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NDTV
11-05-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
This Is Humanity's "Main Challenge" According To Pope Leo XIV
Vatican City: Pope Leo XIV laid out the vision of his papacy Saturday, identifying artificial intelligence as one of the most critical matters facing humanity and vowing to continue with some of the core priorities of Pope Francis. But in a sign he was making the papacy very much his own, Leo made his first outing since his election, traveling to a sanctuary south of Rome that is dedicated to the Madonna and is of particular significance to his Augustinian order and his namesake, Pope Leo XIII. Townspeople of Genazzano gathered in the square outside the main church housing the Madre del Buon Consiglio (Mother of Good Counsel) sanctuary as Leo arrived and greeted them. The sanctuary, which is managed by Augustinian friars, has been a place of pilgrimage since the 15th century and the previous Pope Leo elevated it to a minor basilica and expanded the adjacent convent in the early 1900s. After praying in the church, Leo greeted the townspeople and told them they had both a gift and a responsibility in having the Madonna in their midst. He offered a blessing and then got back into the passenger seat of the car, a black Volkswagen. En route back to the Vatican, he stopped to pray at Francis' tomb at St. Mary Major Basilica. The after-lunch outing came after Leo presided over his first formal audience, with the cardinals who elected him pope. In it Leo repeatedly cited Francis and the Argentine pope's own 2013 mission statement, making clear a commitment to making the Catholic Church more inclusive and attentive to the faithful and a church that looks out for the "least and rejected." Leo, the first American pope, told the cardinals that he was fully committed to the reforms of the Second Vatican Council, the 1960s meetings that modernized the church. He identified AI as one of the main issues facing humanity, saying it poses challenges to defending human dignity, justice and labor. Some signs about the future emerge The Vatican, meanwhile, provided hints of its own about the Leo pontificate: It revealed Saturday that Leo would retain the motto and coat of arms that he had as bishop of Chiclayo, Peru that emphasize unity in the church. The motto, "In Illo uno unum," was pronounced by St. Augustine in a sermon to explain that "although we Christians are many, in the one Christ we are one." The emblem is that of the Augustinian order: a pierced flaming heart and a book, representing the Scriptures. The Vatican also provided details about the pectoral cross that Leo is wearing: It was a gift from the Augustinian order when he was made a cardinal in 2023. It contains relics of St. Augustine and his mother, St. Monica, who was crucial in his conversion to Christianity. St. Augustine of Hippo is one of the theological and devotional giants of early Christianity. The Augustinian order, formed in the 13th century as a community of "mendicant" friars, is dedicated to poverty, service and evangelization. Identifying with Pope Francis Leo referred to AI in explaining the choice of his name: His namesake, Pope Leo XIII, was pope from 1878 to 1903 and laid the foundation for modern Catholic social thought. He did so most famously with his 1891 encyclical Rerum Novarum, which addressed workers' rights and capitalism at the dawn of the industrial age. The late pope criticized both laissez-faire capitalism and state-centric socialism, giving shape to a distinctly Catholic vein of economic teaching. In his remarks Saturday, Leo said he identified with his predecessor. "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," he said. Toward the end of his pontificate, Francis became increasingly vocal about the threats to humanity posed by AI and called for an international treaty to regulate it. Francis in many ways saw the Chicago-born Augustinian missionary Robert Prevost as something of an heir apparent: He moved him to take over a small Peruvian diocese in 2014, where Prevost later became bishop and head of the Peruvian bishops conference, and then called him to Rome to take over one of the most important Vatican offices vetting bishop nominations in 2023. In the speech, delivered in Italian in the Vatican's synod hall - not the Apostolic Palace - Leo made repeated references to Francis and the mourning over his death. He held up Francis' 2013 mission statement, "The Joy of the Gospel," as something of his own marching orders. He cited Francis' insistence on the missionary nature of the church and the need to make its leadership more collegial. He cited the need to pay attention to what the faithful say "especially in its most authentic and inclusive forms, especially popular piety." Again, referring to Francis' 2013 mission statement, Leo cited the need for the church to express "loving care for the least and rejected" and engage in courageous dialogue with the contemporary world. A quick conclave Greeted by a standing ovation, Leo read from his prepared text, only looking up occasionally. Even when he first appeared to the world on Thursday night, Leo read from a prepared, handwritten text in Italian that he must have drafted sometime before his historic election or the hour or so after. He seemed most comfortable speaking off-the-cuff in the few words he pronounced in Spanish. Prevost was elected the 267th pontiff on Thursday on the fourth ballot of the conclave, an exceptionally fast outcome given this was the largest and most geographically diverse conclave in history and not all cardinals knew one another before arriving in Rome. Madagascar Cardinal Desire Tsarahazana told reporters on Saturday that on the final ballot, Prevost had received "more" than 100 of the 133 votes. That suggests an extraordinary margin, well beyond the two-thirds, or 89 votes, necessary to be elected. A comment from a contender Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican secretary of state who had been considered one of the top contenders to be pope, offered his congratulations on Saturday in a letter published in his hometown paper, Il Giornale di Vicenza. Parolin praised Leo's grasp of today's problems, recalling his first words from the loggia when he spoke of the need for a peace that is "disarmed and disarming." Parolin said he had appreciated Prevost's leadership in Chiclayo, saying he helped handle a particularly thorny problem - with no details - and grew to appreciate his governance more closely at the Vatican handling the bishops' office. Specifically, Parolin praised Leo's understanding of people and situations, his "calmness in argumentation, balance in proposing solutions, respect, care and love for everyone." (Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
Chicago Tribune
10-05-2025
- Politics
- Chicago Tribune
Pope Leo XIV lays out vision of papacy and identifies AI as a main challenge for humanity
VATICAN CITY — Pope Leo XIV laid out the vision of his papacy Saturday, identifying artificial intelligence as one of the most critical matters facing humanity and vowing to continue with some of the core priorities of Pope Francis. But in a sign he was making the papacy very much his own, Leo made his first outing since his election, traveling to a sanctuary south of Rome that is dedicated to the Madonna and is of particular significance to his Augustinian order and his namesake, Pope Leo XIII. Townspeople of Genazzano gathered in the square outside the main church housing the Madre del Buon Consiglio (Mother of Good Counsel) sanctuary as Leo arrived and greeted them. The sanctuary, which is managed by Augustinian friars, has been a place of pilgrimage since the 15th century and the previous Pope Leo elevated it to a minor basilica and expanded the adjacent convent in the early 1900s. After praying in the church, Leo greeted the townspeople and told them they had both a gift and a responsibility in having the Madonna in their midst. He offered a blessing and then got back into the passenger seat of the car, a black Volkswagen. En route back to the Vatican, he stopped to pray at Francis' tomb at St. Mary Major Basilica. The after-lunch outing came after Leo presided over his first formal audience, with the cardinals who elected him pope. In it Leo repeatedly cited Francis and the Argentine pope's own 2013 mission statement, making clear a commitment to making the Catholic Church more inclusive and attentive to the faithful and a church that looks out for the 'least and rejected.' Leo, the first American pope, told the cardinals that he was fully committed to the reforms of the Second Vatican Council, the 1960s meetings that modernized the church. He identified AI as one of the main issues facing humanity, saying it poses challenges to defending human dignity, justice and labor. The Vatican, meanwhile, provided hints of its own about the Leo pontificate: It revealed Saturday that Leo would retain the motto and coat of arms that he had as bishop of Chiclayo, Peru that emphasize unity in the church. The motto, 'In Illo uno unum,' was pronounced by St. Augustine in a sermon to explain that 'although we Christians are many, in the one Christ we are one.' The emblem is that of the Augustinian order: a pierced flaming heart and a book, representing the Scriptures. The Vatican also provided details about the pectoral cross that Leo is wearing: It was a gift from the Augustinian order when he was made a cardinal in 2023. It contains relics of St. Augustine and his mother, St. Monica, who was crucial in his conversion to Christianity. St. Augustine of Hippo is one of the theological and devotional giants of early Christianity. The Augustinian order, formed in the 13th century as a community of 'mendicant' friars, is dedicated to poverty, service and evangelization. Leo referred to AI in explaining the choice of his name: His namesake, Pope Leo XIII, was pope from 1878 to 1903 and laid the foundation for modern Catholic social thought. He did so most famously with his 1891 encyclical Rerum Novarum, which addressed workers' rights and capitalism at the dawn of the industrial age. The late pope criticized both laissez-faire capitalism and state-centric socialism, giving shape to a distinctly Catholic vein of economic teaching. In his remarks Saturday, Leo said he identified with his predecessor. '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,' he said. Toward the end of his pontificate, Francis became increasingly vocal about the threats to humanity posed by AI and called for an international treaty to regulate it. Francis in many ways saw the Chicago-born Augustinian missionary Robert Prevost as something of an heir apparent: He moved him to take over a small Peruvian diocese in 2014, where Prevost later became bishop and head of the Peruvian bishops conference, and then called him to Rome to take over one of the most important Vatican offices vetting bishop nominations in 2023. In the speech, delivered in Italian in the Vatican's synod hall — not the Apostolic Palace — Leo made repeated references to Francis and the mourning over his death. He held up Francis' 2013 mission statement, 'The Joy of the Gospel,' as something of his own marching orders. He cited Francis' insistence on the missionary nature of the church and the need to make its leadership more collegial. He cited the need to pay attention to what the faithful say 'especially in its most authentic and inclusive forms, especially popular piety.' Again, referring to Francis' 2013 mission statement, Leo cited the need for the church to express 'loving care for the least and rejected' and engage in courageous dialogue with the contemporary world. Greeted by a standing ovation, Leo read from his prepared text, only looking up occasionally. Even when he first appeared to the world on Thursday night, Leo read from a prepared, handwritten text in Italian that he must have drafted sometime before his historic election or the hour or so after. He seemed most comfortable speaking off-the-cuff in the few words he pronounced in Spanish. Prevost was elected the 267th pontiff on Thursday on the fourth ballot of the conclave, an exceptionally fast outcome given this was the largest and most geographically diverse conclave in history and not all cardinals knew one another before arriving in Rome. Madagascar Cardinal Désiré Tsarahazana told reporters on Saturday that on the final ballot, Prevost had received 'more' than 100 of the 133 votes. That suggests an extraordinary margin, well beyond the two-thirds, or 89 votes, necessary to be elected. Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican secretary of state who had been considered one of the top contenders to be pope, offered his congratulations on Saturday in a letter published in his hometown paper, Il Giornale di Vicenza. Parolin praised Leo's grasp of today's problems, recalling his first words from the loggia when he spoke of the need for a peace that is 'disarmed and disarming.' Parolin said he had appreciated Prevost's leadership in Chiclayo, saying he helped handle a particularly thorny problem — with no details — and grew to appreciate his governance more closely at the Vatican handling the bishops' office. Specifically, Parolin praised Leo's understanding of people and situations, his 'calmness in argumentation, balance in proposing solutions, respect, care and love for everyone.'
South Wales Argus
10-05-2025
- Politics
- South Wales Argus
Leo XIV lays out vision of papacy and identifies AI as challenge for humanity
But in a sign he was making the papacy very much his own, Leo made his first outing since his election to a sanctuary south of Rome that is dedicated to the Madonna and is of particular significance to his Augustinian order. The townspeople of Genazzano gathered in the square outside the main church housing the Madre del Buon Consiglio (Mother of Good Counsel) sanctuary as Leo arrived in a car, flanked by Vatican security. The sanctuary, which is managed by Augustinian friars, has been a place of pilgrimage since the 15th century and Leo visited it last year. After praying in the church, Leo greeted the townspeople and told them they had both a gift and a responsibility in having the Madonna in their midst. En route back to the Vatican, he stopped to pray at Francis' tomb at St Mary Major Basilica. The new Pope addressed the College of Cardinals in the New Synod Hall at the Vatican (Vatican Media via AP) The after-lunch outing came after Leo presided over his first formal audience with the cardinals who elected him pope. In it Leo repeatedly cited Francis and the Argentine pope's own 2013 mission statement, making clear a commitment to making the Catholic Church more inclusive and attentive to the faithful and a church that looks out for the 'least and rejected'. Leo told the cardinals he was fully committed to the reforms of the Second Vatican Council, the 1960s meetings that modernised the church. He identified AI as one of the main issues facing humanity, saying it poses challenges to defending human dignity, justice and labour. Leo referred to AI in explaining the choice of his name: His namesake, Pope Leo XIII, was pope from 1878 to 1903 and laid the foundation for modern Catholic social thought. He did so most famously with his 1891 encyclical Rerum Novarum, which addressed workers' rights and capitalism at the dawn of the industrial age. Leo was elected Pope last week (AP) The late pope criticised both laissez-faire capitalism and state-centric socialism, giving shape to a distinctly Catholic vein of economic teaching. In his remarks on Saturday, Leo said he identified with his predecessor, who addressed the great social question of the day posed by the industrial revolution in the encyclical. '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 defence of human dignity, justice and labour,' he said. Toward the end of his pontificate, Francis became increasingly vocal about the threats to humanity posed by AI and called for an international treaty to regulate it. He warned that such powerful technology risks turning human relations into mere algorithms. Francis brought his message to the Group of Seven (G7) industrialised nations when he addressed their summit last year, insisting AI must remain human-centric so that decisions about when to use weapons or even less-lethal tools always remain made by humans and not machines. The late Argentine pope also used his 2024 annual peace message to call for an international treaty to ensure AI is developed and used ethically, arguing that a technology lacking human values of compassion, mercy, morality and forgiveness is too perilous to develop unchecked. Leo said he intends to follow in Francis' footsteps (AP) In the speech, delivered in Italian in the Vatican's synod hall – not the Apostolic Palace – Leo made repeated references to Francis and the mourning over his death. He held up Francis' mission statement at the 2013 start of his pontificate, 'The Joy of the Gospel', as something of his own marching orders, suggesting he intends very much to continue with Francis' priorities. He cited Francis' insistence on the missionary nature of the church and the need to make its leadership more collegial. He cited the need to pay attention to what the faithful say 'especially in its most authentic and inclusive forms, especially popular piety'. Again, referring to Francis' 2013 mission statement, Leo cited the need for the church to express 'loving care for the least and rejected' and engage in courageous dialogue with the contemporary world.
Rhyl Journal
10-05-2025
- Politics
- Rhyl Journal
Leo XIV lays out vision of papacy and identifies AI as challenge for humanity
But in a sign he was making the papacy very much his own, Leo made his first outing since his election to a sanctuary south of Rome that is dedicated to the Madonna and is of particular significance to his Augustinian order. The townspeople of Genazzano gathered in the square outside the main church housing the Madre del Buon Consiglio (Mother of Good Counsel) sanctuary as Leo arrived in a car, flanked by Vatican security. The sanctuary, which is managed by Augustinian friars, has been a place of pilgrimage since the 15th century and Leo visited it last year. The after-lunch outing came after Leo presided over his first formal audience with the cardinals who elected him pope. In it Leo repeatedly cited Francis and the Argentine pope's own 2013 mission statement, making clear a commitment to making the Catholic Church more inclusive and attentive to the faithful and a church that looks out for the 'least and rejected'. Leo told the cardinals he was fully committed to the reforms of the Second Vatican Council, the 1960s meetings that modernised the church. He identified AI as one of the main issues facing humanity, saying it poses challenges to defending human dignity, justice and labour. Leo referred to AI in explaining the choice of his name: His namesake, Pope Leo XIII, was pope from 1878 to 1903 and laid the foundation for modern Catholic social thought. He did so most famously with his 1891 encyclical Rerum Novarum, which addressed workers' rights and capitalism at the dawn of the industrial age. The late pope criticised both laissez-faire capitalism and state-centric socialism, giving shape to a distinctly Catholic vein of economic teaching. In his remarks on Saturday, Leo said he identified with his predecessor, who addressed the great social question of the day posed by the industrial revolution in the encyclical. '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 defence of human dignity, justice and labour,' he said. Toward the end of his pontificate, Francis became increasingly vocal about the threats to humanity posed by AI and called for an international treaty to regulate it. He warned that such powerful technology risks turning human relations into mere algorithms. Francis brought his message to the Group of Seven (G7) industrialised nations when he addressed their summit last year, insisting AI must remain human-centric so that decisions about when to use weapons or even less-lethal tools always remain made by humans and not machines. The late Argentine pope also used his 2024 annual peace message to call for an international treaty to ensure AI is developed and used ethically, arguing that a technology lacking human values of compassion, mercy, morality and forgiveness is too perilous to develop unchecked. In the speech, delivered in Italian in the Vatican's synod hall – not the Apostolic Palace – Leo made repeated references to Francis and the mourning over his death. He held up Francis' mission statement at the 2013 start of his pontificate, 'The Joy of the Gospel', as something of his own marching orders, suggesting he intends very much to continue with Francis' priorities. He cited Francis' insistence on the missionary nature of the church and the need to make its leadership more collegial. He cited the need to pay attention to what the faithful say 'especially in its most authentic and inclusive forms, especially popular piety'. Again, referring to Francis' 2013 mission statement, Leo cited the need for the church to express 'loving care for the least and rejected' and engage in courageous dialogue with the contemporary world.
International Business Times
09-05-2025
- General
- International Business Times
Pope Leo XIV: New Pontiff's Journey From an Altar Boy to Catholic Church's Leader
Cardinal Robert Prevost, a Chicago native with French, Italian, and Spanish descent, has become the first American Pontiff and the 267th pope. He chose the papal name Pope Leo XIV and made his first appearance as the new leader of Catholic Church on Thursday (May 9). The new Pontiff waved his hands to the crowd, who were cheering, and chanting at St. Peter's Square. Born the youngest child of Louis Marius Prevost and Mildred Martínez in Chicago on September 14, 1955, Robert Prevost spent his childhood and adolescence with his loved ones. He grew up with his two brothers -- Louis Martín and John Joseph -- in the Windy City. The future Pontiff, 69, attended St. Mary of the Assumption Church with his mother Mildred Martínez and siblings. From a humble beginning, a career ministering to the poor, and a life spreading faith, here is the journey of Pope Leo XIV from an altar boy to the leader of Catholic Church. A Humble Beginning Robert Prevost started his journey in the church as an altar boy in a nearby parish. He attended Catholic school and minor seminary school of the Augustinian Fathers. He studied philosophy and earned a Degree in Mathematics from Villanova University in Pennsylvania in 1977. Robert Prevost completed his theological education from the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago in 1981. After completing his study on Canon Law at the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum) in Rome, he was ordained as a priest on June 19, 1982, at the Augustinian College of Saint Monica by Archbishop Jean Jadot. "It was just a normal childhood. It's kind of strange, but all three of us knew what we wanted to do very early in life. And Rob — that's what we called him since he was little — knew he was going to be a priest from the time he could walk. A neighbor once said he was going to be pope someday. How's that for a prognostication?" John Joseph, Prevost's 71-year-old older brother, told the Daily Herald. Ministering Poor Prevost went to the Augustinian mission in Chulucanas, Piura, Peru, in 1985 and became the vocation director and missions director of the Augustinian Province of "Mother of Good Counsel" in Olympia Fields, Illinois (USA). After a year, he joined the mission as director of the joint formation project for Augustinian candidates from the vicariates of Chulucanas, Iquitos, and Apurímac. Over the years, Prevost became the formation director (1988–1998), and instructor for professed members (1992–1998), and in the Archdiocese of Trujillo as judicial vicar (1989–1998) and professor of Canon Law, Patristics, and Moral Theology at the Major Seminary. He was also entrusted with the pastoral care of Our Lady Mother of the Church, later established as the parish of Saint Rita (1988–1999), in a poor suburb of the city, and was parish administrator of Our Lady of Monserrat from 1992 to 1999. Prevost became the Provincial Prior of the Augustinian Province of "Mother of Good Counsel" in Chicago in 1999. The ordinary General Chapter of the Order of Saint Augustine elected him as Prior General in 2003. He was appointed the director of formation at the Saint Augustine Convent, first councilor, and provincial vicar. A year later, Pope Francis appointed him the Apostolic Administrator of the Peruvian Diocese of Chiclayo. Spreading Faith Two years later, he became the Bishop of Chiclayo and was elected as the second vice-president of the Peruvian Episcopal Conference. During this period, Prevost served as a member of the Economic Council and president of the Commission for Culture and Education. He became a member of the Congregation for the Clergy in 2019, and a year later, he was appointed a member of the Congregation for Bishops. Pope Francis appointed him the Apostolic Administrator of the Peruvian Diocese of Callao. He was promoted as an Archbishop on January 30, 2023. Pope Francis was appointed as Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops and President of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America. The pope created him a Cardinal in the Consistory in September and assigned him the Diaconate of Saint Monica.
