Latest news with #JubileeYear2025
Filipino Times
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Filipino Times
First American pope in history becomes head of the Catholic church
Robert Francis Prevost, a 69-year-old missionary from the United States, has been elected as the first American pope in the 2,000-year history of the Catholic Church. Prevost, the 267th pope, will now be known as Pope Leo XIV. Pope Leo XIV was elected by the College of Cardinals during a special voting session in Vatican City. His election comes during the Church's celebration of the Jubilee Year 2025, a major event held every 25 years. This Jubilee, which began on December 24, 2024, and will end on January 6, 2026, is called 'Pilgrims of Hope' and focuses on values such as unity, hope, and justice. It is seen by many Catholics as a time for spiritual renewal and forgiveness. What the Pope does As the new pope, Leo XIV will lead over 1.3 billion Catholics around the world. He will serve as the Bishop of Rome and head of the Vatican, the center of the Roman Catholic Church. He is responsible for guiding bishops, overseeing church teachings, and maintaining unity in the Church. The pope also appoints bishops globally and represents the Church in international matters.
IOL News
02-05-2025
- General
- IOL News
A Man of the People: Hamba Kahle Papa Francisco
Pope Francis was a man of the people. Image: Tiziana Fabi / AFP Pope Francis died and asked to be buried as a simple man. A man of the people. The pope was humorous and funny and loved football - rumoured to be a supporter of San Lorenzo de Almagro FC. On their website, the club simply said: 'Hasta siempre, Santo Padre!' – with these words, meaning 'Farewell forever, Holy Father,' . He was a socio - a card carrying member (Member N°88235) el El Ciclón - from his early days as a priest in Buenos Aires. The club's Instagram page waxed poetically about Papa Francisco and it is worth a watch here: He not only had a common touch, but in life sought to remain in touch with people. It was reported that every night for 18 months the pope would phone the Holy Family Church in Gaza City around 8pm to speak to Father Gabriel Romanelli, the pastor of the besieged Gaza strip's parish. Most calls lasted about 15 minutes as he enquired about the well-being of those sheltered there. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ The last call apparently lasted only 30 seconds and was a quick check in, but it affirmed his direct moral and spiritual support and leadership to Christians, and the embattled people of Gaza. It helped to keep hope alive. He was buried last Saturday. Pope Francis was the first Jesuit priest to become pope and at birth he was named Jorge Mario Bergoglio. He was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on December 17, 1936. The book taken from his interview, and written by Hernán Reyes Alcaide, is entitled Hope Never Disappoints: Pilgrims towards a Better World (Nov 24). It was released ahead of the Jubilee Year 2025 with a similar theme, asking us to become pilgrims of hope, as he campaigned against displacement, migration and strife. An excerpt from La Stampa reads thus: "Something similar has happened in the Middle East, where the open doors of nations such as Jordan or Lebanon continue to be the salvation of millions of people fleeing the conflicts in the area: I am thinking especially of those who leave Gaza in the midst of the famine that has struck their Palestinian brothers and sisters in the face of the difficulty of getting food and aid to their territory." According to some experts, what is happening in Gaza has the characteristics of genocide. It would be necessary to investigate carefully to determine whether it fits within the technical definition formulated by jurists and international bodies. This echoes the call that South African lawyers made before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in December 2023 when the South African government took the bold step of taking the Israeli regime to The Hague. South Africa filed the papers on 29 December 2023 at the ICJ requesting the court, asking it to declare "on an urgent basis that Israel is in breach of its obligations in terms of the Genocide Convention, should immediately cease all acts and measures in breach of those obligations and take a number of related actions". When the book was released the number of Palestinians killed by Israel stood at about 43,846 people, most of them civilians, according to the Ministry of Health in Gaza. The number of those killed today stands at 51,240 Palestinians - mainly civilians. These figures exclude those under the rubble. History will judge both Pope Francis and South Africa favourably, but in the meantime the haters will continue to fight for space… but we cannot stop now. We have to do more and take our provisional measures placed before the ICJ to the International Criminal Court. The Pope's love for Palestinians as part of the wretched of the earth is unmatched by today's clergy or leaders of all faiths and doctrines. He symbolised and lived with hope and solidarity and believes as we all must: Hope Never Disappoints. The pope was inspired by hope and compassion, campaigning against what he defined as the globalisation of indifference, which he said is an ugly disease. Howard Zinn wrote: "We cannot be neutral on a moving train". We must stand for the poor, the marginalised, the voiceless against those who usurp all the resources like the environment. In his famous encyclical, Pope Laudato si' (2015), Pope Francis' encyclical on ecology, climate change, and care for our common home he educated us on the importance of caring for mother earth, and urged action against global warming, stating that "the Earth, our home, is beginning to look more and more like an immense pile of filth.". He railed against global inequality and excessive consumerism, waste and greed. But he never forgot the refugees, the victims of political, military and environmental abuses of power. The pope consistently spoke out against Israel's terrorism and genocide against Palestinians. The UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees) wrote this shattering reminder: At least 100 children are reported killed or injured every day in #Gaza, since the strikes resumed (on 18 March) according to @UNICEF… Young lives cut short in a war not of children's making. Since the war began over a year-and-half ago, 15,000 children have reportedly been killed. The ceasefire at the beginning of the year gave Gaza's children a chance to survive and be children. The resumption of the war is again robbing them of their childhood. The war has turned Gaza into a 'no land' for children. This is a stain on our common humanity. To end, on 24 December 2024, I co-wrote a poem with Pope Francis (he did not know it)... *WALKING IN GAZAN SHOES* With pain I think of Gaza So much pain I think of Gaza I think of the children Machine gunned in gaza With pain I think of Gaza Of the bombings The bombings of schools and hospitals Oh Gaza What cruelty in Gaza Gaza So much cruelty Yesterday children Children were bombed(again) in Gaza Bombed in Gaza Bombed This is not war This is cruelty The pain of Gaza Touches deep into my heart Hassl (and Pope Francis, Christmas eve 2024) * Hassen Lorgat is a social justice activist who has worked in trade union and anti apartheid sports movements ** The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of IOL or Independent Media.
Indian Express
21-04-2025
- General
- Indian Express
Like Jesus, Pope Francis taught by example, brought whole Church together, says Amravati Bishop Malcolm Sequeira
Malcolm Sequeira, Bishop of Amravati, vividly remembers the advice Pope Francis gave to nearly a hundred newly appointed bishops from across South Asia last year. ''Be a good shepherd, be patient and never lose your sense of humour' is what His Holiness Pope Francis told us,' he recalled. Pope Francis, the first Latin American head of the Roman Catholic Church, died Monday following weeks of treatment for an infection. He was 88. 'Pope Francis had appointed me as the Bishop of Amravati on November 30, 2023. There were 28 newly appointed bishops from India and several from a few other countries. Pope Francis held a meeting with the newly appointed bishops and I had the joy of meeting him personally on September 21, 2024, at the Vatican. He was so humble and preferred to have a dialogue with us, inviting many questions that he agreed to respond to,' said Bishop Sequeira, who was formerly the Vicar-General of the Diocese of Poona. The questions ranged from when he would visit India, to issues related to the church, and guidance on how to be a good Bishop. 'The replies would also be laced with his style of humour and Pope Francis would encourage us to always keep a smile. He would tell us how a smile can change someone's life,' Bishop Sequeira added. The Pope also advised them to be patient, he said. 'He had an interpreter but also spoke to us in English about being patient in difficult situations. 'Keep patience with situations in life, with people you deal with and, most importantly, be patient with your own self' is what His Holiness advised us.' 'I have special love and admiration towards Pope Francis because, like Jesus, he taught through his own example. He brought the whole Church together by organising the great Synod and gave us new hope by announcing the Jubilee Year 2025, making all of us 'The Pilgrims of Hope'. It is a great loss not just to the Catholic Church but to the entire world,' the Bishop said, while paying tribute to the memory of Pope Francis. Sister Lucy Kurien, founder of Maher, an interfaith NGO near Pune, said she was fortunate to have met Pope Francis twice. 'This was before the Covid-19 pandemic. I was invited to attend an interfaith conference at the Vatican in 2019. I met him for a short time during which he asked about Maher's work and encouraged me to continue it. He told me to never give up on the poor,' Sr Kurien said. Her NGO, registered with the UN, provides shelter and support to destitute, exploited and battered individuals. Pope's demise leaves 'immeasurable void in hearts of India's faithful' The Archdiocese of Bombay joined the global Catholic community in mourning the passing of Pope Francis. 'His departure leaves an immeasurable void in the Universal Church and in the hearts of India's faithful, who cherished his prophetic voice and tender compassion,' Archbishop John Rodrigues said in an official statement issued on Monday. 'Pope Francis taught us to find Christ in those the world overlooks. His humility, his dream of 'a poor Church for the poor', and his courage to engage a wounded world transformed not only the Church but countless souls. While we mourn, we also give thanks for a legacy that will live on in every heart stirred by his example,' the statement added. Cardinal Oswald Gracias said, 'The Holy Father's vision knew no boundaries. He urged us to be bridge-builders in a divided world, and his reforms — even to funeral rites — emphasized simplicity and faith in the Risen Lord… Let us honour him by embracing his mission: to be pilgrims of hope and witnesses of mercy.'
