Our New Pope, Pontiff of Peace
“You cannot follow both Christ and the cruelty of kings. A leader who mocks the weak, exalts himself, and preys on the innocent is not sent by God. He is sent to test you. And many are failing.”
Our New Pope, Pontiff of Peace
By Cate Rees-Hessel
“Da” Pope
Just like our dearly departed Pope Francis, our brand new first ever Pope from the U.S. speaks the truth regarding the Trump administration and “The Donald” himself. Pope Leo XIV, or “Da” Pope as Chicago area residents are referring to him, I am very proud to say is from right here in the Windy City. As a quote attributed to His Holiness says, “You cannot follow both Christ and the cruelty of kings. A leader who mocks the weak, exalts himself, and preys on the innocent is not sent by God. He is sent to test you. And many are failing.”
Only One King
We all know that Donald Trump wants to be the first American king, but unlike the first American Pope, that is not going to happen – there is no king of the United States. There is, however, finally a Pontiff from our country. I am hopeful this new leader of the Catholic Church can an will continue the work of Pope Francis to bring about peace in our troubled homeland and world from his position of power at the Vatican. Whether you are a Catholic, Christian or not, this man offers hope. Here are some interesting facts about Pope Leo: XIV:
- Our Pope Leo began his pastoral career in the southern Chicago suburb of Dolton, IL, where he grew up. Dolton, which is in Cook County.
- His name is Robert Prevost and he was born in the city of Chicago.
- His first words after the conclave elected him were, “Peace be with you all”.
- The former archbishop is also quoted as saying “I offer you the little that I have and am” – a servants heart that is a breath of fresh air in our troubled world.
- He spent extensive time in Peru.
- The new Pope is 69 years young.
- By choosing to be called Leo, he is likely going to build upon previous popes named Leo, especially Leo Xlll, whose teachings centered around social justice.
- He is considered a diplomat in the church.
- The Pope is a Chicago White Sox fan, much to the chagrin of my Cubs fan husband. The White Sox organization sent him a team jersey and cap to the Vatican. His Sox fandom is confirmed by his brother, John Prevost.
- He attended St. Augustine Seminary High School in Laketown Township, MI. He has a BS in Mathematics from Villanova University, and went to seminary at the Catholic Theological Union in the Chicago neighborhood of Hyde Park.
Supporting the Immigrant
It appears that our new Pope is no fan of the Trump administration or JD Vance, especially in regards to immigration. Just like his predecessor, Pope Francis. An article in Newsweek quotes, “In some matters, Leo XIV has aligned ideologically with his predecessor, Pope Francis, especially on the treatment of immigrants and the environment. Earlier this year, Francis criticized Trump over his immigration agenda, which embraces mass deportations.”
