Catholic Nutshell News: Wednesday 10/22/25
Topics include: No reconciling homosexuality with the faith; canceled chapel contracts; 5 billion lack religious freedom; & Weapon trade is fueling war
“Here was an almond tree in bloom before me”
Today's sources are the CRUX, Catholic Culture, National Catholic Register, CatholicVote, The Pillar, Aleteia, and CNA. (Catholic Nutshell is a subscription service for faithful, hopeful, & curious Catholics willing to exercise the Catholic News Muscle)
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Daily Compass
Italian bishops call for reconciling homosexuality with the faith
By Tommaso Scandroglio, October 20, 2025
The Italian Episcopal Conference published its synthesis document of the synodal path, entitled ‘Leaven of Peace and Hope’, to be voted on by the Third Synodal Assembly of the Churches in Italy on 25 October. In it, the bishops ask for “integration into ordinary pastoral care for those who wish to embark on journeys of greater ecclesial integration but who are on the margins of ecclesial and sacramental life due to their stable affective and family situations outside of the sacrament of marriage (e.g., second unions, de facto cohabitations, marriages, and civil unions).” The document fails to mention that integrating, accompanying, and welcoming implies that the parish priest and the other faithful must persuade them, in the best way possible, that continuing to live as cohabitees, being married only civilly, and residing as homosexual couples is not suitable for them because it is contrary to God’s will. An earlier version of the CEI Lineamenti per la prima Assemblea sinodale of 2024 was removed: “However, the nuances of practiced homosexuality, adultery, etc. are not to be welcomed, but rejected, as they are dark tones of a color clearly distinct from the white of holiness.”
Catholic News Agency
U.S. Army to reexamine canceled chapel contracts
By Tyler Arnold, October 21, 2025
The U.S. Army is reexamining canceled religious contracts after Archbishop for the Military Services, USA, Timothy Broglio lamented that cuts strained Catholic ministry to the armed forces. Broglio criticized the cancellations of chapel contracts for religious educators, administrators, and musicians. He wrote in a letter to Congress that the contracts were essential to assisting Catholic priest chaplains in their duties. Broglio said Catholics are disproportionately affected because only 137 of the over 2,500 Army chaplains are Catholic, despite Catholics accounting for about 20% of soldiers. Four days after Broglio published the letter, a spokesperson for the Army told CNA that the Army will be reexamining its contract support for directors of religious education and religious affairs specialists “to mitigate any potential impact during this period.“ “These roles are vital in supporting the spiritual well-being of our community,” the spokesperson said on Oct. 21.
Catholic Culture
Annual Report finds over 5 billion lack religious freedom
By Catholic World News, October 21, 2025
More than 5 billion people—two-thirds of the world’s population—live in countries that restrict religious freedom, according to an annual report from Aid to the Church in Need (ACN). The ACN report finds serious violations of religious freedom in 62 countries (of 196 studied). Among these countries, ACN classified the restraints on religious freedom in 38 as “discrimination,” while 24 were severe enough to be called “persecution.” The countries where ACN found persecution are heavily clustered in Asia and northern Africa, with only one such country—Nicaragua—in the Western hemisphere. The report finds that Islamic extremist continues to grow, constituting the main factor in outright persecution in 15 countries and discrimination in 10 more. Sub-Saharan Africa is now the area where jihadist violence is most intense. The Western world is not immune to anti-religious violence. ACN detailed almost 1,000 attacks on churches in France, for instance; vandalism of churches also spiked in Greece, Spain, Italy, and the US.
CRUX
New Hampshire court rules 2020 abuse law cannot be retroactive
By Holly Ramer, AP, October 15, 2025
New Hampshire’s 2020 law abolishing deadlines for lawsuits alleging sexual assault cannot be applied retroactively, the state Supreme Court ruled Wednesday. The ruling came in the case of Randy Ball, who sued the Roman Catholic Bishop of Manchester in 2023, alleging a priest raped him at a summer camp in the 1970s. Under the law at the time of the alleged assaults, Ball had only until he turned 20 in 1986 to sue, but he argued his lawsuit was permissible under a 2020 amendment that removed the statute of limitations. The amendment itself did not specify whether it could be applied retroactively, but the court ruled that doing so would violate the state Constitution, which gives private parties a vested right to a statute of limitations defense. “In this case, the report was made 50 years later, and the accused priest died in 2002,” the diocese said, adding that protecting the safety of children is among its highest priorities.
The Pillar
Bishops & Patriarchate to build Gaza hospital
By Edgar Beltrán, October 21, 2025
Amid Gaza’s ongoing humanitarian crisis, the Italian bishops’ conference and the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem announced on September 30 a joint initiative to build a hospital in the Gaza territory, where more than 80% of medical facilities have been damaged or destroyed. While the project is still in very early stages and the inauguration date is unclear, Corrado told The Pillar that the bishops are working with the patriarchate in the “design and implementation phases of the project.” Security is a major concern for such an initiative, considering that over half of Gaza hospitals have been rendered non-functional due to bombings and attacks, and that the sole Catholic parish in Gaza was struck by a tank, killing three people in July. Along with the hospital, the Italian bishops committed themselves to supporting priests and families in the region by collaborating with food, work, housing, and educational initiatives.
Vatican News
Weapon trade is fueling the war between the Sudanese opponents
By Sr. Christine Masivo, CPS, October 21, 2025
The Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime has released a new report showing that there is a growing weapon trade fueling the war between the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Released on October 20, the report details illicit smugglers and criminal brokers reviving old trafficking routes through Darfur, Eastern Chad, and southern Libya. Sudan’s situation continues to deteriorate faster, according to the United Nations. The UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)has confirmed that 25 million people, or half of Sudan’s population, are facing acute hunger or famine. The most heavily affected areas are Darfur and Kordofan, where infrastructure has been destroyed and left dilapidated with no essential services such as healthcare, food, and water. The city of El Fasher in North Darfur is under siege by the RSF forces, which allegedly target densely populated camps for internally displaced people with indiscriminate attacks.
UCA News
Most South Koreans increasingly oppose unification
By UCA News reporter, October 21, 2025
Fewer than half of South Koreans now support unification with the North, according to a recent survey, marking the first time backing for a united peninsula has dropped below a majority and underscoring growing indifference toward reconciliation. Among 1,000 adults surveyed by the government-funded Korea Institute for National Unification (KINU), only 49% said they felt unification was “necessary,” The Korea Herald reported on Oct. 20. This is the lowest level since the survey began in 2014, with a 3.8% drop from last year’s 52.8%, the KINU said in its annual survey report. The “influence of North Korea’s narratives on two hostile states, the prolonged severance of inter-Korean relations and domestic political dynamics,” were factors, the institute said. Among the respondents, 63.2% agreed with the statement, “Unification is unnecessary as long as the two Koreas can peacefully coexist.”
National Catholic Register
Hong Kong Catholics deserve Church’s leadership, not silence
By Frances Hui, October 21, 2025
Cardinal Stephen Chow, the bishop of Hong Kong, defended the state of religious freedom in Hong Kong in a public dialogue in Parramatta, Australia, on Sept. 15. The city-state does not engage in persecution, Cardinal Chow said, boldly inviting critics to “come to Hong Kong and see for yourself.” But like many Hong Kongers and Chinese Christians who have fled our home, I cannot safely return. Hong Kong authorities have placed a million-dollar bounty on my head for my advocacy work in the U.S. on behalf of my fellow Hong Kongers for democracy and human rights. Hong Kong’s Catholic Church has been a conscience for the city — never perfect, but rarely silent. Yet, now the Hong Kong Diocese has conducted at least three seminars on the “Sinicization of religion” with China’s state-controlled Catholic Patriotic Association (CPA). Clergy, seminarians, and religious sisters have been ordered to visit Beijing for “exchanges” since Chow visited Beijing in April 2023.
From Loop & Agency to Pillar Post for 10/22/25
CatholicVote: Daily LOOP
Read daily news and political impact stories at the “LOOP”
Elections and politics matter. The LOOP gives you daily gems on the news that seek “to renew our country and culture.” CatholicVote’s advertised mission is “To inspire every Catholic in America to live out the truths of our faith in public life.”
VANCE: PRAY TO ‘PRINCE OF PEACE’ FOR GAZA DEAL - Vice President JD Vance said at a press conference in Israel yesterday that the U.S.-brokered plan to end the violence in Gaza is “going better than I expected,” even amid renewed clashes. He also called on Christians to pray to Jesus Christ under His title “Prince of Peace,” asking Him to “work a miracle in this region of the world.”
FACTS CONTRADICT PAROLIN'S CLAIM ON PERSECUTION IN NIGERIA - The Holy See’s Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, this week suggested that the violence against Christians in Nigeria is not a matter of Islamists targeting Christians but merely a series of conflicts stemming from non-religious disputes. But according to facts gathered by the Observatory of Religious Freedom in Africa (ORFA), the claim that Christians are not targeted for persecution is a “myth.”
YOUNG HOLY LAND CATHOLICS ATTEND RETREAT IN JERUSALEM - Less than a week after the first phase of the Hamas-Israel peace plan began, young Catholics from Galilee and Jerusalem found spiritual renewal and rest at a retreat over the weekend that the war had delayed. Participants spent time with Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, at the Shrine of Our Lady in Deir Rafat, Jerusalem.
Catholic News Agency
CNA’s top headlines — October 22, 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.
Right-leaning Bolivian president-elect Rodrigo Paz thanks God for his victory - Oct 21, 2025 - By David Ramos - Rodrigo Paz Pereira of the Christian Democratic Party is the president-elect of Bolivia, after defeating former Bolivian President Jorge Quiroga.
Magis Center launches AI app on faith, science - Oct 21, 2025 - By Tessa Gervasini - Magis Center released an artificial intelligence (AI) app to provide instant, science-based answers to questions about the Church and Catholic teaching.
Fact check: Did the Vatican Library open a prayer room for Muslims? - Oct 21, 2025 - By Daniel Payne - The library does allow Muslim scholars a room in which to pray while they are on site doing research in the Vatican’s extensive archives.
The Pillar
Pillar Post for Tuesday, 10/21/25
The Pillar offers a daily news summary, their capsule take on the Catholic News. Here’s J.D. Flynn’s analysis of the news from yesterday’s Pillar Post:
In a surprisingly strong exhortation, Cardinal Parolin urged Venezuela to open its “unjust prisons,” to “build respect for human rights,” and to “break the chains of oppression.” That’s a big break from the typically reserved diplomatic language offered by the Holy See, or its silence on Venezuela in recent years.
A German news outlet reported last week that a bishop who took early retirement last year has become civilly married, despite claims that he resigned over health reasons. So what happens when a bishop attempts marriage? What does canon law expect, and what happens in reality?
It’s time to talk about screen addiction - It’s real. It’s pervasive. It’s the worst. So meet some people who are doing something about it — and in the process, rediscovering human connection. We should all spend less time in front of screens.
Nutshell reflections for 10/22/25:
USCCB Daily Reflection Audio - October 22, 2025
Wednesday of the Twenty-ninth Week in Ordinary Time
Aleteia
King and Pope to make 1st official joint prayer ever
By I.Media, October 21, 2025
Under the banner of ecumenism (the push for the reuniting of Christians), King Charles III of England and Queen Camilla will visit Rome on October 23, 2025. During the day, they will be received by Leo XIV at the Vatican and will join the Pope for a time of prayer in the Sistine Chapel on the theme of ecology. The sovereign will then visit the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls, where he will receive the title of “Royal Confrater” of the Benedictine abbey, renewing an ancient link that existed between the basilica and the English monarchy. According to Buckingham Palace, this will be the first official joint prayer between a head of the Catholic Church and a British sovereign — who is the supreme governor of the Church of England — since the schism between the two churches. This unprecedented ecumenical moment will be led by the choirs of the Chapel Royal at St. James’s Palace, St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle, and the Sistine Chapel.
National Catholic Register
Socialism: One of the most persistent errors in Church history
By John Clark, October 18, 2025
Recently in America magazine, there appeared an article titled, “Yes, democratic socialism is compatible with Catholic social teaching.” While it may be exasperating to see pro-socialism columns like these appear again and again, it’s not surprising. As it turns out, the core philosophy we now call “socialism” has been one of the most persistent errors in Church history. Though it has taken different forms over time, the constant and most identifiable thread of socialism—from the ancient Greeks to the present day—has been the denial of man’s natural law right to private property. Thus, being a great defender of private property rights, the Catholic Church and her saints have found the need to speak out against socialist theories since her infancy. There comes a point at which creeping taxation becomes socialism. It matters little whether it takes the form of outright state confiscation of property or confiscatory taxation; an injustice has been committed when denying a person his or her due.
Catholic Exchange
See Christ in the Old Testament
By Fr. Kevin Drew, October 22, 2025
The Amalekites, a persistent enemy of the Chosen People, were a warlike and violent group who roamed south of Israel. After ambushing the Israelites during their Exodus from Egypt, killing weary travelers—including the elderly, women, and children—Moses gave Joshua the order to fight them. While Joshua and his men engaged in battle, Moses stood above them on a mountain with his arms raised. When Moses became tired and dropped his arms, the Amalekites had the better of the fight. Noticing this, the priests Aaron and Hur found a large rock for Moses to sit on, and they held up his arms. Even in judgment, God’s purposes are redemptive. The Amalekites needed to be removed to protect the Israelites and preserve the line of the promised Messiah. If you read the Old Testament and do not see Christ in it, then you’re reading it wrong.
Missio Dei
Nothing will remain hidden
By Andrew McGovern, October 22, 2025
“… for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come” (Luke 12:39-40). Today’s Gospel exhorts us to prepare our souls. We live in a world overrun by spiritually corrupting things, yet most people overlook the truth of two essential realities. We could die today and face judgment, or the Lord could return today, and we would face judgment. The sin of presumption clouds much. We must have the humility to know that conversion is a daily requirement. Repentance from sin is a daily requirement. Mental prayer is a daily requirement. We must frequent the sacraments and continually turn towards God through living a moral life in accord with the teachings of the Church and daily self-denial of certain goods of this world. Either way, we must be prepared to face the just judge. Nothing will remain hidden.
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Thanks for writing this, it clarifys a lot. I appreciate seeing the nuance. But what if "persuading" people implies judging their personal lives? Is there a point where 'integration' becomes more about acceptance than changing stable relationships? Just curious about that algorythm.