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The Print
25-05-2025
- Politics
- The Print
Maoism became irrelevant to India's working class much before Basavaraju's death
Like the murder of a ghost, the killing or capture of elderly insurgents has a somewhat fantastical quality to it. Think of the capture of Shining Path's Abimael Guzman, the self-proclaimed Fourth Shoulder of Marxism, at 54; the arrest of Red Army Faction terrorist Daniela Klette at 65; the killing of Osama bin Laden at 57. The causes they killed for and their crimes belonged, for the most part, to memory: Their stories ended in irrelevance. Fourteen years old that summer, Nambala Keshava Rao almost certainly knew of the tide of red washing over Srikakulam. Jiyyanpet, where his father Vasudeva Rao worked as a schoolteacher, is just a short distance from Akkupalli. The General Secretary of the Communist Party of India-Maoist, killed this week , was not given to discuss his childhood memories. When the Annihilation of the Class Enemy had been completed with axes and machetes, Nirmala Krishnamurthy dipped her hands in his blood, then tore the mangalsutra of the victim's wife from her neck: 'As the police made me a widow,' she proclaimed , 'so have you become one.' Earlier that summer, the Maoists of Srikakulam had begun assassinating local landlords and moneylenders, the first steps, they imagined, on the long road to revolution. Local squad leader Panchadi Krishnamurthy had been betrayed and killed in a police encounter. Four hundred Adivasis then marched on the village of Akkupalli to deliver vengeance. The strange thing about Keshava Rao, alias Basavaraju, who was killed at 70, was that his cause had already died years before he embraced it. Even though Prime Minister Manmohan Singh famously declared Maoism 'the greatest internal security threat to our country,' it was evident even by the 1980s that neither the ideology nor its practitioners had influence outside of the Adivasi enclaves of central India. To India's working class and peasantry, they were utterly irrelevant. Also read: Success against Maoist leader Basavaraju was unthinkable a few years ago—here's what changed The Srikakulam rising For most Indians, the years after Independence were a time of great hope. For Indian communists, however, they provided a painful education: their hopes of a revolution were illusory. In the 1957 elections, the communists were decimated even in their strongholds in Telangana, the site of the great peasant rebellion of 1948-1951. The writer and editor Romesh Thapar dryly observed: 'Ostensibly, conditions all over the country seem ripe for revolutionary change. But the parties who declare their adherence to Marxism and Leninism seem struck by an incapacity to evaluate the situation, let alone lead it.' The movement splintered: The Communist Party of India accepted constitutionalism and began supporting some Congress policies; the new Communist Party of India (Marxist) embraced continued political struggle. Then, the 1967 rebellion in Naxalbari fractured the CPI(M) from within, with many calling for the party to adopt armed struggle. Large parts of the CPI(M) leadership in Andhra Pradesh, scholar Shantha Sinha has noted, had drifted towards the Maoist position by 1968. For a generation of Maoists, the struggle that evolved in Srikakulam became the site where these debates were played out in practice. The colonial period, scholar Shivaji Mukherjee writes, had seen Adivasi lands handed over to a new class of zamindars, who in turn raised rents through tax farmers. Liquor sellers, moneylenders, and merchants emerged in the wake of this new money-based economy. Government schemes meant to end the exploitation of the Adivasis achieved little. In one case, Sinha records, an irrigation project built to benefit Adivasis in 1963-1964 actually provided three-quarters of its waters to a non-tribal landlord. Local cooperatives set up to serve Adivasis stocked soap and cosmetics, not salt, grain or kerosene. Elsewhere in India, political competition had provided some redress—however ineffectual—to other exploited communities. The Adivasis of Srikakulam, though, existed on the fringes of the new nation-state's reach and well beyond its sphere of interest. Also read: The very people that Naxals claimed to fight for have rejected them The new man From 1957-1958, the Adivasis began to encounter a new kind of visitor. Led by Palle Ramulu, the one-time schoolmaster at the village of Kudapalli, groups of Left-wing activists known as sanghams began travelling the region, demanding that Adivasi men cut their hair short and women cover their breasts. 'The alarm would go out even as a sangham worker approached the village, and all the women would disappear to dress,' Sinha records, 'and once he left, they would discard the dress.' Adivasi moral rectification was to remain a leitmotif of the Maoist movement. The anthropologist Alpa Shah describes how members of the Marxist Co-ordination Committee in Jharkhand demolished Adivasi liquor-brewing stills, central to their ritual and culture: 'The men started kicking over and hitting the aluminium and clay pots, shouting, 'Stop drinking and selling alcohol!' 'Long Live MCC!'' The Maoist moral crusade did have real impacts, though. Tribal literacy was spread through night schools. Adivasis began to assert their rights to land and resources, including grain. From 1960, strikes by Adivasi farm workers also became more common. Adivasis, battered by decades of failed colonial-era rebellions, were again beginning to develop the courage and a language with which to confront their oppressors. The pressure told, though. Large numbers of Sangham activists began to face police cases, and incidents of police firing on protestors began to erupt. Late in November 1968, 400 Adivasis armed with ancient muzzle-loading guns, as well as bows and arrows, attacked Theegala Narasimhalu, the largest moneylender of the village of Pedagothili. This first attack was followed by a series of raids. In some cases, the Sanghams seized cash and destroyed records of debt owed by Adivasis. The fighting grew increasingly brutal through 1969. The landlord, Balleda Krishnamurthy, and his brother were executed in broad daylight, watched by an audience of hundreds. The head of Pratapchandra Padi, the president of the Devabandupuram Panchayat, was paraded around adjoining villages. These kinds of killings would become increasingly common. From the summer of 1969, though, the terror began to splutter. For one, the state responded to Adivasi grievances, with then-Home Minister J Vengala Rao initiating a programme of large-scale food aid and small loans. Then, the Central Reserve Police Force began to steadily build up its numbers across Srikakulam. Top Maoists were arrested or killed, and large numbers of Sangham cadre were eliminated. The Maoists were forced to retreat into an ever-smaller area in the hills. In 1970, the leader of the Srikakulam Maoists, V Mallikarjudulu, had fantasised: 'We can seize arms on a large scale and soon form the people's army. So in a short time, we will be in a position to march to Bengal.' He was killed by the CRPF in an encounter on the Ramrai hills just weeks later. Also read: From fighting his father to becoming arch-nemesis of forces—Basavaraju, a rebel till the end The lost war Keshava Rao left his village after the tenth grade to study at the high school in nearby Tekkali, soon after the decimation of the Srikakulam uprising. From the sparse accounts of his childhood friends, there's little to suggest the teenager was involved in local radical circles. 'Keshava Rao used to play kabaddi a lot,' one told a local newspaper. 'He was fond of agriculture. After coming home from school, we used to fetch water from an agricultural well and then walk from Jiyyanpet to the Kotabommali cinema hall.' Later, while studying for an engineering degree in Warangal, Keshava Rao joined the Radical Students Union, a Maoist-linked body that emerged in 1974. In 1980, he went underground, accused of having murdered an Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad leader. Later, it emerged he had joined the People's War Group, the Maoist faction founded by Kondapalli Seetharamaiah in 1980. In 1982, though, the PWG found itself in the improbable position of being an ally of the establishment. Telugu Desam Party leader NT Rama Rao described Maoists as 'true patriots who have been misunderstood by ruling classes.' The PWG aided the TDP campaign in the next year's Assembly elections. The long period of peace between the PWG and the Andhra Pradesh Government, Ajai Sahni has noted, enabled the Maoist movement to rebuild itself after the decisive defeat of 1970. For years, the Maoists gained revenues by extorting funds from Tendu-patta harvesters—the leaves used to wrap beedi cigarettes—as well as mine-owners and government-works contractors. These practices became deeply entrenched, stretching far beyond Andhra Pradesh into Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra and Odisha. Late in 2003, though, the truce broke down. Keshava Rao led an attempt by the PWG to assassinate then-Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu. The Andhra Pradesh government responded ferociously, forcing the Maoists to retreat into the forests of Bastar. Keshava Rao is believed to have organised several brutal attacks on security forces—killing 36 police at Balimela in 2008 and 76 at Chintalnar in 2010. The beheading of suspected police informers and public executions were commonplace. In 2001, local journalists and officials in Chhattisgarh's Sarguja were invited to watch as three defectors from Maoist ranks were shot by a firing squad in front of a large audience. Like in 1969, though, terror didn't work. Adivasis supported Maoists sometimes for tactical gain or to avenge state violence, but had little interest in the project of making a revolution. The state slowly, clumsily, and brutally built up the capacity to crush the insurgency, just as it had in the past. Keshava Rao's story teaches us, ultimately, about how much pointless suffering can be unleashed by toxic ideas untethered to the real world. Praveen Swami is contributing editor at ThePrint. His X handle is @praveenswami. Views are personal. (Edited by Theres Sudeep)
American Military News
24-05-2025
- Politics
- American Military News
Pope Leo XIV calls for humanitarian aid in war-torn Gaza in first general audience
VATICAN CITY — Chicago-born Pope Leo XIV called for humanitarian aid to be allowed into war-torn Gaza, decrying the violence and suffering in the Middle East during his first general audience as pope Wednesday in St. Peter's Square. 'I renew my appeal to allow the entry of dignified humanitarian aid and to put an end to the hostilities, whose heartbreaking price is paid by the children, elderly and the sick,' the first American pope declared. At the start of the weekly event, the Holy Father criss-crossed the cobblestone square in the iconic popemobile, a white Mercedes-Benz specially constructed so the pontiff can be visible for public appearances while still protected. A video camera captured his every facial expression, magnified on four large display screens, as he made the sign of the cross in the air and paused to bless the occasional baby. He later read a list of countries represented in the square in English, ending with 'the United States' and smiling as a roar rose up from the crowd. Pope Leo XIV will hold similar general audiences almost every week for the rest of his papacy. Friends and family members have noted the stark contrast between the 69-year-old longtime Augustinian missionary's lifestyle up until this point compared to the new life he's begun as the leader of some 1.4 billion Catholics worldwide. The fortnight since his May 8 election has been a whirlwind of public appearances and meetings with dignitaries, including Vice President JD Vance and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. During Vance's audience, he presented the pontiff with a Chicago Bears jersey with No. XIV on the back and 'Pope Leo' across his shoulders. 'Good choice,' the pope said, looking at the gift. The grandeur and pageantry of the position belies the simple existence the pope has led for much of his life. Born Robert Francis Prevost and raised in south suburban Dolton, Illinois, he has been described by loved ones as a humble and down-to-earth man who's not too prone to pomp and circumstance. The Rev. John Lydon, his fellow Augustinian missionary and roommate from 1990 to 1999 in Trujillo, Peru, recalled that they lived in austere conditions in South America. Tumult and violence plagued Peru at the time, spurred by the brutal Shining Path insurgency and the Tupac Amaru Revolutionary Movement. 'They were difficult years in terms of human rights. Life was difficult for the people,' said Lydon, who lives in Chicago. 'It was years of complete poverty. The decade was a lost decade for Peru.' The southern part of the parish they led was particularly precarious because so many people there had migrated from the mountains to escape terrorism. The missionaries protested human rights violations and started soup kitchens, he said. 'That's where he gave a lot of his attention, to the people who were marginalized,' Lydon said. 'He gave them respect.' There weren't a lot of luxuries or comforts back then compared to living in the United States, but the missionaries took great joy in the work, he said. Parishioners loved 'Father Bob,' as they called him, so much so that an entire week had to be blocked off annually for his birthday festivities because everyone wanted to throw him parties and celebrations. 'They all remember him because he encouraged lay participation in the service and life of the church,' Lydon said. 'The faith dimension of the people.' When he needed to relax or decompress while in Peru, Prevost would often go for long drives on the highway, his old roommate recalled. Now, as the Vatican's head of state, he won't ever be able to just get behind the wheel of a car and just go somewhere, Lydon said. Prevost also would make frequent trips back to the Chicago area to see family and friends; these will become far less frequent and easy, his fellow former missionary said. 'He can't just pop in,' said Lyndon, who traveled to the Vatican for Sunday's inaugural Mass and returned to Chicago on Monday. 'Everything has changed.' Scrutiny, transformation The gospel reading at the general audience told the parable of the sower, in which a farmer scatters seeds on different types of soil to symbolize varying responses to the Word of God. The Bible passage was recited in multiple languages, predominantly by women readers of diverse backgrounds. The Holy Father's reflection on the passage captured themes of painful transformation for the broader benefit of humanity. 'The parable of the sower can also make us think about Jesus himself, who in his death and resurrection became the seed that fell to the ground and died in order to bear rich fruit,' the new pope said. The pope has always had a gift for diplomacy and working peacefully with all kinds of people, said his oldest brother, 73-year-old Louis Prevost of Florida, during an interview with the Chicago Tribune earlier this month. 'There's just something about how he does things and how he sees and says things. He's not going to lie to anybody. He's going to tell it like it is,' he said. 'He's not going to veer from church doctrine or teachings. But just be the man that he is and explain things in the manner that he does. I take it as people kind of go, 'huh, maybe he's right. I should look at it like that instead.'' Louis Prevost — who has come under fire recently for controversial social media posts — attended Sunday's papal installation as a guest of Vance and sat next to second lady Usha Vance. After the Mass, while meeting with dignitaries and world faith leaders, the pope broke protocol to hug his brother. On Tuesday, Louis Prevost and his wife, Deborah, met President Donald Trump in the Oval Office, according to the White House. Trump has publicly praised the pope's older brother for supporting his presidency and the MAGA movement. In his earlier conversation with the Tribune, Louis Prevost recalled visiting brother years ago in Peru, where the Augustinian priest warned him they might encounter Shining Path militants. Once they were driving together and came across a group of men with machine guns blocking the road, Louis Prevost said. When the men looked in the driver seat window and saw his brother, they pulled back, he recalled. 'They said 'Oh, Padre Roberto. Vaya con Dios. Go ahead. We don't want to bother you,'' the older brother said. Louis Prevost was nervous for his youngest brother and told him, 'They could just take you out not knowing who you are.' But the priest responded, 'It's my job. It's my duty as a missionary,' according to the older brother's recollection. 'He's done all kinds of things and interfaced with all different kinds of people,' Louis Prevost said. 'On all levels.' Understanding the human condition The new pope's first general audience culminated with the entire piazza singing the Lord's Prayer in Latin. The sky above St. Peter's Basilica was overcast but stayed dry. Flags from more than three dozen countries dotted the crowd. Newly wed couples came in their wedding attire — including an array of bridal gowns — awaiting a 'sposi novelli' blessing for a happy wedded life from the Holy Father. Just northeast of the basilica is the Apostolic Palace, where Pope Leo XIV is expected to live in the papal apartments on the top floor overlooking St. Peter's Square. Also known as the papal palace, it's considered the official residence of the pontiff, though his predecessor Pope Francis broke with tradition and instead resided at a Vatican guesthouse. 'The papal apartment in the Apostolic Palace is not luxurious. It is old, tastefully decorated and large, but not luxurious,' Pope Francis said during a 2013 interview posted on the Holy See's website. 'But in the end it is like an inverted funnel. It is big and spacious, but the entrance is really tight. People can come only in dribs and drabs, and I cannot live without people. I need to live my life with others.' The Rev. James Martin, a Jesuit priest and editor of America Magazine, called it 'perfectly understandable' that Pope Leo XIV would want to live in the Apostolic Palace. 'As much as I loved and admired Pope Francis, I myself wouldn't want to live in Casa Santa Marta, a guest house, for years on end,' Martin said in a post earlier this month on the social media site X. 'It was quite busy with people coming and going, not to mention eating in a crowded cafeteria, etc. And I would imagine that Leo would appreciate the privacy of the papal apartments.' Father Homero Sanchez of St. Rita's Church on the Southwest Side of Chicago noted that Prevost 'never had a driver in his life until now.' 'He has lived with the poor. He had gone on a donkey to go all the way on top of the mountains,' said Sanchez, who has considered Prevost a friend, mentor and Augustinian brother for roughly 15 years. 'He has suffered hunger as well. He knows what starvation is about.' Out of habit, Sanchez repeatedly referred to the pontiff as 'Roberto,' but then quickly caught and corrected himself saying, 'I mean the pope.' Even though Prevost's life in Peru was strikingly different from the world of the papacy, Sanchez believes his years as a missionary helped prepare him to be the pope. 'He can relate to the human condition of everyone,' added Sanchez, who traveled to the Vatican for Prevost's installation. 'He knows as well how to relate to the wealthy as he does to the poor. I think that makes him a little bit closer to everyone.' The Rev. Joe Roccasalva, who was born and raised in Chicago, recalled that Prevost would often return to the Chicago area to visit his brother John Prevost in New Lenox. When in town, Prevost would often visit with him and other Augustinian brothers at the friary at Providence Catholic High School in New Lenox, where Roccasalva used to live and work. Prevost served as head of Augustinians worldwide from 2001 to 2013, based in Rome, and before that led the Chicago province of the order. At the friary, everyone would pray and eat together. 'He would also help do the dishes.' Roccasalva recalled. 'He felt called to the brotherhood and to do the work that we all do. … Anytime that he came in.' When Roccasalva heard Prevost's name declared pope earlier this month, he cried tears of joy. 'But also a little sadness for him,' Roccasalva said. Because he knew Prevost's life would be completely altered once he said 'accepto' in Latin, officially taking on the role of pontiff. 'And also a little sad for us, because he was a great spiritual leader for us,' added Roccasalva, who was at the Vatican for the Prevost's installation. 'It's lucky for the world. It's sad that we now lose that one connection that was very close.' The Rev. Bernie Scianna, who grew up in the Pilsen neighborhood of Chicago and has known Prevost since 1984, said he was thrilled that his friend and Augustinian brother became the Holy Father. 'However, now this comes with a downside too, because now he can't just walk across the street for pizza and gelato, right? Those days are over,' Scianna said. 'He'll have to be very guarded and secured.' Scianna noted that Prevost has in many ways sacrificed his life by taking on the role of pontiff. 'We know this is a heavy cross to bear,' he said. 'But we hope he knows that we are with him in prayer and community and love.' 'It's good for the church,' Lydon added. 'It's good for the world.' ____ ©2025 Chicago Tribune. Visit at Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Miami Herald
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Miami Herald
Pope Leo XIV calls for humanitarian aid in war-torn Gaza in first general audience
VATICAN CITY - Chicago-born Pope Leo XIV called for humanitarian aid to be allowed into war-torn Gaza, decrying the violence and suffering in the Middle East during his first general audience as pope Wednesday in St. Peter's Square. "I renew my appeal to allow the entry of dignified humanitarian aid and to put an end to the hostilities, whose heartbreaking price is paid by the children, elderly, and the sick," the first American pope declared. Less than an hour later, his words were repeated online by roughly a dozen news outlets, some including photos of him giving the address. At the start of the weekly event, the Holy Father criss-crossed the cobblestone square in the iconic popemobile, a white Mercedes-Benz specially constructed so the pontiff can be visible for public appearances while still protected. A video camera captured his every facial expression, magnified on four large display screens, as he made the sign of the cross in the air and paused to bless the occasional baby. He later read a list of countries represented in the square, ending with "the United States" and smiling as a roar rose up from the crowd. Pope Leo XIV will hold similar general audiences almost every week for the rest of his papacy. Friends and family members have noted the stark contrast between the 69-year-old longtime Augustinian missionary's lifestyle up until this point compared to the new life he's begun as the leader of some 1.4 billion Catholics worldwide. The fortnight since his May 8 election has been a whirlwind of public appearances and meetings with dignitaries, including Vice President JD Vance and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. During his visit, Vance presented the pontiff with a Chicago Bears jersey with No. XIV on the back and "Pope Leo" across his shoulders. "Good choice," the pope said, looking at the gift. The grandeur and pageantry of the position belies the simple existence the pope has led for much of his life. Born Robert Francis Prevost and raised in south suburban Dolton, he has been described by loved ones as a humble and down-to-earth man who's not too prone to pomp and circumstance. The Rev. John Lydon, his fellow Augustinian missionary and roommate from 1990 to 1999 in Trujillo, Peru, recalled that they lived in austere conditions at the time. Tumult and violence plagued Peru, spurred by the brutal Shining Path insurgency and the Tupac Amaru Revolutionary Movement. "They were difficult years in terms of human rights. Life was difficult for the people," recalled Lydon, who lives in Chicago. "It was years of complete poverty. The decade was a lost decade for Peru." The southern part of the parish they led was particularly precarious because so many people there had migrated from the mountains to escape terrorism. The missionaries protested human rights violations and started soup kitchens, he recalled "That's where he gave a lot of his attention, to the people who were marginalized," Lydon said."He gave them respect." There weren't a lot of luxuries or comforts back then compared to living in the United States, but the missionaries took great joy in the work, he said. Parishioners loved "Father Bob," as they called him, so much so that an entire week had to be blocked off annually for his birthday festivities because everyone wanted to throw him parties and celebrations. "They all remember him because he encouraged lay participation in the service and life of the church," Lydon said. "The faith dimension of the people." When he needed to relax or decompress while in Peru, Prevost would often go on long drives on the highway, his old roommate recalled. Now, as a head of state of Vatican City, he won't ever be able to just get behind the wheel of a car and go somewhere, Lydon noted. Prevost would often make trips back to the Chicago area to see family and friends; these will become far less frequent and easy, his fellow former missionary said. "He can't just pop in," said Lyndon, who traveled to the Vatican for Sunday's inaugural Mass and returned to Chicago Monday. "Everything has changed." Scrutiny, transformation The gospel reading at the general audience told the parable of the sower, which tells of a farmer scattering seeds on different landscapes to symbolize varying responses to scripture. The bible passage was recited in multiple languages, predominantly by women readers of diverse backgrounds. The Holy Father's reflection on the passage captured themes of painful transformation for the broader benefit of humanity. "The parable of the sower can also make us think about Jesus himself, who in his death and resurrection became the seed that fell to the ground and died in order to bear rich fruit," the new pope said. The pope has always had a gift for diplomacy and working peacefully with all kinds of people, recalled his oldest brother, 73-year-old Louis Prevost of Florida, during an interview with the Tribune earlier this month. "There's just something about how he does things and how he sees and says things. He's not going to lie to anybody. He's going to tell it like it is," he said. "He's not going to veer from church doctrine or teachings. But just be the man that he is and explain things in the manner that he does. I take it as people kind of go, 'huh, maybe he's right. I should look at it like that instead.'" Louis Prevost – who has come under fire recently for controversial social media posts - attended Sunday's papal installation as a guest of Vice President J.D. Vance, sitting next to Second Lady Usha Vance. After the Mass, while meeting with dignitaries and world faith leaders, the pope broke protocol to hug his brother. On Tuesday, Louis Prevost and his wife, Deborah, met President Donald Trump in the Oval Office of the White House, according to the White House. Trump praised the pope's older brother on Tuesday for supporting his presidency and the MAGA movement. In his earlier conversation with the Tribune, Louis Prevost recalled visiting brother years ago in Peru, where the Augustinian priest warned him they might encounter Shining Path militants. Once they were driving together and came across a group of men with machine guns blocking the road, Louis Prevost said. When the men looked in the driver seat window and saw his brother, they pulled back, he recalled. "They said 'Oh, Padre Roberto. Vaya con Dios. Go ahead. We don't want to bother you,'" the older brother said. Louis Prevost was nervous for his youngest brother and told him, "They could just take you out not knowing who you are." But the priest responded, 'It's my job. It's my duty as a missionary," according to the older brother's recollection. "He's done all kinds of things and interfaced with all different kinds of people," Louis Prevost said. "On all levels." Understanding the human condition The new pope's first general audience culminated with the entire piazza singing the Lord's Prayer in Latin. The sky above St. Peter's Basilica was overcast but stayed dry. Flags from more than three dozen countries dotted the crowd. Newly wed couples came in their wedding attire – including an array of bridal gowns – awaiting a "sposi novelli" blessing for a happy wedded life from the Holy Father. Just northeast of the basilica is the Apostolic Palace, where Pope Leo XIV is expected to live in the papal apartments on the top floor overlooking St. Peter's Square. Also known as the papal palace, it's considered the official residence of the pontiff, though his predecessor Pope Francis broke with tradition and instead resided at a Vatican guesthouse. "The papal apartment in the Apostolic Palace is not luxurious. It is old, tastefully decorated and large, but not luxurious," Pope Francis said during a 2013 interview posted on the Holy See's website. "But in the end it is like an inverted funnel. It is big and spacious, but the entrance is really tight. People can come only in dribs and drabs, and I cannot live without people. I need to live my life with others." The Rev. James Martin, a Jesuit priest and editor of America Magazine, called it "perfectly understandable" that Pope Leo XIV would want to live in the Apostolic Palace. "As much as I loved and admired Pope Francis, I myself wouldn't want to live in Casa Santa Marta, a guest house, for years on end," Martin said in a post earlier this month on the social media site X. "It was quite busy with people coming and going, not to mention eating in a crowded cafeteria, etc. And I would imagine that Leo would appreciate the privacy of the papal apartments." Fr. Homero Sanchez of St. Rita's Church on the Southwest Side of Chicago noted that Prevost "never had a driver in his life until now." "He has lived with the poor. He had gone on a donkey to go all the way on top of the mountains," said Sanchez, who has considered Prevost a friend, mentor and Augustinian brother for roughly 15 years. "He has suffered hunger as well. He knows what starvation is about." Out of habit, Sanchez keeps referring to the pontiff as "Roberto,"but then quickly catches and corrects himself saying, "I mean the pope." Even though Prevost's life in Peru was strikingly different from the world of the papacy, Sanchez believes his years as a missionary helped prepare him to be the pope. "He can relate to the human condition of everyone," added Sanchez, who traveled to the Vatican for Prevost's installation. "He knows as well how to relate to the wealthy as he does to the poor. I think that makes him a little bit closer to everyone." The Rev. Joe Roccasalva, who was born and raised in Beverly, recalled that Prevost would often return to the Chicago area to visit his brother John Prevost in New Lenox. When in town, Prevost would often visit with him and other Augustinian brothers at the friary at Providence Catholic High School in New Lenox, where Roccasalva used to live and work. Prevost served as head of Augustinians worldwide from 2001 to 2013, based in Rome, and before that led the Chicago province of the order. At the friary, everyone would pray and eat together. "He would also help do the dishes." Roccasalva recalled. "He felt called to the brotherhood and to do the work that we all do…. Anytime that he came in." When Roccasalva heard Prevost's name declared pope earlier this month, he cried tears of joy. "But also a little sadness for him," Roccasalva said. Because he knew Prevost's life would be completely altered once he said "accepto" in Latin, officially taking on the role of pontiff. "And also a little sad for us, because he was a great spiritual leader for us," added Roccasalva, who was at the Vatican for the Prevost's installation. "It's lucky for the world. It's sad that we now lose that one connection that was very close." The Rev. Bernie Scianna, who grew up in the Pilsen neighborhood and has known Prevost since 1984, said he was thrilled that his friend and Augustinian brother became the Holy Father. "However, now this comes with a downside too, because now he can't just walk across the street for pizza and gelato, right? Those days are over," Scianna said. "He'll have to be very guarded and secured." Scianna noted that Prevost has in many ways sacrificed his life by taking on the role of pontiff. "We know this is a heavy cross to bear," he said. "But we hope he knows that we are with him in prayer and community and love." "It's good for the church," Lydon added. "It's good for the world." ____ Copyright (C) 2025, Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Portions copyrighted by the respective providers.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Pope Leo XIV calls for humanitarian aid in war-torn Gaza in first general audience
VATICAN CITY — Chicago-born Pope Leo XIV called for humanitarian aid to be allowed into war-torn Gaza, decrying the violence and suffering in the Middle East during his first general audience as pope Wednesday in St. Peter's Square. 'I renew my appeal to allow the entry of dignified humanitarian aid and to put an end to the hostilities, whose heartbreaking price is paid by the children, elderly, and the sick,' the first American pope declared. Less than an hour later, his words were repeated online by roughly a dozen news outlets, some including photos of him giving the address. At the start of the weekly event, the Holy Father criss-crossed the cobblestone square in the iconic popemobile, a white Mercedes-Benz specially constructed so the pontiff can be visible for public appearances while still protected. A video camera captured his every facial expression, magnified on four large display screens, as he made the sign of the cross in the air and paused to bless the occasional baby. He later read a list of countries represented in the square, ending with 'the United States' and smiling as a roar rose up from the crowd. Pope Leo XIV will hold similar general audiences almost every week for the rest of his papacy. Friends and family members have noted the stark contrast between the 69-year-old longtime Augustinian missionary's lifestyle up until this point compared to the new life he's begun as the leader of some 1.4 billion Catholics worldwide. The fortnight since his May 8 election has been a whirlwind of public appearances and meetings with dignitaries, including Vice President JD Vance and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. During his visit, Vance presented the pontiff with a Chicago Bears jersey with No. XIV on the back and 'Pope Leo' across his shoulders. 'Good choice,' the pope said, looking at the gift. The grandeur and pageantry of the position belies the simple existence the pope has led for much of his life. Born Robert Francis Prevost and raised in south suburban Dolton, he has been described by loved ones as a humble and down-to-earth man who's not too prone to pomp and circumstance. The Rev. John Lydon, his fellow Augustinian missionary and roommate from 1990 to 1999 in Trujillo, Peru, recalled that they lived in austere conditions at the time. Tumult and violence plagued Peru, spurred by the brutal Shining Path insurgency and the Tupac Amaru Revolutionary Movement. 'They were difficult years in terms of human rights. Life was difficult for the people,' recalled Lydon, who lives in Chicago. 'It was years of complete poverty. The decade was a lost decade for Peru.' Village of Dolton wants to acquire Pope Leo XIV's boyhood home, either through direct purchase or eminent domain Pope Leo XIV failed to 'properly investigate' child sexual abuse in Chicago, victims' group alleges Cupich says Pope Leo XIV will champion the environment, immigrants — but doesn't know when he'll visit Chicago Photos from Vatican City of the installation of Pope Leo XIV Pope Leo XIV: What to know about Chicago-born Robert Prevost The southern part of the parish they led was particularly precarious because so many people there had migrated from the mountains to escape terrorism. The missionaries protested human rights violations and started soup kitchens, he recalled 'That's where he gave a lot of his attention, to the people who were marginalized,' Lydon said.'He gave them respect.' There weren't a lot of luxuries or comforts back then compared to living in the United States, but the missionaries took great joy in the work, he said. Parishioners loved 'Father Bob,' as they called him, so much so that an entire week had to be blocked off annually for his birthday festivities because everyone wanted to throw him parties and celebrations. 'They all remember him because he encouraged lay participation in the service and life of the church,' Lydon said. 'The faith dimension of the people.' When he needed to relax or decompress while in Peru, Prevost would often go on long drives on the highway, his old roommate recalled. Now, as a head of state of Vatican City, he won't ever be able to just get behind the wheel of a car and go somewhere, Lydon noted. Prevost would often make trips back to the Chicago area to see family and friends; these will become far less frequent and easy, his fellow former missionary said. 'He can't just pop in,' said Lyndon, who traveled to the Vatican for Sunday's inaugural Mass and returned to Chicago Monday. 'Everything has changed.' The gospel reading at the general audience told the parable of the sower, which tells of a farmer scattering seeds on different landscapes to symbolize varying responses to scripture. The bible passage was recited in multiple languages, predominantly by women readers of diverse backgrounds. The Holy Father's reflection on the passage captured themes of painful transformation for the broader benefit of humanity. 'The parable of the sower can also make us think about Jesus himself, who in his death and resurrection became the seed that fell to the ground and died in order to bear rich fruit,' the new pope said. The pope has always had a gift for diplomacy and working peacefully with all kinds of people, recalled his oldest brother, 73-year-old Louis Prevost of Florida, during an interview with the Tribune earlier this month. 'There's just something about how he does things and how he sees and says things. He's not going to lie to anybody. He's going to tell it like it is,' he said. 'He's not going to veer from church doctrine or teachings. But just be the man that he is and explain things in the manner that he does. I take it as people kind of go, 'huh, maybe he's right. I should look at it like that instead.'' Louis Prevost – who has come under fire recently for controversial social media posts — attended Sunday's papal installation as a guest of Vice President J.D. Vance, sitting next to Second Lady Usha Vance. After the Mass, while meeting with dignitaries and world faith leaders, the pope broke protocol to hug his brother. On Tuesday, Louis Prevost and his wife, Deborah, met President Donald Trump in the Oval Office of the White House, according to the White House. Trump praised the pope's older brother on Tuesday for supporting his presidency and the MAGA movement. In his earlier conversation with the Tribune, Louis Prevost recalled visiting brother years ago in Peru, where the Augustinian priest warned him they might encounter Shining Path militants. Once they were driving together and came across a group of men with machine guns blocking the road, Louis Prevost said. When the men looked in the driver seat window and saw his brother, they pulled back, he recalled. 'They said 'Oh, Padre Roberto. Vaya con Dios. Go ahead. We don't want to bother you,'' the older brother said. Louis Prevost was nervous for his youngest brother and told him, 'They could just take you out not knowing who you are.' But the priest responded, 'It's my job. It's my duty as a missionary,' according to the older brother's recollection. 'He's done all kinds of things and interfaced with all different kinds of people,' Louis Prevost said. 'On all levels.' The new pope's first general audience culminated with the entire piazza singing the Lord's Prayer in Latin. The sky above St. Peter's Basilica was overcast but stayed dry. Flags from more than three dozen countries dotted the crowd. Newly wed couples came in their wedding attire – including an array of bridal gowns – awaiting a 'sposi novelli' blessing for a happy wedded life from the Holy Father. Just northeast of the basilica is the Apostolic Palace, where Pope Leo XIV is expected to live in the papal apartments on the top floor overlooking St. Peter's Square. Also known as the papal palace, it's considered the official residence of the pontiff, though his predecessor Pope Francis broke with tradition and instead resided at a Vatican guesthouse. 'The papal apartment in the Apostolic Palace is not luxurious. It is old, tastefully decorated and large, but not luxurious,' Pope Francis said during a 2013 interview posted on the Holy See's website. 'But in the end it is like an inverted funnel. It is big and spacious, but the entrance is really tight. People can come only in dribs and drabs, and I cannot live without people. I need to live my life with others.' The Rev. James Martin, a Jesuit priest and editor of America Magazine, called it 'perfectly understandable' that Pope Leo XIV would want to live in the Apostolic Palace. 'As much as I loved and admired Pope Francis, I myself wouldn't want to live in Casa Santa Marta, a guest house, for years on end,' Martin said in a post earlier this month on the social media site X. 'It was quite busy with people coming and going, not to mention eating in a crowded cafeteria, etc. And I would imagine that Leo would appreciate the privacy of the papal apartments.' Fr. Homero Sanchez of St. Rita's Church on the Southwest Side of Chicago noted that Prevost 'never had a driver in his life until now.' 'He has lived with the poor. He had gone on a donkey to go all the way on top of the mountains,' said Sanchez, who has considered Prevost a friend, mentor and Augustinian brother for roughly 15 years. 'He has suffered hunger as well. He knows what starvation is about.' Out of habit, Sanchez keeps referring to the pontiff as 'Roberto,'but then quickly catches and corrects himself saying, 'I mean the pope.' Even though Prevost's life in Peru was strikingly different from the world of the papacy, Sanchez believes his years as a missionary helped prepare him to be the pope. 'He can relate to the human condition of everyone,' added Sanchez, who traveled to the Vatican for Prevost's installation. 'He knows as well how to relate to the wealthy as he does to the poor. I think that makes him a little bit closer to everyone.' The Rev. Joe Roccasalva, who was born and raised in Beverly, recalled that Prevost would often return to the Chicago area to visit his brother John Prevost in New Lenox. When in town, Prevost would often visit with him and other Augustinian brothers at the friary at Providence Catholic High School in New Lenox, where Roccasalva used to live and work. Prevost served as head of Augustinians worldwide from 2001 to 2013, based in Rome, and before that led the Chicago province of the order. At the friary, everyone would pray and eat together. 'He would also help do the dishes.' Roccasalva recalled. 'He felt called to the brotherhood and to do the work that we all do…. Anytime that he came in.' When Roccasalva heard Prevost's name declared pope earlier this month, he cried tears of joy. 'But also a little sadness for him,' Roccasalva said. Because he knew Prevost's life would be completely altered once he said 'accepto' in Latin, officially taking on the role of pontiff. 'And also a little sad for us, because he was a great spiritual leader for us,' added Roccasalva, who was at the Vatican for the Prevost's installation. 'It's lucky for the world. It's sad that we now lose that one connection that was very close.' The Rev. Bernie Scianna, who grew up in the Pilsen neighborhood and has known Prevost since 1984, said he was thrilled that his friend and Augustinian brother became the Holy Father. 'However, now this comes with a downside too, because now he can't just walk across the street for pizza and gelato, right? Those days are over,' Scianna said. 'He'll have to be very guarded and secured.' Scianna noted that Prevost has in many ways sacrificed his life by taking on the role of pontiff. 'We know this is a heavy cross to bear,' he said. 'But we hope he knows that we are with him in prayer and community and love.' 'It's good for the church,' Lydon added. 'It's good for the world.'
Chicago Tribune
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Chicago Tribune
Pope Leo XIV calls for humanitarian aid in war-torn Gaza in first general audience
VATICAN CITY — Chicago-born Pope Leo XIV called for humanitarian aid to be allowed into war-torn Gaza, decrying the violence and suffering in the Middle East during his first general audience as pope Wednesday in St. Peter's Square. 'I renew my appeal to allow the entry of dignified humanitarian aid and to put an end to the hostilities, whose heartbreaking price is paid by the children, elderly, and the sick,' the first American pope declared. Less than an hour later, his words were repeated online by roughly a dozen news outlets, some including photos of him giving the address. At the start of the weekly event, the Holy Father criss-crossed the cobblestone square in the iconic popemobile, a white Mercedes-Benz specially constructed so the pontiff can be visible for public appearances while still protected. A video camera captured his every facial expression, magnified on four large display screens, as he made the sign of the cross in the air and paused to bless the occasional baby. He later read a list of countries represented in the square, ending with 'the United States' and smiling as a roar rose up from the crowd. Pope Leo XIV will hold similar general audiences almost every week for the rest of his papacy. Friends and family members have noted the stark contrast between the 69-year-old longtime Augustinian missionary's lifestyle up until this point compared to the new life he's begun as the leader of some 1.4 billion Catholics worldwide. The fortnight since his May 8 election has been a whirlwind of public appearances and meetings with dignitaries, including Vice President JD Vance and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. During his visit, Vance presented the pontiff with a Chicago Bears jersey with No. XIV on the back and 'Pope Leo' across his shoulders. 'Good choice,' the pope said, looking at the gift. The grandeur and pageantry of the position belies the simple existence the pope has led for much of his life. Born Robert Francis Prevost and raised in south suburban Dolton, he has been described by loved ones as a humble and down-to-earth man who's not too prone to pomp and circumstance. The Rev. John Lydon, his fellow Augustinian missionary and roommate from 1990 to 1999 in Trujillo, Peru, recalled that they lived in austere conditions at the time. Tumult and violence plagued Peru, spurred by the brutal Shining Path insurgency and the Tupac Amaru Revolutionary Movement. 'They were difficult years in terms of human rights. Life was difficult for the people,' recalled Lydon, who lives in Chicago. 'It was years of complete poverty. The decade was a lost decade for Peru.' The southern part of the parish they led was particularly precarious because so many people there had migrated from the mountains to escape terrorism. The missionaries protested human rights violations and started soup kitchens, he recalled 'That's where he gave a lot of his attention, to the people who were marginalized,' Lydon said.'He gave them respect.' There weren't a lot of luxuries or comforts back then compared to living in the United States, but the missionaries took great joy in the work, he said. Parishioners loved 'Father Bob,' as they called him, so much so that an entire week had to be blocked off annually for his birthday festivities because everyone wanted to throw him parties and celebrations. 'They all remember him because he encouraged lay participation in the service and life of the church,' Lydon said. 'The faith dimension of the people.' When he needed to relax or decompress while in Peru, Prevost would often go on long drives on the highway, his old roommate recalled. Now, as a head of state of Vatican City, he won't ever be able to just get behind the wheel of a car and go somewhere, Lydon noted. Prevost would often make trips back to the Chicago area to see family and friends; these will become far less frequent and easy, his fellow former missionary said. 'He can't just pop in,' said Lyndon, who traveled to the Vatican for Sunday's inaugural Mass and returned to Chicago Monday. 'Everything has changed.' The gospel reading at the general audience told the parable of the sower, which tells of a farmer scattering seeds on different landscapes to symbolize varying responses to scripture. The bible passage was recited in multiple languages, predominantly by women readers of diverse backgrounds. The Holy Father's reflection on the passage captured themes of painful transformation for the broader benefit of humanity. 'The parable of the sower can also make us think about Jesus himself, who in his death and resurrection became the seed that fell to the ground and died in order to bear rich fruit,' the new pope said. The pope has always had a gift for diplomacy and working peacefully with all kinds of people, recalled his oldest brother, 73-year-old Louis Prevost of Florida, during an interview with the Tribune earlier this month. 'There's just something about how he does things and how he sees and says things. He's not going to lie to anybody. He's going to tell it like it is,' he said. 'He's not going to veer from church doctrine or teachings. But just be the man that he is and explain things in the manner that he does. I take it as people kind of go, 'huh, maybe he's right. I should look at it like that instead.'' Louis Prevost – who has come under fire recently for controversial social media posts — attended Sunday's papal installation as a guest of Vice President J.D. Vance, sitting next to Second Lady Usha Vance. After the Mass, while meeting with dignitaries and world faith leaders, the pope broke protocol to hug his brother. On Tuesday, Louis Prevost and his wife, Deborah, met President Donald Trump in the Oval Office of the White House, according to the White House. Trump praised the pope's older brother on Tuesday for supporting his presidency and the MAGA movement. In his earlier conversation with the Tribune, Louis Prevost recalled visiting brother years ago in Peru, where the Augustinian priest warned him they might encounter Shining Path militants. Once they were driving together and came across a group of men with machine guns blocking the road, Louis Prevost said. When the men looked in the driver seat window and saw his brother, they pulled back, he recalled. 'They said 'Oh, Padre Roberto. Vaya con Dios. Go ahead. We don't want to bother you,'' the older brother said. Louis Prevost was nervous for his youngest brother and told him, 'They could just take you out not knowing who you are.' But the priest responded, 'It's my job. It's my duty as a missionary,' according to the older brother's recollection. 'He's done all kinds of things and interfaced with all different kinds of people,' Louis Prevost said. 'On all levels.' The new pope's first general audience culminated with the entire piazza singing the Lord's Prayer in Latin. The sky above St. Peter's Basilica was overcast but stayed dry. Flags from more than three dozen countries dotted the crowd. Newly wed couples came in their wedding attire – including an array of bridal gowns – awaiting a 'sposi novelli' blessing for a happy wedded life from the Holy Father. Just northeast of the basilica is the Apostolic Palace, where Pope Leo XIV is expected to live in the papal apartments on the top floor overlooking St. Peter's Square. Also known as the papal palace, it's considered the official residence of the pontiff, though his predecessor Pope Francis broke with tradition and instead resided at a Vatican guesthouse. 'The papal apartment in the Apostolic Palace is not luxurious. It is old, tastefully decorated and large, but not luxurious,' Pope Francis said during a 2013 interview posted on the Holy See's website. 'But in the end it is like an inverted funnel. It is big and spacious, but the entrance is really tight. People can come only in dribs and drabs, and I cannot live without people. I need to live my life with others.' The Rev. James Martin, a Jesuit priest and editor of America Magazine, called it 'perfectly understandable' that Pope Leo XIV would want to live in the Apostolic Palace. 'As much as I loved and admired Pope Francis, I myself wouldn't want to live in Casa Santa Marta, a guest house, for years on end,' Martin said in a post earlier this month on the social media site X. 'It was quite busy with people coming and going, not to mention eating in a crowded cafeteria, etc. And I would imagine that Leo would appreciate the privacy of the papal apartments.' Fr. Homero Sanchez of St. Rita's Church on the Southwest Side of Chicago noted that Prevost 'never had a driver in his life until now.' 'He has lived with the poor. He had gone on a donkey to go all the way on top of the mountains,' said Sanchez, who has considered Prevost a friend, mentor and Augustinian brother for roughly 15 years. 'He has suffered hunger as well. He knows what starvation is about.' Out of habit, Sanchez keeps referring to the pontiff as 'Roberto,'but then quickly catches and corrects himself saying, 'I mean the pope.' Even though Prevost's life in Peru was strikingly different from the world of the papacy, Sanchez believes his years as a missionary helped prepare him to be the pope. 'He can relate to the human condition of everyone,' added Sanchez, who traveled to the Vatican for Prevost's installation. 'He knows as well how to relate to the wealthy as he does to the poor. I think that makes him a little bit closer to everyone.' The Rev. Joe Roccasalva, who was born and raised in Beverly, recalled that Prevost would often return to the Chicago area to visit his brother John Prevost in New Lenox. When in town, Prevost would often visit with him and other Augustinian brothers at the friary at Providence Catholic High School in New Lenox, where Roccasalva used to live and work. Prevost served as head of Augustinians worldwide from 2001 to 2013, based in Rome, and before that led the Chicago province of the order. At the friary, everyone would pray and eat together. 'He would also help do the dishes.' Roccasalva recalled. 'He felt called to the brotherhood and to do the work that we all do…. Anytime that he came in.' When Roccasalva heard Prevost's name declared pope earlier this month, he cried tears of joy. 'But also a little sadness for him,' Roccasalva said. Because he knew Prevost's life would be completely altered once he said 'accepto' in Latin, officially taking on the role of pontiff. 'And also a little sad for us, because he was a great spiritual leader for us,' added Roccasalva, who was at the Vatican for the Prevost's installation. 'It's lucky for the world. It's sad that we now lose that one connection that was very close.' The Rev. Bernie Scianna, who grew up in the Pilsen neighborhood and has known Prevost since 1984, said he was thrilled that his friend and Augustinian brother became the Holy Father. 'However, now this comes with a downside too, because now he can't just walk across the street for pizza and gelato, right? Those days are over,' Scianna said. 'He'll have to be very guarded and secured.' Scianna noted that Prevost has in many ways sacrificed his life by taking on the role of pontiff. 'We know this is a heavy cross to bear,' he said. 'But we hope he knows that we are with him in prayer and community and love.' 'It's good for the church,' Lydon added. 'It's good for the world.'
