Headline News and Catholic Social Teaching

Farm Bill, SNAP and Catholic Social Teaching

In this episode we look at recent news regarding the US Farm Bill, and more specifically the part of the Farm Bill that deals with the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as food stamps, and see what light Catholic Social Teaching might shine on this issue. References and notes below: 1. House passes 2026 farm bill [https://www.naco.org/news/house-passes-2026-farm-bill] - Apr 30, 2026 2. Farm Bill Primer [https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/IF12047]: Overview and Status - May 7, 2026 3. Catholic groups stress efforts to combat hunger [https://www.osvnews.com/catholic-groups-stress-efforts-to-combat-hunger-as-senate-prepares-to-consider-farm-bill/] as Senate prepares to consider farm bill - May 7, 2026 4. Household Food Security [https://ers.usda.gov/sites/default/files/_laserfiche/publications/113623/ERR-358_Summary.pdf?v=78426] in the United States in 2024 - 12/30/2025 5. Joint Catholic organizations letter on 2026 Farm Bill [https://www.usccb.org/resources/Joint%20Catholic%20Letter%20on%202026%20Farm%20Bill.pdf] - Feb 20, 2026 6. Joint Catholic organizations letter to Congress on Agriculture Appropriations for Fiscal Year 2027 [https://www.usccb.org/resources/joint-letter-congress-agriculture-appropriations-fiscal-year-2027-april-28-2026] - April 28, 2026 7. Explainer: Understanding the SNAP program—and what “One Big Beautiful Bill” cuts to these benefits may mean [https://www.hks.harvard.edu/faculty-research/policy-topics/social-policy/explainer-understanding-snap-program-and-what-cuts] - Nov 10, 2025 8. SNAP Numbers Fall Across US [https://www.newsweek.com/snap-numbers-fall-across-us-food-banks-are-sounding-the-alarm-11941207]–Food Banks Are Sounding the Alarm - May 13, 2026 9. The Dismal Economics of SNAP’s Work-Hours Test and Time Limit [https://cepr.net/publications/the-dismal-economics-of-snaps-work-hours-test-and-time-limit/]- Apr 19, 2023 - Reviews 19 studies on SNAP work requirements 10. SNAP work requirements don’t boost jobs, but drop participation, [https://stateline.org/2026/04/10/snap-work-requirements-dont-boost-jobs-but-drop-participation-research-finds/] research finds - April 10, 2026 11. Employed in a SNAP? The Impact of Work Requirements on Program Participation and Labor Supply [https://www.aeaweb.org/articles?id=10.1257/pol.20200561] - February 2023 12. Untangling Errors in the SNAP Program [https://theworknumber.com/all-blogs/-/post/untangling-errors-in-the-government-snap-program-missteps-vs-fraud] (August 5, 2025), USDA Efforts to Reduce Waste, Fraud and Abuse in SNAP [https://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/usda-efforts-reduce-waste-fraud-and-abuse-supplemental-nutrition-assistance-program-snap] (May 5, 2025), and What We Get Wrong About SNAP Fraud and Why It Matters [https://www.hungerfreeok.org/what-we-get-wrong-about-snap-fraud-and-why-it-matters/] (April 20, 2026) 13. Pope Leo’s May 2026 prayer intention: 'That everyone might have food' [https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2026-04/pope-s-may-prayer-intention-that-everyone-might-have-food.html] 14. Podcast website [https://headlinenewsandcatholicsocialteaching.buzzsprout.com] with full transcripts for this episode and all other episodes Send me a text or voicemail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2560155/fan_mail/new]

Declining Birth Rates and Catholic Social Teaching

In this episode we’ll look at declining birth rates and see what Catholic Social Teaching has to say about this global long-term trend. Here are references and notes: 1. National Center for Health Statistics - Births: Provisional Data for 2025 [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42048491/] – report issued April 2026 2. World Bank - Interactive chart showing birth rate trends for US and all other countries [https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.DYN.TFRT.IN?locations=US] 3. Which countries have fertility rates above or below the “replacement level”? [https://www.voronoiapp.com/demographics/Which-countries-have-fertility-rates-above-or-below-the-replacement-level-8173] - visual map 4. World Population [https://www.un.org/en/global-issues/population] – overview from UN 5. International Monetary Fund - The Debate over Falling Fertility [https://www.imf.org/en/publications/fandd/issues/2025/06/the-debate-over-falling-fertility-david-bloom]- June 2025 6. How Countries might Reverse Plunging Birth Rate [https://www.globalpolicyjournal.com/blog/26/01/2026/how-countries-might-reverse-plunging-birth-rates] - 26 January 2026 - Interesting secular analysis from the Global Policy Journal 7. Harvard Gazette article on “How to reverse nation’s declining birth rate” [https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2025/08/how-to-reverse-nations-declining-birth-rate/] - August 20, 2025 8. Catechism of the Catholic Church - The Family in God’s Plan [https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/__P7S.HTM] - 2201-2213 9. Pope Leo’s October meeting on marriage, family [https://www.osvnews.com/pope-leos-october-meeting-on-marriage-family-gains-urgency-amid-declining-birth-rates-in-west/] gains urgency amid declining birth rates in West - April 27, 2026 10. Amoris Laetitia [https://www.vatican.va/content/dam/francesco/pdf/apost_exhortations/documents/papa-francesco_esortazione-ap_20160319_amoris-laetitia_en.pdf] - 2016 - see section 42 11. The Marriage Crisis Driving America’s Fertility Decline [https://www.ncregister.com/news/the-marriage-crisis-driving-america-s-fertility-decline]  (April 22, 2026) and Catholic family experts tie marriage to dropping US fertility rate [https://www.osvnews.com/catholic-family-experts-tie-marriage-to-dropping-us-fertility-rate/] (August 7, 2025) - some overlap between these articles 12. ‘Dramatic’ decline in Catholic marriage [https://www.ewtnnews.com/world/us/experts-dramatic-decline-in-catholic-marriage-highlights-need-for-proactive-church-response?__hstc=198926896.d09fe948226a4be5f8f7440326b0a30e.1775538416744.1777500371482.1778007789256.10&__hssc=198926896.1.1778007789256&__hsfp=2f584796fcb05200f7b2cf823a21fb78](January 31, 2026) and What is causing our fertility crisis? [https://www.ewtnnews.com/world/us/what-is-causing-our-fertility-crisis-catholic-experts-weigh-in] Catholic experts weigh in (May 2, 2024) - some overlap between these articles 13. Pope Leo urges Europe to confront ‘declining birth rates,’ [https://catholicvote.org/pope-leo-urges-europe-to-confront-declining-birth-rates-strengthen-family-life/] strengthen family life - October 14, 2025 14. Pope Francis: World's ills rooted in too much greed, not too many babies [https://www.usccb.org/news/2024/worlds-ills-rooted-too-much-greed-not-too-many-babies-pope-says] - May 10, 2024 15. Podcast website [https://headlinenewsandcatholicsocialteaching.buzzsprout.com] with full transcripts for this episode and all other episodes. Send me a text or voicemail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2560155/fan_mail/new]

Birthright Citizenship and Catholic Social Teaching

In this episode you’ll hear about the issue of birthright citizenship and whether Catholic Social Teaching has anything to say about it. Here are references and notes: 1. Executive Order [https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/protecting-the-meaning-and-value-of-american-citizenship/] that would end birthright citizenship for certain immigrants 2. FAQ about the Executive Order [https://www.naacpldf.org/case-issue/know-your-rights-birthright-citizenship/] from the Legal Defense Fund, an entity that is opposed to the Executive Order 3. Article about Senate hearing on birthright citizenship [https://www.osvnews.com/birthright-citizenship-order-to-impact-more-than-children-of-migrants-senate-panel-hears/] held March 12, 2026 4. Full transcript of Oral arguments before the Supreme Court [https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2025/25-365_l6gn.pdf] on April 1, 2026 5. Takeaways from Supreme Court arguments [https://www.channel3000.com/news/takeaways-from-the-supreme-court-arguments-on-trump-s-effort-to-end-automatic-birthright-citizenship/article_1fe0e812-95f7-5fd0-85dd-ad3ae775c09b.html], CNN article April 1, 2026 6. U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) Brief Submitted to Supreme Court [https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/25/25-365/399395/20260226144523582_25-365%20bsac%20United%20States%20Conference%20of%20Catholic%20Bishops.pdf] 7. Selected Catholic commentaries critical of USCCB brief by Kelsey Reinhardt [https://catholicvote.org/the-church-and-birthright-citizenship/#:~:text=kder%20%E2%80%A2%201%20month%20ago,is%20true%20around%20the%20world], Philip Lawler [https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/incoherent-usccb-intervention-on-birthright-citizenship/#:~:text=Valid%20arguments%20can%20be%20made,living%20in%20the%20US%20illegally], and Jacob Neu [https://thenewdigest.substack.com/p/a-comment-on-the-catholic-bishops] 8. US Bishops Brief Gets Mixed Reviews [https://www.ncregister.com/news/us-bishops-pro-birthright-citizenship-brief-gets-mixed-reviews], article from National Catholic Register March 6, 2026, with links to both critical and supportive views 9. Projection: Repealing Birthright Citizenship Would Significantly Increase the Size of the U.S. Unauthorized Population [https://www.migrationpolicy.org/news/birthright-citizenship-repeal-projections] 10. German research showing birthright citizenship impact on education [https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0272775725001025] and youth crime [https://www.rfberlin.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/26111.pdf] 11. Catholic Social Teaching: Call to family, community and participation [https://www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/what-we-believe/catholic-social-teaching/call-to-family-community-and-participation] 12. Podcast website [https://headlinenewsandcatholicsocialteaching.buzzsprout.com] with full transcripts for this episode and all other episodes Send me a text or voicemail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2560155/fan_mail/new]

War in Iran and Catholic Social Teaching

This episode is about the war in Iran and what Catholic Social Teaching has to say about the war, focusing on news and reactions from February 28 to April 8, 2026. Here are references and notes: 1. Here's what the Trump administration has said motivated the strikes. [https://www.cbsnews.com/news/why-us-attack-iran-trump-administration/] 2. Persons killed and injured in Iran [https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/04/06/world/death-toll-iran-war/#:~:text=Smoke%20rises%20from%20the%20site,Lebanon] and US casualties [https://www.militarytimes.com/news/your-military/2026/04/08/pentagon-data-13-us-troops-killed-346-wounded-in-operation-epic-fury/#:~:text=13%20US%20troops%20killed%2C%20more,dating%20to%20World%20War%20I] through early April 2026 3. Persons displaced by the war in Iran [https://www.unhcr.org/news/press-releases/unhcr-3-2-million-iranians-temporarily-displaced-iran-conflict-intensifies#:~:text=UNHCR:%20Up%20to%203.2%20million,Search] 4. Estimated US expenditure on war [https://www.wsj.com/livecoverage/iran-war-latest-news-israel-us-lebanon-2026/card/iran-war-has-cost-estimated-25-billion-to-35-billion-expert-says-p7KRBnQjbYAYAzfbP0d8] through early April 2026 5. Cardinal Parolin: Preventive wars risk setting the world ablaze [https://www.vaticannews.va/en/vatican-city/news/2026-03/cardinal-parolin-interview-middle-east-iran-us-israel-war.html#:~:text=I%20believe%20that%20peace%20and,on%20the%20management%20of%20conflicts] - March 4, 2026 6. Cardinal Pizzaballa: Using God's name to justify war is 'gravest sin' [https://www.osvnews.com/cardinal-pizzaballa-using-gods-name-to-justify-war-is-the-gravest-sin/] 7. Pope at Palm Sunday Mass: ‘Jesus does not listen to prayers of those who wage war’ [https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2026-03/pope-leo-xiv-celebrates-palm-sunday-mass-rome.html] 8. Catechism of the Catholic Church – Safeguarding Peace and Avoiding War [https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/__P81.HTM]– see section 2309 for just war criteria 9. Cardinal McElroy says U.S. entry into war with Iran ‘not morally legitimate,’ [https://www.cathstan.org/us-world/in-interview-cardinal-mcelroy-says-u-s-entry-into-war-with-iran-not-morally-legitimate-citing-catholic-just-war-teaching] citing Catholic just war teaching 10. Articles from Catholic commentators supporting the war:  A Cautious Case for the Iran War [https://www.catholicworldreport.com/2026/03/27/opinion-a-cautious-case-for-the-iran-war/] by Philip Primeau and Contra Pope Leo, Catholic Just War Doctrine Supports Iran Strikes [https://providencemag.com/2026/03/contra-pope-leo-catholic-just-war-doctrine-supports-iran-strikes/] by Shannon Walsh & Sean Patrick Calabria 11. The Just War Tradition and the Iran War: A Catholic Examination for American Conservatives [https://www.gooddistinctions.com/p/the-just-war-tradition-and-the-iran] by Will Wright - a Catholic conservative makes the case that the Iran war does not meet just war criteria 12. Pope Leo: The threat against the entire Iranian people is unacceptable [https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2026-04/pope-leo-xiv-appeal-to-journalists-castel-gandolfo-7-april-2026.html#:~:text=Castel%20Gandolfo-,Pope:%20The%20threat%20against%20the%20entire%20Iranian%20people%20is%20unacceptable,And%20this%20is%20truly%20unacceptable]April 7, 2026 13. Statement from Archbishop Paul Coakley [https://www.usccb.org/news/2026/archbishop-coakley-invites-all-join-pope-leo-xivs-vigil-peace-midst-threats-increased], president of the USCCB 14. Podcast website [https://headlinenewsandcatholicsocialteaching.buzzsprout.com] with full transcripts Send me a text or voicemail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2560155/fan_mail/new]

Humanitarian Aid Cuts and Catholic Social Teaching

This episode is about the significant reduction in global humanitarian assistance that started in 2025 and continues into 2026. Here are notes and references: 1. A Generational Collapse [https://www.refugeesinternational.org/reports-briefs/a-generational-collapse-tracking-the-toll-of-trumps-humanitarian-aid-cuts/]: Tracking the Toll of Trump’s Humanitarian Aid Cuts - February 5, 2026 2. Documents reveal scope of Trump’s foreign aid cuts [https://www.politico.com/news/2025/03/26/documents-reveal-scope-of-trumps-foreign-aid-cuts-00252918]- March 26, 2025 3. The Great Aid Recession: 2025’s Humanitarian Crash in Nine Charts [https://www.cfr.org/articles/great-aid-recession-2025s-humanitarian-crash-nine-charts] - Dec 23, 2025 4. The Impact of Foreign Aid Cuts [https://betterworldcampaign.org/impact-of-foreign-assistance-cuts] – Interactive map, country by country summary 5. Update on Lives Lost from USAID Cuts [https://www.cgdev.org/blog/update-lives-lost-usaid-cuts] - December 16, 2025  6. Marco Rubio said no one has died due to U.S. aid cuts. This mom disagrees [https://www.npr.org/sections/goats-and-soda/2025/05/28/g-s1-69186/marco-rubio-usaid-death-sickle-cell-nigeria#:~:text=toggle%20caption,disruptions%20to%20U.S.%20foreign%20aid] 7. US government will let lifesaving aid expire [https://www.theatlantic.com/health/2026/02/trump-state-department-ending-aid-seven-african-countries/686106/]in seven African countries - Feb 22, 2026 8. Catholic Vision for U.S. Humanitarian and Development Assistance 2025 [https://www.usccb.org/resources/catholic-vision-us-humanitarian-and-development-assistance] - US Conference of Catholic Bishops 9. 5 Reasons Why International Humanitarian Aid Matters [https://www.crs.org/our-work/stories/5-reasons-why-international-humanitarian-aid-matters] - August 8, 2025 - Catholic Relief Services 10. Foreign aid from the United States saved millions of lives each year [https://ourworldindata.org/us-foreign-aid-saved-millions]- Sept 29, 2025 - chart showing $ totals and % of Gross National Income of 10 major donor countries in 2023 11. KFF Health Tracking Poll February 2025: The Public’s Views on Global Health and USAID [https://www.kff.org/global-health-policy/kff-health-tracking-poll-february-2025-the-publics-views-on-global-health-and-usaid/] - 5th bullet point at top of article addresses US public misconception of percentage of budget going to aid 12. Podcast website [https://headlinenewsandcatholicsocialteaching.buzzsprout.com] with full transcripts for this episode and all other episodes Send me a text or voicemail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2560155/fan_mail/new]