Cardinal Dolan, Part 1: Honoring Pope Francis & the Hope He Leaves Behind
Martha initially went to Rome on a pilgrimage to honor the Jubilee Year — a sacred trip that she and roughly 200 other people from the Archdiocese of New York were invited on by Pope Francis. None of them expected that, days after arrival, they would be paying their final respects to the man who played a pivotal role in the Catholic Church.
Cardinal Timothy Dolan joins Martha to reflect on the life of Pope Francis and celebrate the hope and vitality that lives in the Church, even during this period of mourning. They also discuss the upcoming conclave; a topic Martha and Cardinal Dolan will speak about in depth on Friday's episode of The Untold Story.
Follow Martha on X: @MarthaMacCallum
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Miami Herald
12 hours ago
- Miami Herald
Are Pope Leo's ancestors from Cuba? Genealogy researchers in Miami think so
It has become an old joke in the Cuban-American community to note that Cubans seem to be everywhere. And so, when Pope Leo was elected to lead the Catholic Church and traces of his rich heritage began to emerge, including an ancestor who had been born in Havana, a Cuban genealogist in Miami rushed to figure out if this was just an isolated case or, if, by any chance, the first American Pope had Cuban roots. As it happened, the pope has several generations of Cuban ancestors. Robert Francis Prevost, the American cardinal who became Leo XIV after Pope Francis' death in April, was born in Chicago to a father with Italian and French ancestors and a mother with French, Canadian and Black heritage. But there was much more. The Cuban Genealogy Club of Miami tracked several generations of Cuban ancestors on his mother's side, dating back to the 17th Century, who themselves descended from Spanish and Italian families. In total, five generations in the pope's family tree on his mother's side were connected to Cuba, starting with Diego de Arana Isla, a Spanish captain who settled in Havana as an accountant for the Spanish Crown, and Juan Gonzalez Vazquez, a settler who farmed animals on land he owned in Pinar del Río in western Cuba. A century later, one of their descendants, Manuel José Ramos y Bastos, born in Havana in 1755, would travel to the United States and marry María Catalina Guesnon, a woman from New Orleans. He is one of the great-grandfathers of the pope's great-grandmother, Marie Rosa Pantaleón Ramos. The findings were first published by Mirelis Peraza, one of the Genealogy Club's directors, who said she was immediately curious when she learned about Ramón y Bastos' existence from another researcher who had traced the pope's roots in New Orleans. 'I was surprised, I didn't think I'd ever heard that there would be a pope with Cuban roots, and I made a mental note,' Peraza said. Then she found one of the surnames already linked to the pope in sources she was consulting to establish her family's own genealogy. From there, things went fast. Lourdes del Pino, the club's first vice president, picked up where Peraza left off and found Diego de Arana Isla's Spanish ancestors in the 1500s, 15 generations back in the pope's family tree. She also identified the Italian ancestors of Diego's Spanish wife, Ana Tadino, who lived in the Duchy of Milan, now part of Italy, at the time under Spanish rule. Their findings were reflected in the fascinating pope's family tree recently published in The New York Times. The Club, which has collaborated in the past with PBS's show 'Finding Your Roots,' once again partnered with Harvard University professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. for the Times story. The pope's family tree 'is the perfect representation of the Americas,' said Del Pino. 'What fascinates us and we are delighted with is the diversity that the pope's genealogy has shown. An impressive diversity that the vast majority of Hispanics carry.' Del Pino said she had been surprised at how much ancient relatives traveled around the world. 'Spending two months on a ship? I'd go crazy, but for them, it was part of their lives,' she said. 'Once you start researching, you realize people in those times moved around much more than we thought.' Overcoming challenges Researching Cuban genealogy presents particular challenges, given the limited availability of digitized sources and Cuban government restrictions on accessing archives. But Peraza had a stroke of luck when she found out many of the records she was looking for were in one of the few early historical sources still available: a rare book of marriages that took place in the late 1600s and early 1700s at the Iglesia del Espírito Santo (Church of the Holy Spirit), Havana's second Catholic church. 'One of the things we have against us is that many of those books have been damaged over time; they are no longer available,' Peraza said. 'We were lucky that the pope's ancestors we found were all concentrated in the same area, that of the Church of the Holy Spirit, and coincidentally, almost everything fell into the same book, which luckily still survives.' The researchers' good fortune continued. Because Diego de Arana Isla wanted to become a knight of the Order of Santiago, a highly prestigious and selective appointment at the time, he underwent a thorough background check that was documented and is available in digital archives from Spain, making it easier for Del Pino to locate his ancestors. Diego became, in fact, a knight of the Order of Santiago in 1678. 'His service record and list of merits depict 40 years of devout service to the crown with multiple military and administrative posts throughout the colonies,' Peraza wrote. He died in Cuba in 1684. Incidentally, Diego's sister Catalina, whose children were born in Venezuela, would become the great-great-grandmother of Antonio José de Sucre, one of Latin America's independence leaders. The Aranas came from Isla, a small village in Cantabria in northern Spain. Diego's father, Diego de Arana Valladar, was born in 1595 and lived an adventurous life as the captain of a galleon in the Spanish Royal Navy, defending Portuguese settlements in the Caribbean and South America from Dutch corsairs, said Marial Iglesias, a Cuban historian and Harvard University researcher who collaborated on the Times story. (Portugal and Spain were united for about 60 years until 1640.) A final mystery As the surnames of the ancestors began to pop up, Iglesias realized that there is a chance the pope's Cuban ancestors might be connected to one of the most iconic places in Havana: La Plaza de la Revolución, or Revolution Square, where Pope Jean Paul II and Pope Francis had held mass during historic trips to the island. The landmark, topped with a massive obelisk and a statue of José Martí, Cuba's independence hero and most famous writer, was built under Fulgencio Batista's government in the 1950s as the 'Civic Plaza' in an elevation known as the Catalans' Hill. But in the past, that spot had a curious name: Loma de Tadino, or Tadino's Hill. 'I haven't had time to find out why it's called Loma de Tadino, but that's a very rare surname. The family lived in Cuba for generations, and it could have been their property,' Iglesias said. 'Imagine if the pope's Italian branch of the family, who moved to Cuba in the 1600s, gave name to the place where the statue of José Martí stands. How about that?'
Miami Herald
2 days ago
- Miami Herald
How many US adults have connections to Catholicism? What new survey finds
Catholics make up one of the largest religious groups in the United States — more than any Protestant denomination — and many who don't identify with the faith still said they have a personal or family connection to it, according to a new survey. Nearly half of Americans, 47%, said they have a relationship to the Catholic faith, with 20% identifying as Catholic, 9% identifying as a 'cultural Catholic' and 9% saying they are a former Catholic, according to a June 16 Pew Research Center study. Another 9% of respondents said they were connected to Catholicism in different ways — either having a Catholic parent or partner or having attended Mass, the survey found. 'Catholicism's roots in the United States run deep,' researchers said. The survey of 9,544 U.S. adults, including 1,787 Catholics, took place Feb. 3 to 9 — prior to the hospitalization of the late Pope Francis — and has a margin of error of plus or minus 1.3 percentage points. While 50% of Americans who identify as Catholic said they pray daily, 40% said they 'seldom or never attend Mass,' according to the survey. Twenty-eight percent of Catholics said they go to Mass at least weekly, per the poll. A plurality of Catholics, 47%, said they never go to confession, compared with 23% who said they go at least once a year, the survey found. A small number of U.S. adults, 1.5%, are converts to Catholicism, according to the survey, which found this group sometimes observes the faith at higher rates than those born into it. Thirty-eight percent of people who have converted to Catholicism attend Mass weekly, 10 percentage points higher than people who were born into the faith, the survey found. What do Catholics see as essential to their religious identity? Researchers also asked Catholics about the essentials of religious identity. A personal relationship with Jesus Christ ranked first on the list, with 69% of Catholics believing this was an important part of their faith, according to the survey. Fifty percent of Catholics said devotion to the Virgin Mary was important and 47% said helping the poor and needy was essential to their religious identity, the survey found. Opposing abortion, taking care of the environment and caring for immigrants also showed up on the list of essentials, at 32%, 31% and 30%, respectively, according to the survey. Pilgrimages were the least important to Catholic identity, at 9%, according to the survey.
Associated Press
3 days ago
- Associated Press
Do You Have to Be Catholic to Go to a Catholic School in Australia?
06/16/2025, New York City, New York // KISS PR Brand Story PressWire // As a parent, you always want to provide the best for your kids, especially when it comes to their education. You're likely looking for a school that not only prioritises academic excellence but also encourages students to make a positive impact in the community. The good news is that such values can be found in Page and Kaleen Primary School, affiliated with the Catholic Church. Given that the institution is rooted in the Catholic faith, many parents who are non-Catholic question whether their kids will get accepted to the school. This blog will cover all the relevant information that will answer your question. Do you need to be Catholic to attend a Catholic school? Catholic schools welcome all students who wish to benefit from their strong educational programs. While students of all backgrounds are encouraged to apply, those of the Catholic faith are given priority in the enrolment process. Being Catholic isn't a requirement. What truly matters is your willingness to embrace and support the values that guide the school's approach to education, values rooted in Catholic principles. The school welcomes enthusiastic learners and sees families as active partners in the educational journey. For both Catholic and non-Catholic families, the school is an ideal place to navigate academic challenges, contribute to the community, and be part of an educational culture that values kindness and respect. What benefits will the kids gain from studying in a Catholic school? The teaching doesn't revolve only around sacramental ceremonies, but it is also about guiding children to grow into Christ-like individuals. Therefore, the essential traits of Christ are incorporated into the teaching, such as love, kindness, accountability, and discipline. If you're Catholic, this school offers a nurturing environment where your child can grow both academically and spiritually. Through regular Mass with their peers and daily prayer sessions, they'll have opportunities to deepen their understanding of the faith. Catholic schools are recognised for their strong focus on academic excellence and educational freedom. Unlike public schools, which follow a standardised national curriculum, Catholic institutions offer greater flexibility in how subjects are taught. Students receive a solid foundation in core areas such as literature, social studies, and foreign languages, while also having the opportunity to explore and deepen their interests in subjects they're truly passionate about. Enrolling your kid in a Catholic school increases the chances of them attending a top university because they develop strong study habits and discipline. As a result, the chance of admission to a prestigious institution is higher. The teachers constantly encourage students to improve essential abilities such as innovation, analytical thinking, and problem-solving. These will be a strong foundation for achieving their goal in the future. Catholic schools are known for encouraging community involvement and have integrated programs into the curriculum that teach the value of volunteerism and helping others. This approach helps students to become more compassionate, more aware of those around them, and more likely to take part in meaningful social initiatives. The involvement of parents in their children's school life plays a vital role in their overall development and academic success. When parents take an active interest, students tend to feel more supported and motivated. Research shows that children whose parents are engaged in their education often perform better in class, show improved behaviour, and develop stronger study habits. This partnership between home and school creates a positive learning environment that encourages students to reach their full potential. Nurturing faith through education Religious education is a core part of the Catholic school curriculum. It supports students in developing their spirituality by guiding them in prayer, understanding the sacraments, participating in liturgy, and exploring scripture. Students are also encouraged to reflect on moral and ethical issues through the lens of Catholic teachings, helping them apply faith-based values to real-world situations. A well-rounded Catholic education focuses on shaping character, nurturing a sense of compassion, and encouraging students to demonstrate values that reflect the example of Christ. Will the students struggle at school if they are not Catholic? Although the institution is rooted in the Catholic faith, it places an exceptional value on respect and consideration for others, resulting in a disciplined atmosphere that promotes effective learning. Not only does it create an excellent academic system, but it also fosters a secure, friendly, and supportive community. If they face difficulties during learning or with their peers, they will be strongly advised to communicate this to the professional counsellor at school. The Catholic school creates a strong network of support, bringing together the pastoral care team and teaching staff to ensure that sensitive issues are addressed with care, respect, and understanding. Conclusion Kaleen and Page Primary School rooted in Catholic faith, offers many advantages to children and parents. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to the school's administration team. They will guide you through what the school offers and how it can support your child's growth. Original Source of the original story >> Do You Have to Be Catholic to Go to a Catholic School in Australia?
