Catholic Nutshell News: Wednesday 8/5/26
Catholics should know: Prayer disappearing from Christian families; Vatican net worth up by $3 billion; AG Blanche vows to protect state pro-life laws; & Conspiracy theories blaming Jews
“Here was an almond tree in bloom before me”
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EWTN News
Pope Leo warns prayer is disappearing from Christian families
By Victoria Cardiel, August 5, 2026
Pope Leo XIV lamented Wednesday that prayer is no longer being passed on in many Christian families and urged the faithful to rediscover it as a fundamental dimension of human life. “In our time, in contexts dominated by an efficiency-driven and consumerist mindset, prayer may seem pointless and trivial,” the pope said during his Aug. 5 general audience. “In a world where science and technology claim to provide all the answers, praying may appear to be a form of escapism,” he continued. He warned that prayer is increasingly misunderstood, including within Christian homes. “Furthermore, even in many Christian families, the tradition of prayer is no longer passed on, whilst many people risk confusing it with just another technique, of a psychological nature aimed at personal well-being,” he said. “Prayer, however, as a fundamental dimension of our humanity, is worth rediscovering in its true form.”
aciafrica
Vatican increases net worth by $3 billion in 2025
By Victoria Cardiel, August 1, 2026
The Vatican’s financial investments and assets rose to a net worth of approximately $3 billion (2.686 billion euros) in 2025. The profit was mainly due to the revaluation of physical gold, the increase in the value of real estate, and the positive valuation of financial securities. APSA President Archbishop Giordano Piccinotti said that comparing profits in 2024 and 2025 should be done with caution, as 2025 was marked by extraordinary income from the reorganization of financial flows, a situation he described as unrepeatable. “APSA’s purpose is not to generate an annual profit, but rather to preserve and strengthen the patrimony entrusted to it,” he stated. The growth was driven by higher income from properties directly managed by APSA in Italy. APSA also manages approximately 1,200 properties abroad, including residential and commercial units, primarily in London, Paris, Geneva, and Lausanne, Switzerland.
National Catholic Register
The Cristero Rebellion of 1926 offers a sober warning
By Father Raymond J. de Souza, August 5, 2026
Catholics in Canada and the United States are inclined to admire the popular piety of Mexico, looking forward to the upcoming 500th anniversary of the apparitions at Guadalupe in 2031. But 100 years ago, Mexico was suffering a fierce anti-Catholic persecution. The administration of the sacraments was suspended for three years, and faithful Catholics were hunted down and killed. The “Cristiada” or “Cristero Rebellion” was one of the several lamentable persecutions that arose in countries of deep Christian identity after World War I — itself a massive failure of Christian civilization. It is plausible that the great secularizing trends of the 20th century were in part the result of the loss of Christian credibility during the Great War. After World War I, anti-Christian persecution broke out in historically Christian lands, including Russia (communism), Italy (fascism) and Germany (Nazism). Mexico’s rebellion is often forgotten.
Zeale News
Acting attorney general Blanche vows to protect state pro-life laws
By Elise Winland, August 4, 2026
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche told faith leaders during a recent private call that the Department of Justice (DOJ) is working to make the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision overturning Roe v. Wade “permanent in every single state.” “We’re working to get solutions so that the Dobbs decision becomes permanent in every single state,” Blanche said during the call, which was hosted by the White House Faith Office and posted online July 30 by the religious group Intercessors for America. Blanche said the DOJ’s efforts are focused on preventing abortion providers and officials in states that allow abortion from undermining pro-life laws enacted elsewhere. He said the effort “takes a lot of time,” which is why the administration does not “have complete victory yet.” But he added that “we will have victory, and victory will be soon, and it will be permanent.”
The PIllar
A first: Bishop called as a witness in trial against another bishop
By The Pillar, August 4, 2026
Bishop Michael Morrissey of the Diocese of Geraldton appeared in court to give evidence in the trial of Bishop Christopher Saunders, the former leader of the Diocese of Broome, on Monday, August 4, in Perth, Western Australia. Bishop Saunders led the Broome diocese from 1996 until 2021, when he stepped down citing “ill health” amid allegations of grooming and sexual abuse of young Aboriginal men. He has since been charged with 19 counts of sexual abuse, as well as pleading guilty to multiple firearms charges last year. It is believed to be the first occasion a serving diocesan bishop has appeared as a witness for the prosecution in the criminal trial of another bishop charged with sexual abuse. “The bishop has been variously described by witnesses as … a sexual predator that seeks to prey upon vulnerable Aboriginal men and boys,” the report said. Closed in 2021, the case was reopened after law enforcement authorities were given a copy of the results of an internal Church investigation conducted under the norms of Vos estis lux mundi.
Fides News Agency
Tigray, Ethiopia on brink of renewed conflict: Civilians flee
By Fides News Agency, August 4, 2026
The truce reached with the 2022 Pretoria Agreement appears increasingly fragile. Heavy fighting has resumed in western Tigray, near the border with Sudan, between the Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF) and forces linked to the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), in what is being described as the most serious escalation since the end of the civil war. The clashes, which began between August 1 and 2, have been concentrated around Shererina, a strategic area in western Tigray, a territory disputed between the Tigray and Amhara regions. The resurgence of hostilities has heightened fears of a return to full-scale conflict. The international community is also concerned about the possible involvement of neighboring Sudan. Several observers fear that the violence could evolve into a proxy war, with rival Sudanese factions backing opposing sides in Ethiopia.
Graphs about Religion
Mainline Protestant leadership out of step with their laity
By Ryan Burge, July 30, 2026
In Protestant churches, 45% of mainline clergy are liberal Democrats, compared to 24% of people sitting in the pews. And the laity are three times more likely to be conservative Republicans compared to their pastors. Almost all mainline clergy have graduate degrees. In the PRRI sample, over 90% of them had an MA or more. Among mainline clergy, only 6% said that America has “always” been a Christian country. Of the general public, 36% of people agreed that America has always been a Christian country. Heck, even among the non-religious, it was 26%. The numbers are particularly higher among Christian churchgoers, too. Among mainline churchgoers, 44% say that America has always been a Christian country. That’s seven times the rate of their clergy. Mainline leadership holds views on topics like this that are far out of step with almost all other groups in the United States.
The Jerusalem Post
Conspiracy theories blaming Jews for Europe’s wildfires
By Ariella Roitman, August 5, 2026
Cyberwell has alerted X/Twitter of a new wave of antisemitic conspiracy theories blaming Jews for wildfires across Europe, the NGO announced in a statement on Monday. The organization, whose goal is to combat online antisemitism, identified “nearly identical narratives” regarding recent wildfires in Norway, France, and Spain, reinforcing what Cyberwell describes as a “recurring pattern of event-driven antisemitism, in which major crises are exploited to spread hate toward Jews.” Posts in English, French, and Spanish claiming that Jewish people deliberately sparked the fires or orchestrated them for political or financial gain were identified by the organization’s analysts. Meanwhile, content on Spain’s wildfires reached more than 69,100 users, according to Cyberwell’s numbers. Antisemitic conspiracy theories also emerged following the Los Angeles wildfires in 2025 and the Patagonia wildfires earlier this year, the company said.
Keep informed - 8/5/26 news for Catholics
Snippets from Loop, Fides, & The Pillar
Zeale’s 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.”
EL-SAYED WINS, CATHOLICVOTE WARNS AGAINST SOCIALIST POLICIES - Abdul El-Sayed defeated establishment-backed Rep. Haley Stevens in Michigan’s Democratic U.S. Senate primary and will face Republican Mike Rogers in November. CatholicVote’s Josh Mercer urged Catholics to reject El-Sayed, citing his alliance with far-left streamer Hasan Piker and warning that Michigan voters must reject “radical socialist policies.”
PIKER VOWS SOCIALISTS WILL WIPE OUT GOP IN WISCONSIN, MICHIGAN - Far-left streamer Hasan Piker vowed that “a Republican will never be elected” in Wisconsin again once his movement completes its takeover of the Democratic Party. He made the controversial remark while speaking alongside DSA-backed gubernatorial frontrunner Francesca Hong. Meanwhile, Democratic Gov. Tony Evers says Hong could “probably not” defeat Republican Tom Tiffany in November.
ALL 259 CONGRESSIONAL DEMS BACK MAIL-ORDER ABORTION PILLS - Every Democrat in Congress asked the Fifth Circuit to preserve Biden-era FDA rules allowing mifepristone to be prescribed through telehealth and shipped by mail, filing a brief signed by 47 senators and 212 House members. Louisiana says the rules let providers evade pro-life state laws, while CatholicVote continues pressing the Trump administration to restore safeguards on the deadly drug.
Augustine Institute
Formed Series Programs
Formed guides Catholics and those they evangelize to a fully Catholic life through faith-informed content and draws people closer to Christ. The Formed platform provides a captivating experience that empowers and satisfies curiosity by forming Catholics for life.
Heresies - Heresies have plagued the Catholic Church throughout the centuries. Yet, because of them, Catholic doctrine has grown more specifically articulated. Join Dr. James Prothro and Dr. Chris Mooney as they unpack these heresies and the Church's response to them. This series will showcase the historical context in which heresies emerged.
What Catholics Believe - Join professors of the Augustine Institute and other Catholic experts as they answer some of the most popular questions from the Internet on topics like the Eucharist, the Resurrection, the Papacy, Relics, and so much more! Was Jesus a ghost when he appeared to the Apostles? Is the Resurrection important? Are Catholics cannibals? Is the Eucharist in the Bible?
Our Lady of Guadalupe & St. Juan Diego | Littlest Saints - A boy, his sneakers, and a giant sombrero take up the story of St. Juan Diego's miraculous encounter with the Blessed Virgin Mary. How far will Our Lady ask him to reach out in faith, trust, and confidence?
The Pillar
Pillar Stories from the July calendar, 8/5/26
The Pillar offers a news summary and a capsule take on Catholic News. Here are news stories from the past few weeks in the Pillar Post:
Wildfires in Spokane, Washington have destroyed hundreds of houses and more than 10,000 acres in recent days, with very little containment achieved so far. Officials have said it is the most destructive wildfire situation in the state’s history. Bishop Thomas Daly talks about the fires, and about the challenges of a pastoral response.
The Vatican has announced two Chinese episcopal appointments in recent weeks, signaling the continuing operation of its eight-year-old agreement with China’s government on the appointment of bishops. What could be the scope of the pope’s ambitions for improving the Church’s lot in China?
Last month’s illicit SSPX consecrations and subsequent excommunications raised expectations that Pope Leo might soon act to expand the celebration of the TLM in communities that are in union with Rome. But more than a month later, that expected papal action has not come.
August 5, 2026 - USCCB Daily Mass Readings
You can listen HERE or read HERE:
Wednesday of the Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Today’s Catholic commentary:
Crisis Magazine
The death and life of Capital Punishment
By Max Root, August 5, 2026
Inconsistency is the mother of debate even in the postconciliar era. Whereas Francis revised the Catechism in 2018 to declare the death penalty “inadmissible because it is an attack on the inviolability and dignity of the person” in all circumstances, the 1992 Catechism promulgated by John Paul II reads, “the traditional teaching of the Church does not exclude recourse to the death penalty.” While it goes on to state that such instances of necessity are extremely rare to the point of being practically nonexistent, it does not necessarily dispute key biblical verses such as Romans 13:4, which reads: For [the ruler] is God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil (Romans 13:4). It is as wrong to perpetrate a genocide as it is right to be executed for perpetrating one. God’s mercy is not granted absolutely—Hell persists as a reality regardless of its terrestrial acknowledgment—because justice would then become inconsequential.
The Catholic Weekly
How can we flourish as death approaches?
By Michael Cook, August 5, 2026
How do doctors and patients deal with the distressing news that they have a treatable but not curable condition? Not well, according to Xavier Symons, director of the Plunkett Center at Australian Catholic University, and colleagues, the authors of a recent article in the journal Supportive Care in Cancer. “What we found in the study is that generally health professionals are not doing an especially good job of these conversations [about life-limiting illness], and it’s not just because they’re completely tone deaf. It’s because they are reluctant to raise the topic because of fear of making the situation worse,” said Symons. “They don’t want to alarm the patient. But the irony is, of course, that the patient’s been diagnosed with a life-limiting illness. It’s probably like the worst possible news they can get.” But with death approaching, there are many opportunities for personal growth, encompassing emotional, psychological, and social well-being. These remain “achievable even toward the end of life,” the authors wrote.
George Weigel
Men without work are spiritually malnourished
By George Weigel, August 5, 2026
In his June 2 Wall Street Journal column, Jason L. Riley noted a disturbing trend in our American moment: “According to the Department of Labor, 1 in 3 men were neither working nor looking for a job in April.” The hard fact, though, as Jason Riley argued and Nicholas Eberstadt demonstrated in his book Men Without Work, “is that the long-term rise in male joblessness doesn’t stem from an inability to find employment. It results instead from an unwillingness to search for work.” That bespeaks spiritual distress. As Pope St. John Paul II, himself a veteran of manual labor under awful conditions, explained in his 1981 encyclical Laborem Exercens (On Human Work), through our work we don’t just make more or earn more; we become more. Work is our participation in God’s ongoing creation of the world, and mastering work’s hardships is our participation in Christ’s ongoing redemption of humanity. Men without work — even worse, men refusing to seek work — are spiritually malnourished.
Church Life Journal
Original Sin in Nolan’s ‘Odyssey’
By Samuel Korb, July 31, 2026
The story of Odysseus has been told countless times, from Homer to Virgil, from Tennyson to Joyce, from the Coen brothers to the SpongeBob SquarePants Movie. With his latest summer blockbuster, Christopher Nolan has joined these ranks, taking on the staggering challenge of adapting one of the oldest stories in the Western canon for the modern world. With The Odyssey, Nolan recognizes that he is not just telling another story, but a story at the very origins of Western civilization and culture. Nolan unexpectedly approaches the theological milieu of original sin. The Trojan horse represents that aboriginal transgression of divine law that turns society against itself, destroying it from within. In the world of Nolan’s Odyssey, the Trojan horse is the original sin, the ur-historical violation of divine law that explains why a peaceful society is ultimately impossible.
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