Catholic Nutshell News: Wednesday 5/6/26
Topics include: Religious liberty case over a Marian grotto; Trump renews attacks on Pope Leo; US ‘welcomes’ Vatican input on AI; & Colombian socialist Petro approves euthanasia for children
“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
Religious liberty case involves zoning for a Marian grotto
By Michelle La Rosa, May 1, 2026
The attorneys general of 20 states are asking the U.S. Supreme Court to hear a case involving a suppressed public association of the faithful in Kentucky caught up in a zoning dispute over the construction of a proposed Marian grotto. The Missionaries of St. John the Baptist are seeking to build a Marian grotto on the grounds of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in the Diocese of Covington, Kentucky. The Missionaries ran the parish before the group was canonically suppressed two years ago. Now, as a civil corporation, the group still owns the parish church and the land it sits on, and has a licensing agreement allowing the parish to use the church building. But the proposal for a new grotto failed to adhere to zoning ordinances. The attorney general of Kentucky says the case could have significant nationwide implications for religious freedom. Meanwhile, the local Catholic diocese says it is not involved.
OSV News
Trump renews attacks on Pope Leo over Iran war
By Kate Scanlon, May 5, 2026
President Donald Trump on May 5 continued his series of social media and verbal attacks on Pope Leo XIV, accusing him in a radio interview of “endangering” Catholics through his opposition to the Iran war. Trump claimed in an interview that aired May 5 with Hugh Hewitt, a conservative talk radio host, that “the pope would rather talk about the fact that it’s OK for Iran to have a nuclear weapon.” Trump has repeatedly claimed that Pope Leo, the first U.S.-born pontiff, supports Iran having nuclear weapons; however, the pontiff never made any such statement and has consistently called for the rejection of nuclear weapons. The president accused the pontiff of “endangering a lot of Catholics and a lot of people” by opposing the U.S.-Israel war with Iran. Pope Leo said. “The Church has spoken out for years against all nuclear weapons, so there is no doubt about this, and I simply hope to be heard for the sake of the Word of God.”
Related: Pope: ‘If someone criticizes me for proclaiming the Gospel, let him do so truthfully - Vatican News - 05 May 2026
Related: Pope Leo asks for truth after new criticism from Trump, Aleteia, Kathleen N. Hattrup -05/05/26
National Catholic Register
US ‘welcomes’ Vatican input on AI regulation, says Ambassador
By Jonah McKeown, May 5, 2026
The Trump administration is happy to have the Vatican’s input on the regulation of artificial intelligence, said U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See Brian Burch. He added that a spirit of cooperation and dialogue on AI regulation is one that “the United States welcomes.” “I think the U.S. very much is leading with our corporate technological leadership, with our AI industry. And we want to find ways to cooperate with both governments and welcome, certainly, the input of the Holy See to that conversation,” Burch said. Burch did not specifically say whether the U.S. would sign on to an international AI agreement were the Vatican to broker one, noting that the answer to that question is “in the details.” Burch’s comments come at a time when the question of how to regulate AI, both in the United States and around the world, is being hotly debated.
Related: Rubio: ‘There’s a lot to talk about’ with Pope Leo XIV - EWTN News - By Tyler Arnold - May 5, 2026
CatholicVote/Zeale
Mass. Catholic hospital to be acquired by secular Baystate Health
By Elise Winland, May 5, 2026
Mercy Medical Center, identified by the Catholic Action League as the last remaining Catholic acute-care hospital in Massachusetts, is set to transfer to the secular operator Baystate Health amid financial and operational challenges. The deal, announced April 28, will integrate Mercy Medical Center, currently operated by Trinity Health of New England. The transition is scheduled for Nov. 1. Both organizations will continue operating separately until the transaction is finalized. Mercy, a 182-bed facility in Springfield, Massachusetts, was established by the Sisters of Providence in 1874. It has reportedly been the state’s last hospital to adhere to Catholic ethical directives governing hospital care. According to HealthCare Business News, Trinity Health will retain ownership of several regional services, including Brightside for Families and Children, Mercy LIFE, Beaven Kelly Home, and Saint Luke’s Home.
EWTN News
Street in Brooklyn renamed to honor Servant of God Dorothy Day
By Francesca Pollio Fenton, May 6, 2026
A street corner in Brooklyn, New York, is now honoring Catholic social activist and journalist Servant of God Dorothy Day. The intersection of Pineapple and Henry streets in Brooklyn Heights was renamed to “Dorothy Day Way” on May 2. Day was born nearby at 71 Pineapple St. in 1897. Martha Hennessy, Day’s granddaughter, and members of the Dorothy Day Guild attended the ceremony unveiling the new street sign. The intersection of Pineapple and Henry streets in Brooklyn Heights was renamed to “Dorothy Day Way” on May 2. Day was born nearby at 71 Pineapple St. in 1897. Martha Hennessy, Day’s granddaughter, and members of the Dorothy Day Guild attended the ceremony unveiling the new street sign. Born in Brooklyn and raised in Chicago, Day was baptized Episcopalian at the age of 12. From a young age she showed signs of caring deeply about religion and justice.
Vatican News
70 years of pastoral ministry for Hebrew-speaking Catholics
By Karol Darmoros, May 6, 2026
The Saint James Vicariate for Hebrew-speaking Catholics in Israel is marking the 70th anniversary of its founding. The jubilee, celebrated on May 2 at the Notre Dame Center in Jerusalem, brought together around 350 parishioners of St. James Parish and guests. The celebrations had a dual dimension. Alongside the solemn Eucharist, an afternoon gathering featured music, personal testimonies, and the premiere of a documentary film produced by the Christian Media Center, as reported by the portal catholic.co.il. The Vicariate gathers Catholics living within Israel’s Hebrew-speaking society: faithful of Jewish and non-Jewish origin, local Christians, migrants, and Russian-speaking groups. Its communities are active in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv–Jaffa, Haifa, Be’er Sheva, and Tiberias. “Seventy years is a gift. It is also a responsibility,” said Fr. Piotr Żelazko, vicar of Saint James since 2021.
Aleteia
‘Dialogue of the Carmelites’ nuns to close convent
By Mathilde De Robien, April 28, 2026
The six remaining cloistered Carmelite nuns in Jonquières, France, are closing their historic community, ending a 400-year legacy of prayer ... and martyrdom. It’s a sad consequence of the lack of religious vocations. Bishop Jacques Benoit-Gonnin of Beauvais, Noyon, and Senlis (France) announced on April 21 the closure of the Compiègne Carmelite community, located some six miles from the original site, in Jonquières, since 1992. “As age advances, numbers decrease, vocations are slow in coming, and external reinforcements are impossible to find, our Carmelite Sisters of Compiègne have decided to close their community,” the bishop explained. Six nuns currently remain at the monastery. They will leave gradually over the coming months. The Carmel of the Annunciation, founded in Compiègne in 1641 and following the Rule of St. Teresa of Avila, was the 53rd foundation in France at the time. It had a unique impact, giving the Church 16 holy martyrs.
Zenit News
Colombian socialist Petro approves euthanasia for children
By Aolvera, May 5, 2026
Adolescents aged 12 and above may now request euthanasia under the same general conditions as adults. Even more strikingly, children between 6 and 12 years old could be considered eligible if they demonstrate what the regulation describes as an “exceptional neurocognitive and psychological development.” The new regulatory step by Colombia’s Ministry of Health has reopened one of the most sensitive moral debates in Latin America, extending the scope of euthanasia beyond terminal illness to include non-terminal conditions, psychiatric disorders, and even minors. The measure, formalized in Resolution 0813-2026 on April 28, marks a significant shift in a country where euthanasia, though not legislated by Congress, has gradually taken shape through constitutional jurisprudence and administrative regulation since it was decriminalized in 1997.
From Loop & EWTN to Pillar Post for 5/6/26
CatholicVote: Zeale’s LOOP
Read daily news and political impact stories at the “LOOP”
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RUBIO: WAR IS OVER, US NOW FOCUSED ON FREEDOM IN IRAN - Secretary of State Marco Rubio yesterday declared that Operation Epic Fury is over – and that the U.S. is now moving to help establish freedom for the people of Iran. READ
TRUMP SAYS HE WILL ADVOCATE FOR JIMMY LAI IN CHINA - Trump this week promised to raise the case of Catholic political prisoner Jimmy Lai during an upcoming summit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Beijing. The President’s meeting with the communist leader is slated for later this month. READ
UNIVERSITY APOLOGIZES FOR DRAG EVENT MOCKING MASS - More than a year after a campus drag performance mocking the Catholic Mass, University of Nebraska-Lincoln leaders have apologized and met with the local bishop to discuss reforms in response to the incident. READ
EWTN News
EWTN’s top headlines — May 6, 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.
India’s state elections deliver split verdict for Christian community - By Anto Akkara - Christian leaders welcomed the Kerala and Tamil Nadu outcomes but voiced alarm at the BJPʼs historic sweep of West Bengal and a third-term win in Assam.
Psychological distress in priests: Causes, warning signs, and how to address it - By Nathalí Paredes and Diego López Marina - Father Wenceslao Vial, a physician and professor, explained that psychological distress is common in society and also affects priests, and warning signs should be heeded and professional help sought.
U.S. bishop urges Congress to ‘put children and families first’ in appropriations process - By Kate Quiñones - U.S. bishops are calling on Congress to promote policies that support women and children, defund abortion providers, and support restorative reproductive medicine.
The Pillar
Pillar Stories for Tuesday, 5/6/26
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:
The Vatican has not responded to a whistleblower complaint from the Diocese of Baton Rouge regarding Vos estis lux mundi, more than 60 days after the report was initially filed. While the norms of Vos estis require the Dicastery for Bishops to respond within 30 days of receiving a complaint, an allegation that Bishop Michael Duca mishandled a case in the Baton Rouge diocese has, to date, received no response from Vatican officials.
The Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith published on Monday a 2024 letter which criticized a German proposed ritual for blessing same-sex couples, and others in irregular unions. The letter’s publication is remarkable, it comes after German bishops have moved forward with implementing the ritual, in apparent defiance of the correction given by the Vatican.
Pope Leo XIV accepted the resignation of the Italian archbishop who had served as the de facto leader of Russia’s Catholic community for almost 20 years. The resignation of Archbishop Paolo Pezzi drew considerable attention because the bishop is only 65 years old. It also puts a spotlight on the fascinating history of Catholicism in Russia.
Nutshell reflections for 5/6/26:
USCCB Daily Reflection Audio - May 6, 2026
Wednesday of the Fifth Week of Easter
Crisis Magazine
Whither Hungary?
By Charles Coulombe, May 6, 2026
The recent election in Hungary, which unseated longtime Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, has rung alarms throughout European and American conservative circles. As Prime Minister since 2010, Orbán had made his country a seeming refuge of decency in a continent whose national (in most countries) and EU leadership appear bound and determined to replace their native populations, impose perversion, infanticide, euthanasia, and a host of other ills into every nook and cranny of national life, and to wipe out any sort of dissent from this toxic program. Orbán’s Hungary, by contrast, worked to strengthen the birthrate and family life, reinforce national culture, limit immigration, and reinstall national pride. The European People’s Party—the umbrella group of formerly “Christian” Democratic parties in the EU Parliament—expelled Orbán’s Fidesz Party a few years ago for the high crime and misdemeanor of retaining the beliefs of such Christian Democratic Founding Fathers.
National Catholic Reporter
Pope Leo XIV advances sainthood causes, including a Missouri nun
By Junno Arocho Esteves, April 27, 2026
Pope Leo XIV issued decrees advancing the sainthood causes of five candidates, including a Dutch nun who served in St. Louis in the early 20th century. During a meeting on April 27 with Cardinal Marcello Semeraro, prefect of the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, the pope signed a decree recognizing the heroic virtues of Carmelite Sr. Teresia of the Most Holy Trinity, born Teresa Ysseldijk, who died from an illness just a little over six years after arriving in the United States. Born in the Netherlands in 1897, she entered the Carmelite Sisters of the Divine Heart of Jesus at age 19 and professed her vows in 1919. Eager to join her missionary sisters, the young nun traveled to the United States that same year. However, she fell ill and was diagnosed with severe kidney disease. Despite her illness, she continued to serve at her convent in St. Charles, Missouri. "When work was no longer possible, she bore her pain silently, hidden from the world," the congregation said. She died March 10, 1926, at age 28.
The Catholic Weekly
Couldn’t you make things a bit easier for me?
By Simcha Fisher, May 6, 2026
I’m not trying to tell God how to do his job, but I do have a few pointers. Let me back up. Yesterday, I spent a full 20 hours without even touching my phone. This magnificent feat of self-control came about because I lost my phone. It was easy to say my prayers, because I didn’t have my phone making the case that it, and not God, deserved my attention first. I know what it’s doing to me (making me dumb, mean, boring, and sad) and to my life (making it hard to get anything done). But it’s also doing enough good things, and desirable things, and habit-forming things, that it’s super, super hard to put it down. So yesterday, God yoinked it right out of my pocket and buried it in trash where it belongs, and then he left me to draw my own conclusions. I think He could take this approach further, because I have a lot of bad habits that I could use some help getting ahead of. I think he may not realize how dumb I am and how devoted to ruining my life.
Catholic Digest
Ways to help a pregnant mom in need
By Nancy Flanders, May 6, 2025
Unfortunately, unplanned pregnancies are often seen in a negative light in society. For those of us who face them while married and in good health and financial status, an unplanned pregnancy might add a few months of unplanned stress to our lives, but we also know that it can and will add years of unplanned joy. Sadly, many women struggle to see beyond the moments of stress, and fear leads them down the path to the abortion facility. When they fight that fear as well as the pressure to abort, and ultimately choose life for their child, they are often met with more problems than most of us could imagine. Here are some big and small ways you can help a pregnant mother in need, both a stranger and a friend. Always remain positive. Offer to drive her to her doctor’s appointments. Hook her up with your local pregnancy resource center. Volunteer to babysit any other children she has so she can get to her doctor’s appointments. Host a baby shower for her. Prepare meals for her. And, visit her after the baby’s born.
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