Declining Birth Rates and Catholic Social Teaching

Christian Nationalism and Catholic Social Teaching

In this episode we look at Christian nationalism and what light Catholic Social Teaching might shed on this convergence of religion and national assertion, and we take a brief look at two recent US Catholic news stories – the consecration of the United States to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the "one nation under God" theme selected by the 2026 National Eucharistic Congress – and ask if either of these stories relate to the idea of Christian nationalism.   Here are notes and references: 1. Commanders Accused of Framing Iran War as Biblical Mandate [https://www.military.com/daily-news/2026/03/03/military-officers-accused-of-framing-iran-war-biblical-mandate.html] 2. At Pentagon Worship Service, Hegseth Casts Iran Conflict as Violent Holy War Against God’s Enemies [https://publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/at-pentagon-worship-service-hegseth] - Brian Kaylor - Mar 25, 2026 3. Pope Leo at Palm Sunday Mass [https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2026-03/pope-leo-xiv-celebrates-palm-sunday-mass-rome.html] - March 29, 2026, Pope Leo decried political leaders who invoke religious beliefs to justify conflicts or nationalist policies [https://www.reuters.com/world/pope-leo-decries-leaders-who-invoke-religion-violence-nationalism-2025-12-18/] - December 18, 2025, and Pope Leo criticized the surge of nationalist political movements in the world [https://apnews.com/article/vatican-pope-leo-nationalism-ca72e6e6b734bd0cadb8f8ea6dfc77b3] - June 8, 2025 4. Article referencing Andrew L. Whitehead and Samuel L. Perry, authors of “Taking America Back for God: Christian Nationalism in the United States,” [https://www.osvnews.com/more-americans-aware-of-christian-nationalism-but-negative-view-of-it-prevails/] published 2020. 5. Review of "Taking America Back for God: Christian Nationalism in the United States," making the case that Christian Nationalism has become the de facto view of Christianity among the general population [https://learn.elca.org/jle/taking-america-back-for-god-christian-nationalism-in-the-united-states-and-andrew-l-whitehead-and-samuel-l-perry/], contributing to the disaffection with real Christianity 6. Quotes from Amanda Tyler [https://baptistnews.com/article/how-to-tell-if-its-christian-nationalism-or-not/?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=325806068&gbraid=0AAAAADhrSZxB6ovmX1ZRLqY4XDXbngjSn&gclid=CjwKCAjw3ejRBhAdEiwADkqPn8Z6sdGNKBeqw9GVC9T9jCsSmk8tpnhMzIcDWVLCj4f3Bqwx3Sdt-xoCEPkQAvD_BwE], executive director of Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty 7. Authentic Christianity vs. Christian Nationalism [https://www.johnwhitsett.com/blog/authentic-christianity-versus-christian-nationalism] - July 2, 2023 - blog of Pastor John Whitsett 8. Against Christian Nationalism: A Catholic Response to Stephen Wolfe [https://thejosias.com/2024/08/19/against-christian-nationalism-a-catholic-response-to-stephen-wolfe/] - August 19, 2024 by Br. Anthony Maria Akerman, O.P. - includes nationalism/patriotism quotes from Pope St. John Paul II and Pope Pius XI 9. From the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church: Principle of the Common Good [https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/justpeace/documents/rc_pc_justpeace_doc_20060526_compendio-dott-soc_en.html#Meaning%20and%20primary%20implications], Principle of the Universal Destination of Goods [https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/justpeace/documents/rc_pc_justpeace_doc_20060526_compendio-dott-soc_en.html#Origin%20and%20meaning], and Principle of Solidarity [https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/justpeace/documents/rc_pc_justpeace_doc_20060526_compendio-dott-soc_en.html#a.%20Meaning%20and%20value] 10. Not feeling celebratory as America turns 250? Read John Courtney Murray’s work [https://www.americamagazine.org/faith-and-reason/2026/06/17/america-250-john-courtney-murray/]- Will Cohen - June 17, 2026 - insight from a theologian who died in 1967 11. America Needs a Better Gospel Than Christian Nationalism [https://www.christianitytoday.com/2026/05/america-christian-nationalism-rededicate-250-revival-washington-dc/] - May 20, 2026 - perspective from evangelical Russell Moore 12. US bishops’ consecration of nation to Sacred Heart of Jesus affirms ‘our reliance on God [https://www.osvnews.com/us-bishops-consecration-of-nation-to-sacred-heart-of-jesus-affirms-our-reliance-on-god/]’ - Kimberley Heatherington - May 13, 2026 13. Why the bishops are consecrating the United States to the Sacred Heart of Jesus [https://www.cathstan.org/voices/why-the-bishops-are-consecrating-the-united-states-to-the-sacred-heart-of-jesus] - Archbishop Thomas G. Wenski - Jun 10, 2026 14. National Eucharistic Congress says use of ‘one nation under God’ is about ‘spiritual renewal’ [https://www.osvnews.com/national-eucharistic-congress-says-use-of-one-nation-under-god-is-about-spiritual-renewal/] - Gina Christian - April 21, 2026 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]

Artificial Intelligence and Catholic Social Teaching

This episode looks at a headline news story that is itself all about Catholic Social Teaching: the publication of Pope Leo the 14th’s first encyclical, “Magnifica Humanitas, or “magnificent humanity,” on safeguarding the human person in the time of artificial intelligence.  It was signed by Pope Leo on May 15 and published on May 25. Here are notes and references: 1. Download and read Magnifica Humanitas online [https://www.humandevelopment.va/en/magnifica-humanitas/l-enciclica.html], listen to an audio recording [https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2026-06/audiobook-of-pope-leo-xiv-s-encyclical-now-available.html] of Magnifica Humanitas, or even download an epub version [https://opusdei.org/en-ph/article/magnifica-humanitas/] for use with reading apps. 2. Watch the Magnifica Humanitas presentation video [https://www.humandevelopment.va/en/magnifica-humanitas/risorse/video.html] (just under 4 minutes) - visual expression of the emotional power of what's at stake 3. Additional Magnifica Humanitas resources from the Vatican [https://www.humandevelopment.va/en/magnifica-humanitas/risorse.html], including infographics, videos and a pastoral kit 4. Video of 6 Catholic leaders discussing Magnifica Humanitas [https://catholicsocialthought.georgetown.edu/events/magnifica-humanitas], from the Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life at Georgetown University (1 hour and 19 minutes) 5. U.S. Bishops Echo Pope Leo’s Concern of AI Use in War [https://www.usccb.org/resources/magnifica-humanitas-and-warfare-age-ai] - June 4, 2026 6. Pope Leo XIV declares the digital age a mission field [https://www.osvnews.com/pope-leo-xiv-declares-the-digital-age-a-mission-field-in-magnifica-humanitas/] in ‘Magnifica Humanitas’ - Ines San Martin - May 26, 2026 7. ‘A Hopeful Document’: Catholic Thinkers on AI Assess ‘Magnifica Humanitas’ [https://www.ncregister.com/news/catholic-thinkers-on-ai-assess-magnifica-humanitas]- May 26, 2026 8. Can Catholics as consumers [https://www.osvnews.com/can-catholics-as-consumers-drive-a-better-ai-future/]drive a better AI future? - Interview with Ron Ivey, a research fellow at Harvard’s Human Flourishing Program and founder of the Noesis Collaborative, a nonprofit focused on steering AI development toward human benefit - May 30, 2026 9. Women Are Being Left Out of the AI Conversation [https://www.ncregister.com/news/feminine-genius-missing-from-ai]: Should We Care? - Solène Tadié - June 3, 2026 10. AI to Gen Z: Young Catholic Job Seekers and Employees Wrestle With the Future of Work [https://www.ncregister.com/news/ai-to-gen-z] - May 29, 2026 11. Why Protestants should read the pope’s encyclical [https://religionnews.com/2026/05/28/why-protestants-should-read-the-popes-encyclical/] - Rev. Michael W. DeLashmutt - May 28, 2026 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]

Response to Gender Legislation Episode

In this episode, my friend and collaborator Stan Werne provides his response to the previous episode on Gender Legislation, which was episode number 10. 1. “Intersex,” The Cleveland Clinic  https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/16324-intersex [https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/16324-intersex] 2. Declaration “Dignitas Infinita,” on Human Dignity https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/bollettino/pubblico/2024/04/08/240408c.html [https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/bollettino/pubblico/2024/04/08/240408c.html] 3. “Four Things Catholics Need to Know About Transgender People,” Luisa Derouen, O.P. https://outreach.faith/2022/07/four-things-catholics-need-to-know-about-transgender-people/ [https://outreach.faith/2022/07/four-things-catholics-need-to-know-about-transgender-people/] 4. “What is it like being Catholic and transgender?” Christine Zuba https://outreach.faith/2025/12/what-is-it-like-being-catholic-and-transgender/ [https://outreach.faith/2025/12/what-is-it-like-being-catholic-and-transgender/] 5. “A transgender Catholic reflects on what keeps her in the church,” Danielle Koutsoufis https://outreach.faith/2025/08/a-transgender-catholic-reflects-on-what-keeps-her-in-the-church/ [https://outreach.faith/2025/08/a-transgender-catholic-reflects-on-what-keeps-her-in-the-church/] 6. “Catholic Tradition Has Always Included Trans People Like Me,” Max Kuzma https://sojo.net/articles/opinion/catholic-tradition-has-always-included-trans-people-me [https://sojo.net/articles/opinion/catholic-tradition-has-always-included-trans-people-me] 7. “Love-in-Truth: Accompanying Those Suffering Gender Dysphoria,” Archbishop Paul S. Coakley https://whatweneednow.substack.com/p/love-in-truth-accompanying-those [https://whatweneednow.substack.com/p/love-in-truth-accompanying-those] 8. “Answers to Several Questions . . .,” Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith (English version) https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_ddf_20231031-documento-mons-negri_en.html [https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_ddf_20231031-documento-mons-negri_en.html] 9. “Pope Francis meets with transgender, intersex and ally Catholics,” Jeannine Gramick, SL https://www.lorettocommunity.org/pope-francis-meets-with-transgender-intersex-and-ally-catholics/ [https://www.lorettocommunity.org/pope-francis-meets-with-transgender-intersex-and-ally-catholics/] 10. 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]

Abortion Laws, a Puzzling Attitude, and Catholic Social Teaching

In this episode we look at recent abortion legislation, Catholic teaching on abortion, and the attitude maintained by some that one can be personally opposed to abortion while at the same time supporting legal access to abortion. Here are notes and references: 1. How Federal and State Abortion Policies Shifted in 2025 [https://www.ncregister.com/cna/how-federal-and-state-abortion-policies-shifted-in-2025-mew1dhf6] 2. Abortion in the United States Dashboard [https://www.kff.org/womens-health-policy/abortion-in-the-u-s-dashboard/] - US map showing current legal status of abortion in each state (from a source that supports abortion) 3. State Funding to Replace Federal Medicaid Funding [https://www.kff.org/womens-health-policy/filling-in-the-gap-in-federal-medicaid-funding-to-planned-parenthood-state-responses/]to Planned Parenthood - Feb 25, 2026 - from a source that supports abortion 4. Abortion in the United States [https://www.guttmacher.org/fact-sheet/induced-abortion-united-states]- March 2026 - data and estimates from a source that supports abortion 5. Abortion pills can be ordered "just in case" they'll be needed in the future [https://www.npr.org/2026/05/21/nx-s1-5827444/abortion-pills-mifepristone-misoprostol-planned-parenthood-advance-provision] - May 21, 2026 6. The reality of the abortion pill [https://www.osvnews.com/the-reality-of-the-abortion-pill/]- May 21, 2026 7. Joint Letter and Catholic Medical Association Paper to the FDA on Mifepristone [https://www.usccb.org/resources/Joint%20Letter%20and%20CMA%20Paper%20to%20FDA%20(2025).pdf] (July 7, 2025) 8. Catechism of the Catholic Church - Respect for Human Life [https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/__P7Z.HTM] - scroll to sections 2270-2275 9. Respect for Unborn Human Life: The Church's Constant Teaching [https://www.usccb.org/issues-and-action/human-life-and-dignity/abortion/respect-for-unborn-human-life] - Fact sheet by the USCCB Committee on Pro-Life Activities 10. Catholic apologist Trent Horn makes the case that Catholics Can’t Be Pro-Choice [https://www.catholic.com/magazine/print-edition/why-catholics-cant-be-pro-choice] - Sept 30, 2025  11. It is possible to be morally pro-life and politically pro-choice at the same time [https://www.upworthy.com/it-is-possible-to-be-morally-pro-life-and-politically-pro-choice-at-the-same-time-rp/]. - Jan 22, 2019 12. Pro-life? Pro-choice? Try being pro-grace instead [https://uscatholic.org/articles/202601/pro-life-pro-choice-try-being-pro-grace-instead/] - Jan 19, 2026 13. 'Personally pro-life' but politically pro-choice? [https://www.mccl.org/post/personally-pro-life-but-politically-pro-choice] - October 2025 14. Why the Arguments about “Bodily Autonomy” and “Forced Birth” Fail to Justify Abortion [https://www.thepublicdiscourse.com/2022/06/82963/] - June 22, 2022 15. Option Line [https://optionline.org/]referral to pregnancy resource centers that don’t refer for abortion 16. 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]

Response to Birthright Citizenship Episode

In this episode, my friend – and now collaborator – Stan Werne provides his response to the recent episode on Birthright Citizenship.  If you haven’t already done so, you’ll probably want to listen to that episode, which was episode 13,  before you listen to Stan’s response.  It’ll make a lot more sense that way. Stan references some of the notes from Episode 13 in his comments, and so those notes are repeated here for convenience. 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 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]