Latest news with #Becket
Yahoo
19 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Seminary schoolmate reflects on Pope Leo's humble beginnings at St. Augustine Seminary High School
Few people have known Pope Leo for as long as those who attended St. Augustine Seminary High School with him. Seminary schoolmate Father Thomas Becket Franks saw the signs that Robert Prevost was special more than five decades ago. Walking in to the St. Procopious Abbey in Lisle, Illinois, Father Thomas 'Becket' Franks is – in some ways – walking down memory lane. Sifting through his yearbooks from St. Augustine Seminary High School in Holland, Michigan, he has found photos of his most famous schoolmate: Robert Prevost, the man who would become Pope Leo XIV. 'Probably the most humble person I've ever met and yet at the same time, the most helpful person,' he said. Father Becket, as he's known in the abbey, was a sophomore when Prevost arrived in the St. Augustine dorms as a freshman in the fall of 1969. Special Coverage: Pope Leo 'We were away from family, away from neighborhood friends,' he said. 'Bob, as I still refer to him, was quiet but involved in everything.' Prevost was a member of the student government, debate team, tennis team and patriotism club – a group that discussed U.S. politics, government and the nation's role in current events. 'When you spoke with him or talked to him, he listened intently. He would look right at you, and listen intently,' Father Becket said. 'What he was doing was formulating a response, or how to respond to you. It was never flippant, nothing really quick. He was never 'off the cuff.' Even in discussions you knew what he was saying he had been thinking about for a while.' Prevost was a member of the Reader's Theatre. Each year, each class at St. Augustine would write a comedic play spoofing life at the seminary. Pope Leo's singing sparks global social media campaign to unite believers 'He liked to portray Father Jim Sheridan. Now, at the time and as a high school kid, Bob had a lot of hair, a lot of hair. I think even curly, or wavy I should say. But Father Jim Sheridan was bald. So, as part of that portrayal of Jim Sheridan, Bob would put a hat on and made his mutton chops on his face, because Father Jim Sheridan had big sideburns,' Father Becket said. Pervost's outfit predated the Blues Brothers, but he was clearly 'on a mission from God.' Father Becket said one of Prevost's favorite activities was singing and the school chorus. 'He's a great singer,' he said. 'You can hear it now when he chants at mass.' More: Augustinian order's principles reflected in Pope Leo's life At the villa at St. Benedict Senior Living Community, Father Becket serves as chaplain. He celebrated mass in the century-old Sacred Heart Chapel, where he now quotes his own classmate. 'Everyday I've been adding some words from Pope Leo … so basically every day is a little teaching from someone I know and went to high school with,' he said. He has known Pope Leo for 56 years. The two still correspond. They'll always be connected by their shared experience at the seminary and in the pages of these yearbooks, which he signed with the same clarity and warmth that defines his priesthood: 'Tom, best of luck always, Bob Prevost.' 'I look back now 50-some years on and I see the beginnings of holiness and great maturity. A great thinker and a great gift to the world,' Father Becket said. 'I think he learned the way of holiness. I think we're going to encounter an extremely holy person, and every time I look at him now, I'm thinking I can see the beginnings of a saint way back in high school.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Supreme Court refuses Apache plea to save Oak Flat from copper mining destruction
Dr. Wendsler Nosie Sr. of Apache Stronghold talks to a crowd of people outside the Sandra Day O'Connor Courthouse on May 7, 2025, as Apache Stronghold urged the federal court to save Oak Flat. Photo Courtesy of Becket The U.S. Supreme Court denied a review of Apache Stronghold's case aimed at blocking the U.S. government's transfer of Oak Flat to a copper mining company, whose mine will transform the sacred site into a massive crater. The decision comes after Apache Stronghold initially asked the U.S. District Court in Phoenix on May 7 to temporarily block the Trump administration from pushing ahead with the land swap that would hand over Oak Flat to Resolution Copper. The Trump administration plans to reissue a final environmental impact statement regarding Oak Flat and transfer the land to Resolution Copper as early as June 16, according to court documents. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX An Arizona federal judge granted a temporary injunction on May 9, delaying the land transfer as the case awaited review by the Supreme Court. Apache Stronghold v. United States has been awaiting a hearing in the Supreme Court since the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in 2024 that the land transfer is not subject to federal laws protecting religious freedom. The Supreme Court's decision on May 27 removes any obstacles to halting the land transfer from occurring. 'Apache Stronghold asks us to review the Ninth Circuit's extraordinary conclusion,' the dissent states. 'But the Court today turns aside the group's request.' Justice Neil Gorsuch, joined by Justice Clarence Thomas, wrote in the dissenting opinion that the court's decision is a 'grave mistake' because the case meets all of the standards the court typically applies when evaluating petitions for review. 'Before allowing the government to destroy the Apaches' sacred site, this Court should at least have troubled itself to hear their case,' Gorsuch wrote. He added that, while the court 'enjoys the power to choose' which cases they will hear, the decision to shuffle this case off their docket is a mistake and 'one with consequences that threaten to reverberate for generations.' Gorsuch said that he has no doubt the court would find the case worth its time. 'Faced with the government's plan to destroy an ancient site of tribal worship, we owe the Apaches no less,' he wrote. 'They may live far from Washington, D. C., and their history and religious practices may be unfamiliar to many. But that should make no difference.' Becket, a nonprofit institution that advocates for freedom of religion that is representing Apache Stronghold, said that the Supreme Court's action means Oak Flat will be destroyed by a Chinese-owned mining giant. But, the group said, they will continue to fight in court to stop the government from transferring Oak Flat to Resolution Copper. 'We will never stop fighting—nothing will deter us from protecting Oak Flat from destruction,' Dr. Wendsler Nosie Sr. of Apache Stronghold said in a press release. 'While this decision is a heavy blow, our struggle is far from over,' he added. 'We urge Congress to take decisive action to stop this injustice while we press forward in the courts.' Resolution Copper General Manager Vickey Peacey said they are pleased at the ruling because the Resolution Copper mine is 'vital to securing America's energy future, infrastructure needs, and national defense with a domestic supply of copper and other critical minerals.' 'We are encouraged by the significant community support for the project,' she said, because the mine has the potential to become 'one of the largest copper mines in America.' Peacey said Resolution Copper has had more than a decade of 'extensive consultation and collaboration' with Native American tribes and local communities, which has resulted in changes to their mining plan with the hope of preserving and reducing potential impacts. The courtroom battle for Oak Flat, or Chi'chil Biłdagoteel as the Apache people know it, has been ongoing since 2021, with the grassroots group Apache Stronghold leading the effort. Since time immemorial, Western Apaches and other Indigenous peoples in the Southwest have gathered at Oak Flat, near Superior, for sacred religious ceremonies that cannot occur anywhere else. Oak Flat is listed in the National Register of Historic Places as a Western Apache Traditional Cultural Property and National Historic District. Oak Flat has been protected from mining and other harmful practices for decades, according to Becket. However, those protections faced challenges in December 2014 when a last-minute provision was inserted into a must-pass defense bill, authorizing the transfer of Oak Flat to Resolution Copper. Resolution Copper plans to turn the sacred site into a two-mile-wide and 1,100-foot-deep crater. 'It is hard to imagine a more brazen attack on faith than blasting the birthplace of Apache religion into a gaping crater,' Luke Goodrich, vice president and senior counsel at Becket, said in a written statement. 'The Court's refusal to halt the destruction is a tragic departure from its strong record of defending religious freedom,' Goodrich said. 'We will do everything in our power to ensure that the Apaches can continue worshiping at Oak Flat as they have for generations.' SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Herald Malaysia
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Herald Malaysia
Cardinal Dolan receives award from Becket for religious liberty leadership
Cardinal Timothy Dolan of the Archdiocese of New York was named the Becket Fund's 2025 Canterbury Medalist, an award that honors his career-long commitment to religious liberty. May 26, 2025 In his speech, Cardinal Timothy Dolan said he is in 'good company' in defending religious freedom, along with the legal team at Becket and the founders of the United States. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Becket By Tyler Arnold Cardinal Timothy Dolan of the Archdiocese of New York was named the Becket Fund's 2025 Canterbury Medalist, an award that honors his career-long commitment to religious liberty. 'His Eminence has been a towering figure in the fight for religious liberty, not just for Catholics, but for people of all faiths,' Becket President Mark Rienzi said in a statement. 'Cardinal Dolan's leadership in the public square has shaped the national conscience on religious freedom and strengthened the resolve of those who defend it.' Becket, a nonprofit law firm that represents clients who are defending their religious liberty in court, awarded Dolan the medal during its annual gala in New York. According to Becket, the honor recognizes individuals who demonstrate courage and commitment to defending religious liberty in the United States and globally. Dolan said in an acceptance speech, which was provided to CNA by Becket, that he is 'grateful' to receive the award. 'I hardly deserve this high award,' Dolan added. 'Yet, I readily admit that you are absolutely [spot on] to claim I am intensely devoted to the protection of our 'first and most cherished liberty,' religious freedom.' In his speech, Dolan said he is in 'good company' in defending religious freedom, along with the legal team at Becket and the founders of the United States. 'They and their parents had come here precisely because they were frustrated in countries where religion was imposed or proscribed, nations where battles were waged to coerce religious conviction, where they were hounded and harassed for their beliefs,' he said. 'Not here, they insisted!' Dolan said. 'This was not the way they, or, most importantly, God intended it. Nothing is more free than creedal assent; nothing merited more protection than religious freedom; nothing deserved more top billing in our Constitution.' Dolan said religious liberty is 'part of our very nature that cannot be erased' and necessary for the respect of 'the dignity of the human person.' 'Our passion for this primary liberty is not just because we happen to be a believer or a patriotic citizen, but because we are a person endowed with certain ingrained rights,' he said. Dolan was recently appointed to serve on President Donald Trump's Religious Liberty Commission, which will create a report on threats to religious freedom and strategies to enhance legal protections to preserve those rights. It will also outline the foundations of religious liberty in the United States. Previously, Dolan has served as president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) and has led the USCCB's Committee for Religious Liberty. According to Becket, the cardinal has also staunchly defended religious freedom through testimony before Congress and when engaging with the media. 'Religious freedom isn't just about protecting what happens in church on Sundays — it's about defending the right of every person to live their faith openly, every day of the week,' Dolan said. 'It's a gift from God — not from government — and it must be protected for people of all faiths.' Other members of the Catholic clergy who have won this award from Becket include University of Mary President Monsignor James Shea and former Philadelphia Archbishop Charles Chaput. Past medalists also include Nobel Peace Laureate and Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel; Orthodox rabbi of the oldest Jewish congregation in the U.S. Rabbi Dr. Meir Soloveichik; and First Counselor in the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints President Dallin H. Oaks.--CNA
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
California ends ban on special education funds for children in religious schools
The state of California agreed in federal court Monday to stop barring children with disabilities who want to attend religious private schools from receiving special education funding. For decades, children with disabilities have been able to access federal funding for free special education and related services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The federal law allows some of this funding to be used in private schools as well, but California lawmakers had, until this week, disqualified religious private schools from access to this program. A group of Orthodox Jewish parents and schools first brought a lawsuit against the California Department of Education in 2023 over this state law, which barred them from receiving IDEA funds to send their kids to Orthodox Jewish schools. The parents argued that their children should be able to receive an education that is in line with their Jewish traditions and beliefs while also providing a quality education that meets their needs. California Parents Sue Over Law Preventing Religious Schools From Using State Funds For Special Ed Students "It's outrageous that California politicians are using religion as an excuse to deny special education benefits to kids with disabilities," Nicholas Reaves, senior counsel for Becket, a legal group representing the parents, previously told Fox News Digital. "Excluding religious schools from programs which help these children reach their full potential is just plain wrong." Read On The Fox News App In October, a federal appeals court agreed, declaring that California was violating the Constitution by requiring schools to be non-religious for families to apply for these funds. The case returned to district court. On Monday, California and the Los Angeles Unified School District agreed to a court order that permanently prohibits them from enforcing a "nonsectarian" requirement to access the special education funding. Becket hailed the court victory in a press release. "California spent decades treating Jewish kids like second-class citizens. Today's settlement ensures that Jewish kids with disabilities can access the resources they need and deserve—just like everyone else," Eric Rassbach, vice president and senior counsel at Becket, said in a statement. Supreme Court To Hear Arguments On School Choice Case Involving Catholic Charter School The California Department of Education did not return a request for comment. Fox News' Kendall Tietz contributed to this article source: California ends ban on special education funds for children in religious schools
Fox News
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
California ends ban on special education funds for children in religious schools
The state of California agreed in federal court Monday to stop barring children with disabilities who want to attend religious private schools from receiving special education funding. For decades, children with disabilities have been able to access federal funding for free special education and related services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The federal law allows some of this funding to be used in private schools as well, but California lawmakers had, until this week, disqualified religious private schools from access to this program. A group of Orthodox Jewish parents and schools first brought a lawsuit against the California Department of Education in 2023 over this state law, which barred them from receiving IDEA funds to send their kids to Orthodox Jewish schools. The parents argued that their children should be able to receive an education that is in line with their Jewish traditions and beliefs while also providing a quality education that meets their needs. "It's outrageous that California politicians are using religion as an excuse to deny special education benefits to kids with disabilities," Nicholas Reaves, senior counsel for Becket, a legal group representing the parents, previously told Fox News Digital. "Excluding religious schools from programs which help these children reach their full potential is just plain wrong." In October, a federal appeals court agreed, declaring that California was violating the Constitution by requiring schools to be non-religious for families to apply for these funds. The case returned to district court. On Monday, California and the Los Angeles Unified School District agreed to a court order that permanently prohibits them from enforcing a "nonsectarian" requirement to access the special education funding. Becket hailed the court victory in a press release. "California spent decades treating Jewish kids like second-class citizens. Today's settlement ensures that Jewish kids with disabilities can access the resources they need and deserve—just like everyone else," Eric Rassbach, vice president and senior counsel at Becket, said in a statement. The California Department of Education did not return a request for comment.
