Latest news with #fe
Yahoo
11-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Pope Leo XIV's Years in Peru Reveal a Priest Focused on His Flock
'Monseñor Robert' helped the poor, trekked into the Andes and spread his faith. 'He always provided words of hope.'
Associated Press
09-05-2025
- General
- Associated Press
A photographer uses solitude and light to capture the intimacy of a community church
SIMOJOVEL, Mexico (AP) — Isabel Mateos is a photographer based in San Cristóbal de la Casas, Mexico. She has been contributing to The Associated Press since 2019. Here's what she had to say about this extraordinary this photo? After the death of Pope Francis, we wanted to illustrate the life of a deacon in Simojovel, someone who had dedicated himself to the church and to caring for his communities in the mountains of southern Mexico. I felt it was important to capture the intimacy of the church, using the sunlight filtering through the doors, windows and wooden slats to reflect the quiet strength of both the setting and the worshipers' faith. How I made this photo When I walked into the small church, I noticed a strip of light pouring through the door, blending with the incense smoke and silhouetting the women and children seated to one side. I waited, and when a woman stepped into the frame, the moment captured what I felt was the quiet depth of faith in this town. Why this photo works I had worked in the area before and knew how difficult life can be for many who live there. The photo captures how people quietly live out their faith in everyday moments, while also drawing a contrast between this modest mountain church and the grandeur of the Vatican, where Pope Francis's funeral and the conclave were taking place.___ For more extraordinary AP photography, click here.
Globe and Mail
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Globe and Mail
Peruvians elated after cardinal who spent years in the South American country is elected pope
Peruvians were elated Thursday after a Catholic cardinal who spent years guiding the faithful in the South American country and they see as one of their own was elected pope. Pope Leo XIV is a dual citizen of the United States and Peru, where he first served as a missionary and then as an archbishop. That made him the first pope from each country. Robert Francis Prevost becomes Pope Leo XIV, first American to hold papacy in Catholic Church's history In Peru's capital, Lima, the bells of the cathedral rang after Cardinal Robert Prevost was announced as Pope Francis' successor. People outside the church quickly expressed their desire for a papal visit. 'For us Peruvians, it is a source of pride that this is a pope who represents our country,' said elementary school teacher Isabel Panez, who was near the cathedral when the news was announced. 'We would like him to visit us here in Peru.' Leo, standing on the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica for the first time as pope, addressed in Spanish the people of Chiclayo, which sits just 9 miles (14 kilometres) from Peru's northern Pacific coast and is among the country's most populous cities. 'Greetings... to all of you, and in particular, to my beloved diocese of Chiclayo in Peru, where a faithful people have accompanied their bishop, shared their faith,' he said. Thomas Nicolini, a Peruvian who studies economics in Rome, said he went to St. Peter's Square as soon as he heard Prevost was the new pope. 'That's a beautiful area, but one of the regions that needs lots of hope,' he said referring to Chiclayo. 'So, now I'm expecting that the new pope helps as many people as possible, and tries to reignite, let's say, the faith young people have lost.' What's in a name? Pope Leo XIV's choice signals a commitment to social justice Diana Celis, who attended several Masses officiated by Prevost in Chiclayo, told The Associated Press that he would often repeat that he had 'come from Chicago to Chiclayo, the only difference is a few letters.' Born in Chicago in 1955, Prevost has held Peruvian nationality since 2015, Peru's national register agency confirmed Thursday. In 2014, he served as the administrator and later archbishop of Chiclayo and remained in that position until Francis summoned him to Rome in 2023 to serve as the powerful head of the office that vets bishop nominations from around the world, one of the most important jobs in the Catholic Church. 'He will be very sensitive to the social doctrine of the Church and will undoubtedly be attentive to the signs of the times,' the Rev. Edinson Farfan, bishop of Chiclayo, told reporters. Janinna Sesa, who met Prevost while she worked for the church's Caritas nonprofit, said he is the kind of person who will 'put on boots and wade through the mud' to help those most in need. She said he did just that in 2022, when torrential rains affected Chiclayo and nearby villages. How Pope Leo XIV overcame a taboo against a U.S. pontiff He also delivered food and blankets to the remote Andean villages, driving a white pickup truck and sleeping on a thin mattress on the floor. In those villages, Sesa said, Prevost ate whatever was offered to him, including the peasant diet consisting of potatoes, cheese and sweet corn. But, if the opportunity came up, he would enjoy carne asada – one of his favourite dishes – accompanied by a glass of Coca-Cola. 'He has no problem fixing a broken-down truck until it runs,' she said, highlighting his automotive interest. Sesa added that Prevost was also the driving force for the purchase of two oxygen-production plants during the coronavirus pandemic, which killed more than 217,000 people across Peru. 'He worked so hard to find help, that there was not only enough for one plant, but for two oxygen plants,' she said.
