interrogated by Israeli officials in late April, and soon after informed by Church leaders that he would need to leave the country for his safety. No official reason was given for the decision. As chaplain of the Youth of Jesus’ Homeland ministry, he organized frequent events, including yearly summer camps, and led dozens of young Palestinian Christians to Rome in 2025 for the Jubilee of Hope. But he was also an outspoken critic of the actions of Israeli forces in the West Bank and the challenges Palestinian Christians faced in their daily lives because of them. According to some reports by local press, Israel’s decision was driven by Fr. Salman’s role in organizing a prayer vigil for a Christian journalist working for Al-Jazeera who was killed during a May 2022 Israeli military operation.
OSV News
Makary out of FDA after tumultuous tenure, pro-life criticism
By Kate Scanlon, May 12, 2026
President Donald Trump on May 12 confirmed that Marty Makary, the embattled FDA commissioner criticized by pro-life advocates and others, will depart from his post. Pro-life groups were among Makary’s critics after the FDA’s approval during his tenure of a new generic form of Mifepristone, a pill used for early abortion. Makary’s tumultuous tenure was marked by rumors of staffing issues and other dysfunction at the FDA. His critics included allies of Trump in the health industry, as well as pro-life organizations. The head of the U.S. bishops’ pro-life committee wrote to Markary and Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche in a May 4 letter expressing concern about “reports alleging a deliberate delay in the completion of that review” of Mifepristone. Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, said, “Diverse polls consistently find Americans strongly oppose mail-order abortion drugs and want to reinstate face-to-face medical evaluations, including majorities of Independents, Democrats, and liberal voters.”
National Catholic Register
Courage director: Synod report ‘Wounds the Church’
By Edward Pentin, May 11, 2026
The final report of the Synod on Synodality’s Study Group 9 has drawn widespread criticism since its publication last week, not least for what its authors wrote about Courage International. A respected and canonically approved Catholic apostolate, since 1980, Courage International has been providing spiritual support to men and women experiencing same-sex attractions who wish to live chastely according to Church teaching. In its critique of Courage, the report failed to include perspectives from anyone involved with the apostolate and erroneously claimed that its work involved so-called “reparative therapy.” Father Brian Gannon, Courage International’s executive director, said in an interview with the Register. “It is thus intellectually dishonest.” He said, “There are issues that make the report incomplete, erroneous, and thus wounding to many Catholics with same-sex attraction who are being so faithful to Church teaching on chastity and marriage.”
Related: Courage, a Catholic-Orthodox ministry that supports gay people, has filed a complaint against the Vatican Synod for slander and defamation - May 11, 2026, by Valentina di Giorgio - ZENIT
CatholicVote/Zeale
Young Americans more despondent about jobs than older adults
By Hannah Hiester, May 13, 2026
Young adults in the U.S. are far more pessimistic about the job market than older adults, creating a wider generational divide than in any other country Gallup surveyed, according to a recent report. Despite the generational gap, young Americans are not more pessimistic about the job market than their counterparts in other countries. Gallup found that in 2025, 43% of Americans aged 15 to 34 considered it a good time to find a job in their local area, compared with 64% of those aged 55 or older. Globally, however, younger adults were generally more optimistic than older adults: a median of 48% of young adults were positive about finding a local job, compared with 38% of older adults. According to Gallup, only five other places — China, Serbia, the United Arab Emirates, Hong Kong, and Norway — had more young adults than older adults expressing skepticism about the job market.
EWTN News
Vatican: SSPX faces excommunications for ‘schismatic’ actions
By Hannah Brockhaus, May 13, 2026
The Vatican’s doctrine chief warned Wednesday that the plan by the traditionalist Society of St. Pius X (SSPX) to consecrate new bishops without a papal mandate will constitute a schismatic act, resulting in excommunication. “This act will constitute ‘a schismatic act,’ and ‘formal adherence to schism constitutes a grave offense against God and entails the excommunication established by the law of the Church,’” said Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith. Fernández went on to say that the Holy Father "continues in his prayers to ask the Holy Spirit to enlighten the leaders of the Priestly Fraternity of St. Pius X so that they may reconsider the very grave decision they have made.” Cardinals Gerhard Müller and Robert Sarah, prominent supporters of the Traditional Latin Mass, have spoken out against the SSPX’s decision to defy the Vatican.
Vatican News
Coaching the Boston Celtics with the spirit of a deacon
By Giampaolo Mattei, May 12, 2026
Joseph Mazzulla coaches the Boston Celtics, but he also dreams of becoming a permanent deacon in the Catholic Church. Born in 1988 in Johnston, Rhode Island, Mazzulla has Italian roots: his father is from Itri, while his mother is African American. After playing college basketball for the West Virginia Mountaineers, Mazzulla started coaching the Celtics full-time in 2023. One year later, the team won the NBA title in 2024. However, this year the Celtics’ run was cut short after losing in the semifinals to the Philadelphia 76ers. Faith has always played a role in the coach’s life. He describes himself as a fortunate man, above all because he grew up in an environment where the Catholic faith was part of everyday life. Whether speaking to his players or to the highly competitive media, Mazzulla often draws on biblical references. It is part of who he is, the Coach explains. So much so that he does not define himself as a basketball coach. Rather, he calls himself a Christian who, through the experience of sports, is in service to God.
Aleteia
Where did Jesus’ ascension into Heaven take place?
By Philip Kosloski, May 12, 2026
All of the events in Jesus’ life occurred in specific locations in the Holy Land. For many of the events we know exactly where they occurred, while for others we only have local oral traditions. In the case of Jesus’ ascension into Heaven, the Bible mentions the name of the mountain where the apostles witnessed the miraculous event. St. Luke narrates in the Acts of the Apostles how Jesus’ disciples gathered together and asked him a question. After Jesus’ final words were spoken, “as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight” (Acts 1:9). St. Luke mentions, "they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a sabbath day’s journey away" (Acts 1:12). Jesus' ascension was an historical event, an event that took place on the Mount of Olives, a holy mountain where a variety of important events happened in Jesus' life on earth.
Zenit News
Nigeria: 100 dead, 98,000 displaced, 217 churches destroyed
By ZENIT Staff, May 12, 2026
“Since September, over 98,000 people, including 16 priests, have been displaced due to the ongoing violence in the southern part of Taraba State (in northeastern Nigeria), while 217 churches have been completely destroyed,” reports Msgr. Mark Maigida Nzukwein, Bishop of Wukari, in a statement released following the diocese’s third General Assembly. “The homes of eight priests were also ransacked, and it is estimated that over 100 people have been killed,” the statement reads. Among the most recently attacked churches is Saint James the Great Catholic Church in Adu, Takum District. A fire severely damaged the Cathedral of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary in Wukari on March 4. The violence is primarily affecting areas such as Chanchanji District in the Takum local government area, as well as Ussa and Donga.
From Loop & EWTN to Pillar Post for 5/13/26
CatholicVote: Zeale’s LOOP
Read daily news and political impact stories at the “LOOP”
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INFLATION HITS 3-YEAR HIGH - The Wall Street Journal reported yesterday that consumer prices rose 3.8% in April compared with a year earlier, marking the highest inflation rate in three years. The worsening economic conditions are driven largely by rising energy costs linked to the war and disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, WSJ noted. READ
SOUTH CAROLINA STUDENTS TURN TO FAITH - In South Carolina, the college Catholic population has more than doubled over several decades, now surpassing 218,000. Ellie Dawkins, a University of South Carolina junior who was raised Baptist, said exploring the Catholic faith has been “grounding” after a friend invited her to Mass, where she felt “a calling in [her] heart.” READ
IDF PUNISHES SOLDIERS OVER PHOTO DISRESPECTING MARY - The Israeli military said yesterday it had sentenced two soldiers to military jail after one was photographed placing a cigarette in the mouth of a statue of the Virgin Mary in a predominantly Christian village in southern Lebanon. READ
EWTN News
EWTN’s top headlines — May 13, 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.
Pope Leo prays where St. John Paul II was shot on feast of Our Lady of Fátima - By Victoria Cardiel - In an unexpected gesture as he was greeting people at the general audience in St. Peterʼs Square on Wednesday, Pope Leo XIV stopped at the exact spot where, 45 years ago, St. John Paul II was shot in an assassination attempt.
President of Costa Rica entrusts her term to Our Lady of the Angels - By Diego López Colín - The bishop of Limón prayed for the new president at Mass, that she would have “wisdom in making decisions, prudence to listen, and clarity to act, always with the well-being of our people in mind.”
Brownback says China’s actions amount to a systematic assault on freedom of belief - By Madalaine Elhabbal - “Weʼre in a battle today with the Chinese Communist Party and their authoritarian view," Former Ambassador for International Religious Freedom Sam Brownback said at an event at the Hudson Institute.
The Pillar
Pillar Stories from Monday’s Pillar Post, 5/12/26
The Pillar offers a news summary and a capsule take on Catholic News. Here are news stories from the past week in the Pillar Post:
England’s Bishop Marcus Stock has a lot to juggle right now. - Stock is the diocesan bishop of Leeds, a northern English diocese of 170,000 Catholics. He’s also the apostolic administrator of Middlesbrough, home to another 100,000 Catholics. Oh, and in March, the pope appointed him administrator of Hallam, and its 66,000 Catholics.
A recently unsealed arrest warrant in the case of Bishop Emmanuel Shaleta details the extent of financial crimes alleged against the prelate. The warrant confirms reporting on the case from The Pillar, which in February broke the news that Shaleta had been accused of embezzlement and personal misconduct, amid a Vatican investigation that ended when both Shaleta and former Chaldean Patriarch Cardinal Rafael Sako saw their resignations from office accepted on March 10.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art recently opened a major retrospective on the life and work of Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino (1483-1520), the multi-faceted Italian Renaissance painter, architect, and designer known simply as “Raphael.” An important enough Renaissance artist to be a Ninja Turtle’s namesake, he has not previously had a major American exhibit, which might come as a surprise.
Nutshell reflections for 5/13/26:
USCCB Daily Reflection Audio - May 13, 2026
Wednesday of the Sixth Week of Easter
Crisis Magazine
On sanctifying sodomy
By Regis Martin, May 13, 2026
Is sodomy no longer a sin? Are instances of same-sex attraction among those inclined to commit it no longer to be viewed as a disorder? Will the sacrament of marriage soon be administered to couples in committed homosexual relationships? Has the Church, in other words, changed her mind on the subject of sexual perversion? One might certainly think so, judging from the latest document coming out of the Office of the Synod of Bishops. The document appears to be saying, we shall all remain helpless “against the temptation of the sterile and regressive ossification of principles and statements, of norms and rules,” which stand athwart “the lived experience of individuals and communities.” A number of progressive prelates, including no less a figure than the current Cardinal-Archbishop of Washington, D.C., Robert McElroy, embrace “radical inclusion” of LGBTQ+ Catholics, however unrepentant, a seat where heterosexual Catholics gather, prompting his fellow bishop Thomas Paprocki of Springfield, Illinois, to suggest McElroy may no longer be “in full communion with the Catholic Church.”
National Catholic Reporter
Indian nuns regain voting rights after legal battle
By Bijay Kumar Minj, May 13, 2026
Some 55 nuns from the Missionaries of Charity (MC) congregation were able to cast their votes during the West Bengal state assembly polls in eastern India after they challenged their removal from the electoral roll. The nuns from the congregation founded by St. Teresa of Kolkata voted in the second round of the election on April 29 after the Election Commission of India (ECI) restored their names after scrutiny, said a nun from the order’s headquarters in the West Bengal state capital Kolkata (formerly Calcutta). All the nuns are voters in the Chowringhee constituency in Kolkata, and 35 of them registered their Mother House as their permanent address, The Times of India reported, quoting an unnamed nun. Their names were included in the supplementary voter list published on April 28.
Angelus News
Anderson Shaw: Visionary who kept LA Black Catholics together
By Pablo Kay, May 11, 2026
When Anderson F. Shaw was baptized in his early 20s at Holy Name of Jesus Church in the 1960s, Los Angeles was experiencing a Black Catholic boom. From the 1940s to the 1960s, thousands of Black and Creole families from the South — especially from traditionally Catholic pockets of Louisiana — migrated to Southern California in search of better lives. Bringing their faith with them, they worshipped and raised their families in parishes across Greater Los Angeles. But as demographics shifted again over the following decades, the number of majority African American parishes in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles shrank to a small handful, which today include Holy Name Church in Jefferson Park and nearby Transfiguration Church in Leimert Park. During changing times, no one did more to keep LA’s Black Catholics together than Anderson Shaw. Since 2004, he has been the director of the LA Archdiocese’s African American Catholic Center for Evangelization (AACCFE). Shaw died on April 3, Good Friday, at the age of 87.
Catholic Digest
The blessing of a forgiving heart
By Fr Eamon Tobin, May 8, 2025
Nothing is clearer in the Gospel than our call to forgive life’s hurts, and yet nothing can be more difficult than acting on this command of Jesus. Many Christians do not even try because the forgiveness of some hurts seems impossible. Yet all of us know of Jesus’ inspiring examples of forgiveness: forgiving his disciples who betrayed, denied, and abandoned him in his hour of greatest need; forgiving his executioners from the cross. More recently, who will ever forget the words of forgiveness spoken by the parishioners of Mother Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina, when a young man shot and killed their pastor and eight of their parishioners. If those ordinary Christians could forgive such a terrible crime, surely we can, with the grace of God, forgive lesser hurts done to us.
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