The Daily Populous

Saturday May 17th, 2025 night edition

image for The pope’s doctoral thesis drew on St. Augustine’s idea of religious authority as service, not power

Robert Prevost, now Pope Leo XIV, wrote his doctoral thesis on the way local Augustinian superiors exercise authority, the university rector said Friday.

It’s an issue that is perhaps newly relevant now that Prevost is the leader of the 1.4-billion strong Catholic Church.

The way religious superiors exercise authority has long been a topic of study for scholars.

The Vatican office not only vets nominations of bishops around the world but also reviews cases of bishops who are accused of abusing their authority.

Prevost would have been at the university, known as the Angelicum, from around 26 to 30 years old.

In an email, he said Prevost underscored that all exercise of authority is meant to be a selfless act of service for the common good.

Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. »

Kindergartener brought Jell-O shots to school, gave them out to students, says district

Authored by usatoday.com
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A Pennsylvania school has launched an investigation after it said a kindergartener brought Jell-O shots to class.

The Greater Johnstown School District said in a statement shared to social media on Wednesday, May 14, that the student had given out alcohol in the form of "small jello shots" to three other students.

The statement said that the shots were confiscated and local authorities are working with the school to determine how the student obtained them. »

What Trump's promise to lift sanctions on Syria means for the U.S.

Authored by msnbc.com
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According to the Trump administration, this is precisely what occurred during Trump’s four-day trip to the Middle East.

Washington’s interests in the region were narrow when Syria wasn’t in America’s corner, and they will remain narrow if or when U.S.-Syria relations improve.

Yet for Trump, bringing Syria into the U.S. column — or at least trying to — is too good of an opportunity to pass up. »

Student who earned Ph.D. while DHS tried to deport her over minor traffic violation is granted injunction

Authored by nbcnews.com

An international student in South Dakota, who earned two degrees amid her fight against the Trump administration’s attempt to deport her, has been granted injunction.

Saxena, who sued the Trump administration, was granted a temporary restraining order until the end of this week, allowing her to collect her degrees.

And on Thursday morning, she was granted a preliminary injunction that keeps the government from attempting to detain or deport her. »