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Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
All the Things to Know About the Pope—and Things You Don't
The life of Robert Prevost, now Pope Leo XIV, came into focus Friday as the world digs into the past of the first American leader of the Catholic Church. Leo, 69, grew up on Chicago's South Side and had a childhood like many Americans before he moved up the church ranks. He was ordained a priest in 1982 after joining the Order of St. Augustine, and he spent two decades as a missionary in Peru. Now he's possibly the most famous man in the world. Here are some things to know about him. A longtime family friend of Leo described him as a 'die-hard' Chicago White Sox fan who even attended a World Series game in 2005, the last time the franchise won a championship. He was photographed at the World Series game wearing a Sox jersey and smirking as he held a cellphone to his ear. His older brother, John Prevost, corrected erroneous reports, including one from ABC News, that emerged Thursday claiming the pope was a fan of his hometown's other MLB team, the Chicago Cubs. 'He was never, ever a Cubs fan,' Prevost clarified. 'So I don't know where that came from. He was always a Sox fan.' The pope even took time out of his busy first hours to clear up the confusion, with The Washington Post reporting he texted the Augustinian friar Joseph Farrell a one-word answer when asked about his fandom: 'Sox.' The National Catholic Reporter reported that Leo has Spanish, Italian, French, and African-Creole ancestry, with his mom's side descending from a Black community in New Orleans. Citing U.S. Census records, the outlet said his mother, Mildred Martínez, was the mixed-race daughter of Black property owners in New Orleans who moved to Chicago in the early 20th century. Joseph Martínez, his grandfather on his mother's side, was reportedly born in Haiti, and his grandmother, Louise Baquié, was a Creole. Leo has not spoken publicly about his ancestry, but the National Catholic Reporter writes that it may lead to him being known as the 'first Black pope in the history of the Catholic Church.' John Prevost, Leo's older brother, said the new pope is the youngest of three who had a 'normal childhood' together. They were raised Catholic by a school superintendent father and a school librarian mother in Chicago's Dolton neighborhood. John Prevost, a 71-year-old retired Catholic school principal, told the Daily Herald he always desired a career in education while their eldest sibling, Louis, wanted to join the military. Leo, meanwhile, 'knew he was going to be a priest from the time he could walk,' John Prevost said. Others recognized that Leo was 'papabile' early on, too. 'A neighbor once said he was going to be pope someday,' Prevost said. 'How's that for a prognostication?' Records show Leo voted in Republican primaries in 2012, 2014, and 2016, but only voted in the general elections in 2018 and 2024. Matt Knee, the chief data officer at conservative data science firm Pulse Decision Science, told the Daily Beast the pope's voting record fits the profile of a 'former or Never Trump-type ex-Republican.' His recent social media posts back up that theory, as Leo recently criticized Vice President JD Vance by name on his X account and reshared a post critical of President Donald Trump. 'JD Vance is wrong,' Leo posted in February. 'Jesus doesn't ask us to rank our love for others.' His brother John Prevost further confirmed Leo's beliefs in an interview with The New York Times on Friday. 'I know he's not happy with what's going on with immigration,' Prevost said. 'I know that for a fact. How far he'll go with it is only one's guess, but he won't just sit back. I don't think he'll be the silent one.' Leo is the first American pope, but Vatican insiders say his path to the papacy was partly because he was the 'least American' of the 10 U.S. cardinals eligible to vote for the next pontiff. This description first emerged in the Italian newspaper La Repubblica, which noted Leo had extensive experience outside the U.S. and is perceived as having a softer, more globalized approach than his American counterparts. Leo was not among the favorites to emerge as pope entering the conclave, as much of the world, including bookmakers and Vatican experts, projected it would be either the Filipino Luis Antonio Tagle or one of the well-known Italian cardinals, like Pietro Parolin, Pierbattista Pizzaballa, or Matteo Zuppi. CNN's Vatican correspondent Christopher Lamb said this week that the late Pope Francis 'respected' Leo 'and thought of him very highly.' Francis appointed Leo to be a cardinal in 2023, assigning him the title Diaconate of Saint Monica. 'Clearly Pope Francis saw in him something—he saw him as a capable leader,' said Lamb, who added that Leo came across as 'a very thoughtful person, a very measured person.' Other Francis supporters have pointed to Leo's victory—and the speed with which it was reached—as proof that Francis left the church united. 'It is clear from the speed with which Pope Leo's election was done that Pope Francis had left the church more united than naysayers would give him credit for,' the British Cardinal Arthur Roche told CNN. Leo speaks English, Spanish, French, Italian, and Portuguese, and can read Latin and German, according to the National Catholic Reporter. That will allow him to speak the native tongue of most of the 1.4 billion Catholics worldwide, whom he is now tasked with leading. The pope showcased his language skills in his first address at the Vatican, speaking to a massive crowd at St. Peter's Square in Spanish and Italian, but not English. He delivered a Mass on Friday in English, Spanish, and Italian, however, and is sure to continue showing off his polyglot prowess. A native English speaker, of course, Leo likely perfected his Spanish while working as a missionary for two decades in Peru, a South American nation he became a dual citizen of in 2015. The pope is a Wildcat. In 1977, Leo graduated from Villanova University, a Catholic institution in Philadelphia known for the success of its men's basketball team, with a bachelor's degree in mathematics. That would be the end of his formal STEM studies, however. Leo went on to earn a 'Master of Divinity' from Catholic Theological Union in Chicago in 1982, the same year he was ordained a priest. He also earned licentiate (1984) and doctorate (1987) degrees in canon law from the Pontifical College of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome. Leo's brother John Prevost told the Daily Herald that he explicitly advised his brother not to choose the name Leo if he won the papal election. The reasoning, Prevost explained, was his own misrecollection of Vatican history. 'He said, 'What should my name be?'' Prevost said, recalling a call he had with Leo on the eve of the conclave. 'We started rattling off names just to rattle off names. I told him it shouldn't be Leo because it will be the 13th. But he must've done some research to see it's actually the 14th.' Leo told the Augustinian Order after he became a cardinal in 2023 that, even in his late 60s, he plays tennis when he can find the time. 'I consider myself quite the amateur tennis player,' he said. 'Since leaving Peru I have had few occasions to practice, so I am looking forward to getting back on the court [laughs]. Not that this new job has left me much free time for it so far.'
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Pope Leo Snubs JD Vance After Inaugural Mass
Pope Leo XIV spurned JD Vance on Sunday, offering him a quick greeting after his inaugural mass while holding extensive private meetings with other world leaders. The first American pope shook Vance's hand during a brief, 17-second exchange during the procession line after the mass. Leo met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Peruvian President Dina Ercilia Boluarte Zegarra on Sunday after celebrating his inaugural Mass, which included world leaders from Canada, Italy, Germany, and other European Union officials in the audience. The snub comes after the pope subtly criticized Vance and the Trump administration during his sermon, which has expelled and terrorized migrants and prompted seizing foreign land and resources, including Greenland. 'In this our time, we still see too much discord, too many wounds caused by hatred, violence, prejudice, the fear of difference, and an economic paradigm that exploits the Earth's resources and marginalizes the poorest,' Leo said on Sunday. The White House did not respond to an immediate request for comment on whether Vance sought a longer meeting or whether one was in the works. Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio were set to meet with other European leaders on Sunday, including Zelensky. Before he became Pope Leo, Father Robert Prevost reposted multiple posts that took aim at Vance's complicity in the Trump administration's draconian immigration policies. He reposted a National Catholic Reporter op-ed with the title 'JD Vance is wrong: Jesus doesn't ask us to rank our love for others,' and he shared other op-eds that highlighted the plight of migrants deported to El Salvador. Vance side-stepped the criticism in an interview with Hugh Hewitt earlier this month. 'I try not to play the politicization of the Pope game,' he said. Vance's history with pontiffs while vice president has not been bright. Pope Francis criticized Vance's defense of the immigration crackdown in a February letter to Catholic bishops, which Vance lodged on religious grounds. 'The act of deporting people who in many cases have left their own land for reasons of extreme poverty, insecurity, exploitation, persecution or serious deterioration of the environment, damages the dignity of many men and women, and of entire families, and places them in a state of particular vulnerability and defenselessness,' he wrote. Vance said in February he wouldn't litigate 'about who's right and who's wrong,' and he later met with Francis on April 20 at the Vatican, where the Pope received the vice president for a brief private meeting and presented him with gifts. Francis died the next day. Still, Vance has tried to mend his ties with Catholic leadership. He visited Pope Francis' tomb on Saturday, posting on X that he was 'praying for the repose of his soul.' 'He was beloved by many Catholics around the world,' he said.
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Pope Leo XIV's inauguration Mass: What to know about the official start of the US native's papacy
VATICAN CITY — Global dignitaries and faith leaders from around the world will gather in Vatican City on Sunday as Chicago-born Pope Leo XIV presides over his inauguration Mass, which will officially mark the beginning of his ministry as the 267th pontiff. Robert Francis Prevost, a 69-year-old Augustinian missionary raised in south suburban Dolton, made history May 8 when he was elected as the first American-born pope in the Catholic Church's 2,000-year history. The spiritual leader of some 1.4 billion Catholics worldwide, Pope Leo XIV began his term with a message of unity and bridge-building, urging prayer 'for the whole Church, for peace in the world.' Here's what to know about the pope's upcoming inaugural Mass: The liturgical service is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. in Rome, 4 a.m. ET. The Mass will be celebrated at St. Peter's Square in front of St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City. Designed by famed Italian sculptor and architect Gian Lorenzo Bernini in the 17th century, the landmark square is known for its iconic elliptical colonnades, which symbolize embracing the faithful. EWTN Global Catholic Television Network plans to livestream the Mass. American dignitaries include Vice President JD Vance, who will lead a U.S. delegation to the inauguration Mass. Vance, who converted to Catholicism in 2019, will be joined by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who is also Catholic, and second lady Usha Vance. International leaders scheduled to attend include Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. The event is free to the public and tickets aren't required. While it's hard to predict how many people will arrive, the crowd at the inaugural Mass of predecessor Pope Francis in 2013 was estimated at 150,000 to 200,000. The new pope is expected to be presented with the official symbols of his papacy. The pallium, a liturgical vestment made of wool from lambs raised by Trappist monks, symbolizes the pope's role as the shepherd of the faithful; the pope's pallium is worn on the shoulders, fastened with three pins resembling the nails of the cross, according to the National Catholic Reporter. The Fisherman's Ring, also known as the Piscatory Ring, represents the pope's connection to St. Peter; the ring is smashed or broken after a pontiff's death. There's no set end time. The inaugural Mass for Pope Francis lasted roughly two hours.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
What you'll see on the pope's personal X account — and why it matters
A version of this article was first published in the State of Faith newsletter. Sign up to receive the newsletter in your inbox each Monday night. Soon after Pope Leo XIV emerged on the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica on Thursday, my husband sent me a screenshot of his X account. At first, I didn't believe the picture was real — Did the new pope really share an article from National Catholic Reporter, the same National Catholic Reporter that I regularly read? I was amazed to realize that the Catholic Church had just reached a historic milestone: For the first time, it had selected a pope who used X before he was pope. Pope Benedict XVI started using what was then called Twitter in 2012 with an official @Pontifex account. Pope Francis inherited that account and used it with the help of communications advisers over the past 12 years. (He didn't use computers on his own, per The Washington Post.) According to X, Robert Prevost (@drprevost) joined the social media site in August 2011. His bio reads, 'Católico, agustino, Obispo,' referring to his religion, his Catholic order and one of his past roles in the church (bishop.) In recent years, he hasn't posted that often, but what's on his page is raising more than a few eyebrows. That's primarily because of the political nature of his posts. He's shared several articles and quotes that criticize the first and second administrations of President Donald Trump. Count that National Catholic Reporter article among them. It's titled, "JD Vance is wrong: Jesus doesn't ask us to rank our love for others," and explores tensions between the vice president and Catholic leaders over the Trump administration's approach to immigration. Over the past few years, Pope Leo also shared several updates about his predecessor, including calls for prayer for Pope Francis during his hospitalization in February and March, and commentary on challenges affecting Christians around the world. President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance did not reference Pope Leo's social media activity in their statements on his election. But other conservatives did, including Laura Loomer, who criticized Pope Leo's posts and called him a 'Marxist puppet,' according to NBC News. As of Tuesday afternoon, the @drprevost account remains active on X and has more than 530,000 followers. The @Pontifex account, used by Pope Francis and Pope Benedict before him, says it's been archived. But the @Pontifex account on X is expected to be active again soon. The Vatican announced Tuesday morning that Pope Leo will use it, along with a new papal account on Instagram. 'The content published by Pope Francis (on X) will be archived on a special section of the Holy See's institutional website,' the Vatican said. Why studying spirituality is harder than you think Catholic leaders have picked a new pope — and he's American What Trump said about the first American pope An AI-generated image of Trump as pope prompted criticism. Here's how Trump responded A lawsuit seeks to limit access to abortion pills. The Trump administration wants it dismissed You've heard of eminent domain. What about seizing a church to build a soccer field? What's in a name? In the Catholic Church, quite a bit. A new pope's name choice is generally understood to signify what type of pope he wants to be. By choosing to be Leo XIV, Cardinal Robert Prevost was telling the world that he is focused on the church's social justice teachings, according to Religion News Service. 'The last pope of this name, Leo XIII, reigned as the world had been transformed by the Industrial Revolution. He set the church on the path of defending the working classes and calling for a more just economy. Leo XIII set the foundation upon which other popes and the Second Vatican Council built what is today's Catholic social teaching,' the article said. The new Pope Leo confirmed that he wanted to continue the work of Pope Leo XIII when meeting with cardinals on Saturday. The rise of artificial intelligence creates many of the same ethical challenges as were seen during the Industrial Revolution, he said, per The New York Times. Then, during his first Sunday blessing as pope, Pope Leo showed that his heart is with suffering people when he called for peace in Ukraine, as well as in India, Pakistan and Gaza. 'I carry in my heart the sufferings of the beloved Ukrainian people,' he said, per Religion News Service. 'Let everything possible be done to achieve genuine, just and lasting peace as soon as possible.' Pope Leo XIII and Pope Leo XIV are also linked by their unique relationships to major changes in the media landscape, as I discovered while researching my intro about the new pope's X account. While the current Pope Leo was the first to join X before becoming pope, Pope Leo XIII was the first pope to appear on film. He reigned from 1878 to 1903. I loved this story angle from The New York Times: Reporters visited Catholic churches with direct ties to Pope Leo to speak with worshippers about one of their own becoming the pope. Catholic leaders and the Justice Department are fighting back against a new law in Washington state that would require priests to break the seal of confession to report child abuse to secular law enforcement. The Justice Department has called the law 'anti-Catholic' and the Archdiocese of Seattle has said it will excommunicate priests who comply, per CBS News. The legal settlement between Yeshiva University officials and members of an LGBTQ student club has fallen apart less than two months after it was announced, according to New York Jewish Week. Officials at the Jewish school will no longer recognize the club, although students say it won't disband. Former Supreme Court Justice David Souter died on Thursday at age 85. I spent part of Friday reading about his legal legacy, including discussions of why he ended up in the court's liberal wing after being appointed by a Republican president. 'If his footprints through the court's various doctrinal fields were not particularly evident, there was no dispute about the fact that his vote mattered. Even as the court became more conservative and polarized, liberals managed to eke out some important victories, most by votes of 5 to 4, which would not have been possible had he turned out to be the justice that many conservatives assumed him to be at the time of his nomination,' read his obituary in The New York Times. Thanks to Pope Leo and The Athletic, I now know that the Vatican has a tennis court.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Pope Shades Trump With Call for End to His Favorite Pastime
Pope Leo XIV used his first papal press conference to call for an end to the kind of aggressive and divisive rhetoric favored by President Donald Trump and his administration. 'We do not need loud, forceful communication, but rather communication that is capable of listening and of gathering the voices of the weak who have no voice,' the pontiff told about 1,000 international journalists gathered at the Vatican. Speaking in Italian, he invited the audience to 'disarm communication of all prejudice and resentment, fanaticism and even hatred.' 'Let us free it from aggression,' the 69-year-old continued. The newly elected pontiff didn't mention Trump or the U.S. government, but his words were deeply relevant to the administration's communication style. The president is famous for demeaning nicknames and late-night tirades packed full of insults against people with whom he disagrees, while his surrogates regularly appear on TV to threaten and insult anyone who challenges their boss. The night before Leo's speech, Trump wrote on social media that the 'Crooked Democrats' were 'World Class Losers!!!' after lawmakers expressed concerns about the president's plan to accept a $400 million Boeing jet as a gift from Qatar. Top administration officials such as Attorney General Pam Bondi and Deputy White House Chief of Staff Stephen Miller have also attacked the president's perceived adversaries. After federal judges nationwide—including the Supreme Court—issued rulings upholding due process for migrants, Bondi called the judges 'deranged' and threatened to arrest them. Miller ranted that a cabal of 'communist judges' were trying to 'shut down the machinery of our national security apparatus.' Before he was chosen as Pope Francis' successor on Thursday, Leo had criticized both Trump's rhetoric and his immigration policies. Last month, he shared a social media post calling out Trump and El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele for laughing together in the Oval Office over El Salvador's agreement to house U.S. immigration detainees in Bukele's notorious CECOT mega prison. In February, the then-Cardinal Robert Prevost shared an op-ed from the National Catholic Reporter titled, 'JD Vance is wrong: Jesus doesn't ask us to rank our love for others.' He also shared a Washington Post editorial in 2015 arguing that Trump's anti-immigrant rhetoric was 'problematic.' Making his first speech from the Vatican balcony last week, Leo told an ecstatic crowd gathered in St. Peter's Square, 'We must seek together to be a missionary church, a church that builds bridges, dialogue.' The speech was deeply reminiscent of Francis' famous insistence that society needs to 'build bridges, not walls.' When Trump announced his plans for a southern border wall during his first term, Francis said that anyone who thought of only building walls and not bridges 'is not Christian.' During Monday's papal audience, Leo blasted 'loveless languages that are often ideological or partisan' and called for communication that 'does not use aggressive words, does not follow the culture of competition.' 'Peace begins with each one of us: in the way we look at others, listen to others and speak about others,' he said. 'We must say 'no' to the war of words and images. We must reject the paradigm of war.' Trump, for his part, can't wait to meet the new pope. 'It is such an honor to realize that he is the first American Pope,' he wrote last week in a Truth Social post 'What excitement, and what a Great Honor for our Country. I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV. It will be a very meaningful moment!'
