Catholic Nutshell News: Friday 4/11/25
Topics include: Scammer impersonates Catholic prioress, Kansas law will guard adoptive parents, Reframe the Middle Ages, & Bismarck a boom town for Catholics
Fridays, "Living that coconut kinda life."
Today's sources: National Catholic Register, Omnes Magazine, Catholic News Agency, Crux, Church Life Journal, CatholicVote, Our Sunday Visitor, & Catholic MOM. (Catholic Nutshell is a FREE subscription service for faithful, hopeful, & curious Catholics willing to exercise their Catholic News Muscle)
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CatholicVote
Scammer impersonates Catholic prioress, targets religious
By McKenna Snow, April 10, 2025
Catholic entities have been on guard for years against online scammers who impersonate religious leaders and attempt to prey on people’s compassion to defraud them. In recent months, a scammer targeted numerous faithful worldwide by pretending to be a prioress of a female religious community 29 times before Google disabled the fraudulent email account this week. The first in the string of fraud attempts occurred on Dec. 17, 2024, according to Marco DeCapite, founder of the Catholic cybertraining business VersAlta Mission Solutions. All but one time, the scammer reached out using a Gmail address and claiming to be the prioress of a certain female religious community, which asked to not be named in CatholicVote’s report. The scammer used a phone call only once, on Feb. 6.
Catholic News Agency
Kansas law will guard adoptive parents’ religious liberty
By Tyler Arnold, April 10, 2025
The Kansas House and Senate voted successfully to override Gov. Laura Kelly’s veto of a bill that will protect the religious liberty of adoptive parents and foster parents on issues related to gender identity and sexual orientation. House lawmakers voted 87-38 and Senate lawmakers voted 31-9, which exceeds the two-thirds supermajority needed to override a veto. Although the governor is a Democrat, the Republicans hold a supermajority in both chambers of the state’s Legislature. The new law, which takes effect immediately, prohibits the Kansas Department for Children and Families from enacting any policies that would force an adoptive parent or foster parent to affirm support for gender ideology or homosexuality to obtain a license to adopt or foster children.
Omnes Magazine
‘Legacy of giants’ study reframes the Middle Ages
By José Carlos Martín de la Hoz, April 11, 2025
Jaume Aurell (Barcelona, 1964), professor of Medieval History at the University of Navarra, just published "The History of the Middle Ages: A Legacy of giants," a work on the testament of the Middle Ages. The book counteracts the legend of certain historiographical currents that, from Petrarch to the present day, have denigrated an important part of our history under the terrible name of "the dark Middle Ages." Aurell writes that we stand on the "shoulders of giants" and foresee in every period of history. The Middle Ages preserved the tradition of the Church and gave society a set of values that contributed to the dignity of the human person. In ten centuries, Christianity, Roman law, and Greek philosophy merged. Rome, Golgotha, and Athens led to a new civilization quite different from the Roman Empire. The Middle Ages brought cosmopolitan environments, partnership between faith and reason, and the cloisters and monasteries where faith and culture were preserved.
National Catholic Register
Bismarck, North Dakota a boom town for Catholics
By Patti Maguire Armstrong, April 10, 2025
For many Catholic families, Bismarck, North Dakota — a capital city whose reputation as a strong Catholic community — is drawing people from across the country. There’s been a growing trend over the last four to five years of families moving here, drawn by the solid Catholic education at the University of Mary, good Catholic schools, active parishes, and dynamic priests. A slow and steady blossoming of a dynamic Catholic culture took root, marked by an explosion of vocations, increased Mass attendance, frequent confession, a growing population of young families, and an ever-expanding number of Catholic events and activities. Will Gardner, a Bismark Catholic real estate agent, said, “There are Masses all over town, with a variety of young and old, vibrant priests.”
CRUX
Pope makes surprise appearance, in house clothes
By Elise Ann Allen, April 11, 2025
In theory, observing two months of rest, Pope Francis, on Thursday, made his third surprise appearance in a week, showing up inside St. Peter’s Basilica in the middle of the afternoon, without his usual papal attire. In videos and photos circulating on social media, the pope, wearing black pants and a white undershirt with a poncho covering his torso from the front, came to the basilica at around 1 p.m. local time and prayed for about 10 minutes in front of the tomb of Pope Pius X. Accompanied by his nurse, Massimiliano Strappetti and some healthcare personnel, he was wearing his oxygen nasal cannulas and waved to visitors and blessed some children during the brief appearance. The Vatican press office Friday said the visit was completely spontaneous, and the pope had been walking inside his Vatican residence, “and decided to prolong it” by going into the basilica to pray.
Catholic News Agency
Australia election features rare contest between Catholics
By AC Wimmer, April 11, 2025
When Australians head to the polls on May 3 for the nation’s federal election, they will face a distinctive choice in their political history: two major party leaders who identify as Catholic, though with notably different relationships to their faith. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of the Labor Party and Opposition Leader Peter Dutton of the Liberal-National Coalition both come from Catholic backgrounds. Albanese, seeking a second term as prime minister, has described himself as a “flawed Catholic” whose values were shaped by his Catholic upbringing with his single mother in public housing in Sydney. Dutton, meanwhile, grew up in a mixed-faith home with a Catholic father and a Protestant mother. He attended an Anglican school but has stated that he identifies with the Catholic Church, even if he does not attend church regularly.
The Pillar
Religious law combats ‘a dangerous ideology’ in Ukraine
By Anatolii Babynskyi, April 10, 2025
Leaders of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church have pushed back on the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom's assessment of religious freedom in Ukraine. The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom voiced concern in a report last month about a new Ukrainian law designed to regulate religious organizations with ties to foreign powers. But while critics of the law say it restricts religious liberty, voices within the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church pushed back, saying they’ve monitored the situation carefully and believe the law is needed to combat a dangerous ideology in Ukraine. The law primarily targets the Russian Orthodox Church — ROC — and its associated Russky mir ideology, an ideological justification for Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Related: Estonia’s parliament approved government-backed legislation that requires the Estonian Orthodox Church (EOC) to end its affiliation with the Moscow Patriarchate, The Tablet, by Andreja Bogdanovski, 11 April 2025
UCA News
Filipino traffickers force victims to pose as missionaries
By UCA News reporter, April 10, 2025
The Philippine Bureau of Immigration has warned of a new human trafficking scam where victims are forced to pose as Christian pilgrims or missionaries. Philippine and Thai police revealed the scam details following a probe and wiretaps, the Vatican’s news service, Fides, reported on April 9. On April 1, immigration officers at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) stopped three women aged 23, 25, and 50 while attempting to leave the country. They were to depart to Thailand via Singapore and claimed to be full-time church volunteers going for missionary work in Thailand. Discrepancies in their documents led to questioning. Two victims confessed they were not part of any missionary group, but teachers recruited for illegal employment at a school in Thailand.
Pillar, CNA & Satire for Friday, April 11, 2025
The Pillar
Pillar Posts by Ed Condon for 4/11/25
The Pillar is an American news and investigative journalism website focusing on the Catholic Church. Founded D Flynn, former editor-in-chief of Catholic News Agency and former chancellor of the Archdiocese of Denver; and Ed Condon, former Washington, D.C., bureau editor of Catholic News Agency
The country of Burma — called Myanmar by its ruling military junta — has been plagued in recent years by brutal abuses of human rights, with minorities and government critics across the country facing the prospect of arbitrary arrests, torture, violence, displacement from their homes, and unaccounted for mass killings.
In Italy, the country’s “synodal assembly” ended in a stalemate late last week, as some participants said a draft final document didn’t do a good enough job of talking about the prospect of female deacons, or pastoral care for Catholics identifying as LGBT.
The Catholic bishops of India waded deep into controversy last week expressing support for reform of regulations governing Islamic charitable endowments. The bishops, arguing that those endowment should be better regulated, made big waves in the country
Catholic News Agency
CNA’s top headlines — April 11, 2025
Catholic News Agency provides reliable and free up-to-the-minute news affecting the Universal Church, with updates on the words of the Holy Father and the Holy See.
Pontifical Mission Societies USA visits Vietnamese leper colony - Apr 11, 2025 - By Kate Quiñones - At a leper colony in Vietnam, Pontifical Mission Societies USA President Monsignor Roger Landry celebrated Mass, brought Communion, and distributed food and sandals.
Venice Biennale: The Holy See pavilion is a work of restoration inspired by Laudato Si’ - Apr 11, 2025 - By Victoria Cardiel - For the third consecutive year, the Holy See will have its pavilion at the Venice Architecture Biennale event in Italy, one of the most emblematic and representative contemporary art events worldwide
Federal court strikes down law forcing pro-life ministries to promote abortion - Apr 10, 2025 - By Kate Quiñones - Here is a roundup of recent pro-life and abortion-related news.
Babylon Bee’s Satire News
Israelite King Would Just Once Like Prophets To Say God Is Pleased and Everything Is Dandy
By Scripture Staff, April 10, 2022
According to insiders, King Ahab of Israel lamented a recent meeting he had with the prophet Elijah, admitting that just once he would like the prophets to say God is pleased and that everything is fine and dandy. Prophets are always telling him about droughts or lost battles or that he will die, and it's not fun. "Just once, I'd really like God to say I was doing a good job, you know?" But the prophet only answered: "As the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, whom I serve, there will be neither dew nor rain in the next few years except at my word." Ahab shouted, "What? Why?" According to the king, all prophets bring him terrible news, and he's really tired of it. "Would it kill God to say He was pleased and that everything was just dandy?" Ahab reportedly told his wife Jezebel. "These prophets are really harshing my buzz."
Nutshell reflections for 4/11/25:
USCCB Daily Reflection: AUDIO & VIDEO - April 11, 2025
Friday of the Fifth Week of Lent
Church Life Journal
Secularism is in competition with Judeo-Christian transcendence
By Michael Foley, April 11, 2025
Films and series with spiritual themes—faith, transcendence, human meaning, the sacred, the holy—seem to have fallen on hard times. Blockbusters like Bing Crosby’s Bells of St. Mary’s or grand biblical epics in bold technicolor have been replaced by nunsploitation horror flicks like the 2024 Immaculate with Sydney Sweeney, anti-traditionalist conspiracy thrillers like the 2024 Conclave with Ralph Fiennes, and secular films that evince little interest in spiritual transcendence. It is indeed a problem, but the thorny relationship between Jerusalem and Hollywood (that is, between biblical faith and the motion picture industry) runs deeper than a contemporary anti-Christian bias in Hollywood. Secularism is in competition with Judeo-Christian transcendence, but also a veritable religion unto itself, something that makes a demand on our ultimate allegiance.
Catholic Exchange
Our Lady’s participation in Christ’s Cross
By Aaron Kheriaty, MD, March 11, 2023
Mary’s participation in the Cross of Christ is a model for how each of us can more fully enter into Christ’s suffering, and in doing so, grow in union with Him. As a psychiatrist, I have learned that one of the most difficult forms of suffering we encounter is the helpless experience of seeing a loved one suffer. Mary watched her Son suffer His Passion without being able to prevent that unspeakable horror. Despite her elevated status as the Mother of God, Our Lady was not spared suffering. But rather than begrudgingly enduring it, she embraced it for love of her Son. Our Lady’s participation in Christ’s Cross began even before Jesus was born.
Our Sunday Visitor
How did we get to celebrating the murder of a healthcare CEO?
By Kimberley Heatherington, April 6, 2025
UnitedHealthcare’s reputation for postponement and denial of medical procedures seemed related to Luigi Mangione’s murderous vigilante motives; but sources maintained that while Mangione had spine issues — including a significant back surgery involving screws and rods in 2023 — he never held a UnitedHealthcare policy. In the crime’s aftermath, figures quickly circulated asserting UnitedHealthcare has the highest industry claim rejection rate — 32% — while the company maintained it approves and pays 90% of all claims. Mangione remains in a New York City jail, awaiting trial, elevated to a kind of cult figure folk hero for whom a sympathetic public has, since his arrest, raised $700,000 in legal defense funds. A scion of a wealthy Baltimore Catholic family known for its philanthropy, Mangione faces the death penalty if convicted in his federal trial.
Catholic Mom
All it took was one conversation
By Lilia Grundy, April 11, 2025
While we haven’t known each other for very long, I have come to adore a self-proclaimed, feisty, retired, Italian woman: a former weightlifter. She recently joined a few of the parish groups that I participate in, and she’s motivated me to take on new physical challenges. I am grateful for her encouragement but surprisingly, it was an encounter with me that moved her to be more active in the Church. “I haven’t been involved with anything for so long. Lilia, you said such encouraging words to me that I decided to join groups … and it’s been such as blessing.” I was reminded of that moment when we first spoke. To think that one, simple chat spurred my new friend to eagerly join our parish ministries warms my heart. She’s already influencing others positively, and all it took was one conversation.
Image of Coconut by Celio Nicoli from Pixabay
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