Latest news with #OurLadyofMountCarmelAcademy
CBS News
6 days ago
- General
- CBS News
Cardinal Blasé Cupich visits Chicago school known for holding mini conclave
Students in Lakeview were visited by someone who helped choose Pope Leo XIV in the real conclave. Last month, CBS News Chicago introduced you to Our Lady of Mount Carmel Academy students in Lakeview, who held a mock conclave. People worldwide have followed their mini conclave and their celebration of the new pope. On Monday, they got a special visit and some face time with Cardinal Blasé Cupich. As expected, the students wore their famous conclave attire and showed Cardinal Cupich a personal performance of the highlights from their own conclave. It was Cardinal Augustus Wilk, also known as fourth grader Augie Wilk, who was eventually elected with two-thirds of the vote and took the name Pope Augustine. Students told CBS News Chicago when Pope Leo was elected days later, they were so excited for an American, Chicago-born pope. Cardinal Cupich answered their questions about the real process, his experience electing Pope Leo XIV, and offered his advice for the next generation of Catholic leaders. School leaders said the response to the mock conclave has been more than they ever imagined.
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Americans celebrate Leo XIV as first US pontiff: ‘Everything dope, including the pope'
Americans are celebrating and speaking out after the US cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, who will be known as Pope Leo XIV, was announced as the next pope. 'Congratulations to Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, who was just named Pope. It is such an honor to realize that he is the first American Pope. What excitement, and what a Great Honor for our Country. I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV. It will be a very meaningful moment!' Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social shortly after the pope, who was born in Chicago, appeared on the Vatican balcony in Rome on Thursday. JD Vance, the US vice-president, congratulated the pope and said he was 'sure millions of American Catholics and other Christians will pray for his successful work leading the Church. May God bless him!' The Chicago mayor, Brandon Johnson, said on X about Prevost's appointment: 'Everything dope, including the Pope, comes from Chicago! Congratulations to the first American Pope Leo XIV! We hope to welcome you back home soon.' Related: Robert Francis Prevost becomes Pope Leo XIV as cardinals elect first US pontiff Illinois's governor, JB Pritzker, called this pope's appointment 'a historic moment as we witness the first American leading the Catholic Church'. 'Hailing from Chicago, Pope Leo XIV ushers in a new chapter that I join those in our state welcoming in at a time when we need compassion, unity, and peace,' he said. Meanwhile, at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Academy on Chicago's North Side, screams of 'Habemus papam!' echoed throughout the cafeteria. Seventh-grader Vincent Wall and eighth-grader Ava Broz were in the cafeteria where students were waving US and Chicago flags. 'It really feels like a 2016 Cubs World series,' said Wall, referring to the North Side baseball team that endured a long drought before a triumphant victory in 2016. 'It's just, like, a pope from Chicago is just global and so is the World Series. It's crazy.' Allison Foerster, who teaches Spanish and religion at the school, found out the pope's identity while monitoring recess. Earlier this week, she had students take part in a mock conclave, with younger students playing cardinals. 'For our students now, they're connecting it back to what they saw on Tuesday,' Foerster said. 'They immediately knew what part of the process it was. So they knew it was a moment of joy and a moment of celebration.' For Broz and Wall, they are also hoping Pope Leo make a visit to his home town. 'I feel like we'll have a connection because we know what Chicago is, like what they strive to do and what their understanding of life is, and I feel like he'll incorporate that as pope,' Broz said. The president of Villanova University, where the new pope graduated in 1977, the Rev Peter M Donohue, said in a statement: 'We celebrate this significant day for our University community and the global Church. Villanova, built on the teachings of St Augustine, has always been grounded in advancing a deeper understanding of the fundamental relationship between faith and reason – between spirituality and wisdom. 'With today's election of His Holiness, Pope Leo XIV, I cannot help but reflect on what his Augustinian papacy will mean to our University community and our world. Known for his humility, gentle spirit, prudence and warmth, Pope Leo XIV's leadership offers an opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to our educational mission.' Back on social media, the US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, who is a conservative Catholic, said in a statement: 'The United States looks forward to deepening our enduring relationship with the Holy See with the first American pontiff.' The US embassy to the Holy See also lauded the new pope on X: 'With joy we extend our heartfelt congratulations to the first Pope from the United States of America.' The archdiocese of Detroit issued a statement on behalf of Archbishop Edward J Weisenburger to WXYZ, reading in part: 'Pope Leo XIV's election leaves me exceptionally joyful, and I must humbly acknowledge that I did not anticipate a United States citizen would be elected Pope. His lifetime of ministry includes many years of ministry as a bishop in Peru, giving him a thorough understanding of South America. Moreover, his close association with Pope Francis, history of charitable efforts for the poor and marginalized, extensive prior experience in the Vatican, and personal humility are all qualities that perhaps focused the light of Christ upon him for his brother Cardinals to see.' The official House Republicans account on X, which pointed out that the new pope is both 'a native of Chicago, Illinois', and the 'first American Pope', wrote: 'May God bless you, and may He guide you.' Joaquin Castro, a Texas representative, called Pope Leo XIV 'a Pope reflective of the late Pope Francis' creed to be choose [sic] light over darkness, to be kind to our neighbor, and to work to uplift and unify all people in a divided world' on X. The New York governor, Kathy Hochul, posted on X: 'The prayers of millions of Catholics around the globe are with you to guide the church forward and be a strong champion for compassion and dignity.' Related: Pope Leo's in-tray: pontiff has many urgent issues to address Around the world, the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said: 'Ukraine deeply values the Holy See's consistent position in upholding international law, condemning the Russian Federation's military aggression against Ukraine, and protecting the rights of innocent civilians' in a statement on X. 'At this decisive moment for our country, we hope for the continued moral and spiritual support of the Vatican in Ukraine's efforts to restore justice and achieve a lasting peace,' he continued.
CBS News
08-05-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Lakeview students who held mock conclave overjoyed with Chicago-born pope
The students of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Academy who earlier this week held a mock conclave were overjoyed Thursday when Chicago-born Cardinal Robert Prevost was elected the new pope. The students dressed up as cardinal and Vatican Swiss Guards, transformed a school assembly room into the Sistine Chapel, and partook in all the traditions of the papal conclave. They donned scarlet cassocks, birettas and mozzettas for the occasion. They had to vote like cardinals, and think like them too. Cardinals campaigned for each other, and frontrunners cropped up. Round after round of voting was held, with a break to snack on Goldfish crackers after round three. And then Cardinal Augustus Wilk – also known as fourth-grader Augie Wilk – was elected with two thirds of the vote and took the name Pope Augustine. It was perhaps a bit of prescience, as just days later Cardinal Prevost, himself an Augustinian, was elected pope in Vatican City. "We were all screaming, 'U.S.A! U.S.A!'" Wilk said of the moment the news broke. The first American pope is a big deal for these young students. And the prospect that Pope Leo XIV may one day visit his hometown also fills them with glee. "That'd be incredible," Wilk said. "But I think he's probably focused on 'I'm the new pope!' instead of 'I have to go visit Chicago.'" The teachers at the school put in long hours to get every intricate detail of the mock conclave in order to give the students some core memories, and they hope these children, when they have children and grandchildren of their own, share these memories with them.
