Story by DPA International
• 1d •
The newly elected Pope Leo XIV (C), the American Robert Prevost, appears on the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican after the Papal Conclave. Oliver Weiken/dpa© DPA International
In his first mass as the new leader of the Catholic Church on Friday, Pope Leo XIV warned materialism and cautioned that losing one's faith can have "dramatic side effects."
These include finding that "the meaning of life is lost, mercy is forgotten, human dignity is violated in the most dramatic ways, the crisis of the family and many other wounds from which our society is suffering significantly," he said, speaking in Italian.
The comments came one day after Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost was announced as the first US pontiff, with white smoke emerging from the Sistine Chapel chimney after four rounds of voting in the papal conclave.
Now Pope Leo XIV, he presided over the first mass as leader of the world's 1.4 billion Catholics on Friday morning, flanked by cardinals in the Vatican's Sistine Chapel.
Leo was clad in a long white robe and wearing a traditional mitre. He wore dark shoes, not the red shoes worn by many previous popes, which his predecessor Francis had also eschewed.
The 69-year-old said faith is regarded as something "absurd," as something for "weak and unintelligent people."
Faith is often replaced by other things such as technology, money, success, power and pleasure, he said.
He added that the figure of Jesus Christ is often seen merely as a "charismatic leader or superhuman." This, he said, was effectively a form of atheism.
Related video: Pope Leo XIV holds first mass as leader of the Catholic Church (cbc.ca)US pope considered a centrist
Chicago-born Leo, 267th pontiff in two millennia of Church history, is considered a centrist who does not shy away from criticizing politics. US President Donald Trump was among the first to congratulate him, calling it a "great honor" for the United States.
However Prevost had repeatedly criticized the policies of the Trump administration. Before his appointment as a cardinal, he spent many years as a missionary and bishop in Peru, where he also holds citizenship.
There is much anticipation about whether he will continue the cautious reform course of the Argentinian Francis - or be deferential to conservative cardinals who want a more traditional direction. In Europe, the Catholic Church has recently seen a significant decline in membership, driven by numerous abuse scandals. However, the number of Catholics is growing on other continents.
No immediate changes
Leo has decided to temporarily keep the current heads of the Vatican's key offices and institutions in their positions, the Holy See said on Friday. He has also not yet decided whether he will reside in the Apostolic Palace like previous popes. Francis lived for 12 years in a relatively modest apartment in the Vatican guesthouse Santa Marta.
Reactions keep coming
Following his Thursday's election, congratulations poured in from around the world and the well wishes continued on Friday.
"I believe we have found the right candidate," German Cardinal Rainer Maria Woelki told Domradio, a German-Catholic broadcaster based in Cologne, where Woelki is archbishop. He was one of three German cardinals eligible to vote.
Woelki pointed out Leo's extensive pastoral experience in Peru, saying the new pope is therefore familiar with different worlds and can be "a bridge builder."
Woelki said Leo's election after only four rounds of voting is "a very good indicator" that the Church hierarchy is behind him.
"There are not the major divisions and differences that were being talked about."
In Moscow, the Russian Foreign Ministry hopes Russia's exchange with the Vatican will continue under the new pope.
"We value the constructive cooperation with the Vatican in resolving a number of humanitarian issues in the context of the conflict in Ukraine," the ministry said in a statement published on its website.
The relationship is based on a mutual commitment to "traditional spiritual and moral values" and a similar approach to issues of global development and the establishment of a just world order, the Russian ministry said.
Leo's predecessor, pope Francis had repeatedly called for peace in Ukraine, which Russia invaded more than three years ago.
In March, the former pontiff said the underdog, meaning Ukraine, must have the courage to negotiate, a statement that drew criticism worldwide, as some saw it as suggesting Kiev capitulate.
Relations between Russian Orthodox Church and the Catholic one have not always been smooth, with the Russian Church accusing Catholics of trying to proselytize Russians for years.
In 2016, the first ever meeting was held between the Patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church, Kirill I and Francis, the pope then.
Busy days ahead
The new pontiff has a packed schedule for the coming days, including an expected appearance at around midday on Sunday on the balcony of St Peter's Basilica for the traditional Regina Coeli prayer.
Pope Leo is to be inaugurated on May 18 with a mass in St Peter's Square, the Vatican said later, in a ceremony due to take place at 10 am (0800 GMT) next Sunday in the Vatican. The first of his weekly general audiences is planned for May 21.
Pope Leo XIV says choice of name reflects social commitment
By AFP
May 10, 2025
Pope Leo XIV addressed cardinals two days after being elected the 267th leader of the Catholic Church - Copyright AFP Money SHARMA
Pope Leo XIV said Saturday he intended to follow his predecessor’s path as pontiff, praising Francis’s “complete dedication to service” and explaining his name choice reflected a commitment to social causes, according to the Vatican.
Addressing a meeting of cardinals two days after being elected the 267th pope, Chicago-born Robert Francis Prevost said a pontiff was “a humble servant of God and of his brothers and sisters, and nothing more than this”.
Describing himself as Saint Peter’s “unworthy Successor” in one of his first addresses as pontiff, Leo praised Francis’s dedication “to (the) sober simplicity of life”.
“Let us take up this precious legacy and continue on the journey, inspired by the same hope that is born of faith,” he said, according to a transcript of his speech to the College of Cardinals published by the Vatican.
The first leader of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics to come from the United States, the new pope also said he chose to be called Leo XIV as a homage to Leo XIII, a 19th-century pontiff who defended workers’ rights.
“I chose to take the name Leo XIV” because his late namesake “addressed the social question in the context of the first great Industrial Revolution”.
Today, the Church’s social teaching is needed “in response to another Industrial Revolution and to developments in the field of artificial intelligence that pose new challenges for the defence of human dignity, justice and labour,” Leo added.
In his first homily as pope Friday, Leo urged the Church to restore the faith of millions, warning that a lack of faith often went hand-in-hand with “the loss of meaning in life, the neglect of mercy, appalling violations of human dignity, the crisis of the family and so many other wounds that afflict our society.”
The Augustinian, who was made cardinal by Francis in 2023, it not a globally recognised figure although he had been on many Vatican watchers’ lists of potential popes ahead of the conclave.
Over the coming days his actions and words will be closely scrutinised.
On Sunday, he will address the faithful once again from the balcony of St Peter’s Basilica, giving the Regina Coeli prayer.
He plans to meet with foreign diplomats to the Vatican next week and on May 18 he will preside over his inauguration mass at St Peter’s Square, which is expected to draw world leaders and thousands of pilgrims.
‘You’re gonna be the Pope,’ Leo XIV’s brother recalls telling him
By AFP
May 9, 2025
Louis Prevost, brother of newly elected Pope Leo XIV, Robert Prevost, thinks his brother's papacy will be able to unite the Catholic Church, attract more faithful and make the world a more peaceful place - Copyright AFP CHANDAN KHANNA
Gerard MARTINEZ
Louis Prevost is still reckoning with what just happened in his family.
His little brother, Robert Francis Prevost, is now Pope Leo XIV, the first American pope in the Catholic Church’s history, an incredible fate for a boy from Chicago who dreamt of becoming a priest.
“We knew from a very early time, maybe when he was five or six, he was going to be a priest. There was no doubt in my mind,” Prevost, 73, told AFP from his home in Port Charlotte, Florida.
“When we played games, as kids, he liked to play priest a lot. I thought: ‘what the heck? Priest?’
“He bought Necco wafers, little candy discs, and he’d pretend those were communion and give it to all our friends the yard,” Prevost recounted with a smile.
“We were teasing him when he was six years old: ‘you’re gonna be the Pope.’ And he didn’t like that.”
On Thursday, after white smoke billowed out of the chimney of the Sistine Chapel, Prevost recalled feeling nervous because he felt the cardinal chosen to be pope would be his brother.
He turned on the TV, trying to calm down during the prolonged wait got the announcement.
When Cardinal Dominique Mamberti said his brother’s name at the Vatican, Prevost burst with joy.
“I was in the bed, sitting down. It’s good thing I was because I probably would have fallen over,” Prevost said.
“When I thought: ‘My brother’s the Pope. You’re kidding me.’ My mind was blown out of this world, it was crazy, ridiculous. So excited.”
– ‘Out of reach’ –
Now with the initial excitement subsiding, he is left wondering how his youngest brother’s new role might affect their personal relationship.
“This could be bad for the family. Will we ever see him again? Will we ever get to talk to him like brothers again? Or will it have to be all official? How are you Holy Father, blah, blah, blah. It opens up a lot of questions,” Prevost said.
“He’s still there, but he’s out of reach. We can’t just pick up the phone and call him. Now it’s got to be really special when you get to call the Pope,” he added.
Prevost hopes his other brother, John, will be able to give him some answers when he visits Rome from their hometown of Chicago.
He thinks his brother’s papacy will be able to unite the Catholic Church, attract more faithful and make the world a more peaceful place.
“Whether he has the ability to settle, like the Gaza thing or the Russia and Ukraine conflict, who knows? But I’ve seen him take two warring parties and make peace in five minutes between them,” Prevost said. “He’s got a gift to communicate to people and make them open their eyes.”
He also hopes having an American pope will revitalize the Catholic Church in the United States.
“When he comes to America, he’s going to speak English, not Latin or Spanish or Italian,” Prevost said.
“People will understand what he’s saying. They’ll see him, they’ll realize he’s one of us.”
By AFP
May 10, 2025
Pope Leo XIV addressed cardinals two days after being elected the 267th leader of the Catholic Church - Copyright AFP Money SHARMA
Pope Leo XIV said Saturday he intended to follow his predecessor’s path as pontiff, praising Francis’s “complete dedication to service” and explaining his name choice reflected a commitment to social causes, according to the Vatican.
Addressing a meeting of cardinals two days after being elected the 267th pope, Chicago-born Robert Francis Prevost said a pontiff was “a humble servant of God and of his brothers and sisters, and nothing more than this”.
Describing himself as Saint Peter’s “unworthy Successor” in one of his first addresses as pontiff, Leo praised Francis’s dedication “to (the) sober simplicity of life”.
“Let us take up this precious legacy and continue on the journey, inspired by the same hope that is born of faith,” he said, according to a transcript of his speech to the College of Cardinals published by the Vatican.
The first leader of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics to come from the United States, the new pope also said he chose to be called Leo XIV as a homage to Leo XIII, a 19th-century pontiff who defended workers’ rights.
“I chose to take the name Leo XIV” because his late namesake “addressed the social question in the context of the first great Industrial Revolution”.
Today, the Church’s social teaching is needed “in response to another Industrial Revolution and to developments in the field of artificial intelligence that pose new challenges for the defence of human dignity, justice and labour,” Leo added.
In his first homily as pope Friday, Leo urged the Church to restore the faith of millions, warning that a lack of faith often went hand-in-hand with “the loss of meaning in life, the neglect of mercy, appalling violations of human dignity, the crisis of the family and so many other wounds that afflict our society.”
The Augustinian, who was made cardinal by Francis in 2023, it not a globally recognised figure although he had been on many Vatican watchers’ lists of potential popes ahead of the conclave.
Over the coming days his actions and words will be closely scrutinised.
On Sunday, he will address the faithful once again from the balcony of St Peter’s Basilica, giving the Regina Coeli prayer.
He plans to meet with foreign diplomats to the Vatican next week and on May 18 he will preside over his inauguration mass at St Peter’s Square, which is expected to draw world leaders and thousands of pilgrims.
‘You’re gonna be the Pope,’ Leo XIV’s brother recalls telling him
By AFP
May 9, 2025
Louis Prevost, brother of newly elected Pope Leo XIV, Robert Prevost, thinks his brother's papacy will be able to unite the Catholic Church, attract more faithful and make the world a more peaceful place - Copyright AFP CHANDAN KHANNA
Gerard MARTINEZ
Louis Prevost is still reckoning with what just happened in his family.
His little brother, Robert Francis Prevost, is now Pope Leo XIV, the first American pope in the Catholic Church’s history, an incredible fate for a boy from Chicago who dreamt of becoming a priest.
“We knew from a very early time, maybe when he was five or six, he was going to be a priest. There was no doubt in my mind,” Prevost, 73, told AFP from his home in Port Charlotte, Florida.
“When we played games, as kids, he liked to play priest a lot. I thought: ‘what the heck? Priest?’
“He bought Necco wafers, little candy discs, and he’d pretend those were communion and give it to all our friends the yard,” Prevost recounted with a smile.
“We were teasing him when he was six years old: ‘you’re gonna be the Pope.’ And he didn’t like that.”
On Thursday, after white smoke billowed out of the chimney of the Sistine Chapel, Prevost recalled feeling nervous because he felt the cardinal chosen to be pope would be his brother.
He turned on the TV, trying to calm down during the prolonged wait got the announcement.
When Cardinal Dominique Mamberti said his brother’s name at the Vatican, Prevost burst with joy.
“I was in the bed, sitting down. It’s good thing I was because I probably would have fallen over,” Prevost said.
“When I thought: ‘My brother’s the Pope. You’re kidding me.’ My mind was blown out of this world, it was crazy, ridiculous. So excited.”
– ‘Out of reach’ –
Now with the initial excitement subsiding, he is left wondering how his youngest brother’s new role might affect their personal relationship.
“This could be bad for the family. Will we ever see him again? Will we ever get to talk to him like brothers again? Or will it have to be all official? How are you Holy Father, blah, blah, blah. It opens up a lot of questions,” Prevost said.
“He’s still there, but he’s out of reach. We can’t just pick up the phone and call him. Now it’s got to be really special when you get to call the Pope,” he added.
Prevost hopes his other brother, John, will be able to give him some answers when he visits Rome from their hometown of Chicago.
He thinks his brother’s papacy will be able to unite the Catholic Church, attract more faithful and make the world a more peaceful place.
“Whether he has the ability to settle, like the Gaza thing or the Russia and Ukraine conflict, who knows? But I’ve seen him take two warring parties and make peace in five minutes between them,” Prevost said. “He’s got a gift to communicate to people and make them open their eyes.”
He also hopes having an American pope will revitalize the Catholic Church in the United States.
“When he comes to America, he’s going to speak English, not Latin or Spanish or Italian,” Prevost said.
“People will understand what he’s saying. They’ll see him, they’ll realize he’s one of us.”
No comments:
Post a Comment