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Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
The History Behind Pope Leo XIV's Name
Pope Leo XIV addresses the crowd from the main balcony of the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore after a prayer service in Rome, Italy, May 25th, 2025 Credit - Rocco Spaziani/Mondadori Portfolio—Getty Images Since the College of Cardinals selected Robert Prevost to become Pope Leo XIV on May 8, the first American Pope has generated much attention, with numerous publications attempting to peel back the curtain on the true identity of the new pontiff. Yet, the Pope himself may have told the world something significant about his vision and philosophy for the papacy through the simple act of choosing a name. The choice of Leo XIV makes Prevost the first pope to take this name since Leo XIII, who led the Church from 1878 to 1903, a critical time at the turn of the 20th century when the world was heading into an industrial and increasingly globalizing era that would soon lead to the First World War. Based on the tenure of Leo XIII, this choice may indicate that Prevost places substantial emphasis on the Church's responsibility to care for the poor, as well as the protection of workers' rights in an era of growing economic inequality. Yet, it also may signal that the new pope aims to chart a middle course in an era of extremes and won't look kindly on those challenging doctrine or the Church's hierarchy. If so, such a vision will be deeply rooted in a specific tradition of American Catholicism that emerged thanks to Leo XIII's teachings. Pope Leo XIII, born Gioacchino Pecci, ascended to the papacy in an era characterized by the spread of factories and wage labor, the rise of massive fortunes and the growth of worker discontent and organizing, and existential battles between the forces of capitalism and socialism. He responded by launching a transformative intellectual tradition known as Catholic social teaching. Pope Leo's Style of American Leadership Is a Hopeful Opportunity This body of thought, which had its most notable appearance in his 1891 encyclical, Rerum Novarum, introduced the world to a new approach to the social, economic, and political challenges of the day. Rerum upheld labor unions as a proper exercise of workers' natural rights to dignity and authentic freedom—and emphasized the obligation of the state to protect their rights and interests. Leo XIII also called for a 'remedy…for the misery and wretchedness pressing so unjustly on the majority of the working class.' He underscored the Catholic Church's care for the poor and its concern for the common good as well. Yet, Catholic social teaching wasn't a one-sided doctrine. In Rerum, Pope Leo XIII reflected on 'the spirit of revolutionary change' that had 'long been disturbing the nations of the world.' Instead of a revolution, this new approach contemplated a middle way between capitalism and socialism, one premised on a cooperative relationship between workers and management. Another key document written by Leo XIII further emphasized that the Pope was not quite a radical. In 1899, he wrote a papal letter, Testem Benevolentiae Nostrae, which was directed at American Catholics and condemned what he termed the heresy of 'Americanism.' The decision to write the letter may have stemmed from confusion and misperceptions about what liberal prelates and theologians in the U.S, were preaching. Liberal priests, most prominently Isaac Hecker, extolled the virtues of freedom and liberty as it related to the Church in the U.S. In his 1876 book, The Faith of Our Fathers, for example, Baltimore's James Cardinal Gibbons wrote of his country, '[T]here is no nation on the face of the earth where the Church is less trammeled, and where she has more liberty to carry out her sublime destiny, than in these Untied States.' Twelve years later, St. Paul's Archbishop John Ireland, proclaimed, 'In America, the Church is free—as the bird is free in the air to spread out its pinions and fly whithersoever it wills.' Conservative critics, both in the U.S., and in the Vatican, viewed these liberal prelates with suspicion because of their openness to engage in inter-religious encounters. Testum indicates that Leo XIII wanted to make clear that the Catholic Church in the U.S. wasn't spiritually distinct from the global church, and couldn't go its own way. It showed that, while sympathetic to workers and inequality, he wasn't prepared to see Church doctrine or the power of the Vatican challenged. Leo XIII's legacy, then, was one characterized by deep concern for the plight of workers and the poor, but also one that reflected concern over maintaining hierarchical discipline within the Church. He also wanted to moderate any spiritual experimentation, however illusory in the case of Americanism, that may have suggested the potential for Catholics to stray too far from Church teachings. What the History of Saint Augustine Can Teach us About Pope Leo XIV Despite setting limits on the autonomy of the American Church, the social teachings of Leo XIII had enormous influence on Catholicism in the U.S., especially after the horrors of World War I. The National Catholic Welfare Council (now the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, or the USCCB) gave its full support to the philosophy laid down by Pope Leo XIII in Rerum. In 1919, the Council adopted a Program of Social Reconstruction, which supported the institution of living wages, public pensions, and a variety of other government-provided aids for working men and women. In the following decades, numerous labor priests, such as John A. Ryan, George G. Higgins, Philip A. Carey, Joseph F. Donnelly, and Charles Owen Rice, led the way in advocating for workers. They instructed workers about Catholic social teaching, and operated labor schools to educate them on their rights and on the Catholic Church's positions on the important economic and social issues presented by the Great Depression and World War II. The Catholic Worker movement, led by Dorothy Day and Peter Maurin, was but one prominent example of the impact and the implementation of Catholic social teaching outside of theology courses and on American city streets. It provided charitable relief and practiced communal labor through its houses of hospitality, which Day envisioned would bring "workers and scholars together' in a place where they could 'discuss Christian principles of organization as set forth in the encyclicals.' Over time, American Catholicism has become fractured between theological conservatives and liberals. Today, the divides increasingly intersect with broader partisan battles outside the Church. In this landscape, Catholic social teaching and debates over the compatibility of Catholicism and Americanism are not mere historical relics of a previous century. They are vital issues that played formative roles in shaping the contemporary Catholic Church that Leo XIV now leads. Whether the new Pope chose the name Leo XIV to signal his affinity for Leo XIII is probably something only he knows. Yet, in so much as it does, it may indicate both that the new Pontiff is interested in economic matters, especially the struggles of working men and women to scrape by, and the ever-present debates over freedom versus order and the meaning of liberty in a hierarchical institution like the Church. The choice of his name may suggest that while Leo XIV will thrill liberal Catholics on social justice issues, he may lean more toward the Church's conservative wing when it comes to maintaining doctrinal boundaries. William S. Cossen is a historian of American religion and nationalism, and the author of Making Catholic America: Religious Nationalism in the Gilded Age and Progressive Era . Made by History takes readers beyond the headlines with articles written and edited by professional historians. Learn more about Made by History at TIME here. Opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of TIME editors. Write to Made by History at madebyhistory@
Black America Web
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Black America Web
Spike Lee Takes Assumed Shot At President Donald Trump At Cannes
Source: Mondadori Portfolio / Getty Spike Lee is preparing to deliver his latest body of work to the big screen and was present at the Cannes Film Festival this week, discussing his upcoming film, Highest 2 Lowest . During a press conference in support of the film, Spike Lee was asked a question, and he answered with an assumed swipe at President Donald Trump. Spike Lee was flanked on the podium by Highest 2 Lowest co-stars, Jeffrey Wright and Ilfenesh Hadera. Lee, Wright, and Hadera largely spoke about their roles in the film, with Hadera reminding the media that, for as much as Highest 2 Lowest is another collaboration with Lee and leading man Denzel Washington, she has worked with Lee several times as well. Wright, a fan of Lee's work, remarked that this is the first time he's worked with the famed director. Around the 22:37 mark, a reporter stood and asked if social media has compromised American values after noting that his film speaks a lot about integrity. Lee, freewheeling as ever, answered as only the Brooklyn native could. 'Well, I mean, I don't know how much we can talk about American values considering who's the president of the,' before trailing over to cover his mouth, but it was clear he was saying 'the United States' to conclude his covered-mouth statement. He added with exuberance, 'My wife said: 'Spike, be very careful what you say!'' Lee, turning serious, continued by saying, 'But here's the thing, I don't think that we can condemn social media. You can say the same thing about film, movies or whatever. So I'm not going to demonize the form.' Wright answered as well, and shared his thoughts, adding that some developers of these massive social media platforms won't allow their children to use those spaces. A$AP Rocky and Ice Spice, along with Wright's son, Elijah Wright, making his big screen debut, are part of the cast. Spike Lee's full conference for Highest 2 Lowest from Cannes can be viewed below. — Photo: SEE ALSO Spike Lee Takes Assumed Shot At President Donald Trump At Cannes was originally published on Black America Web Featured Video CLOSE
New York Post
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Why Cannes banning nudity from the red carpet is hilariously hypocritical
Like the gun-toting 'Les Miserables' students storming the barricade, Cannes has taken a stand — against, of all things, obscenity. C'est rich! The hon! hon! hon! film festival on France's Cote d'Azur put in place a restrictive — well, as far as Bianca Censori is concerned — new rule Monday at the start of their movie marathon. Advertisement 5 Bella Hadid has often worn revealing outfits at the Cannes Film Festival. Mondadori Portfolio via Getty Images 'For decency reasons, nudity is prohibited on the red carpet, as well as in any other area of the festival,' le statement declared. Liberté, egalité, no nudité! Advertisement At pretty much any nearby beach, however, the waist-up dress code remains au naturale. No doubt about it, smutty step-and-repeats are a growing concern at glitzy soirees around the world. The Post's photo editors spend so many hours pixelating famous women's exposed areas, there's barely time for lunch. At the Grammys, Kanye West's girlfriend Censori wore, I dunno, a body-sized nylon sock before being escorted out. Bella Hadid has controversially donned sheer dresses at Cannes before. So has Kendall Jenner. I know — such shocking behavior from these classy, classy names. Advertisement 5 Kendall Jenner might struggle with the new nudity rules on the red carpet. KCS Presse / MEGA A week ago, Halle Berry left little to the imagination at the Met Gala. On the opposite end of the spectrum, Cannes has also canned 'voluminous' outfits with long trains and other excesses — a k a the fun ones. The huge dresses, not European sluggishness, hold up other entrants. Amusingly, that's Berry's problem in France: Her frock has too much fabric. She's gone from sheer to shears. Advertisement 5 Halle Berry wore revealing sheer at the Met Gala this year. Getty Images Bravely, I am pro-clothes-in-public. But the hand-wringing from the Pierres and Claudettes is hilarious. For one, this isn't Kalamazoo — it's France, the country of Manet, Matisse and Courbet. And, specific to Cannes, after these newly layered-up monks and nuns somberly march into the Grand Théâtre Lumière, bared flesh is all over the screen. The French Riviera transforms into Times Square circa 1972. No less than 17 films in the fest's 78 year history have featured graphic, un-simulated sex scenes. Some call it art, some call it porn. You say potato, I say pomme de terre. 5 Cannes have premiered films like 'Love,' which featured un-simulated hardcore sex. Courtesy Everett Collection One, director Gaspar Noe's 'Love' in 2015, featured beaucoup hardcore hanky panky. A carnal MadLibs, the movie had threesomes, orgies, beds, bathrooms, basements and dingy hallways in ample combinations. Plus, like 'Avatar: The Way of Water,' 'Love' was shot in 3-D. Advertisement You can only imagine. Vincent Gallo's 2003 flick 'Brown Bunny,' in which the writer/actor/director was actually pleasured by star Chloe Sevigny, was called the worst Cannes movie ever by Roger Ebert. 5 In Vincent Gallo's 'Brown Bunny,' the director had steamy relations with star Chloe Sevigny. Lest we forget, last year's Palme d'Or winner 'Anora' begins with a series of topless lap dances. Advertisement And my word count isn't long enough — nor my stomach strong enough — to take you through the raunchy resume of Lars von Trier. All this to say, the festival is rather in-Cannes-sistent. I'm in the market for some mischief. Maybe some rebellious attendees will give us a French revolution, arrive in the buff and get carted away. Advertisement Did you know Cannes also requires 'elegant' footwear? They've kicked filmmakers off the carpet for simply wearing moccasins. They'd 'Mon Dieu!' my Sundance sweatpants. If a starlet were forcibly removed for immodesty, that would make a killer story. It would be even better than last year's festival's unfortunate headline grabbers: 'Megalopolis' and 'Horizon: An American Saga.' Talk about obscene. Sacré bleu!
Irish Daily Star
29-04-2025
- Politics
- Irish Daily Star
Convicted cardinal who fell from grace over embezzlement pulls out of conclave to choose new pope
A cardinal convicted over financial crimes by the Vatican has announced he will not take part in the mysterious conclave to choose the next pope. Cardinal Giovanni Angelo Becciu was formerly a senior figure in Vatican but was forced to give up the 'rights and privileges' of a cardinal by Pope Francis in 2020 following his involvement in a financial debacle within the papal enclave. With the death of Pope Francis on Easter Monday and his funeral on Saturday - overshadowed by Donald Trump's perceived 'disrespect' - many were left wondering if the controversial cardinal would take part in the efforts to pick a new pope. Hundreds of thousands of people, including over 50 heads of state, gathered in the Vatican for the funeral under the protection of a massive security operation. Read More Related Articles Trump supporters 'worried' that attending event could give them 'black mark' Read More Related Articles Melania Trump's true feelings towards Donald Trump picked up by lip reader An Italian Carabinieri sniper on guard duty near the Vatican City before the funeral Becciu was once an influential Vatican chief of staff who was a leading papal contender himself. But he fell from grace in 2020 when Francis forced him to resign his job as head of the Vatican's saint-making office and his rights as a cardinal because of allegations of financial misconduct. After his 2020 downfall, Becciu had said he would not participate in any future conclave but then launched an appeal in support his place. Finally on Tuesday if he backed down. In 2023, Becciu was found guilty of embezzlement and fraud, leading to a five-and-a-half-year prison sentence. This marked him as the first cardinal to be convicted by the Vatican's criminal court. Becciu was a leading papal contender himself (Image: Mondadori Portfolio via Getty Images) However, the cardinal, who has consistently proclaimed his innocence, has lodged an appeal that is still being reviewed. He has been permitted to reside in a Vatican apartment while this process continues. On Tuesday, the 76-year-old Italian issued a statement through his lawyers that said: 'Having at heart the good of the church, which I have served and will continue to serve with fidelity and love, as well as to contribute to the communion and serenity of the conclave, I have decided to obey as I have always done the will of Pope Francis not to enter the conclave while remaining convinced of my innocence.' The College of Cardinals has set May 7 as the start date for the conclave to elect a new spiritual leader for the world's 1.4 billion Catholics. Pallbearers carry the coffin of Pope Francis into St Peter Basilica (Image: AFP via Getty Images) Becciu's decision to step away from the conclave follows a statement he made to a newspaper in his local Sardinia just a week prior, where he asserted, "there was no explicit will to exclude me from the conclave nor a request for my explicit renunciation in writing." The cardinal from Sardinia previously served as the "sostituto" a role akin to the popes chief of staff within the Holy See's Secretariat of State. This position granted Becciu immediate access to the pope and extensive influence within the churchs central administration. He later transitioned to managing the Vatican's canonization office.
CBS News
26-04-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Here's how Pope Francis' funeral broke with tradition
Even before Saturday's funeral service for Pope Francis at the Vatican, the leader known as "the People's Pope" had already broken with some traditions in the ways pontiffs are laid to rest. His body lay in state for three days in St. Peter's Basilica, where members of the public have been filing past to pay their respects. Unlike his predecessors, who were buried in three nested coffins — one made of cypress, one made of lead, and one made of elm — the famously humble Francis chose to be buried in a simple wooden coffin. That change came as part of recently updated funeral planning for pontiffs, published late last year and approved by Francis. The updated Ordo Exsequiarum Romani Pontificis, as it's called in Latin, also says that the public should be able to view the pope's body in an open coffin. People bid farewell to Pope Francis at his open coffin in St. Peter's Basilica on his last day of lying in state, April 25, 2025. Christoph Reichwein / picture alliance via Getty Images Another break from tradition is its direction that the ascertainment of the pope's death should take place in a chapel, not his room. "A second edition [of the official funeral rites for pontiffs] became necessary, first of all because Pope Francis has requested it, as he himself has stated on several occasions of the need to simplify and adapt certain rites so that the celebration of the funeral of the Bishop of Rome may better expresses [sic] the faith of the Church in the Risen Christ," Archbishop Diego Ravelli, Master of Apostolic Ceremonies, said in a statement released by the Vatican at the time of the update. Archbishop Ravelli also said, "The renewed rite also needed to emphasise even more that the funeral of the Roman Pontiff is that of a pastor and disciple of Christ and not of a powerful person of this world." The other major break from papal funeral tradition is the place where Francis has chosen to be buried. In his last will and testament, published shortly after his death, Francis requested that he be laid to rest outside the Vatican, in the Papal Basilica of St. Mary Major (Santa Maria Maggiore, in Italian). He often visited that ancient church in Rome to pray before and after his travels. Pope Francis celebrates Holy Mass privately on the altar of St. Ignatius of Loyola in the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome, Dec. 8, 2020. Grzegorz Galazka/Archivio Grzegorz Galazka/Mondadori Portfolio via Getty Images Many popes are laid to rest inside the Vatican, in the Vatican grottoes, a system of vaults on the lower level of St. Peter's Basilica. The church said seven popes in history have been buried at St. Mary Major, but Francis will be the first one in centuries. "I wish that my last earthly journey conclude precisely in this ancient Marian sanctuary where I went for prayer at the beginning and end of each Apostolic journey to confidently entrust my intentions to the Immaculate Mother and thank Her for her docile and maternal care," Francis said in his will. "The tomb must be in the earth; simple, without particular decoration and with the only inscription: Franciscus," he specified. That is also a departure from other popes whose tombs include an inscription honoring their papacy.
