Latest news with #TheNameofGodisMercy
USA Today
28-04-2025
- Politics
- USA Today
Biden: Pope Francis stood for compassion as others embraced cruelty. May mercy be his legacy.
Biden: Pope Francis stood for compassion as others embraced cruelty. May mercy be his legacy. I fear with Pope Francis' passing, the world will be colder and less just. Which means that all of us who loved Francis need to step up. Show Caption Hide Caption Pope Francis requested a simple funeral in his will Pope Francis requested a "simple" funeral in his will, reflecting a legacy devoted to humility. As I sat among the more than 200,000 people who came to Rome to grieve the loss and celebrate the life of Pope Francis, one word kept running through my mind − mercy. I thought of the pope's motto – ''Miserando atque eligendo." It translates as, "He looked at him with mercy and chose him.' It is a reference to Jesus selecting Matthew to be his disciple, not despite the fact that the tax collector was a sinner, but because of it. I thought of the Jubilee Year of Mercy that Pope Francis proclaimed. I thought of 'The Name of God is Mercy' that he wrote. Most of all, I thought of his mission, his ministry, his life's work. Pope Francis gave me hope and optimism I first met Francis at his inauguration as pope in 2013. I was vice president. Like millions of Catholics all over the world, I felt a surge of hope and optimism. In Francis, I saw the revitalization of the faith I had grown up with. A faith that calls us to care for 'the last and the least' among us. A faith that gives us the obligation to feed the hungry, care for the sick, lift up the poor, welcome the stranger. A faith that sees the humanity in everyone and believes we are all God's children. A faith of forgiveness and compassion. Of dignity and respect. Of love and mercy. Opinion: I'm a Catholic who craved spiritual connection. I found it in Pope Francis. Francis was a pope for our time, when so many leaders embraced cruelty. He stood for compassion. When so many casually embraced lies. He stood for truth. When so many saw the climate as an imagined problem. He saw it as an existential crisis. When so many treated the climate as a political matter. He knew it was a moral imperative. And when so many practiced the politics of dehumanization, he stood for our common humanity. Francis spoke on behalf of migrants Francis was a voice of great moral clarity even in the face of sickness and death. In his final Easter message, which he gave just one day before he died, he cried out against war: 'What a great thirst for death, for killing, we witness each day in the many conflicts raging in different parts of our world!' He called out the cruelty being inflicted on others: 'How much violence we see, often even within families, directed at women and children!' He spoke against the demonization of the weakest among us: 'How much contempt is stirred up at times towards the vulnerable, the marginalized, and migrants!' Opinion: With Francis, LGBTQ+ Catholics finally felt seen. Will new pope turn away from us? Francis used to say that 'a little mercy makes the world less cold and more just.' Now I fear with his passing, the world will be colder and less just. Which means that all of us who loved Francis need to step up. Francis wasn't the only one chosen by God's mercy. We all were. When we remember that, we will see that mercy isn't weakness. There is no greater strength. One of the mementoes I most treasured as president was a photo with Pope Francis that I kept on my desk in the Oval Office. That photo is now on my desk at home in Delaware. It serves as a daily reminder to me to do more, to be better, to make a difference in the lives of others. Pope Francis was a great leader and a deeply good man. Now we can honor his life by making his legacy a living legacy. A living faith. A faith of caring and compassion – and mercy. Joe Biden was the 46th president of the United States.
Hindustan Times
22-04-2025
- General
- Hindustan Times
Who is Amalia Damonte? The woman to whom Pope Francis sent a love letter before priesthood; ‘If I do not marry you…'
Pope Francis, who was born as Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Argentina, suffered a brain stroke and died on Monday at the age of 88. His demise has brought attention towards his adolescent romance when he fell in love with his neighbour. Jorge, however, suffered a heartbreak and decided to pursue a career as a priest. He eventually became the first Latin American Pope. During his reign, the Church's practices, operations, and discourse underwent substantial modifications. Born into a family of Italian immigrants, he spent his early and teenage years in the capital, where he finished his education and obtained a degree in chemistry. Over this time, he opted for several jobs, such as cleaning staff, chemical lab technician, and nightclub bouncer. He also had significant spiritual awakenings during this period, which motivated him to seek the priesthood. It is believed that a heartbreak affected his choice to become a priest. In conversations and books like 'On Heaven and Earth' and 'The Name of God is Mercy,' Pope Francis opened up about his desires in young age. He felt typical emotions like love and even wanted to start a family. Also Read: What happens to Pope's 'Fisherman's Ring' after his death? Will it be destroyed? He fell in love with Amalia Demonte, who lived four doors away in the Membrillar Street in Buenos Aires. Ten years later, Amalia appeared in an interview with the Associated Press and recounted that Jorge had sent a love letter to her, causing unexpected trouble to her. Amalia recalled a tiny wooden home with a red roof that Jorge had constructed for her, bearing the inscription, 'This is what I will buy when we get married.' 'If I do not marry you, I will become a priest,' read the young Jorge's love letter. In the interview, Amalia clarified that these were just thoughts of a youngster. Amalia's strict parents became furious when they found the love letter. She told reporters how her mother confronted her about getting letters from a boy and destroyed the wooden hut Jorge had built for her.
News18
22-04-2025
- General
- News18
'If I Don't Marry You, I'll Become A Priest': When A Young Pope Francis Failed In Love
Last Updated: Pope Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, fell in love with a neighbor in Buenos Aires. Heartbreak led him to the priesthood, becoming the first Latin American Pope Pope Francis passed away on Monday at the age of 88 due to a cerebral stroke. This has brought attention to his teenage romance. As a young man, he fell in love with a neighbor, but after experiencing heartbreak, he chose to become a priest, ultimately becoming the first Pope from Latin America. His tenure brought significant changes to the Church's ways, workings, and dialogue. Pope Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, spent his youth in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Raised in an Italian immigrant family, his childhood and adolescence were spent in the capital, where he completed his schooling and earned a degree in chemistry. During this period, he worked various jobs, including nightclub bouncer, chemical lab technician, and cleaning worker. It was also during this time that he had important spiritual experiences that inspired him to pursue the priesthood. It is believed that his decision to become a priest was influenced by a heartbreak. Pope Francis himself has recounted in interviews and books, such as 'On Heaven and Earth" and 'The Name of God is Mercy," that he had normal desires in his youth, including love and thoughts of starting a family. However, a larger purpose of serving God and humanity eventually took precedence. In his teenage years, Jorge fell in love with a girl named Amalia Demonte, who lived just four doors down in the quiet area of Membrillar Street in Buenos Aires. Decades later, Amalia recalled in an interview with the Associated Press that Jorge had written her a love letter, which caused her unexpected trouble. Amalia remembered a small wooden house that Jorge built for her, with a red roof, inscribed with the words, 'This is what I will buy when we get married." The love letter young Jorge wrote declared, 'If I do not marry you, I will become a priest." Amalia admitted in the interview that these were merely childish sentiments. Advertisement The love letter fell into the hands of Amalia's strict parents, who were very angry. She recounted to reporters that her mother broke the wooden house Jorge had made and confronted her about receiving letters from a boy. top videos View All Consequently, their parents did everything to keep them apart, leading to the Bergoglio family moving away from Membrillar Street. Amalia also moved on, eventually marrying and raising a family. Despite learning about Jorge's rise within the Church, she did not try to reconnect. Born to Italian immigrant parents in Buenos Aires, Pope Francis belonged to a close-knit family. Throughout his papacy, he emphasised humility over arrogance, charming the world with his humble style and concern for the poor. Get breaking news, detailed analysis, and expert perspectives on everything from politics to tech, so you can stay informed about what's happening around the world on News18 tags : Buenos Aires love affair Pope pope francis priest Vatican Location : Vatican City First Published: April 22, 2025, 12:48 IST News world 'If I Don't Marry You, I'll Become A Priest': When A Young Pope Francis Failed In Love
