Pope Leo quotes Hannah Arendt:

[Tanuki]

Link to tweet

[Bernardo de La Paz]

1. What is the quote? Is it real? There has been a flood of fake quotes on DU lately. Is this one (whatever it might be?)?

[Tanuki]

2. Yes, it's right there in the article in the OP.

The source is CBS news, again right there in the OP.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

3. X is blocked to me and many other self-respecting DU readers.

I thought that was clear from my post, but I guess I should have be explicit. Sigh.

[Tanuki]

4. I will ignore the snark and share the quote:

..."He quoted Hannah Arendt's "The Origins of Totalitarianism" in asserting that the world needs free and objective information. He cited her warning that "the ideal subject of totalitarian rule is not the convinced Nazi or the convinced Communist, but people for whom the distinction between fact and fiction and the distinction between true and false no longer exist."

Leo said even with the challenges posed today by artificial intelligence, news agencies must stand firm.

"With your patient and rigorous work, you can act as a barrier against those who, through the ancient art of lying, seek to create divisions in order to rule by dividing," he said. "You can also be a bulwark of civility against the quicksand of approximation and post-truth."

[Bernardo de La Paz]

5. Thank you. . . . nt

[Emrys]

6. A few more quotes from Arendt's "Origins of Totalitarianism":

The aim of totalitarian education has never been to instill convictions, but to destroy the capacity to form any.

Nothing, perhaps, illustrates the general disintegration of political life better than a vague pervasive hatred of everyone and everything.

And even more painfully apt to the current era:

Totalitarianism in power invariably replaces all first-rate talents, regardless of their sympathies, with those crackpots and fools whose lack of intelligence and creativity is still the best guarantee of their loyalty.

[milestogo]

7. Seems like a highly educated man.

[ancianita]

9. He is. He also speaks Spanish, Italian, French, and Portuguese.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Leo_XIV

Robert Francis Prevost was born on September 14, 1955,at Mercy Hospital in the Bronzeville neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois, on the city's South Side. He is of Spanish, French, Italian, and Louisiana Creole descent.
His father, Louis Marius Prevost, was a Chicago native, having grown up in Hyde Park. Louis's father and mother were immigrants from Italy and France, respectively. Louis Prevost was a United States Navy veteran of World War II who commanded an infantry landing craft in the Normandy landings and later participated in Operation Dragoon in southern France.An educator, he later became superintendent of Brookwood School District 167 in Glenwood, Illinois. Leo XIV's mother, Mildred Agnes Prevost (née Martínez), was also born in Chicago, into a mixed-race Black Creole family from Louisiana. She was also an educator, and a librarian, including at Mendel Catholic High School.

Known as "Rob" to his family and "Bob" to friends as an adult, Prevost was raised in Dolton, Illinois, a suburb bordering the far South Side; his childhood home was purchased by the Village of Dolton after he became pope. He grew up in the parish of St. Mary of the Assumption in nearby Riverdale. His parents were practicing Catholics who were very involved in the parish: Louis was a catechist, a teacher of the faith; while Mildred was an active member of the Rosary and Altar Society, sang in the church choir, provided services for the church and went to daily Mass. According to Leo, what influenced him spiritually was his parents' faith, prayer life and Marian devotions ("My parents prayed the rosary together their whole lives everyday" ) and their mutual love...

From 1969 to 1973, Prevost attended St. Augustine Seminary High School, a minor seminary near Saugatuck, Michigan; his brother John recalled how, from the end of eighth grade on, and especially after joining the Order of Saint Augustine, until their later adulthood when leave allowed them to reconnect, Prevost was hardly at home or with their family.

At the Augustinian seminary, he earned a letter of commendation for academic excellence, consistently appeared on the honor roll, served as yearbook editor-in-chief, and was secretary of the student council and a member of the National Honor Society.
He captained the bowling team and headed the speech and debate team, competing in Congressional Debate.
Well-liked and highly intelligent, Prevost had a reputation for helping other students as a tutor.
Out of several dozen who entered the school with him, Prevost was one of only 13 students in his class to graduate....

[Kid Berwyn]

8. Most powerful leader in the world.

Thinking democratically, acting morally.

[ancianita]

10. He is. And he came from America. Now he guides the world (or much of it, anyway).

Last edited Sun Oct 12, 2025, 09:14 PM - Edit history (1)

[Tanuki]

11. He's from Chicago, is very pro-immigrant, and just met with a group of Chicago union leaders!

https://apnews.com/article/vatican-us-immigration-pope-chicago-f848e90e52022dee3c5b64f31b8d3e5a

"ROME (AP) — Pope Leo XIV urged labor union leaders from Chicago on Thursday to advocate for immigrants and welcome minorities into their ranks, weighing in as the Trump administration crackdown on immigrants intensifies in the pontiff’s hometown.

“While recognizing that appropriate policies are necessary to keep communities safe, I encourage you to continue to advocate for society to respect the human dignity of the most vulnerable,” Leo said.

The audience was scheduled before the deployment of National Guard troops to protect federal property in the Chicago area, including a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement building that has been the site of occasional clashes between protesters and federal agents.

Chicago Cardinal Blase Cupich, who accompanied the labor leaders, said that Leo was well aware of the situation on the ground. In an interview with The Associated Press, Cupich said that Leo has made clear, including in recent comments, that migrants and the poor must be treated in ways that respect their human dignity."...

[WarGamer]

12. this +1000nt

False news hurts everyone. And it's EVERYWHERE.

[Ping Tung]

13. In order to go on living one must try to escape the death involved in perfectionism. Hannah Arendt