The legacy of Pope Francis is in the ‘eye of the beholder' and will be debated ‘for years'
Catholic News Network Vatican Correspondent Colm Flynn comments on the legacy of Pope Francis, saying it is in the 'eye of the beholder'.
'A legacy is in the eye of a beholder, and people much smarter than I will debate this for years,' Mr Flynn said.
'On one hand, you know, he did focus a lot on the environment, now as Christians we believe we do have a responsibility to look after this gift from God, we have to be good stewards of this land.
'The Pope always reached out to the LGBT community, he made it more welcoming and more accepting, on one hand, but then on the other hand, he said just last year, that gender ideology was the greatest evil of our time.'
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The Advertiser
6 days ago
- The Advertiser
Leo, the first US Pope, criticises nationalist politics
Pope Leo has criticised the emergence of nationalist political movements, calling them unfortunate, without naming a specific country or national leader. Leo, the first Pope from the US, asked during a mass with a crowd of tens of thousands in St Peter's Square that God would "open borders, break down walls (and) dispel hatred". "There is no room for prejudice, for 'security' zones separating us from our neighbours, for the exclusionary mindset that, unfortunately, we now see emerging also in political nationalisms," said the pontiff. Leo, the former Cardinal Robert Prevost, was elected on May 8 to succeed the late Pope Francis as leader of the 1.4-billion-member church. Before becoming pontiff, Prevost was not shy about criticising US President Donald Trump, sharing numerous disapproving posts about Trump and Vice President JD Vance on X in recent years. The Vatican has not confirmed the new Pope's ownership of the X account, which had the handle @drprevost, and was deactivated after Leo's election. Francis, Pope for 12 years, was a sharp critic of Trump. The late Pope said in January that the president's plan to deport millions of migrants in the US during his second term was a "disgrace". Earlier, Francis said Trump was "not Christian" because of his views on immigration. "A person who thinks only about building walls, wherever they may be, and not building bridges, is not Christian," Francis said when asked about Trump in 2016. Leo was celebrating a mass for Pentecost, one of the church's most important holidays. Pope Leo has criticised the emergence of nationalist political movements, calling them unfortunate, without naming a specific country or national leader. Leo, the first Pope from the US, asked during a mass with a crowd of tens of thousands in St Peter's Square that God would "open borders, break down walls (and) dispel hatred". "There is no room for prejudice, for 'security' zones separating us from our neighbours, for the exclusionary mindset that, unfortunately, we now see emerging also in political nationalisms," said the pontiff. Leo, the former Cardinal Robert Prevost, was elected on May 8 to succeed the late Pope Francis as leader of the 1.4-billion-member church. Before becoming pontiff, Prevost was not shy about criticising US President Donald Trump, sharing numerous disapproving posts about Trump and Vice President JD Vance on X in recent years. The Vatican has not confirmed the new Pope's ownership of the X account, which had the handle @drprevost, and was deactivated after Leo's election. Francis, Pope for 12 years, was a sharp critic of Trump. The late Pope said in January that the president's plan to deport millions of migrants in the US during his second term was a "disgrace". Earlier, Francis said Trump was "not Christian" because of his views on immigration. "A person who thinks only about building walls, wherever they may be, and not building bridges, is not Christian," Francis said when asked about Trump in 2016. Leo was celebrating a mass for Pentecost, one of the church's most important holidays. Pope Leo has criticised the emergence of nationalist political movements, calling them unfortunate, without naming a specific country or national leader. Leo, the first Pope from the US, asked during a mass with a crowd of tens of thousands in St Peter's Square that God would "open borders, break down walls (and) dispel hatred". "There is no room for prejudice, for 'security' zones separating us from our neighbours, for the exclusionary mindset that, unfortunately, we now see emerging also in political nationalisms," said the pontiff. Leo, the former Cardinal Robert Prevost, was elected on May 8 to succeed the late Pope Francis as leader of the 1.4-billion-member church. Before becoming pontiff, Prevost was not shy about criticising US President Donald Trump, sharing numerous disapproving posts about Trump and Vice President JD Vance on X in recent years. The Vatican has not confirmed the new Pope's ownership of the X account, which had the handle @drprevost, and was deactivated after Leo's election. Francis, Pope for 12 years, was a sharp critic of Trump. The late Pope said in January that the president's plan to deport millions of migrants in the US during his second term was a "disgrace". Earlier, Francis said Trump was "not Christian" because of his views on immigration. "A person who thinks only about building walls, wherever they may be, and not building bridges, is not Christian," Francis said when asked about Trump in 2016. Leo was celebrating a mass for Pentecost, one of the church's most important holidays. Pope Leo has criticised the emergence of nationalist political movements, calling them unfortunate, without naming a specific country or national leader. Leo, the first Pope from the US, asked during a mass with a crowd of tens of thousands in St Peter's Square that God would "open borders, break down walls (and) dispel hatred". "There is no room for prejudice, for 'security' zones separating us from our neighbours, for the exclusionary mindset that, unfortunately, we now see emerging also in political nationalisms," said the pontiff. Leo, the former Cardinal Robert Prevost, was elected on May 8 to succeed the late Pope Francis as leader of the 1.4-billion-member church. Before becoming pontiff, Prevost was not shy about criticising US President Donald Trump, sharing numerous disapproving posts about Trump and Vice President JD Vance on X in recent years. The Vatican has not confirmed the new Pope's ownership of the X account, which had the handle @drprevost, and was deactivated after Leo's election. Francis, Pope for 12 years, was a sharp critic of Trump. The late Pope said in January that the president's plan to deport millions of migrants in the US during his second term was a "disgrace". Earlier, Francis said Trump was "not Christian" because of his views on immigration. "A person who thinks only about building walls, wherever they may be, and not building bridges, is not Christian," Francis said when asked about Trump in 2016. Leo was celebrating a mass for Pentecost, one of the church's most important holidays.
News.com.au
6 days ago
- News.com.au
World Pride 2025: ‘I'm a target' – Fear for Trump's next move
'Absolutely there's fear,' US military veteran Dr Elijah Nichols told 'Anyone who says there's not fear is not in touch with reality or chooses not to observe what's happening. 'The fear is present; the fear is real'. The people feeling that fear are trans Americans. Who, along with vast numbers of other members of the LGBT community, have descended on Washington DC this weekend for World Pride. It's perhaps the biggest LGBT event in the world. And, somewhat awkwardly, it's happening right under the nose of Donald Trump, who has been vocal in admonishing trans people since the moment of his inauguration. 'I am scared because I don't know what the end game is for Trump – I don't know where this will all lead,' Taylor Lianne Chandler, a board member of the Capital Pride Alliance, the organiser of World Pride, told 'He's made trans people enemy number one – which is bizarre since we're less than 1 per cent of the population'. The fear isn't just swirling around people's heads; it manifests itself in the very visible presence of multiple security guards in a Washington DC hotel. They're guarding the World Pride human rights conference. That would have been unthinkable last year. But since Donald Trump came back into the Oval Office, organisers have said they have been forced to beef up their safety plans, concerned anti-LGBT violence could occur. World Pride worries Like the Olympics, different global cities bid to hold World Pride every two years. In 2023, it was Sydney's turn. The US capital was awarded World Pride in 2022. Back then, it was a very different political climate. LGBT-friendly Joe Biden was in the White House which was lit in rainbow colours for Pride. Then vice president Kamala Harris marched in 2021's DC Pride. Then Donald Trump turned up, and everything changed. Just last week, in an apparently calculated move to coincide with Pride, US defence secretary Pete Hegseth reportedly 'ordered' a US ship named after gay navy veteran and LGBT campaigner Harvey Milk be renamed. But the Trump White House's ire has been particularly focused on trans Americans. On the campaign trail, Mr Trump pledged to 'stop the transgender lunacy' and called health care for young gender dysphoric people as 'child abuse'. The administration has stopped allowing people who have transitioned to change their gender on official documents, it's attempting to kick trans people out of the military and move trans women into male prisons. A trans congresswoman, Sarah McBride, has repeatedly been called 'Mr' by Republicans. Mr Trump has had an effect on World Pride too. When Sydney hosted, the Opera House was illuminated in rainbow colours, and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese joined the parade as it crossed the Harbour Bridge. The White House's response to Pride, World or otherwise, could not be more muted. While Mr Trump has recognised June's National Ocean Month, he's said nothing about June's Pride Month. It feels deliberate. In Washington, the Kennedy Arts Centre – which Mr Trump is now chair of – cancelled any events associated with World Pride. Although fears the government might try, somehow, to ban or hamper World Pride have not come to pass. Several corporates – including consultants Booze Allen Hamilton and auditors Deloitte – have pulled funding from World Pride apparently wary of upsetting the White House. Overseas visitors are fewer than expected. 'World Pride is more important in 2025 than a Pride has ever been in my lifetime,' said Dr Nichols, who is a director for the National Trans Visibility March. 'We're seeing the intentional attempt of erasure for trans folks.' Genuine fears, he said, that people could be attacked during World Pride 'has led some (trans) folks to stay home'. 'I'd shake Trump's hand' But, Dr Nichols added, 'If Donald Trump wandered by,' 'I would greet him and shake his hand'. 'After that, I'd say 'you just shook the hand of a trans man' – and he probably wouldn't have known. 'I would tell him I have a family, I have dedicated 25 years to the military, I love this country and I hope that one day he realises he is taking the country in the wrong direction'. Dr Nichols, who rose to the rank of lieutenant colonel, fears he could now lose access to health care through the veterans department due to being trans. He has little time for Mr Hegseth claiming he is 'unqualified' for the role of defence chief. 'There is no data that says trans folks serving impacts our readiness level. 'Hegseth's perspectives put the country at greater risk than trans people serving'. 'Why does Trump hate us so much' Miss Trans USA Beyonce Black St James, from Spokane in Washington state, has been a guest of honour at World Pride. 'I was a little concerned being so close to this gentleman who just despises us,' she admits to 'How can this leader hate us so much when we love our country? 'This is the land of the free but he's trying to take our freedom'. Heartbreaking conversation because of Trump Within the extremes of the Republican Party and the dark corners of social media, the abhorrence for trans people seems almost visceral. Both Dr Nichols and Ms Chandler said they hadn't experienced direct bigotry since Mr Trump came to office. But, they said, that is likely down to them 'passing' – essentially not appearing to be trans. However, Damien Serrato, who has been crowned Mx Trans USA, a gender-neutral accolade, told they had received hate for their gender. It's forced them to have 'serious conversations' with their mum and friends about safety. 'Nobody wants to hear this, but I'm a target. God forbid something were to happen to me. 'But at the same time, I can't let fear rule my heart'. Ms Chandler, from Virginia, said the trans pile on was a distraction to 'blindside Americans' as the government 'took away benefits'. 'That's what politicians have always done, but never to the magnitude as under the Trump administration.' Most Americans, she said, 'didn't really care' either way about trans people – but the MAGA fringes were being whipped up into a rage. 'The rhetoric they put out there is not true. We're not predators or groomers. There's nothing to back that up. 'I have a husband, blue nose pitbull dog and two kids. My life is just normal, boring even. 'Since Caitlyn Jenner came out, no one can say they don't know a trans person – even if she's not a voice for the community'. Dr Nichols said he wanted to see the whole LGBT community – the lesbians, gays and bisexuals too – step up to defend trans Americans. He cautioned it could be them next, after trans people. 'I definitely believe that it will the LGB too – and sooner rather than later. For Ms St James, this weekend is a chance to protest and party even harder. 'I love that we're all here in his face, taking up space, letting him know were not going nowhere,' she said. 'And I hope it makes them nervous, as much as I've been made to feel nervous. 'I hope it makes them sit back and realise there's a lot of us. 'You're just gonna have to deal with it. And if you can't deal with it, why don't you take yourself to your room and take a nap'.
ABC News
6 days ago
- ABC News
WorldPride Washington DC strikes a protest note on Donald Trump's doorstep
About a mile from the home of a president who has been rolling back LGBT rights, popular drag queen Gottmik is firing up a crowd of fans in Washington. "Sometimes it feels like a lot," she tells the crowd at the 'Drag is Not a Crime' event, part of the WorldPride festival. "Every day you wake up and your own government is trying to shut you the f--- down and tell you that you're not a person. "WorldPride being in DC could not have come at a better time. Now it's our time to fight." Washington DC was chosen as host city for the biennial festival — a cluster of LGBT+ parties, conferences and parades — well before last year's re-election of Donald Trump. But his presence in the White House has sent a strong fight-the-government theme running through all its events. On day one of his presidency, Mr Trump ordered government agencies to start recognising only two unchangeable sexes, including on official documents like visas and passports. Subsequent orders have sought to ban trans people from the military, block funds for gender-affirming care for people under 19, and shut down diversity and inclusion programs across all arms of government. Many Republican states have taken the policies further. The president even effectively installed himself as the chair of Washington's Kennedy Centre, known as the nation's premier performing arts venue, and declared an end to drag performances "targeting our youth". The political backdrop has generated a very different vibe to the previous WorldPride event in Sydney in 2023, which the Australian government used to announce millions of dollars in funding for LGBT+ organisations. "It couldn't be a starker contrast," said Monash University human rights law professor Paula Gerber, who attended both events. "Sydney was a celebration. We were really rejoicing in how far we'd come with human rights protection "Here, there's no celebration. This is a call to action. This is realisation of how quickly our rights can be wound back." The political environment has also discouraged corporate sponsors from continuing to back pride events in the US. Several big ones have pulled out of WorldPride this year, and others have asked for their logos to be removed from signage. The Marriott Hotel group asked for banners to be changed so they no longer said "presented by Marriott", according to a report in the Washington Post. But the Marriott has continued to host the festival's human rights conference, just 500 metres from the White House, with keynote speeches and panels examining the state of play for LGBT rights around the world. The administration said it was defending women's rights and protecting "freedom of conscience" with its changes to transgender policy. "Efforts to eradicate the biological reality of sex fundamentally attack women by depriving them of their dignity, safety, and well-being," the White House order said. White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt this week said there were "no plans" for it to recognise Pride Month. Illinois Republican Mary Miller introduced a resolution to Congress to instead recognise June as "Family Month" to "reject the lie of 'Pride' and instead honour God's timeless and perfect design". Some speakers at WorldPride voiced fears the political rhetoric around LGBT rights was spurring hate crimes against the community. Media advocacy group GLAAD said it had tracked more than 900 anti-LGBTQ incidents in the US between May last year and March this year, and said many more incidents have likely gone unreported. They included violent attacks resulting in 84 injuries and 10 deaths. "For so many of us in this time right now, there's this very real sense of fear," GLAAD's senior manager of news and research, Sarah Moore, said. "This sense of distress, this sense of worry, is really heightened right now around Pride with that attention on our community." The three-week festival is wrapping up this weekend with a street parade, a party on the National Mall and a two-day music festival headlined by Melbourne pop star Troye Sivan and US singer Jennifer Lopez. Attendance numbers are not yet available, but hotel bookings for the opening and closing weekends were down compared to the same time last year. The city had initially expected 3 million people to visit for WorldPride, but organisers later halved that estimate. "We anticipated bookings to be much higher at this time for WorldPride and do know that the climate, the concern for folks internationally to travel to the United States is real," Ryan Bos, the executive director of organising body Capital Pride Alliance, told NPR. Professor Gerber told conference attendees they should consider "boomerang advocacy" to keep up the fight for rights in the US. That is where local human rights advocates harness overseas groups and global institutions to increase pressure on repressive regimes. "It's a strategy that's used when the government in a country is too hostile for local LGBTI activists to safely advocate for reform," she told the ABC. "I never in a million years thought that I'd be coming to America to talk to Americans about using boomerang advocacy."
