Headline News and Catholic Social Teaching

Tom Mulhern
  • 4.5 (2)
  • CHRISTIANITY

A brief look at specific stories in the news through the lens of Catholic Social Teaching.

Episodes

  1. 3D AGO

    Assisted Suicide Legislation and Catholic Social Teaching

    This episode is about growing support for the legalization of assisted suicide, both in the United States and worldwide, and what Catholic Social Teaching has to say about this news story.   Here are references and additional resources. 2025 Saw Expanded Access to Physician-Assisted Suicide.  National Catholic Register article 12/29/2025Catholic bishops speak out as New York governor pledges to sign into law assisted suicide  EWTN article 12/17/2025Most Americans Favor Legal Euthanasia  Gallup polling article 8/8/2024American support for euthanasia based on ‘false dichotomy,’ Catholic researcher says 8/13/2024 article in response to Gallup poll article referenced aboveMedical Aid In Dying Is Not Assisted Suicide, Suicide or Euthanasia  Online article from a proponent of “Medical Aid in Dying” that objects to the term “Assisted Suicide”Oregon Death With Dignity 2024 Annual ReportCatechism of the Catholic Church – scroll down to sections 2276-2283Samaritanus Bonus (Good Samaritan) letter issued in 2020 by the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, on the care of persons in the critical and terminal phases of life. It’s Not Your Life, It’s Not Your Death, It’s Not Your Choice - Bishop Robert Barron article January 4, 2024Is Canada ‘Killing Itself’ With Doctor-Assisted Suicide?  September 2025 summary article in Religion Unplugged (no subscription required) and full article in The Atlantic (subscription required)Podcast website with full transcripts for this episode and all other episodes

    13 min

  2. JAN 21

    Intervention in Venezuela and Catholic Social Teaching

    This episode is about the US military intervention in Venezuela that involved the capture of the now-former Venezuelan president, Nicolas Maduro, and his wife, Cilia Flores, and how this news story looks from the perspective of Catholic Social Teaching.  Here are references and additional resources. Maduro raid killed about 75 in Venezuela, U.S. officials assess  January 6, 2026Rubio briefs lawmakers on 'threefold process' for Venezuela  January 7, 2026Vatican news release on January 4, 2026, with Pope Leo’s comments at Angelus and (scroll down the page) appeal from Venezuelan BishopsThe Latin American and Caribbean Episcopal Council (CELAM) expresses solidarity with the Church in Venezuela January 6, 2026Venezuela strikes, takeover plans violate international law, says Notre Dame scholar  January 4, 2026Unjust War Theory: When Law Enforcement Becomes Moral Insanity – pointed assessment of US intervention in Venezuela by a Catholic commentator and professor of finance at Benedictine CollegeJust War Theory and the Venezuela Invasion – assessment by an Anglican who is a retired professor of systematic theology and ethicsPope Leo’s address to the Vatican diplomatic corps on January 9, 2026.  Here is the Vatican news release summarizing the Pope’s comments, and here is the full text of his remarks Quotations from pastoral letters and papal encyclicals from the past century regarding peace and non-violence Podcast website with full transcripts for this episode and all other episodes

    12 min

  3. JAN 7

    Death Penalty Executions and Catholic Social Teaching

    This episode is about the death penalty and executions carried out in the United States in 2025, and what Catholic Social Teaching has to say about this news story.  Here are references and additional resources. The Death Penalty in 2025 article from the Death Penalty Information CenterState By State Death Penalty Map from the Death Penalty Information CenterFlorida Catholic bishops urge Gov. DeSantis to stay two executions Our Sunday Visitor News articleDeath Penalty: Catholic Q & A from the US Conference of Catholic Bishops2018 Revision of the Catechism of the Catholic Church section 2267 bulletin from the Holy See Press OfficeEVANGELIUM VITAE  Pope St. John Paul II 1995 Encyclical on the Value and Inviolability of Human Life – scroll down to section 56Pope St. John Paul II – Additional Statements on the Death PenaltyPope Benedict XVI: End the Death Penalty  November 30, 2011 general audiencePope Leo XIV Calls Support for the Death Penalty ​‘Not Really Pro-Life’EWTN News Poll: Majority of US Catholics Support Death Penalty Despite CatechismCatholic Mobilizing Network is a national organization that works with Catholics and all people of goodwill to end the death penalty

    12 min

  4. 12/24/2025

    Bombing Suspected Drug Boats and Catholic Social Teaching

    This episode is about U.S. military strikes on boats off the coasts of Venezuela and Colombia, and what Catholic Social Teaching has to say about this unfolding news story.   Here are references and additional resources. At least 104 people have been killed in a total of 28 strikes on alleged drug boats, according to the Trump administration. ABC News  December 19, 2025U.S. Strikes Three Boats in the Pacific, Raising Legal and Evidentiary Questions About a Militarized Drug War – Article on Military.com 12/17/2025PRESS RELEASE | The Bishops of the AEC express deep concern over the military build-up in the Southern Caribbean 10/25/2025Bishops in Puerto Rico warn of ‘possible escalations’ in a US-Venezuela war  Catholic News Agency 12/2/2025Venezuela’s Catholic Church Emerges as Last Moral Authority as Maduro Regime Tightens Grip  Gaudium Press 11/17/2025Pope Leo calls for dialogue as US builds up military presence on Venezuelan coast  Our Sunday Visitor News 11/5/2025Pope Leo urges against US incursion of Venezuela  CNN 12/2/2025Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio, J.C.D.  Statement on Caribbean Interceptions  December 3, 2025Catechism of the Catholic Church – Safeguarding Peace and Avoiding War – Paragraphs 2302 to 2317, with paragraph 2309 spelling out the criteria for a just warBishop Robert Barron and Just War Theory  January 29, 2021  Engaging summary of just war theory in a 12 minute videoHow to contact the White House with a message for the President or the Vice President: – online form with comment section  https://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/ – write a letter to:  The White House, 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20500 – call:  Comments: 202-456-1111 How to contact your U.S. Senator or U.S. Congressperson: Go to  https://www.congress.gov/members/find-your-member , enter your home address, and it will pull up names and contact information for your senators and congressperson

    13 min

  5. 12/10/2025

    Immigration Enforcement and Catholic Social Teaching

    This episode takes a look at the immigration enforcement story that has filled a lot of headlines in the United States in 2025.  Here are references and additional resources. U.S. Bishops Special Message on Immigration  Full text of the Bishops’ Special Message“Protecting The American People Against Invasion”  White House document that lists Executive Orders and other actions launching the immigration enforcement actions of the Trump AdministrationA New Era of Immigration Enforcement  Describes drop in migrant encounters at the border, increase in migrant detention activities in the interior.DHS Removes More than Half a Million Illegal Aliens From US  Release Date: October 27, 2025  Press release from US Department of Homeland Security“No Kings” Protests October 18, 2025   News coverage of the event5% of People Detained By ICE Have Violent Convictions, 73% No Convictions  Analysis of recent ICE dataPope Francis to U.S. bishops: Dignity of migrants comes first  “Rightly formed conscience” referenceBig Budget Act Creates Deportation Industrial Complex    Budget analysisYou Are Not Alone  Ways for Catholics to support immigrantsImmigration Reform and The Church  Thoughtful and thorough review of the involvement of the Catholic Church in immigration reform efforts over the past several decades

    14 min

  6. 12/02/2025

    Refugee Admissions and Catholic Social Teaching

    This episode is about the suspension of the Refugee Admissions Program in the United States.  I’m going to outline the news story as it has unfolded in 2025, and then see what Catholic Social Teaching has to say. Here are references and resources:  Executive Order  Presidential Suspension of the Refugee Admissions Program - 01/20/2025News Item from Our Sunday Visitor News  Trump Administration Terminates U.S. Bishops Refugee Resettlement ContractWeb page with news timeline provided by the International Rescue Committee  Refugee Assistance Program Suspension Impact on RefugeesSolidarity   Information from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops website, including references to Scripture and Catholic Social Teaching.Common Good and Community  Quotations from Church teaching provided by the Office for Social Justice of the Archdiocese of St Paul and Minneapolis MNExecutive Order  Presidential Determination on Refugee Admissions for Fiscal Year 2026 - 10/31/2025Online Interview with Criminologist Regarding Immigrants and Crime  Data is clear that immigrants don’t increase crime in the United States, expert saysOnline Article from the Wilson Center  Net Positive: New Government Study Finds Refugees and Asylees Contributed $123.8 Billion to the US Economy From 2005-2019How to contact the White House with a message for the President or the Vice President: – online form with comment section  https://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/ – write a letter to:  The White House, 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20500 – call:  Comments: 202-456-1111 How to contact your U.S. Senator or U.S. Congressperson: Go to  https://www.congress.gov/members/find-your-member , enter your home address, and it will pull up names and contact information for your senators and congressperson

    15 min

  7. 11/30/2025

    Introduction

    The purpose of this episode is to introduce the podcast series.  I’ll provide an overview of what this podcast is all about and the approach that it will take, to give you an idea of what to expect from upcoming episodes. Helpful notes and references for this episode (links underlined): US Conference of Catholic Bishops Overview of Catholic Social Teaching  Great place to start if you’re new to the idea of Catholic Social Teaching.Key Principles of Catholic Social Teaching  This is a very helpful online resource from the Office for Social Justice of the Archdiocese of St Paul and Minneapolis MN.  Scroll down the page for an extensive “Frequently Asked Questions” section about Catholic Social Teaching.Catholic Social Teaching 101 is a collaborative 7-part video and discussion guide series presented by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) and Catholic Relief Services on Catholic social teaching principles. The videos highlight the core Catholic Values and inspire us to put our faith into action.The Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church  This is a comprehensive Vatican document published in 2004.  It is not light reading.  However, if you want a deeper dive into Catholic Social Teaching up to 2004, you’ll find it here.  The Church's social doctrine has continued to develop since 2004, and more recent teachings are found in later papal documents and revisions to other foundational documents like the Catechism of the Catholic Church.Tom Mulhern LinkedIn Profile

    8 min
  • 7 Episodes

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A brief look at specific stories in the news through the lens of Catholic Social Teaching.

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