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New Straits Times
4 days ago
- Politics
- New Straits Times
Pope Leo makes a break in style from Francis
IN his first month, Pope Leo has taken a very different approach to his predecessor Francis. Leo, the former Cardinal Robert Prevost, has led some two dozen public events since he was elected as the first US pope on May 8 but not made notable appointments, nor announced plans for foreign trips, nor said where he will live at the Vatican. It's a stark contrast to when Francis, originally from Argentina, was selected as the first pope from the Americas in March 2013. Within a month, Francis had announced he would be the first pontiff in more than a century to live outside the Vatican's apostolic palace, appointed his successor as Archbishop of Buenos Aires and created a new formal advisory group of senior Catholic cardinals. Two of Leo's long-time associates expect the 69-year-old Pope to take a deliberative approach to the challenges facing the Catholic Church and may require months before making major decisions. "Leo is taking his time," Rev. Mark Francis, a friend of the new pontiff since the 1970s, told Reuters. "While he is going to continue in the path indicated by Pope Francis, his disposition is very different." Leo was first appointed a bishop by Francis in 2015 and then chosen by the late pope to take up a senior Vatican role two years ago. He has frequently praised his predecessor in his first weeks. He has also repeated some of Francis' main themes, and has echoed the Argentine pontiff's emotional appeals for an end to the wars in Gaza and Ukraine. Other looming issues facing the 1.4 billion-member Church include declining adherence to the faith in Europe, ongoing revelations of clerical sexual abuse, and doctrinal debates over matters such as inclusion of LGBT Catholics and the possibility of women's ordination. Rev. Anthony Pizzo, who has known Leo since 1974 when they attended Villanova University outside Philadelphia together, said the pope is someone who listens carefully and seeks to hear many viewpoints before making decisions. "This is going to be his modus operandi," said Pizzo. "When you first come into leadership, listen well, get to know your constituency … to make a well-informed decision," Pizzo added, describing the pope's thought process. Francis and Leo came to the papacy at different ages and with different career backgrounds. Francis, elected at age 76, had been a cardinal for 12 years before ascending to the papacy. Leo, seven years younger when he donned the white papal cassock, is a relative unknown on the world stage who only became a cardinal and Vatican official two years ago. He spent most of his prior career as a missionary in Peru. Early in his tenure, Francis told journalists that, due to his age, he expected to have a brief papacy of only a few years. Leo, the youngest pontiff since John Paul II was elected at age 58 in 1978, can perhaps expect a papacy of 10 or more years. Among the challenges facing the new pope is a Vatican budget shortfall estimated at 83 million euros, two knowledgeable sources told Reuters. The city-state also has a much larger gap in its pension fund, said to total some 631 million euros by the Vatican's finance czar in 2022 but estimated by several insiders to have since ballooned significantly. In his first weeks, Leo has not addressed the budget issues and has made only a few new appointments to Vatican roles. While Francis made some big decisions quickly in his first month, he also took time on other issues. He did not make his first trip abroad until late July 2013, four months into his papacy. Leo's first foreign trip is likely to be to Turkiye, to celebrate the 1,700th anniversary of an early Church council with Patriarch Bartholomew, the spiritual leader of the Eastern Orthodox Church. Francis, who often spoke off the cuff, was known for giving freewheeling news conferences on flights home from his trips abroad. Rev. Francis said Leo, who in his first month has largely read from prepared texts, is likely to be more careful with his responses during news conferences. "He won't be shooting from the hip like Francis did while speaking with journalists," said the priest.
Filipino Times
11-05-2025
- Politics
- Filipino Times
Pope Leo XIV vows to carry on Francis' legacy, urges cardinals to renew commitment to Church reforms
Pope Leo XIV, in his first official meeting with the world's Catholic cardinals since becoming pontiff, pledged to continue the vision and reforms of his predecessor, Pope Francis, whom he described as leaving behind a 'precious legacy' of service and openness. During the gathering at the Vatican, Leo encouraged the senior clerics to reaffirm their dedication to the sweeping reforms initiated by the Second Vatican Council in the 1960s—changes that included holding Mass in local languages and fostering interfaith dialogue. He praised Francis for his efforts to engage the modern world with 'courageous and trusting dialogue' and for setting an example of selfless service. The late Pope Francis, who led the Church for 12 years until his death on April 21, often faced pushback from conservative factions over his inclusive stance on issues like LGBT Catholics and women in leadership roles. Leo XIV—formerly Cardinal Robert Prevost of the United States—had largely flown under the global radar before his election. A former missionary in Peru and a senior Vatican official for the past two years, Leo said he chose his papal name in part to honor Pope Leo XIII, a champion of social justice. Addressing new global challenges, the new pontiff highlighted artificial intelligence as a key concern, warning of its potential threat to human dignity, justice, and labor rights. Saturday's meeting marked a shift in style as well. Unlike previous popes who delivered speeches without dialogue, Leo invited cardinals to openly share thoughts and concerns. 'He listened very carefully, but he knows he's going to have to make the decisions,' said Irish Cardinal Sean Brady. Spanish Cardinal Aquilino Bocos Merino described the atmosphere as 'very cordial and communal.' Later in the day, the pope made an unannounced visit to the Shrine of Our Lady of Good Counsel in Genazzano, where he greeted well-wishers and offered blessings before entering the church.
Business Mayor
11-05-2025
- Business
- Business Mayor
Why Pope Leo chose his name: AI, workers' rights, new Industrial Revolution
Global Economy May 10, 2025 Newly elected Pope Leo XIV, Cardinal Robert F. Prevost of the U.S., appears on the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, May 8, 2025. Dylan Martinez | Reuters Pope Leo XIV said Saturday that he selected his papal name in part to commemorate Pope Leo XIII for his commitment to social issues and workers' rights during the industrial revolution. Leo said that the world now faces new hurdles to workers' rights — and humanity more broadly — due to the rise of artificial intelligence. 'In our own day, the church offers everyone the treasury of its social teaching in response to another industrial revolution and to developments in the field of artificial intelligence that pose new challenges for the defense of human dignity, justice and labor,' said the American pontiff, who before his election by a Vatican conclave on Thursday was known as Cardinal Robert Prevost. Leo's remarks provided one of the earliest indications of his vision for leadership and priorities as head of the Roman Catholic Church. Leo also suggested during his first meeting with cardinals since his election that he would follow the late Pope Francis' lead on his commitment to social justice. 'It has been clearly seen in the example of so many of my predecessors, and most recently by Pope Francis himself, with his example of complete dedication to service and to sober simplicity of life, his abandonment to God throughout his ministry and his serene trust at the moment of his return to the Father's house,' he said. Francis, who was pope for 12 years, often garnered criticism from conservative cardinals who said he was watering down the Church's doctrine on issues like LGBT Catholics and women's leadership. Leo XIII, the partial inspiration for the new pope's name, was elected in 1878. He was a prominent figure in the Catholic Church's social teaching, particularly surrounding the rights of workers and the working class. Leo is the first American pontiff of the Catholic Church. Reuters contributed to this report. READ SOURCE
AsiaOne
11-05-2025
- Politics
- AsiaOne
Pope Leo tells cardinals they must continue 'precious legacy' of Pope Francis, World News
VATICAN CITY -Pope Leo XIV signalled on Saturday (May 10) he would continue with the vision and reforms of Pope Francis, telling the world's Catholic cardinals the late pontiff left a "precious legacy" that must carry on. In his first meeting with all the cardinals since his election as pontiff on May 8, Leo also asked the senior clerics to renew their commitment to major Church reforms enacted by the landmark Second Vatican Council in the 1960s. Leo said Francis, who died on April 21, broadly had a vision of opening the staid 1.4-billion-member Church to the modern world, had left an "example of complete dedication to service." "Let us take up this precious legacy and continue on the journey," the new pope told the cardinals. The pontiff also asked the clerics to "renew together our complete commitment" to the reforms enacted by the Council, which included celebrating the Mass in local languages rather than Latin and pursuing dialogue with other religions. He cited Francis' focus on "courageous and trusting dialogue with the contemporary world in its various components and realities." Francis was pope for 12 years and often garnered criticism from conservative cardinals, who said he was watering down the Church's doctrine on issues such as inclusion of LGBT Catholics and women's leadership. Leo, the former US Cardinal Robert Prevost, was a relative unknown on the global stage before his election as pontiff. He had spent most of his career as a missionary in Peru before serving as a senior Vatican official for the past two years. The new pope said on Saturday he had taken his papal name partly to honour Pope Leo XIII (1878-1903), who was known as an advocate for social justice and pushed for fair pay and treatment of workers during the industrial revolution. Leo XIV said the Church must now take the lead in facing newer threats to workers, such as artificial intelligence. He said AI posed "new challenges for the defence of human dignity, justice and labour." Leo's two-hour meeting with the cardinals took a different format to that used by previous popes, who would typically offer a speech and expect the clerics only to listen. [[nid:717893]] This time, Leo gave a prepared address and then opened the floor to any cardinal who wanted to make a comment -- allowing the clerics to voice their opinions and concerns about the main issues facing the global Church. "He listened very carefully, but he knows he's going to have to make the decisions," Irish Cardinal Sean Brady told Reuters. "But we're here to help him." Spanish Cardinal Aquilino Bocos Merino described the meeting as "very cordial and communal." China deal comes up Leo greeted each of the cardinals individually as they left the meeting, which was held in the same small Vatican auditorium where the cardinals had been gathering in the days before the conclave to discuss who should be the next pope. Czech Cardinal Dominik Duka said one topic that came up was the situation of Catholics in communist China. The Vatican and China in 2018 signed a controversial deal on the appointment of bishops in the country, which gives Beijing some input into their selection. Conservatives have attacked the still-secret deal as a sell-out, but Duka told Reuters it was necessary to keep a dialogue open in places where the Church is oppressed, comparing it to dialogue between the Vatican and eastern European countries during the Cold War. German Cardinal Gerhard Mueller, who openly clashed with Francis on issues concerning Catholic moral teaching, told Reuters that Saturday's encounter was "very good and harmonious." To be elected as pope during the May 7-8 secret conclave at the Sistine Chapel, Leo required a two-thirds majority of 89 of the 133 voting cardinals. Madagascar Cardinal Desire Tsarahazana told Reuters that Leo received more than 100 votes at the final ballot on the afternoon of May 8.
New Straits Times
10-05-2025
- Politics
- New Straits Times
Pope Leo tells cardinals they must continue 'precious legacy' of Pope Francis
VATICAN CITY: Pope Leo XIV signalled on Saturday he would continue with the vision and reforms of Pope Francis, telling the world's Catholic cardinals the late pontiff left a "precious legacy" that must carry on. In his first meeting with all the cardinals since his election as pontiff on May 8, Leo also asked the senior clerics to renew their commitment to major Church reforms enacted by the landmark Second Vatican Council in the 1960s. Leo said Francis, who died on April 21, broadly had a vision of opening the staid 1.4-billion-member Church to the modern world and had left an "example of complete dedication to service." "Let us take up this precious legacy and continue on the journey," the new pope told the cardinals. The pontiff also asked the clerics to "renew together our complete commitment" to the reforms enacted by the Council, which included celebrating the Mass in local languages rather than Latin and pursuing dialogue with other religions. He cited Francis' focus on "courageous and trusting dialogue with the contemporary world in its various components and realities." Francis was pope for 12 years and often garnered criticism from conservative cardinals, who said he was watering down the Church's doctrine on issues such as the inclusion of LGBT Catholics and women's leadership. Leo, the former US Cardinal Robert Prevost, was a relative unknown on the global stage before his election as pontiff. He had spent most of his career as a missionary in Peru before serving as a senior Vatican official for the past two years. The new pope said on Saturday he had taken his papal name partly to honour Pope Leo XIII (1878–1903), who was known as an advocate for social justice and pushed for fair pay and treatment of workers during the industrial revolution. Leo XIV said the Church must now take the lead in facing newer threats to workers, such as artificial intelligence. He said AI posed "new challenges for the defence of human dignity, justice and labour." Leo's speech came a few hours before he made a surprise visit later on Saturday to a Catholic shrine in Genazzano, about an hour's drive east of Rome. The pope was greeted with cheers from crowds gathered outside the Shrine of Our Lady of Good Counsel. He shook hands and offered blessings to a few people in the crowd before entering the shrine. Leo's two-hour meeting with the cardinals earlier on Saturday took a different format to that used by previous popes, who would typically offer a speech and expect the clerics only to listen. This time, Leo gave a prepared address and then opened the floor to any cardinal who wanted to make a comment – allowing the clerics to voice their opinions and concerns about the main issues facing the global Church. "He listened very carefully, but he knows he's going to have to make the decisions," Irish Cardinal Seán Brady told Reuters. "But we're here to help him." Spanish Cardinal Aquilino Bocos Merino described the meeting as "very cordial and communal." CHINA DEAL COMES UP Leo greeted each of the cardinals individually as they left the meeting, which was held in the same small Vatican auditorium where the cardinals had been gathering in the days before the conclave to discuss who should be the next pope. Czech Cardinal Dominik Duka said one topic that came up was the situation of Catholics in communist China. The Vatican and China in 2018 signed a controversial deal on the appointment of bishops in the country, which gives Beijing some input into their selection. Conservatives have attacked the still-secret deal as a sell-out, but Duka told Reuters it was necessary to keep a dialogue open in places where the Church is oppressed, comparing it to dialogue between the Vatican and Eastern European countries during the Cold War. German Cardinal Gerhard Müller, who openly clashed with Francis on issues concerning Catholic moral teaching, told Reuters that Saturday's encounter was "very good and harmonious." To be elected as pope during the May 7–8 secret conclave at the Sistine Chapel, Leo required a two-thirds majority of 89 of the 133 voting cardinals. Madagascar Cardinal Désiré Tsarahazana told reporters that Leo received more than 100 votes at the final ballot on the afternoon of May 8.
