Lodi-area religious and political leaders pay respects to Pope Francis
"Today, we join with people across San Joaquin County and around the world in mourning the passing of Pope Francis," San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors chair Paul Canepa said. "As the leader of the Catholic Church, he was a powerful voice for compassion, dignity, and justice. His humility, warmth, and unwavering commitment to the poor and marginalized resonated far beyond religious boundaries. For the many Catholics in our community and for countless others of all faiths, his legacy of kindness, service, and humanity will continue to inspire. May he rest in peace."
Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Argentina, Pope Francis was the church's first Latin American pontiff, appointed to the post in 2013.
Taking his name from St. Francis of Assissi, he was also the first pope from the Jesuit Order and the first born or raised outside of Europe since the eighth century Syrian pope Gregory III. The Vatican said Pope Francis died of a stroke that put him into a coma and led to heart failure.
Bishop Marion Cotta of the Stockton Diocese asked those in local Catholic congregations to remember Francis in their prayers during the Octave of Easter.
"Let us keep him and the Church in our prayers during this Easter Season," Cotta said. "May his soul and the souls of all the faithful departed rest in peace."
The Cathedral of the Annunciation, located at 400 W. Rose St. in Stockton, hosted a bilingual Rosary, Divine Mercy Chaplet, and Mass beginning on Monday evening.
The diocese said parishes throughout the county were planning special services to honor Francis, but details were not available at press time.
In a social media post Monday, St. Mary's High School in Stockton said students were able to meet Francis during a European excursion to St. Peter's Square in Vatican City several years ago.
"In the summer of 2018, student representatives from Saint Mary's waited patiently for hours to share a blessed moment with our beloved Pope Francis," the school said. "It was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience for members of our Ram Family."
Bishop Jaime Soto of the Sacramento Diocese said he remembered the day Bergoglio stepped out on St. Peter Basilica's balcony as pope. Before imparting his first apostolic blessing, Soto said Francis asked the crowds of the piazza, as well as those watching online, to pray for him.
"What followed was a stillness — a calm — that may have encircled the globe," Soto said. "We were one Church united in prayer for the newly elected Holy Father as he began his pilgrimage of hope."
Soto encountered Francis several months afterward during World Youth Day in Rio de Janeiro, where he spoke about Jesus planting the seed of his word into the hearts of the young.
"He asked the boisterous multitude to be quiet, to let the seed go deep into their souls, and let Jesus speak to their hearts," Soto said. "The rowdy rustling of the youthful crowd took on the stillness of sacred sanctuary, with only the soft rhythmic murmurs of the waves lapping on the sands. Everyone waited for the word of Jesus to speak to them."
In a statement issued Monday, Gov. Gavin Newsom said Francis led with his love of peace and creation, and sought to protect and lift up the vulnerable.
"He championed human dignity, especially that of the poor, called the world to urgent climate action, condemned the death penalty, and confronted painful truths — including the Church's role in the genocide of Indigenous peoples," Newsom said. "His papacy was characterized by moral courage, a profound respect for all creation, and a deep conviction in the transformative power of love to heal and unite. As we mourn His Holiness, we honor him by choosing to believe that a better world is possible through grace and kindness, and through fellowship with our neighbors, no matter our differences."
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Chicago Tribune
a day ago
- Chicago Tribune
Column: Gathering of Marmion Class of 1965 grads makes memories come alive
Three years ago, I took a walk down memory lane in this space, and invited about three generations of men to travel with me to remember the old Marmion Academy Lake Street Campus in Aurora. The all-boys Catholic high school, then known as Marmion Military Academy, operated on the corner of North Lake Street and West Illinois Avenue from 1933 until 1971, when it merged with the residential campus on Butterfield Road. Vivid memories of the old location live on for many grads of the campus that today is the home of the Prisco Community Center of the Fox Valley Park District. Many of those memories came alive again recently when nine members of the Class of 1965 attended their 60th class reunion at the academy. I was fortunate to join my classmates Tony Johnson, Bill Loftus, Tom Huberty, Bob Weber, Bob Woodrick, Gael Brewbaker, Dan Fox and Marty Cavato for an evening of renewed friendships and storytelling. Although there were many fun remembrances of the Lake Street Campus days and it was still very nice to see old friends, the 60th reunion seemed to be different from reunions of previous decades. We lost three of our classmates soon after graduation as a result of the war in Vietnam, and have lost many others along the way. It was, after all, a gathering of 78-year-old men who could not quite believe that 60 years had gone by so quickly. Our group of nine attendees represented a class of 168 young men. We remembered our living classmates who could not attend, but tried not to forget our friends who have passed away. They were an important part of our lives, and we had spent 12 years together in Catholic schools with some of them. Conversations became more about careers, retirement, spouses, kids and grandkids, and less about the fun times of 60-plus years ago. Short discussions of various medical issues were of course included but, thankfully, none about politics. This reunion was different, but in a good way in my opinion. The great Chicago columnist, Mike Royko, would frequently write about 'complaints and great thoughts from readers.' In that spirit, I asked several of my classmates for some of their 'great thoughts' about the six decades of our lives since we parted in 1965. These are samples of some of their reflections: 'The greatest change over the last 60 years has certainly been technological, but societal change has been most dramatic.' 'Sadly, we are seeing Catholic schools that were built to serve growing enrollments in the 1960s now sitting empty and shuttered.' 'I'm much less optimistic about the future of our society than I'm sure my parents were at a similar age.' 'When I drive past the playgrounds where we played endless summers of ball games, they are abandoned and lonely looking.' 'I see too much egoism and greed these days, and not sufficient concern for the common good.' 'My kids experienced more world travel before they reached age 30 than I have in my entire life. Not because they were wealthy, but because of their expertise and talents.' One classmate listed 'things a suburban 1965 grad could never imagine he would see 60 years later': 'More women than men would be graduating from college.' 'Smoking would be banned inside buildings, airplanes and even outdoor venues.' 'The Catholic Church would elect Polish, German and American popes.' 'Middle-income American families would typically have a car that cost over $50,000, and often two such cars.' 'There would be five presidential elections in a row, and the winners would have no military service.' 'West Point would begin accepting female cadets in 1976, and Marmion Academy would do the same a brief 50 years later.' A 'reality check' happened for me in the days following the recent class reunion when the concept of 60 years really began to hit home. The guys who live in my memory as strong, young teenagers (many of whom were star athletes and seemingly indestructible) are now much older men. Many of them have grandchildren, and some have great- grandchildren. Many have had difficult lives, and almost one-fourth of them have passed away according to the published alumni guide. Our elementary and high school friends, living and deceased, were and are important to our lives. Away from the classroom, we learned important life lessons from one another without actually realizing it. We learned to get along, and as much as some of us disliked it at the time, the military environment of Marmion Academy probably helped us with some of those life lessons. Reminisce with some of your oldest friends and make an effort to reunite with others while you and they are still able. You were important to one another, and you may find that those relationships are still rewarding.
Chicago Tribune
3 days ago
- Chicago Tribune
Cupich celebrates 50 years as a priest. ‘Every day was an opportunity to live out my priesthood.'
In one of the most exhilarating moments in his half century as a priest, Cardinal Blase Cupich watched in awe from an adjacent balcony in May as newly-elected Chicago native Pope Leo XIV gave his first address to the world on the loggia of St. Peter's Basilica, While the experience was unprecedented, the head of the Chicago Archdiocese says he has felt that same spirit of joy and elation laced throughout his five-decade career, ever since he was ordained Aug. 16, 1975. 'I have to say that I brought the same excitement of that day to every day that I've been a priest,' he told the Tribune during a recent interview. 'I've always looked for moments in which being a priest could be a benefit to other people.' Cupich will celebrate the 50th anniversary of his ordination with a golden jubilee Mass at 5:15 p.m. Saturday at Holy Name Cathedral in Chicago. The service will be livestreamed for those who can't attend in person. Despite major challenges facing the global Catholic Church — from financial woes to ongoing fallout from the church sex abuse crisis — Cupich says his love for pastoring and service hasn't waned since his ordination five decades ago. 'Whether I was teaching kids in high school my first years after I was ordained or serving in the Vatican embassy in Washington, D.C., or being the pastor of a parish, and then of course being named bishop, I always felt that every day was an opportunity to live out my priesthood,' he added. Born in Omaha, Nebraska, in 1949, the grandson of Croatian immigrants believes his roots helped shape his ministry and leadership, particularly in an ethnically and racially diverse part of the country such as Chicago, where he was installed as archbishop in 2014. At the helm of the third-largest Catholic archdiocese in the country, he serves roughly 2 million Catholics at 216 parishes. Cupich, the third of nine children in a devoutly Catholic home, recalled his grandparents 'tried as immigrants to come here and start a life and family that would become more prosperous than where they came from.' 'And I think that is the story of all immigrants,' the 76-year-old cardinal said. 'That's why I'm so very focused on immigrants' rights, not only to protect their dignity but also to make sure that the country doesn't forget that we've been enriched by immigration.' Often deemed more a pastoral leader and less authoritarian in style than his predecessor, the late Cardinal Francis George, Cupich has been criticized by a more conservative faction of Catholics for his focus on issues such as gun violence and poverty, as opposed to more politically right-of-center causes such as abortion opposition. Illinois abortion opponents last year condemned Cupich for giving the invocation on the opening night of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, an event that included pro-reproductive rights organizations, including Planned Parenthood. Yet the archbishop of Chicago says that he's championed the dignity and sanctity of human life throughout his ministry, adding that 'the full gamut of issues that deal with respect for life have always been a center of my attention.' 'It may be that people don't see that gun violence and poverty and homelessness and war and peace are necessarily pro-life. I would disagree with that,' he said. 'I think that the Holy See, the teachings of the church and the catechism and the works done by (Pope) John Paul II all the way to Pope Leo are very clear: We have to have a consistent ethic of life.' In 2016, Cupich's influence over the international church expanded when Pope Francis elevated him to cardinal at St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City. During the ceremony, he received the iconic red hat, also known as a biretta, which symbolizes a cardinal's willingness to shed blood in service of the church. The service was attended by then-Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and the governor at the time, Bruce Rauner, as well as members of Cupich's family. 'I told myself, as I went up to the pope to receive the red biretta, that I was going to just drink in the moment and enjoy it as much as I could and be present to the situation. And not be distracted by anything else,' Cupich recalled. 'It was a proud moment, not just for me, but I think for Chicago. Chicago has had a special place in the life of the church and I think that was recognized on that occasion.' As cardinal, Cupich took part in the papal conclave's May historic election of Pope Leo, the first American-born leader of the world's estimated 1.4 billion Catholics, who grew up in south suburban Dolton. During Pope Leo's first three months, Cupich has seen a renewed spirit among local Catholics as well as excitement across the area among folks of all faiths and backgrounds that a Chicago native was named pontiff. It's like nothing the archbishop has seen in his 50 years of service since ordination as a priest. 'There's a new pride that I'm seeing in having the pope come from Chicago, for people to know that Chicago produced a pope,' he added. 'So there is a new kind of energy that I'm seeing.'
Newsweek
3 days ago
- Newsweek
Hearts Melt Over How One Pup Brought Into Litter Is 'Not Like the Others'
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The internet has fallen head over paws for a puppy who looks a bit different from the rest of the litter. Jen Francis of Eagleridge Goldens in Florida told Newsweek via email that one of her dogs had a singleton pup. This means a litter of only one puppy. While a one-pup litter is not inherently bad, it does present its fair share of challenges. The mothers of a singleton pup may either overproduce milk or under-lactate, an article from Revival Animal Health said. Plus, the single puppy will not have the support of littermates during nursing, which causes them to use extra energy to latch and stay warm. These pups might also experience behavioral issues, including the risk of being spoiled and poor socialization. Knowing these possibilities, Francis always incorporates the single puppy into another litter. She recently did this with a singleton named Winston. And while Winston joined another litter of golden retrievers, Francis noticed he was "not like the others" despite being the same dog breed. Screenshots from a June 11 Instagram video of a breeder asking people to spot the odd puppy out in a litter of golden retrievers. Screenshots from a June 11 Instagram video of a breeder asking people to spot the odd puppy out in a litter of golden retrievers. @eagleridgegoldens/Instagram In a June 11 Instagram video, posted to the account @eagleridgegoldens, Francis zoomed in on the puppies, hoping viewers could spot the odd pup out. Winston's much larger and chunkier head was impossible to miss, earning himself the nickname of "Chooch." Thankfully, Winston didn't seem to mind his bigger size. He threw himself right into the mix. He loved being surrounded by all the other puppies. Francis said Winston joined the other litter when they were about 4 weeks old, right around the time they started eating mush and began weaning off their mother. "We never leave the pups alone so whenever we took mama out, we would put him in with them," she said. She added that it is easy to introduce a singleton pup to another litter. Because of their young age, they adapt quickly. They all play, eat and nap together. Winston wasted no time in getting to know his step-siblings, joining the "puppy puddle" snuggle session. As of Friday, the Instagram video reached over 1.5 million views, as people obsessed over Winston. "Ohhh I am dyyying !! He's the most adorable fluffy potato chonk," commented one viewer. Another added: "They're so darn cute!" But despite the size difference now, Francis shared in the caption that all these golden retrievers will be about the same size as adults: Males reach about 65 to 75 pounds, while females are a bit smaller at 55 to 65 pounds. Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@ with some details about your best friend, and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
