Latest news with #OrderofFriarsMinor
Indian Express
10-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Hollywood's biggest star of the era, almost became a Catholic priest; was kicked out for stealing alcohol
Hollywood without Mission: Impossible is hard to even imagine. But what if we told you that it might've never happened if Tom Cruise had taken a completely different path? Most people know he used to wrestle in school and even considered going professional. But what many don't know is that before Scientology, Cruise was a devout Roman Catholic, just like his ex-wife Katie Holmes once was. In fact, he was so committed, he even joined a seminary to train as a priest. At the time, he was living with his mom and sisters, his father had walked out when he was just 13. Also read: Mission Impossible – The Final Reckoning movie review: Tom Cruise's last rodeo as Ethan Hunt makes a feeble appeal for a united world A priest named Father Ric Schneider noticed young Cruise's growing interest in religion and brought him into St. Francis Seminary in Cincinnati. Cruise stuck around for a year—he liked the prayers, daily Mass, the whole routine, but deep down, he knew this wasn't it. In an interview with the New York Daily News, Cruise's old schoolmate Shane Dempler recalled, 'We went to Mass, spent time in the chapel, and enjoyed hearing stories from the priests. We thought the priests had a great lifestyle, and we were really into the idea of priesthood.' 'Tom was instantly hooked,' Father Ric added. 'I think he wanted a solid education. With his parents splitting up, things were rough. Maybe that's why he came here.' This was back in the '70s. Cruise, then still Tom Mapother, was just a teenager living in Louisville. After the divorce, his mom packed up and moved the kids to Kentucky. One day at school, Cruise came across Father Ric, who was with the Order of Friars Minor. At the end of his talk, the priest asked if any boys were interested in joining the seminary. Cruise raised his hand. Also read: F1: Brad Pitt, Joseph Kosinski remind what going to the movies is all about Father Ric later visited the house, a simple setup, nothing fancy, and gave Cruise an IQ test to see if he could handle the academics. He barely passed. But by fall 1976, Cruise was in, one of 68 freshmen at St. Francis Seminary. No one thought he'd last. Father Ric remembers him as a smiling kid, the type who'd pull a prank or trip someone for a laugh. Crooked teeth, one chipped. Not the smartest or strongest in the room, but the personality stood out. Shane Dempler, speaking to the New York Daily News, shared how Cruise and a few others got into trouble for sneaking booze. 'I tossed about six, most broke, but we managed to get a couple and stash them in the woods,' he said, adding that the priests had no clue. But later, some boys found the hiding spot, snuck in, got drunk, and ended up getting caught. 'The school sent letters to our parents saying they liked us both, but would prefer if we didn't return. So we weren't exactly kicked out, just preferred not to go back,' Dempler said. What really flipped the switch for Cruise was Father Aubert Grieser, the drama and speech teacher. He'd throw the quietest kids on stage just to shake the fear out of them. For Cruise, that moment made him realise, what he wanted. Less than a year later, he walked out of seminary life, and later summed it up with: 'I realised I love women too much to give all that up.' A few years later, Cruise popped up on screen in Risky Business, sliding around in his underwear, and his school friend was stunned to see him. 'Oh my God, that's Mapother!' one of them said in an interview with the New York Daily News. What shocked many of them even more than the acting was Cruise turning to Scientology. His old classmates just couldn't believe it, this wasn't the kid they prayed with every day. Years later, just before Cruise's 50th birthday, around the time of his marriage to actor Katie Holmes, Father Ric found one of his old photos from the seminary days and sent it to him by post. It was Cruise at 14, smiling, holding a remote-controlled boat he'd built in school. Interestingly, the photo likely arrived right around the time Cruise was dealing with Holmes walking away with their daughter. Katie Holmes, who was also raised Catholic, reportedly left because she didn't want their daughter growing up in Scientology.
Indian Express
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Hollywood's biggest star of the era, whose last film earned Rs 4810 crore, almost became a Catholic priest; was kicked out for stealing alcohol
Hollywood without Mission: Impossible is hard to even imagine. But what if we told you that it might've never happened if Tom Cruise had taken a completely different path? Most people know he used to wrestle in school and even considered going professional. But what many don't know is that before Scientology, Cruise was a devout Roman Catholic, just like his ex-wife Katie Holmes once was. In fact, he was so committed, he even joined a seminary to train as a priest. At the time, he was living with his mom and sisters, his father had walked out when he was just 13. Also read: Mission Impossible – The Final Reckoning movie review: Tom Cruise's last rodeo as Ethan Hunt makes a feeble appeal for a united world A priest named Father Ric Schneider noticed young Cruise's growing interest in religion and brought him into St. Francis Seminary in Cincinnati. Cruise stuck around for a year—he liked the prayers, daily Mass, the whole routine, but deep down, he knew this wasn't it. In an interview with the New York Daily News, Cruise's old schoolmate Shane Dempler recalled, 'We went to Mass, spent time in the chapel, and enjoyed hearing stories from the priests. We thought the priests had a great lifestyle, and we were really into the idea of priesthood.' 'Tom was instantly hooked,' Father Ric added. 'I think he wanted a solid education. With his parents splitting up, things were rough. Maybe that's why he came here.' This was back in the '70s. Cruise, then still Tom Mapother, was just a teenager living in Louisville. After the divorce, his mom packed up and moved the kids to Kentucky. One day at school, Cruise came across Father Ric, who was with the Order of Friars Minor. At the end of his talk, the priest asked if any boys were interested in joining the seminary. Cruise raised his hand. Also read: F1: Brad Pitt, Joseph Kosinski remind what going to the movies is all about Father Ric later visited the house, a simple setup, nothing fancy, and gave Cruise an IQ test to see if he could handle the academics. He barely passed. But by fall 1976, Cruise was in, one of 68 freshmen at St. Francis Seminary. No one thought he'd last. Father Ric remembers him as a smiling kid, the type who'd pull a prank or trip someone for a laugh. Crooked teeth, one chipped. Not the smartest or strongest in the room, but the personality stood out. Shane Dempler, speaking to the New York Daily News, shared how Cruise and a few others got into trouble for sneaking booze. 'I tossed about six, most broke, but we managed to get a couple and stash them in the woods,' he said, adding that the priests had no clue. But later, some boys found the hiding spot, snuck in, got drunk, and ended up getting caught. 'The school sent letters to our parents saying they liked us both, but would prefer if we didn't return. So we weren't exactly kicked out, just preferred not to go back,' Dempler said. What really flipped the switch for Cruise was Father Aubert Grieser, the drama and speech teacher. He'd throw the quietest kids on stage just to shake the fear out of them. For Cruise, that moment made him realise, what he wanted. Less than a year later, he walked out of seminary life, and later summed it up with: 'I realised I love women too much to give all that up.' A few years later, Cruise popped up on screen in Risky Business, sliding around in his underwear, and his school friend was stunned to see him. 'Oh my God, that's Mapother!' one of them said in an interview with the New York Daily News. What shocked many of them even more than the acting was Cruise turning to Scientology. His old classmates just couldn't believe it, this wasn't the kid they prayed with every day. Years later, just before Cruise's 50th birthday, around the time of his marriage to actor Katie Holmes, Father Ric found one of his old photos from the seminary days and sent it to him by post. It was Cruise at 14, smiling, holding a remote-controlled boat he'd built in school. Interestingly, the photo likely arrived right around the time Cruise was dealing with Holmes walking away with their daughter. Katie Holmes, who was also raised Catholic, reportedly left because she didn't want their daughter growing up in Scientology.
Yahoo
13-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Deseret News archives: Pope Francis selected to lead Catholics in 2013
A look back at local, national and world events through Deseret News archives. On March 13, 2013, Jorge Bergoglio of Argentina was elected pope, choosing the papal name Francis. He was the first pontiff from the Americas, and the first from outside Europe since Pope Gregory III's death in the year 741. When Cardinal Bergoglio was elected pope, his name choice was designed to send a clear message that he would be a new kind of pontiff with his own ideas for the world's 1.2 billion Catholics. Per Deseret News stories, the College of Cardinals, the body that elects one of its own as pope, held five rounds of voting over two days. When it reached the required two-thirds majority, a cardinal appeared on the balcony above St. Peter's Square and proclaimed, 'Habemus Papam Franciscum.' The throngs below cheered, but were confused. They clearly heard the Latin form of Francis, but which Francis? There had never been a Francis before. Was the new pontiff taking the name of St. Francis de Sales, the 16th-century bishop of Geneva known for his spiritual writings? Or was he honoring St. Francis Xavier, one of the first Jesuits, the order of priests to which Pope Francis belongs? In fact, as the new pope revealed a few days later at a news conference with 5,000 journalists from around the world, he chose the name in honor of St. Francis of Assisi, a 13th-century Italian nobleman who shunned his family's wealth and spent his life among the leprous and the poor, living even more simply than they did, in a rock hovel. He founded the Order of Friars Minor, also called the Franciscans. In the dozen years since, Pope Francis has proven popular with his legion of followers, has chosen to weigh in on all kinds of issues — like climate change, peace in the Middle East, gender issues, etc. — and had called out world leaders to protect the forgotten. One of the most unique aspects of Francis' 12-year tenure is that he followed Pope Benedict XVI, who retired for health reasons, becoming the first pope to step down in more than 600 years. Pope Francis even presided over Pope Benedict's funeral. The current pontiff, now 88, has suffered numerous health issues in the past year. After several scares earlier this month, Pope Francis appears to have grown stronger in recent days. Catholics in Utah of course revere their spiritual leader, just as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints hold their leader, President Russell M. Nelson, in great esteem and reverence. In 2019, the two leaders met in Rome. The Deseret News was there to cover the proceedings. Here are stories from Deseret News archives about the 12 years under Pope Francis, his meeting with Latter-day Saint leaders in Rome and his impact on the world: 'Pope receives ashes in the hospital as Christians around the world enter season of Lent' 'Pope Francis meets with President Nelson in the Vatican' 'Argentine Jorge Bergoglio elected Pope Francis' 'Pope Francis is known for simplicity and humility' 'Pope Francis is no longer in imminent danger, doctors say' 'Pope Francis wades into crowds, shocks bystanders in Rome' 'Pope Francis tells Benedict XVI: 'We're brothers'' 'Pope Francis named the internet's most popular person' 'How Pope encyclical could affect more than just Catholics' 'In our opinion: Older world religious leaders inspire the younger generation' 'Gators, crawfish and snakes: The Loopholes of Lent' 'The former pope has been laid to rest'
