Catholics around the globe rejoice as Robert Francis Prevost turns into Pope Leo XIV – dwell | Papal conclave
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Robert Francis Prevost: the reasonable, good humoured first American pope
Sam Jones
Robert Francis Prevost – who has chosen the papal identify Leo XIV – might not be the Latin American Jesuit wildcard that his predecessor, Pope Francis, was, however his election is equally historic.
Within the determine of the 69-year-old former head of the Augustinian order, the Roman Catholic church has its very first US chief.
Till Thursday night, the concept of the fisherman’s ring being slipped on to a North American hand was seen as a reasonably distant chance.
The Vatican’s longstanding opposition to a US pope stemmed largely from the optics of getting a pontiff from a political superpower and a rustic with such a hegemonic cultural and secular world affect.
However all that modified after a brief conclave that selected a person who had been a cardinal for less than slightly greater than two years.
Whereas his appointment is prone to be welcomed by progressive factions throughout the church, it was in all probability not the information that a few of his extra conservative, Trump-aligned US brother cardinals had been hoping for.
Learn the complete profile: Robert Francis Prevost: the reasonable, good humoured first American pope
Key occasions
As we talked about earlier, Pope Leo XIV seems to have criticised the stance by US vice-president JD Vance, additionally a Catholic, on immigration. One article was headlined “JD Vance is incorrect: Jesus doesn’t ask us to rank our love for others.” In 2020, within the wake of George Floyd’s loss of life, Leo tweeted, “We have to hear extra from leaders within the Church, to reject racism and search justice.”
These tweets seem to have upset the Maga motion within the US. Far-right influencer Laura Loomer wrote in a publish on X:
He’s anti-Trump, anti-MAGA, pro-open Borders, and a complete Marxist like Pope Francis. Catholics don’t have something good to sit up for. Simply one other Marxist puppet within the Vatican.
She additionally claimed he supported unlawful immigrants and open borders, although it’s not clear why she thinks that.
One other influential Maga cheerleader, Charlie Kirk, wrote:
Pope Leo XIV: Registered Chicago Republican and pro-life warrior OR Open borders globalist put in to counter Trump?
Catherine Pepinster
For cardinals within the conclave pondering who the subsequent chief of the Catholic church ought to be, they may have thought-about management expertise, pastoral expertise, information of the Vatican and toughness. Robert Prevost has all this in spades.
He led his spiritual order as prior common, he has labored in a diocese, and since 2023 has been in command of the Vatican division that chooses bishops. The view is that he has made having a compassionate or pastoral strategy a precedence for selecting who joins the episcopacy.
There will probably be some who will fear that Prevost blotted his copybook when it got here to coping with abuse crises in Peru. The sexual abuse of kids and weak individuals stays a stain on the Catholic church, and the way he handles it will likely be one in all his nice assessments.
Whereas some LGBTQ+ organisations famous that, earlier than Pope Francis was elected, Prevost expressed issues about what he referred to as “the gay life-style”, it’s noticeable that one of many Catholic church’s main advocates for homosexual individuals, the American Jesuit priest, James Martin, has described Prevost’s election as “a superb selection”, and mentioned that Prevost is “form, open and trustworthy”.
The Employees’ Pope?
Catherine Pepinster
What’s in a reputation? With regards to a pope – all the things. The white smoke from the Sistine Chapel earlier this night instructed the world {that a} new pope to succeed Francis had been elected – and for the primary time the pontiff is from the US.
But when Donald Trump and his Catholic convert Veep, JD Vance, are able to cheer, then they need to assume once more. Cardinal Robert Prevost has chosen the identify Leo XIV – and should you’re a papal Leo, you are typically a reformer on the progressive finish of Catholicism.
That Prevost has determined to change into Leo XIV will make Catholics assume instantly of the final Leo – Leo XIII – and his 1891 encyclical or instructing doc, Rerum Novarum, which outlined employees’ rights to a good wage, protected working situations and the rights of employees to belong to commerce unions. If Pope Francis was the Folks’s Pope, then Leo XIV is all set to be the Employees’ Pope.
Dan Collyns
Peru’s president, Dina Boluarte, hailed the “historic” election of Leo XIV, whom she described as a Peruvian “by selection and conviction” who had devoted greater than 20 years of service to the nation. She added that Prevost, 69, “selected to be one in all us, to dwell amongst us and to hold in his coronary heart the religion, tradition and goals of this nation”.
She added: “The pope is Peruvian; God loves Peru.”
Even so, Prevost has spoken out towards Boluarte’s authorities prior to now. In early 2023, he described his “unhappiness and ache” over the deaths of 49 protesters in anti-government demonstrations that erupted when President Boluarte took workplace in December 2022, changing Pedro Castillo who was compelled out for trying to droop congress.
On the time Prevost mentioned the unrest mirrored the historic neglect of Peru’s poor, saying: “This battle doesn’t symbolize the most effective of the nation.”
Pope Leo additionally referred to as on late former president Alberto Fujimori, who was jailed in 2009 for human rights abuses and corruption to express regret from every of his authorities’s victims in an effort to start a strategy of reconciliation.
His suggestion got here simply two days after Fujimori was given a presidential pardon as a part of a political deal and launched a video with a half-hearted apology. Prevost pointedly steered “it could be more practical to express regret, personally, for a number of the nice injustices that had been dedicated and for which he was tried and sentenced”.
The controversial ex-leader was despatched again to jail in 2018, solely to be pardoned once more in 2023 amid avenue protests. He died in 2024 and was given a state funeral.
Dan Collyns
As information of Leo’s election started to sink in, social media in Peru was flooded with memes of the pope consuming ceviche, Peru’s flagship dish, and consuming Inca Kola, its bubblegum-flavoured tender drink.
Others confirmed him in Peru’s red-and-white soccer shirt and one other humorous picture confirmed the popemobile refashioned as a three-wheeled bike rickshaw, the principal mode of transport in a lot of the nation.
Some posts on social media jokingly claimed that the brand new pope was “extra Latino than the complete solid of Emilia Pérez”, referencing the French movie that sparked controversy over its portrayal of Mexico.
Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas has referred to as on the brand new Pope Leo XIV to pursue the “peace efforts” of his predecessor Francis, in an official assertion.
Abbas despatched “greatest needs for the success of Pope Leo XIV within the pursuit of his noble process and sustaining the legacy of the late Pope Francis,” mentioned the assertion.
Abbas highlighted the “significance of the ethical, spiritual and political function of the Vatican within the defence of simply causes”, including that “the Palestinian individuals and their proper to liberty and independence” ought to be on the high.
Pope Francis had been a critic of Israel’s struggle on Gaza and had referred to as the Holy Household Church in Gaza Metropolis daily after the struggle started till his loss of life.
Shortly after his loss of life it was revealed that Francis had accredited the conversion of his popemobile right into a cellular well being clinic to deal with kids in Gaza.
Pope Leo XIV fell in love with Peru and its signature dish of uncooked seafood, ceviche, over his practically 20 years within the nation, his successor as bishop of the northern metropolis of Chiclayo has mentioned mentioned. AFP experiences:
“He liked goat, duck with rice and ceviche, these had been his favorite dishes,” Chiclayo’s present bishop Edison Farfan instructed a press convention.
He added that there have been pictures in Chiclayo of him using a horse.
Farfan recalled Prevost’s beginnings in Peru as a missionary within the northern city of Chulucanas, recent out of college in the USA.
From there he moved to the coastal metropolis of Trujillo, the place he helped arrange an Augustinian seminary, earlier than lastly winding up within the far northern metropolis of Chiclayo, the place he was ordained a bishop in 2015, Farfan mentioned.
Leo gave “his complete life to the mission in Peru,” Farfan mentioned, including that the brand new pontiff, like his Argentine predecessor Francis, was notably pushed by poverty and by individuals residing on the “periphery” of society.
Anna Betts
The web exploded with humor and Chicago pleasure on Thursday following the historic announcement that Robert Francis Prevost, a 69-year-old American clergyman from Chicago, has been named the brand new pope.
The Chicago mayor, Brandon Johnson, celebrated the second on social media, posting:
Every thing dope, together with the Pope, comes from Chicago! Congratulations to the primary American Pope Leo XIV! We hope to welcome you again dwelling quickly.
Different customers requested for “images of the brand new pope at the Bean” Chicago’s well-known sculpture, whereas MSNBC’s Chris Hayes puzzled whether or not the pope was a Chicago Cubs fan, as others requested if he was a White Sox fan.
One X consumer joked: “In honor of Chicago’s personal Pope Leo XIV, the White Sox announce the brand new ‘White Smoke Shake’ that will probably be served in a commemorative pope hat.” One other poked enjoyable on the Chicago Bears American Soccer crew, writing: “Chicago produced a pope earlier than a QB who throws for 4,000 yards.”
Others referenced Chicago’s well-known deep dish pizza, joking in regards to the pope serving deep dish pizza and to ask whether or not the brand new pope thinks that Chicago or Rome have higher pizza.
The UN’s secretary common, António Guterres, has supplied his “heartfelt” congratulations to Pope Leo XIV and Catholics around the globe.
“Our world is in want of the strongest voices for peace, social justice, human dignity [and] compassion,” the UN chief posted to X.
I sit up for constructing on the lengthy legacy of cooperation between the UN and the Holy See to advance solidarity, foster reconciliation & construct a simply and sustainable world for all.
Robert Francis Prevost: the reasonable, good humoured first American pope
Sam Jones
Robert Francis Prevost – who has chosen the papal identify Leo XIV – might not be the Latin American Jesuit wildcard that his predecessor, Pope Francis, was, however his election is equally historic.
Within the determine of the 69-year-old former head of the Augustinian order, the Roman Catholic church has its very first US chief.
Till Thursday night, the concept of the fisherman’s ring being slipped on to a North American hand was seen as a reasonably distant chance.
The Vatican’s longstanding opposition to a US pope stemmed largely from the optics of getting a pontiff from a political superpower and a rustic with such a hegemonic cultural and secular world affect.
However all that modified after a brief conclave that selected a person who had been a cardinal for less than slightly greater than two years.
Whereas his appointment is prone to be welcomed by progressive factions throughout the church, it was in all probability not the information that a few of his extra conservative, Trump-aligned US brother cardinals had been hoping for.
Learn the complete profile: Robert Francis Prevost: the reasonable, good humoured first American pope
Canada’s newly elected prime minister, Mark Carney, has referred to as the pope’s election a “historic day for Catholics and all who look to the Vatican for steerage”.
A training Catholic, Carney mentioned he supplied his “prayers and greatest needs” to Pope Leo XIV, including:
At a time of world challenges, could his preach carry ahead a mission of solidarity, compassion, and dignity for all.
A London LGBT+ religion group has welcomed the election of Robert Francis Prevost as Pope Leo XIV and mentioned it hopes he has “moved on” from earlier remarks the place he criticised the “gay life-style”.
As we reported earlier, Prevost mentioned in a 2012 handle to the world Synod of Bishops that “Western mass media is very efficient in fostering inside most of the people huge sympathy for beliefs and practices which can be at odds with the Gospel — for instance abortion, gay life-style, euthanasia”.
“We belief he will probably be open to take heed to the lived expertise of LGBT+ Catholics, their mother and father and households,” the assertion by the LGBT+ Catholics Westminster Pastoral Council reads.
Opinions and concepts can change, and he supported Pope Francis’ change in pastoral apply to permit divorced and civilly remarried Catholics to obtain Holy Communion, and he confirmed assist for Fiducia Supplicans, permitting blessings for same-sex {couples}.
He has expressed openness to marginalized teams, although his stance on particular points stays ambiguous, together with the issues of LGBT+ Catholics.
Jason Rodrigues
Within the early hours of 20 February 1878, following a 3rd poll, the door of the bottom gallery of the Vatican Basilica was thrown open and Italian-born Cardinal Pecci was introduced because the successor to Pope Pius IX.
In keeping with our Particular Correspondent, the brand new Pope’s first look gave the sign for the ‘most vociferous cheering’, the Rome crowd taking over the shout and crying “lengthy dwell the Pope”.
Readers had been additionally instructed that the brand new Pope, who had chosen Leo out of admiration for Pope Leo XII, was a “man of reasonable views in spiritual issues, although of distinguished piety, mixed with nice vitality and character…”
Leo XIII’s papacy lasted till his loss of life in 1903, making him one of many longest-serving Popes.
Biographers later famous that he “introduced a brand new spirit to the papacy, expressed in additional conciliatory positions towards civil governments, by much less opposition to scientific progress, and by an consciousness of the pastoral and social wants of the instances.”
Listed here are some photos from the newswires displaying how individuals from around the globe cheered the election of Robert Francis Prevost, now generally known as Pope Leo XIV.
Abstract of the day up to now
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A brand new pope is elected. US cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, will probably be generally known as Pope Leo XIV. It’s been an extended whereas since we had a pope with this identify: final Leo, Leo XIII, was elected in 1878 and served till his loss of life in 1903.
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In his first feedback after his election, Pope Leo XIV preached a message of “unity” and of “shifting ahead”. He mentioned he needs this message of peace to “enter your hearts, to achieve your households and all individuals, wherever they’re.”
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Many shared their pleasure at having an American pope, and particularly a pope born in Chicago. Metropolis mayor Brandon Johnson tweeted “Every thing dope, together with the Pope, comes from Chicago” and former US president Barack Obama congratulated the “fellow Chicagoan” on social media.
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US president Donald Trump mentioned he was “shocked” however that it’s a “nice honor” to have an American pope. World leaders from a number of international locations together with Italy, Spain, Greece, Ukraine, Peru and the United Kingdom have supplied their congratulations.
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An account on X broadly believed to belong to the brand new pope exhibits him to be considerably important of the Trump administration. The account posted two articles that took problem with the stance by JD Vance, additionally a Catholic, on immigration. One article was headlined “JD Vance is incorrect: Jesus doesn’t ask us to rank our love for others.”
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In a 2012 handle to the world Synod of Bishops, Father Robert Francis Prevost, now Pope Leo XIV appeared to criticize homosexuality, saying “Western mass media is very efficient in fostering inside most of the people huge sympathy for beliefs and practices which can be at odds with the Gospel — for instance abortion, gay life-style, euthanasia”.
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