Pope Leo XIV laid out the vision of his papacy on Saturday, identifying artificial intelligence as one of the most critical matters facing humanity and vowing to continue some of the core priorities of the late Pope Francis. In his first formal audience, Leo repeatedly cited the Argentine pope's own 2013 mission statement, making clear a commitment to making the Catholic Church more inclusive and attentive to the faithful and a church that looks out for the world's vulnerable. Leo, the first American pope, told the cardinals who elected him that he was fully committed to the reforms of the Second Vatican Council, the 1960s meetings that modernized the church. In another hint of his priorities, the Vatican revealed that Leo, an Augustinian, would retain the motto and coat of arms that he had as bishop of Chiclayo, Peru.
The motto, "In Illo uno unum," was pronounced by St. Augustine in a sermon to explain that "although we Christians are many, in the one Christ we are one." In the speech, delivered in Italian in the Vatican's synod hall, Leo made repeated references to Francis and the mourning over his death. He held up Francis' 2013 mission statement, "The Joy of the Gospel," as something of his own marching orders, citing Francis' insistence on the missionary nature of the church and the need to make its leadership more collegial. He noted the need to pay attention to what the faithful say, "especially in its most authentic and inclusive forms, especially popular piety." Referring again to Francis' 2013 mission statement, Leo cited the need for the church to express "loving care for the least and rejected" and engage in courageous dialogue with the contemporary world.
Chicago-born Robert Prevost was elected the 267th pontiff on Thursday on the fourth ballot of the papal conclave, an exceptionally fast outcome given this was the largest and most geographically diverse conclave in history and not all cardinals knew one another before arriving in Rome. Cardinals have said Prevost didn't make any major speech during the pre-conclave discussions, as he carried into the conclave the traditional taboo precluding a pope from the US, given America's superpower status. But Prevost was already known to many, and he's said to have made an impression in smaller groups where English was the key language of communication, in a conclave that brought together 133 cardinals from 70 countries. More here.
(More
Pope Leo XIV stories.)
,
uBlock 
,
and
Ghostery 
)
