Latest news with #PontificalUniversityofSt.ThomasAquinas
Herald Malaysia
16-05-2025
- General
- Herald Malaysia
Pope Leo XIV can accelerate ‘Leonine revolution' in the Church, theologian says
The pontificate of Pope Leo XIV can bring new impetus to the Church's evangelical mission in the world today, theologian and philosopher George Weigel said this week. May 16, 2025 Pope Leo XIV waves to the crowd gathered on St. Peter' s Square for the Regina Coeli on Sunday, May 11, 2025. | Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/CNA By Kristina Millare The pontificate of Pope Leo XIV can bring new impetus to the Church's evangelical mission in the world today, theologian and philosopher George Weigel said this week. Weigel held a public lecture on Wednesday at Rome's Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas — also known as the Angelicum — on the '10 Markers of a Church 'Permanently in Mission,'' which highlighted criteria including the need for friendship with Christ, acceptance of the authority of divine revelation, the sacraments, the call to constant conversion of life, and a 'liturgically-centred form of Catholic life.' During the lecture, the American theologian expressed his hope that 'the authentic Catholic reform' begun by Pope Leo XIII at the end of the 19th century will be 'further accelerated' by Pope Leo XIV, whose papal inaugural Mass will take place on Sunday, May 18. 'Pope Leo XIV struck that missionary note in his presentation of himself to the Church and the world last Thursday evening when he called the Church to be faithful to Jesus Christ without fear,' Weigel said, reflecting on the new pontiff's first 'urbi et orbi' blessing. According to Weigel, Pope Leo XIV is an 'absolutely pivotal figure' who has the ability, through his own pontificate, to carry out Pope Leo XIII's vision of the Church as a 'great institutional promoter and defender of basic human rights' in society. In light of Pope Leo XIII's encyclical letter Rerum Novarum — a key Vatican document outlining the foundations of Catholic social doctrine released on May 15, 1891 — Weigel propounded that 'it is only Christ' who, through the Church, can be an intentional force of good and humanize the world amid suffering. 'The Church of the 'new evangelization' recognizes that in offering everyone the profoundly countercultural possibility of friendship with the Lord Jesus, it offers the postmodern world something postmodernity desperately needs — an encounter with the divine mercy,' he said. 'The Gospel liberates postmodern humanity from its cynical nihilism, its skepticism, and its burden of guilt form of a tacit, if not inarticulate, understanding of the awfulness that humanity visited upon itself throughout the 20th century,' he added. The 'Leonine revolution' that began in the Church more than 100 years ago should spur Catholics to go deeper into how to 'engage the world in order to convert the world' as missionaries faithful to the Gospel, Weigel said on Wednesday. 'A Church permanently on mission seeks to be a culture-forming [and] counterculture for the world, its healing, and its conversion,' he said, pointing out the ineffectiveness of a 'church of maybe' that is timid, lukewarm, and lacks conviction.--CNA
Herald Malaysia
16-05-2025
- General
- Herald Malaysia
Future Pope Leo XIV's doctoral thesis offers clues to his pontificate
Pope Leo XIV earned his doctorate in canon law from Rome's Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas, where his thesis on the leadership of the Augustinian order may give insight into how the new pope will govern the Catholic Church, according to the university's rector. May 16, 2025 Dominican Father Thomas Joseph White reads the thesis of then-Father Robert Prevost, now Pope Leo XIV, titled 'The Role of the Local Prior in the Order of St. Augustine,' which Prevost wrote while a student at Rome's Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in the early 1980s. Credit: Zofia Czubak/EWTN News By Hannah Brockhaus Pope Leo XIV earned his doctorate in canon law from Rome's Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas, where his thesis on the leadership of the Augustinian order may give insight into how the new pope will govern the Catholic Church, according to the university's rector. In an interview with EWTN News, Dominican Father Thomas Joseph White said he imagines that Leo XIV's canon law formation will influence his governance as pope by providing 'a balance between being consultative and making final decisions,' balance that would be familiar to Leo after 12 years of experience leading a religious order. White, the university's first American rector, also pointed out that both Pope John Paul II and Pope Leo XIV did their doctoral work at the Angelicum, as it's commonly called: 'For our university, it's just an unspeakable honor that we've been involved in the formation of two of the last four popes.' Leo studied for a canonical licentiate (the coursework for a doctorate) at the Angelicum from 1981 to 1983 after making his solemn vows in the Order of St. Augustine in August 1981. He was ordained a priest in June 1982, in the midst of his studies, and in 1985 he completed his doctorate with a thesis titled 'The Role of the Local Prior in the Order of St. Augustine.' According to White, Father Prevost's thesis has a vision that could be extended beyond the Augustinian rule and the role of the order's prior to be applied to the episcopacy, and even to the papacy. 'It's a really mature work of a 30-year-old who's extremely learned, very well read, and deeply thoughtful and spiritual,' the Dominican said. The thesis, he explained, reflects 'on obedience and authority in the Catholic Church and the communal nature of shared life, or communion of persons, the respect of conscience, the respect of the human persons, gifts, the talents of the brethren, and also the limitations or sufferings of the brethren, and how the prior is supposed to refer himself to Christ and to the rule, and cultivate a selfless way of life for the service of the common good of all.' The pope's doctoral writing also explores, according to White, how the superior of a religious order must respect the consciences of the order's members, working with the freedom of each person while ultimately having 'the responsibility to make final decisions and to assure the communion and unity of the group in question.' Then-Father Prevost studied at the Angelicum during what White called 'the golden age of our canon law faculty.' The university's canon law professors in the early '80s helped Pope John Paul II prepare and edit the 1983 Code of Canon Law, which is still in effect today. He said what is evident from the future pope's thesis is that he learned a theory of obedience where 'obedience is something exerted through the life of the mind, open to the truth of the faith, the truth indicated by the rule of life, and the will is to consent freely by understanding a shared truth the community wants to live together.' The rector called it a balanced but 'demanding version of obedience,' very respectful of people in the context of a shared set of goals based on the truths of the Catholic faith. 'So his Dominican vision of obedience, if I could put it that way, and his study as a canonist in the Augustinian friars, that's something that probably is really deep in him and probably very helpful,' White noted. The topic of Pope Leo XIV's thesis on the prior general of the Augustinians later became of greater practical significance when then-Father Prevost was himself elected prior general in 2001, leading the order until 2013. 'It's really interesting,' White noted, 'how God prepared him for this kind of task of being a leader in the Catholic Church who's respectful of [everyone].'--CNA
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
The New Pope, Leo XIV, Is 69 and From Chicago
Robert Francis Cardinal Prevost has been elected the 267th Bishop of Rome. He is from the United States and is 69 years old. The new pope is of French, Italian, and Spanish descent. He has two brothers, according to Vatican News. Pope Leo XIV was born in Chicago and served for two decades in Peru, according to The New York Times. In the words of the outlet, "Until the death of Francis, he held one of the most influential Vatican posts, running the office that selects and manages bishops globally." Pope XIV was ordained at age 27 and received his doctorate in canon law at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome. He earned his degree in Mathematics in 1977 from Villanova University. Per Vatican News, he is the second pope from America— the first was Jorge Mario Bergoglio. In January 2023, he was asked to serve as the Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops and the President of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America. In September of that year, he was assigned the Diaconate of Saint Monica. In February of 2025, he was promoted to the Order of Bishops. As for where he stands on certain sociopolitical discussions, that remains to be seen. According to The New York Times, "It is unclear whether he will be as open to gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Catholics as Francis was. Although he has not said much recently, in a 2012 address to bishops, he lamented that Western news media and popular culture fostered 'sympathy for beliefs and practices that are at odds with the Gospel.' He cited the 'homosexual lifestyle' and 'alternative families comprised of same-sex partners and their adopted children.'"
Miami Herald
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Miami Herald
Pope Leo XIV, born in Chicago, is the first American pontiff
VATICAN CITY -- Robert Francis Prevost was elected the 267th pope of the Roman Catholic Church on Thursday and took the name Pope Leo XIV, becoming the first pope from the United States and defying the conventional wisdom before the conclave that any American would be a long shot to become pontiff. A puff of white smoke from a chimney above the Sistine Chapel signaled that the cardinals sequestered inside for two days had elected a new leader of the world's 1.4 billion Roman Catholics. As pope, Leo XIV will confront difficult decisions about the church's direction, chiefly whether to continue the agenda of his predecessor, Pope Francis, who championed greater inclusion and openness to change until his death last month, or forge a different path. The cardinals reached their decision after being in conclave for a little more than 24 hours and after several rounds of voting. The group of 133 cardinals, the most ever to gather in a conclave, included many who were appointed by Francis and some who did not know one another. That had made reaching a quick consensus a serious challenge, given the broad group of contenders and the splits among them about the future of the church. Despite his American roots, Cardinal Prevost, a 69-year-old, Chicago-born polyglot, is viewed as a churchman who transcends borders. He served for two decades in Peru, where he became a bishop and a naturalized citizen, then rose to lead his international religious order. Until the death of Francis, he held one of the most influential Vatican posts, running the office that selects and manages bishops globally. A member of the Order of St. Augustine, he resembles Francis in his commitment to the poor and migrants and to meeting people where they are. He told the Vatican's official news website last year that 'the bishop is not supposed to be a little prince sitting in his kingdom.' He has spent much of his life outside the United States. Ordained in 1982 at age 27, he received a doctorate in canon law at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome. In Peru, he was a missionary, parish priest, teacher and bishop. As the Augustinians' leader, he visited orders around the world, and speaks Spanish and Italian. Often described as reserved and discreet, he would depart stylistically from Francis as pope. Supporters believe he will most likely continue the consultative process started by Francis to invite laypeople to meet with bishops. It is unclear whether he will be as open to LGBTQ+ Catholics as Francis was. Although he has not said much recently, in a 2012 address to bishops, he lamented that Western news media and popular culture fostered 'sympathy for beliefs and practices that are at odds with the Gospel.' He cited the 'homosexual lifestyle' and 'alternative families comprised of same-sex partners and their adopted children.' He, like many other cardinals, has drawn criticism over his dealings with priests accused of sexual abuse. This article originally appeared in The New York Times. Copyright 2025
Time of India
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Leo XIV: Conclave elects first American Pope, Robert Francis Prevost, in the Vatican
Robert Francis Prevost was elected the 267th pope Thursday by 133 cardinals to lead the world's 1.4 billion Roman Catholics. The first pope from the United States, he chose the name Leo XIV. Robert Francis Prevost, 69, was born in Chicago and served for two decades in Peru, where he became a bishop and a naturalized citizen, then rose to lead his international religious order. Until the death of his predecessor, Francis, he held one of the most influential Vatican posts, running the office that selects and manages bishops globally. A member of the Order of St. Augustine, he resembles Francis in his commitment to the poor and migrants, and to meeting people where they are. He told the Vatican's official news website last year that "the bishop is not supposed to be a little prince sitting in his kingdom." He has spent much of his life outside the United States. Ordained in 1982 at 27, he received a doctorate in canon law at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome. In Peru, he was a missionary, parish priest, teacher and bishop. As the Augustinians' leader, he visited orders around the world. He also speaks Spanish and Italian. Show more Show less
