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Globe and Mail
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Globe and Mail
Trump quick to celebrate Leo XIV's election as the first U.S.-born pope
Donald Trump was quick to celebrate the election of the first U.S.-born pope. But if Leo XIV's expressed political views are any indication, he may, like his predecessor, clash with the U.S. President over the latter's signature policy of mass-deporting migrants. Shortly after Chicago-born Robert Francis Prevost was announced as the new pontiff, the White House posted photos of him overlooking St. Peter's Square with the text 'The First American Pope' and a congratulatory message from Mr. Trump saying he looked forward to meeting. 'What greater honour could there be? We're a little bit surprised but very happy,' Mr. Trump told reporters outside the White House Thursday afternoon. 'I was watching and they said, 'he's from America,' I said, 'that's great.' ' In the most recent activity on his verified X account, Leo, who was then a cardinal, amplified a post from Catholic commentator Rocco Palmo criticizing Mr. Trump over the case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Maryland man deported to his native El Salvador against a court order. In the post, Mr. Palmo accused Mr. Trump and Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele of laughing about the 'illicit deportation of a U.S. resident.' In February, the account posted links to two op-eds on Catholic news websites rejecting Vice-President JD Vance's invocation of Catholic theology to justify deporting people. 'JD Vance is wrong: Jesus doesn't ask us to rank our love for others,' he wrote. Such views track with those of the late Pope Francis, who said it was un-Christian to build walls to stop immigration and, earlier this year, criticized Mr. Vance's views in a letter to U.S. bishops. The Vice-President, who converted to Catholicism in 2019, made no reference to the new Pope's politics Thursday. 'I'm sure millions of American Catholics and other Christians will pray for his successful work leading the Church,' posted Mr. Vance, who met with Francis at the Vatican the day before the late pontiff died last month. Prime Minister Mark Carney, meanwhile, seemed to nod to an ideological cadence with some of the Pope's ideals, saying he hoped to work with Leo on advancing 'solidarity, justice, and sustainability' around the world. 'At a time of profound global challenges, may his pontificate be marked by wisdom, discernment, a deep commitment to common good, and dignity of all,' he said in a statement. Leo, who has lived between the United States, Peru and Italy, is the first North American to become Pope and only the second – after the medieval Adrian IV – to come from the Anglosphere. Former U.S. president Barack Obama congratulated his 'fellow Chicagoan' on X. 'We will pray for him as he begins the sacred work of leading the Catholic Church and setting an example for so many, regardless of faith.' Wrote Joe Biden, a lifelong Catholic who attended weekly mass throughout his presidency: 'Habemus papam – May God bless Pope Leo XIV of Illinois.' Reverend Peter Donohue, president of Villanova University in Pennsylvania, where Leo received an undergraduate degree in mathematics in 1977, said in a statement that the new Pope was 'known for his humility, gentle spirit, prudence and warmth.' The Pope's history in his home country, however, also includes a connection to the child molestation scandals that have rocked the Church. He came under fire for allowing a priest accused of molesting several boys to live in a Chicago building near an elementary school. According to documents obtained by the Chicago Sun-Times and The Pillar, a Catholic news site, in 2000, he approved a plan to have James Ray live at St. John Stone Friary, half a block from St. Thomas the Apostle School, which was never told of his presence in the neighbourhood. Father Ray was moved from the building in 2002. The new pontiff's political views appear to range from right-wing Catholic dogma to more progressive humanitarianism. He has opposed abortion, LGBTQ rights and ordaining women. In one 2012 speech, he criticized the 'homosexual lifestyle' as being against Biblical teachings. At a 2023 Vatican news conference, he said allowing women to become priests would 'make a new problem.' And in Peru, he spoke out against 'the promotion of gender ideology' in schools. At other times, he has expressed support for environmentalism, one of Francis's signature causes, calling for a 'relationship of reciprocity' with nature. In 2015, his account posted online: 'It's time to end the death penalty.' After the 2017 massacre at a Las Vegas music festival, he retweeted Democratic Senator Chris Murphy's demands for more gun control, which referred to 'cowardice' by pro-gun Republicans. In 2020, Leo's account posted about George Floyd, the Black Minneapolis man whose murder by a white police officer touched off mass protests. 'We need to hear more from leaders in the Church, to reject racism and seek justice,' he wrote. For now, it remains unclear what role Leo's political leanings, and their stark divergence from those of the man leading his home country, will play in his pontificate. Some of the President's supporters were swift to weigh in. Influencer Laura Loomer, who has informally advised Mr. Trump, branded Leo a 'WOKE MARXIST POPE.' Conservative pundit Megyn Kelly wondered: 'Is it too much to hope that some 20-year-old ran the new pope's X account and he never looked at it?' Mr. Trump, who attended Francis's funeral, had earlier adopted a blasé attitude towards the conclave that critics felt verged on blasphemous. Over the weekend, his social-media accounts posted an AI-generated image of himself in papal vestments. When asked about it, the President said he had 'no idea where it came from' but insisted 'the Catholics loved it' and anyone who was offended 'can't take a joke.'
Forbes
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Forbes
Did Pope Leo XIV Criticize Trump? What We Know As Tweets Resurface
Tweets from an X account appearing to belong to the newly elected leader of the Catholic Church, Robert Francis Prevost, resurfaced and were widely shared on social media Thursday, showing him criticizing President Donald Trump and his politics on multiple occasions in recent years, suggesting a left-leaning political stance. Pope Leo XIV appears at the central Loggia of St. Peter's Basilica to greet faithful crowding St. ... More Peter's Square following his election at the Vatican, May 08, 2025. (Photo by Isabella Bonotto /Anadolu via Getty Images) In the most recent tweet reposted to an account belonging to 'Robert Prevost,' Catholic writer Rocco Palmo criticized Trump for refusing to return Kilmar Abrego Garcia to the U.S. after he was wrongly deported to El Salvador in March. The account also recently posted a National Catholic Reporter article contesting Vice President JD Vance's interpretation that the Bible suggests a hierarchy in who a person chooses to love: 'JD Vance is wrong,' the Prevost account wrote. Other tweets criticized Trump immigration policies and rhetoric, including one repost that denounced Trump's use of the phrase 'bad hombres' to refer to undocumented migrants who commit crimes. Tweets on the account condemned Trump for his 2017 Muslim ban and his policy of separating children from their undocumented parents. Forbes could not independently verify the account's authenticity. Trump congratulated Leo XIV on Truth Social on Thursday, writing that it is 'such an honor' that he's the first American pope. 'I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV. It will be a very meaningful moment!' Trump wrote. Trump drew criticism in the wake of Pope Francis' death when he posted an image created by artificial intelligence that showed him dressed as the pope. Trump, who attended Francis' funeral, dismissed the image as a joke. Vance was one of the last people to meet with Francis, less than 24 hours before his death on April 21. Prevost, now known as Leo XIV, was elected Thursday after just four ballots on the second day of the papal conclave, more than two weeks after Pope Francis died. He is considered more of a centrist than Francis, who was seen as more progressive and championed inclusion. Born in Chicago, Leo XIV attended Villanova University and was ordained in 1982. He spent most of his career in Peru and became a cardinal in 2023. Who Is Robert Francis Prevost? What We Know About Pope Leo XIV—The First American Pope. (Forbes) First American Pope Named: Trump, Rubio Congratulate Robert Francis Prevost On Election As Pope Leo XIV (Live Updates) (Forbes) Pope Betting Odds: Parolin Surges As White Smoke Signals Conclave Ends (Updated) (Forbes)
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
St. Joseph's University honors Pope Francis with special mass service
The Brief St. Joseph's University held a special mass in honor of Pope Francis. The school's community reacted to the news of the Pope's death. PHILADELPHIA - Pope Francis held a very special place in the hearts of those at St. Joseph's University. As the first Jesuit pope, his visit here is one many will never forget. What we know On Monday night, a special mass was held in honor of Pope Francis on the campus of St. Joe's University. With candles lit in his honor, you don't have to look far to see the impact he's had on the Catholic university. What they're saying "The wind of the spirit hasn't stopped blowing. Have a good journey, brothers and sisters," said Fr. Joyce. Pope Francis made an impromptu stop at St. Joe's back in September 2015 during his North American visit for the World Meeting of Families, two years after being elected. During his stop, he blessed a new sculpture on campus dedicated to a Jewish and Catholic partnership. For those at St. Joe's, the loss of the only Jesuit pope is profound. "A lot of people are feeling like they lost a family member, somebody who was part of their everyday life. And certainly someone who is an inspiration to us here and to many people of all backgrounds," said Fr. Dan Joyce, VP of Missions. "He is just an amazing pope. He was just a pope that really touched my heart. He just accepted people for who they really are," said Samantha McAlesse, a junior at St. Joseph's University. These are some of the last images of Francis just hours before he died, riding in the Popemobile around St. Peter's Square. Catholic journalist Rocco Palmo says it was just like Francis to want to be with the people in the last moments of his life. "On Easter Sunday, to ride around the crowd is a way of saying I'm not going to die upstairs in the papal apartment where there is a full surgical studio. I want to be among you as long as I can. I want to push myself. And lo and behold, look where we are now," said Rocco Palmo. What's next Now, the Vatican looks to a new pope to be elected in the coming weeks. For the first time since 1915, an archbishop of Philadelphia will not be going into the Papal conclave. The Source The information in this story is from the Vatican and the St. Joe's University community.
