Latest news with #ProvidenceCatholicHighSchool
Chicago Tribune
a day ago
- General
- Chicago Tribune
Pope Leo XIV encourages peace and harmony at Chicago's Rate Field celebration
Pope Leo XIV spoke directly to the young people scattered throughout the audience at Rate Field Saturday afternoon, telling them that they are the 'promise of hope' and that the world looks to them to help spread a message of peace and harmony among all people. 'We have to look beyond our own, if you will, egotistical ways. We have to look for ways of coming together and promoting the message of hope,' Pope Leo XIV said in a video broadcast across the stadium. 'St. Augustine says to us that if we want the world to be a better place, we have to begin with ourselves. We have to begin with our own lives, our own hearts.' The recently elevated pontiff and South Side native shared a message of unity and hope to the thousands of faithful at a celebration of his election Saturday afternoon at Rate Field in the Bridgeport neighborhood. Around the stadium, the audience listened raptly to the approximately 10-minute video from the Chicago-born pope. Pope Leo XIV encouraged those in attendance and others watching online to build community and friendship in their daily lives and in their parishes, especially after the isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic. He said many people who suffer from depression or sadness 'can discover that the love of God is truly healing.' 'When I see each and every one of you, when I see how people gather together to celebrate their faith and discover myself how much hope there is in the world,' Leo said. Aside from a personal message from the pope, the event, which had a $5 ticket price, featured music, prayer and a 4 p.m. Mass. There was a performance of both the U.S. and Peruvian national anthems to honor Pope Leo XIV's ties to both countries, and speeches from various faith leaders, including the Rev. John Merkelis, a high school classmate of the pope's and president of Providence Catholic High School. The night before the conclave began, Merkelis said he emailed Leo and told him 'Whatever happens, I'll still like (you).' The pope responded that 'He's sleeping well because an American is not going to be a pope.' When Pope Leo XIV was ultimately selected, Merkelis said everyone in the Providence faculty lounge started cheering and crying. 'He's a prayerful man, and having said all that, he's a regular guy. He'll change your oil. He'll fix your carburetor. He'll play Wordle,' Merkelis said. 'He's just a down-to-earth guy who's very smart, very prayerful, and I believe he will bring those same qualities to all the issues he faces.' Merkelis said he's still having trouble wrapping his head around the fact that someone whom he's eaten pizza and had a beer with is now the pope, but that he's 'so excited' for the city and that his friend was 'destined to lead.' He said Pope Leo XIV comforted him when his father died decades ago, and that he's a 'sensitive man.' 'He plays Wordle with his brother, and I'm on a team of people that play Wordle. So we made this vow that every time we post on Wordle we're going to write 'pray for Leo,'' Merkelis recounted. 'I sent him the screenshot of all our responses, and just a few days ago he emailed back and said thanks for the prayers.' Sister Dianne Bergant, a former teacher of Pope Leo XIV's at the Catholic Theological Union, where he earned his master's in divinity, said he was a good student, which she can prove because she didn't throw out her grade lists. The crowd laughed when she said his success must speak to the quality of the city's education. 'Everyone is involved. Everyone belongs to church. Everyone is a missionary in a very real sense, and that's the theology on which he grew,' she said. Robert Prevost, a missionary who became the first American to helm the Catholic Church, was born in 1955 at Mercy Hospital in the Bronzeville neighborhood, and grew up in south suburban Dolton with his parents and two brothers. He attended school and served as an altar boy at St. Mary of the Assumption parish on the Far South Side, where one classmate remembered him as the 'pride and joy of every priest and nun.' He's also a longtime White Sox fan. The pope donned a White Sox baseball cap as he met newly wedded couples in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican on Wednesday, and his brief appearance during the television broadcast of Game 1 of the 2005 World Series resurfaced and went viral. 'Pope Leo defines and represents the fabric and the heartbeat of the city of Chicago,' said Brooks Boyer, the White Sox's senior vice president, who also invited him back to Rate Field to throw a ceremonial first pitch. People flooded into the stadium hours before the program began. Many wore White Sox memorabilia, and several 'Da Pope' shirts were seen. Mike Donatelli, 67, had the best of both worlds — a White Sox jersey with 'Pope Leo' on the back. Donatelli now lives in the Loop, but he said he grew up on the South Side and he thinks it's incredible that someone who was basically a neighbor is now the leader of the Catholic Church. 'Same type of education system, we're the same age,' Donatelli said. 'One of my best friends from the Air Force Academy went to grade school with him … and said he was a great guy.' Donatelli said he's particularly drawn to the pope's humility and sense of humor. He thought it was clever when the pope joked that 'we can't invite Sinner' during a meeting with the tennis star Jannik Sinner. Donatelli, the former head of the Delta Air Line Pilots Association, also respects the pope's nod to workers in the selection of his name. 'He's already mentioned that we're all humans,' Donatelli said. 'We all have the same interests, especially for families. We just want to do the right thing and get ahead.' Miguel Vargas, 60, said he's also inspired that the new pope is from the Chicago area. He believes Chicagoans will follow the pope's lead and become ambassadors of what it means to be a good Catholic — united and peaceful. 'Since we are seeing a lot of things going on right now, we have to pray more and more,' Vargas said. 'We're here to pray for (Leo) and for the whole church.' Vargas, a Hoffman Estates resident, said he was born in Mexico and moved to the U.S. when he was 17. He said he's 'embraced the American Dream' ever since. 'The American Dream for me is not the money, but the faith,' he said.
Indian Express
10-05-2025
- Indian Express
Pope Leo faces backlash from abuse survivors over handling of clerical molestation cases
Groups supporting survivors of clergy sexual abuse have expressed outrage over the election of Pope Leo XIV, formerly Cardinal Robert Prevost, citing his past handling of molestation cases and describing his elevation as a grave insult. Prevost, 69, who became the first-ever US-born pontiff after a short conclave at the Vatican on Thursday, had previously faced scrutiny for decisions made during his tenure as head of the Augustinian order in Chicago and later as bishop in Peru. As The Guardian reported, while leading the Augustinians in Chicago, Prevost faced allegations against Richard McGrath, an Augustinian priest and principal of Providence Catholic High School, accused of molesting a student and possessing child abuse imagery. Despite these allegations, McGrath remained in his post. Though McGrath retired in 2017, the order only expelled him in December 2023 — a move first revealed days before the conclave. The student, Robert Krankvich, later sued and received a $2 million settlement. Krankvich died in April this year. His father told the Chicago Sun-Times, 'Money doesn't bring happiness. It gave him no closure.' Another priest with previous abuse accusations, James Ray, was permitted to live in an Augustinian friary next to an elementary school under Prevost's watch. The Vatican has maintained that Prevost did not authorise Ray's placement. Later, during Prevost's tenure as bishop of Chiclayo, Peru, three women accused two priests — Eleuterio Vásquez González and Ricardo Yesquén — of sexually abusing them as minors. The women say they informed Prevost directly, but told The Guardian that no meaningful investigation followed. One of the accusers, Ana María Quispe, told Cuarto Poder: 'They have always told us the church is our mother – but a mother protects.' According to The Guardian, the diocese said the Vatican's investigative body found 'insufficient evidence' to act, and Peruvian authorities cited expired statutes of limitation. Survivor advocacy groups have condemned Prevost's election. The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) filed a formal complaint in March under church laws introduced by the late Pope Francis, alleging Prevost failed to act properly in abuse cases. After his election, SNAP issued a statement expressing 'grave concern about his record managing abuse cases'. It added: 'You can end the abuse crisis. The only question is: will you?' The Survivors of Childhood Sex Abuse (SCSA) were more direct, calling the election 'an insult'. In their statement, they said: 'The Catholic hierarchy has not merely mishandled abuse allegations – it industrialised the process. Pope Leo XIV … was in the rooms for all of it.' Boston attorney Mitchell Garabedian, who represented victims in the case that inspired the Oscar-winning film Spotlight, said: 'The Catholic church has to understand that the safety of innocent children cannot be sacrificed for an outdated and inexcusable need to protect the reputation of the Catholic church.' The Vatican's press office did not respond to The Guardian's request for comment. It has generally maintained that Prevost followed canonical procedures and has not been accused of abuse himself. Prevost's rise to the papacy was partly attributed to his reputation as a moderating figure within the church hierarchy. He was elevated to cardinal by pope Francis in 2023 and served as prefect of the Vatican's powerful Dicastery for Bishops before being elected pope.
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Providence Catholic students, staff reflect on an unforgettable visit from Pope Leo XIV
NEW LENOX, Ill. — Excitement continues to run high about the new pope inside the halls of Providence Catholic High School. Pope Leo XIV has spent a lot of quality time there. 'My dad was texting me. We were in lunch, and he was like, 'We met the pope,' and I was like, 'What? That's crazy.' I just couldn't believe it,' senior Maia Allen said. Allen and several of her classmates met Pope Leo XIV last August when he visited Providence Catholic High School for mass. 'After mass we had a brunch, and Hannah and I were able to talk to him about our experience in Peru. We went last summer on a school trip, and he spent a lot of time serving there,' senior Reagan Sincak said. The ladies remember the formal cardinal as very kind, wise, humorous and humble. 'Usually when you think of a cardinal, you think of all the extravagant clothes they wear but at the time Prevost came to mass, he was just wearing the normal Augustinian attire,' senior Laurel Murach said. 'It showed how humble he was and didn't think of himself to be above anyone.' He was also well-connected. 'I'll never forget he pulled out two phones from his pocket and he was like, 'This is my personal phone, and this phone is directly to the pope,'' senior Hannah Winkleman said. While meeting then Cardinal Prevost was a first for most students, he's like family to many of the adults. WGN's full coverage on Pope Leo XIV 'He's from Dolton and I am from Calumet City, and we went through seminary together. We kind of bonded well because we are from the same area,' Faither John Merkelis, President of Providence Catholic High School, said. Those who know him say Pope Leo XIV is like a bridge, someone who listens to all sides and takes his time making a decision. He's someone who the Providence Catholic High School family say will lead the Catholic Church well. 'He practices the faith and the teachings in the Church, but he has faith, and he inspires faith in people,' Paul Houston, principal of the school, said. 'I'm proud that it's someone from this area,' senior Katherine Timm said. 'I feel like the people from this area have a lot of heart and we really know how to look out for each other.' Graduation is in about two weeks, and while it's a long shot, the seniors want leaders at the school to reach out to Pope Leo XIV to see if he will return as their graduation speaker. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
