Latest news with #Cupich
Herald Malaysia
7 days ago
- Politics
- Herald Malaysia
Cardinal Cupich on Hiroshima anniversary: Transfiguration reveals path to peace
In Hiroshima, on the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombing, Cardinal Blase Cupich presides over Mass for peace on the Feast of the Transfiguration. In his homily, he echoes Pope Francis' call to remember, journey together, and protect one another, urging the global community to reject division and Aug 06, 2025 Hiroshima, 80th anniversary of the atomic bombing (ANSA) By Linda BordoniMarking the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Cardinal Blase Cupich is in Japan with other Church leaders on a 'Pilgrimage of Peace' highlighting and upholding the Church's commitment to nonviolence and the abolition of nuclear weapons. Presiding over Mass for Peace on the Feast of the Transfiguration, the Archbishop of Chicago delivered his homily in Hiroshima, the very city where, on 6 August 1945, the world first witnessed the devastating force of nuclear war. In his homily, Cardinal Cupich recalled how the light of the Transfiguration, a moment of divine revelation, was eclipsed by another, more terrifying light: the flash of the atomic bomb. 'On Tabor, light revealed our calling to share eternally in divine glory as sons and daughters of the Father,' he said. 'In Hiroshima, light brought unimaginable destruction, darkness and death.' Human capacity for destruction The cardinal described the stark contrast between the two events as a call to conscience for all humanity. 'With chilling clarity, we are forced on this day to acknowledge the capacity for destruction that lies within our human hearts,' he warned, linking the chain reaction of nuclear fission to the societal dangers of division, resentment, and hatred. 'Physicists tell us that the blast occurs when a neutron divides the nucleus of an atom... The same is true when we sow division, stoking impulses of anger, resentment, and bigotry. These unchecked emotions spiral out of control, creating a destructive chain reaction that blinds us to the vision God has always wanted for us,' he said. To remember, to journey together, to protect During the Mass, Cardinal Cupich recalled Pope Francis' visit to Hiroshima in 2019, when he laid out three moral imperatives to sustain peace: to remember, to journey together, and to protect. Taking up those imperatives, he wove them into the Gospel narrative of the Transfiguration. 'Remembering must involve ensuring that present and future generations never forget what happened here,' he said, honouring the Hibakusha, the survivors of the atomic bombing who have worked for decades as 'agents and instruments of peace.' He also highlighted the Christian call to 'journey together,' drawing from synodal experience to highlight the power of listening, dialogue, and shared responsibility: 'Putting aside selfish pursuits, nationalism, clashing rivalries and divided loyalties... we instead take each step together, making sure no one is left behind or overlooked.' The third imperative – protection - was framed not as political policy, but as a spiritual act. Reflecting on the Gospel account, Cardinal Cupich noted that when the disciples were overwhelmed with fear, they were enveloped in the cloud of God's presence. 'This divine protecting presence is the source of our hope,' he said. 'A hope that empowers us to sustain the vision of God and pursue the path to peace.' Appeal for solidarity As the world continues to face global instability, war, and the threat of nuclear proliferation, the cardinal called on believers and leaders alike to transform human ingenuity from destruction toward solidarity. 'On this day, 80 years ago, the world witnessed the alarming misuse of human ingenuity that brought about inconceivable destruction,' he said. 'So this morning, we are called to sustain and make our own the vision God has always had for us… by creating new paths towards a lasting peace.'--Vatican News
Boston Globe
14-06-2025
- Politics
- Boston Globe
Take me out to the pope party. It's a ballpark celebration for Leo.
Advertisement More than 30,000 tickets to the event sold out within days of the announcement last month, organizers said. Some tickets quickly appeared on secondary markets for more than $1,200, according to The Chicago Sun-Times. (The White Sox, who are in last place, average fewer than 17,000 fans a game.) Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up 'This city as a whole is in love with our new pope because he is of us,' said Bob Reiter, president of the Chicago Federation of Labor, a network of labor unions that worked to distribute thousands of tickets to union members. Leo's selection has been particularly electrifying to the labor movement, Reiter said, because he chose a name echoing Leo XIII, who was pontiff from 1878 to 1903 and was sometimes called the Pope of Labor. Advertisement The program Saturday includes music, prayer, speeches and Leo's first public address to an American audience, in the form of an almost eight-minute video recorded at the Vatican. June 14 was chosen because it was the first Saturday that the ballpark was available with no major competing events in the city. An earlier date for the Mass was rejected because it conflicted with a Crosstown Classic baseball game and a Beyoncé concert. But the event arrived at an extraordinary moment for the country. Military vehicles are streaming into Washington for a lavish parade ordered by President Donald Trump, while National Guard troops have been deployed to the streets of Los Angeles. Large protests have been planned in all 50 states under the slogan 'No Kings.' In Chicago, thousands of people are expected at Daley Plaza, 4 miles north of the ballpark. Cupich said in an interview Friday that the date was not chosen as a provocation to Trump, whose policies he has criticized. (Trump's birthday is also Saturday.) But the cardinal said he planned to address the rights of immigrants in his homily at the ballpark. Leo's video message was recorded more than a week ago, and has been described as a message to young people around the world. Other participants include a representative of the White Sox, and the choir from Leo High School on the South Side, an all-boys Catholic school that appeared this past week on 'America's Got Talent.' After the program and a time of prayer, the event will transition into a formal Mass, led by Cupich and a leader of the Augustinian order, to which Leo belongs. The archdiocese is the country's third largest, serving about 2 million Catholics. Advertisement Volunteers include greeters, a 200-person choir and nearly 500 lay ministers and ushers to assist in the distribution of Communion throughout the ballpark. 'When you're planning a party for 30,000 of your closest friends, it is a major, major undertaking,' said Bishop Lawrence Sullivan, vicar general for the archdiocese, who has been involved in the planning. If it rains heavily, the Mass portion of the event may be canceled. As of Friday evening, the forecast was for mild temperatures and partial sun. One aspect that has never been in question is the location of the celebration. Leo grew up just south of Chicago in the suburb of Dolton, Illinois, and has been described by those who know him as a dedicated Sox fan. He was captured by television cameras in the stands of the ballpark watching Game 1 of the World Series in 2005. This past week, he was photographed sporting the team's black-and-white cap with his white papal cassock at a general audience at the Vatican. (The ballpark itself has undergone more name changes than Leo, formerly Robert Prevost. Known as Comiskey Park until 2003, it was U.S. Cellular Field, then Guaranteed Rate Field, and then last year became simply Rate Field. In interviews about the event this past week, many longtime Chicagoans referred to it as 'Comiskey.') The archdiocese has emphasized that all are welcome at the celebration. That includes Catholics, non-Catholics and even Cubs fans. 'It's very apropos that Cub fans have to come to Comiskey to get some religion,' Reiter said. This article originally appeared in
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Cupich says Pope Leo XIV will champion the environment, immigrants — but doesn't know when he'll visit Chicago
ROME — Chicago Cardinal Blase Cupich says Pope Leo XIV will prioritize the environment and needs of immigrants, citing major themes throughout the pontiff's homily during his inaugural Mass on Sunday. The new pope, who hails from Chicago, will also work tirelessly to help end international conflicts, the cardinal said. 'He will continue speaking about how globalization marginalizes people,' Cupich said during an interview Monday with the Tribune at Pontifical North American College, his alma mater. 'Especially if the metric for measuring the success of globalization is economical and financial rather than how does it help people universally flourish. We are going to hear more about that, I'm positive.' But the archbishop of Chicago doesn't know when the Holy Father will return to his hometown for a visit – an appearance many have been clamoring for as the city celebrates its new homegrown pontiff. Vice President JD Vance invited the pope to visit the United States during private meeting Monday and the pontiff could be heard responding 'at some point' in video provided by Vatican media. 'We need to give him some breathing space here,' Cupich said, with a little laugh. 'He's got a lot of things on his plate right now. He has to make that decision.' Only one pope has ever traveled to Chicago: In 1979, Pope John Paul's three-hour Mass in Grant Park attracted anywhere from 500,000 to 1.5 million attendees. While the cardinal said he won't pressure the new pope to make an appearance in Chicago immediately, he pledged that once the pontiff is ready to travel to the United States, 'you can believe that I'm going to be lobbying for Chicago.' 'Then I would put in a bid for him to put Chicago on the itinerary,' Cupich said. The cardinal witnessed the pope's historic installation in St. Peter's Square on Sunday, marking the formal start to the first American-born pontiff's term. Cupich was seated with other cardinals just to the right of the pope on the altar, before a crowd of roughly 100,000 worshippers, including numerous dignitaries and global faith leaders. Pope Leo XIV's homily rebuked 'an economic paradigm that exploits the Earth's resources and marginalizes the poorest,' a position Cupich believes was shaped by the pontiff's life experience, from his roots in the Chicago area to his work as a longtime missionary in Peru. Born Robert Francis Prevost, the 69-year-old pontiff was raised in a devoutly Catholic family in south suburban Dolton. His upbringing in the Chicago area helped form Prevost's leadership style and character, Cupich said. 'He's a man who's not afraid of hard work. Who knows what it means to live in a diverse community,' Cupich said, noting that Mass is celebrated in more than two dozen languages across the Chicago Archdiocese. 'We have this experience and culture that's quite unique. And all of that was part of forming this man.' For roughly 20 years in Peru, Prevost lived and worked with people 'who were in abject poverty' and experienced climate change firsthand, including some of the most ozone-depleted areas in the world in the Andes Mountains, Cupich said. 'So he is going to raise his voice. … That kind of commitment is going to be very strong,' the cardinal predicted. 'Because it's been personally experienced by him.' Themes of peace and unity were also woven through the pope's address, amid an increasingly polarized world where war continues to rage in Gaza and Ukraine. Cupich noted that the new pope met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy immediately after the inaugural Mass and then on Monday received a visit from Vance, signs that the pontiff is already getting to work to help quell international conflict. Both world leaders were present at the pope's installation Sunday. While giving the homily, the pontiff's tone wasn't critical or berating, Cupich said. 'But it was a plea to humanity that, folks, we can do better. We're better than this,' he said. 'We can roll up our sleeves and solve these problems. We don't have to go down this path of ruin with war. With marginalization of people. By ignoring the immigrant.' During his time in Rome, Cupich stopped Saturday at the Basilica of St. Bartholomew on Tiber Island, his titular church. Whenever a new cardinal is named, he's assigned a titular church in Rome to signify his connection to the pope, who also serves as the bishop of Rome. The 10th century basilica was founded by German Emperor Otto III to house the relics of St. Bartholomew. The baroque-style church rests on one of the smallest islands in the world, measuring about 890 feet long and 220 feet wide, connected to the city by two ancient Roman bridges. Cupich took possession of the church in 2016 when he was made a cardinal by Pope Francis; the basilica was formerly the titular church of Cardinal Francis George, who died in 2015. 'The pope not only gave me a whole church, but a whole island,' Cupich said, laughing. The cardinal said the basilica helps him maintain strong ties to Rome and Pope Leo XIV — now the new bishop of Rome — even though Cupich lives and works some 4,000 miles away. 'It's a place where I can call home when I come here,' he said. 'Of course, this church ties me to the city of Rome. I do feel, as a priest of Rome, that (Pope Leo) is my bishop in a special way.' The church also links Chicago to Rome and the pope: The archdiocese has helped fund the church, donations that are commemorated on a sign on one of the basilica's walls. Cupich said he encourages folks from the Chicago area to visit St. Bartholomew when they travel to Rome. The church is cared for by the Community of Sant'Egidio, a Catholic lay association, which includes members in the Chicago area. After Cupich was inducted into the College of Cardinals in 2016, he presided over a vespers service in the church, which was attended by then-Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, then-Illinois Supreme Court Justice Anne Burke and Bruce Rauner, who was governor at the time. The basilica also houses a shrine to modern Christian martyrs from around the world, whose relics line both sides of the church and also fill the crypts below. There's the missal and stole of Archbishop of San Salvador Oscar Romero, who was killed at the altar as he celebrated Mass in 1980. A cross belonging to Sr. Leonella Sgorbati, who was killed in Somalia in 2006. The notebook of Abish Masih, a young boy injured in a terrorist attack at a Catholic church in Lahore, Pakistan, in 2015. 'You're going to see, from around the world, people whose blood was shed for the faith,' Cupich said. 'This church here is a place where we bring home that martyrdom is a current event.' The cardinal intends to return to Chicago later this week, ending his second history-witnessing trip to Rome in May. Earlier this month, Cupich took part in the papal conclave that elected Prevost as pope on May 8, stunning many Catholic scholars and hierarchs who didn't anticipate an American would be named pontiff. The cardinal flew back to Chicago afterward, where much of the city was thrilled with the news of its home-town pope. 'I couldn't get from the plane to the car without having people stop me,' he recalled. 'People kept saying 'job well done.' Thanks for what we did.' The excitement wasn't restricted to Catholics. 'People of all faiths expressed that pride that Chicago produced a pope,' he said. 'This was an opportunity to say 'there's a lot of good that's a part of Chicago.'' Cupich and Prevost had worked together for several years in a Vatican office tasked with vetting worldwide bishop candidates; Pope Francis named Prevost to lead that office in 2023. The new pope is 'a very disciplined man,' Cupich said. 'He's very measured. He's going to do things step by step in an orderly way. He has an organic approach to problem solving,' he added. 'People may be impatient with that because they want quick and easy solutions. But he knows that things have to come in an orderly and progressive way. And he's willing to be patient with that.' The 76-year-old cardinal also called the pontiff 'a young man.' 'This is the first time I know that I'm old,' he said. 'I mean, if you're older than the pope …' When asked if Chicago gets any Catholic fringe benefits or special perks from the church now that the city claims a pope, the cardinal laughed. 'There's no bennies,' he said. 'Maybe a couple more rosaries blessed or something like that.'
Chicago Tribune
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Chicago Tribune
Cupich says Pope Leo XIV will champion the environment, immigrants — but doesn't know when he'll visit Chicago
ROME — Chicago Cardinal Blase Cupich says Pope Leo XIV will prioritize the environment and needs of immigrants, citing major themes throughout the pontiff's homily during his inaugural Mass on Sunday. The new pope, who hails from Chicago, will also work tirelessly to help end international conflicts, the cardinal said. 'He will continue speaking about how globalization marginalizes people,' Cupich said during an interview Monday with the Tribune at Pontifical North American College, his alma mater. 'Especially if the metric for measuring the success of globalization is economical and financial rather than how does it help people universally flourish. We are going to hear more about that, I'm positive.' But the archbishop of Chicago doesn't know when the Holy Father will return to his hometown for a visit – an appearance many have been clamoring for as the city celebrates its new homegrown pontiff. Vice President JD Vance invited the pope to visit the United States during a private meeting Monday and the pontiff could be heard responding 'at some point' in video provided by Vatican media. 'We need to give him some breathing space here,' Cupich said, with a little laugh. 'He's got a lot of things on his plate right now. He has to make that decision.' Only one pope has ever traveled to Chicago: In 1979, Pope John Paul II's three-hour Mass in Grant Park attracted anywhere from 500,000 to 1.5 million attendees. While the cardinal said he won't pressure the new pope to make an appearance in Chicago immediately, he pledged that once the pontiff is ready to travel to the United States, 'you can believe that I'm going to be lobbying for Chicago.' 'Then I would put in a bid for him to put Chicago on the itinerary,' Cupich said. The cardinal witnessed the pope's historic installation in St. Peter's Square on Sunday, marking the formal start to the first American-born pontiff's term. Cupich was seated with other cardinals just to the right of the pope on the altar, before a crowd of roughly 100,000 worshippers, including numerous dignitaries and global faith leaders. Pope Leo XIV's homily rebuked 'an economic paradigm that exploits the Earth's resources and marginalizes the poorest,' a position Cupich believes was shaped by the pontiff's life experience, from his roots in the Chicago area to his work as a longtime missionary in Peru. Born Robert Francis Prevost, the 69-year-old pontiff was raised in a devoutly Catholic family in south suburban Dolton. His upbringing in the Chicago area helped form Prevost's leadership style and character, Cupich said. 'He's a man who's not afraid of hard work. Who knows what it means to live in a diverse community,' Cupich said, noting that Mass is celebrated in more than two dozen languages across the Chicago Archdiocese. 'We have this experience and culture that's quite unique. And all of that was part of forming this man.' For roughly 20 years in Peru, Prevost lived and worked with people 'who were in abject poverty' and experienced climate change firsthand, including some of the most ozone-depleted areas in the world in the Andes Mountains, Cupich said. 'So he is going to raise his voice. … That kind of commitment is going to be very strong,' the cardinal predicted. 'Because it's been personally experienced by him.' Themes of peace and unity were also woven through the pope's address, amid an increasingly polarized world where war continues to rage in Gaza and Ukraine. Cupich noted that the new pope met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy immediately after the inaugural Mass and then on Monday received a visit from Vance, signs that the pontiff is already getting to work to help quell international conflict. Both world leaders were present at the pope's installation Sunday. While giving the homily, the pontiff's tone wasn't critical or berating, Cupich said. 'But it was a plea to humanity that, folks, we can do better. We're better than this,' he said. 'We can roll up our sleeves and solve these problems. We don't have to go down this path of ruin with war. With marginalization of people. By ignoring the immigrant.' During his time in Rome, Cupich stopped Saturday at the Basilica of St. Bartholomew on Tiber Island, his titular church. Whenever a new cardinal is named, he's assigned a titular church in Rome to signify his connection to the pope, who also serves as the bishop of Rome. The 10th century basilica was founded by German Emperor Otto III to house the relics of St. Bartholomew. The baroque-style church rests on one of the smallest islands in the world, measuring about 890 feet long and 220 feet wide, connected to the city by two ancient Roman bridges. Cupich took possession of the church in 2016 when he was made a cardinal by Pope Francis; the basilica was formerly the titular church of Cardinal Francis George, who died in 2015. 'The pope not only gave me a whole church, but a whole island,' Cupich said, laughing. The cardinal said the basilica helps him maintain strong ties to Rome and Pope Leo XIV — now the new bishop of Rome — even though Cupich lives and works some 4,000 miles away. 'It's a place where I can call home when I come here,' he said. 'Of course, this church ties me to the city of Rome. I do feel, as a priest of Rome, that (Pope Leo) is my bishop in a special way.' The church also links Chicago to Rome and the pope: The archdiocese has helped fund the church, donations that are commemorated on a sign on one of the basilica's walls. Cupich said he encourages folks from the Chicago area to visit St. Bartholomew when they travel to Rome. The church is cared for by the Community of Sant'Egidio, a Catholic lay association, which includes members in the Chicago area. After Cupich was inducted into the College of Cardinals in 2016, he presided over a vespers service in the church, which was attended by then-Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, then-Illinois Supreme Court Justice Anne Burke and Bruce Rauner, who was governor at the time. The basilica also houses a shrine to modern Christian martyrs from around the world, whose relics line both sides of the church and also fill the crypts below. There's the missal and stole of Archbishop of San Salvador Oscar Romero, who was killed at the altar as he celebrated Mass in 1980. A cross belonging to Sr. Leonella Sgorbati, who was murdered in Somalia in 2006. The notebook of Abish Masih, a young boy injured in a terrorist attack at a Catholic church in Lahore, Pakistan, in 2015. 'You're going to see, from around the world, people whose blood was shed for the faith,' Cupich said. 'This church here is a place where we bring home that martyrdom is a current event.' The cardinal intends to return to Chicago later this week, ending his second history-witnessing trip to Rome in May. Earlier this month, Cupich took part in the papal conclave that elected Prevost as pope on May 8, stunning many Catholic scholars and hierarchs who didn't anticipate an American would be named pontiff. The cardinal flew back to Chicago afterward, where much of the city was thrilled with the news of its home-town pope. 'I couldn't get from the plane to the car without having people stop me,' he recalled. 'People kept saying 'job well done.' Thanks for what we did.' The excitement wasn't restricted to Catholics. 'People of all faiths expressed that pride that Chicago produced a pope,' he said. 'This was an opportunity to say 'there's a lot of good that's a part of Chicago.'' Cupich and Prevost had worked together for several years in a Vatican office tasked with vetting worldwide bishop candidates; Pope Francis named Prevost to lead that office in 2023. The new pope is 'a very disciplined man,' Cupich said. 'He's very measured. He's going to do things step by step in an orderly way. He has an organic approach to problem solving,' he added. 'People may be impatient with that because they want quick and easy solutions. But he knows that things have to come in an orderly and progressive way. And he's willing to be patient with that.' The 76-year-old cardinal also called the pontiff 'a young man.' 'This is the first time I know that I'm old,' he said. 'I mean, if you're older than the pope …' When asked if Chicago gets any Catholic fringe benefits or special perks from the church now that the city claims a pope, the cardinal laughed. 'There's no bennies,' he said. 'Maybe a couple more rosaries blessed or something like that.'
Chicago Tribune
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Chicago Tribune
Cupich says Pope Leo XIV will champion the environment, immigrants – but doesn't know when he'll visit Chicago
ROME — Chicago Cardinal Blase Cupich says Pope Leo XIV will prioritize the environment and needs of immigrants, citing major themes throughout the pontiff's homily during his inaugural Mass on Sunday. The new pope, who hails from Chicago, will also work tirelessly to help end international conflicts, the cardinal said. 'He will continue speaking about how globalization marginalizes people,' Cupich said during an interview Monday with the Tribune at Pontifical North American College, his alma mater. 'Especially if the metric for measuring the success of globalization is economical and financial rather than how does it help people universally flourish. We are going to hear more about that, I'm positive.' But the Archbishop of Chicago doesn't know when the Holy Father will return to his hometown for a visit – an appearance many have been clamoring for as the city celebrates its new home-grown pontiff. Vice President JD Vance invited the pope to visit the United States during private meeting Monday and the pontiff could be heard responding 'at some point' in video provided by Vatican media. 'We need to give him some breathing space here,' Cupich said, with a little laugh. 'He's got a lot of things on his plate right now. He has to make that decision.' Only one pope has ever traveled to Chicago: In 1979, Pope John Paul's three-hour Mass in Grant Park attracted anywhere from 500,000 to 1.5 million attendees. While the cardinal said he won't pressure the new pope to make an appearance in Chicago immediately, he pledged that once the pontiff is ready to travel to the United States, 'you can believe that I'm going to be lobbying for Chicago.' 'Then I would put in a bid for him to put Chicago on the itinerary,' Cupich said. The cardinal witnessed the pope's historic installation in St. Peter's Square on Sunday, marking the formal start to the first American-born pontiff's term. Cupich was seated with other cardinals just to the right of the pope on the altar, before a crowd of roughly 100,000 worshippers, including numerous dignitaries and global faith leaders. Pope Leo XIV's homily rebuked 'an economic paradigm that exploits the Earth's resources and marginalizes the poorest,' a position Cupich believes was shaped by the pontiff's life experience, from his roots in the Chicago area to his work as a longtime missionary in Peru. Born Robert Francis Prevost, the 69-year-old pontiff was raised in a devoutly Catholic family in south suburban Dolton. His upbringing in the Chicago area helped form Prevost's leadership style and character, Cupich said. 'He's a man who's not afraid of hard work. Who knows what it means to live in a diverse community,' Cupich said, noting that Mass is celebrated in more than two dozen languages across the Chicago Archdiocese. 'We have this experience and culture that's quite unique. And all of that was part of forming this man.' For roughly 20 years in Peru, Prevost lived and worked with people 'who were in abject poverty' and experienced climate change first-hand, including some of the most ozone-depleted areas in the world in the Andes Mountains, Cupich said. 'So he is going to raise his voice… That kind of commitment is going to be very strong,' the cardinal predicted. 'Because it's been personally experienced by him.' Themes of peace and unity were also woven through the pope's address, amid an increasingly polarized world where war continues to rage in Gaza and Ukraine. Cupich noted that the new pope met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy immediately after the inaugural Mass and then on Monday received a visit from Vance, signs that the pontiff is already getting to work to help quell international conflict. Both world leaders were present at the pope's installation Sunday. While giving the homily, the pontiff's tone wasn't critical or berating, Cupich said. 'But it was a plea to humanity that, folks, we can do better. We're better than this,' he said. 'We can roll up our sleeves and solve these problems. We don't have to go down this path of ruin with war. With marginalization of people. By ignoring the immigrant.' During his time in Rome, Cupich stopped Saturday at the Basilica of St. Bartholomew on Tiber Island, his titular church. Whenever a new cardinal is named, he's assigned a titular church in Rome to signify his connection to the pope, who also serves as the bishop of Rome. The 10th Century basilica was founded by German Emperor Otto III to house the relics of St. Bartholomew. The baroque-style church rests on one of the smallest islands in the world, measuring about 890 feet long and 220 feet wide, connected to the city by two ancient Roman bridges. Cupich took possession of the church in 2016 when he was made a cardinal by Pope Francis; the basilica was formerly the titular church of Cardinal Francis George, who died in 2015. 'The pope not only gave me a whole church, but a whole island,' Cupich said, laughing. The cardinal said the basilica helps him maintain strong ties to Rome and Pope Leo XIV – now the new bishop of Rome – even though Cupich lives and works some 4,000 miles away. 'It's a place where I can call home when I come here,' he said. 'Of course, this church ties me to the city of Rome. I do feel, as a priest of Rome, that (Pope Leo) is my bishop in a special way.' The church also links Chicago to Rome and the pope: The Archdiocese has helped fund the church, donations that are commemorated on a sign on one of the basilica's walls. Cupich said he encourages folks from the Chicago area to visit St. Bartholomew when they travel to Rome. The church is cared for by the Community of Sant'Egidio, a Catholic lay association, which includes members in the Chicago area. After Cupich was inducted into the College of Cardinals in 2016, he presided over a vespers service in the church, which was attended by then-Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, then-Illinois Supreme Court Justice Anne M. Burke and Bruce Rauner, who was governor at the time. The basilica also houses a shrine to modern Christian martyrs from around the world, whose relics line both sides of the church and also fill the crypts below. There's the missal and stole of Archbishop of San Salvador Oscar Romero, who was killed at the altar as he celebrated Mass in 1980. A cross belonging to Sr. Leonella Sgorbati, who was murdered in Somalia in 2006. The notebook of Abish Masih, a young boy injured in a terrorist attack at a Catholic church in Lahore, Pakistan in 2015. 'You're going to see, from around the world, people whose blood was shed for the faith,' Cupich said. 'This church here is a place where we bring home that martyrdom is a current event.' The cardinal intends to return to Chicago later this week, ending his second history-witnessing trip to Rome in May. Earlier this month, Cupich took part in the papal conclave that elected Prevost as pope on May 8, stunning many Catholic scholars and hierarchs who didn't anticipate an American would be named pontiff. The cardinal flew back to Chicago afterward, where much of the city was thrilled with the news of its home-town pope. 'I couldn't get from the plane to the car without having people stop me,' he recalled. 'People kept saying 'job well done.' Thanks for what we did.' The excitement wasn't restricted to Catholics. 'People of all faiths expressed that pride that Chicago produced a pope,' he said. 'This was an opportunity to say 'there's a lot of good that's a part of Chicago.'' Cupich and Prevost had worked together for several years in a Vatican office tasked with vetting worldwide bishop candidates; Pope Francis named Prevost to lead that office in 2023. The new pope is 'a very disciplined man,' Cupich said. 'He's very measured. He's going to do things step by step in an orderly way. He has an organic approach to problem solving,' he added. 'People may be impatient with that because they want quick and easy solutions. But he knows that things have to come in an orderly and progressive way. And he's willing to be patient with that.' The 76-year-old cardinal also called the pontiff 'a young man.' 'This is the first time I know that I'm old,' he said. 'I mean, if you're older than the pope….' When asked if Chicago gets any Catholic fringe benefits or special perks from the church now that the city claims a pope, the cardinal laughed. 'There's no bennies,' he said. 'Maybe a couple more rosaries blessed or something like that.' ReplyForward
