For the first time in history, an American has been elected pope. Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, born in Chicago in 1955, was chosen on Thursday, May 8, by the College of Cardinals to succeed Pope Francis as the leader of the Roman Catholic Church. ALSO READ: New Pope Leo XIV is from USA He will be known as Pope Leo XIV, becoming the 267th pontiff to lead over 1.4 billion Catholics across the globe. His election represents a historic shift, not only as the first US pontiff, but as a sign of the Catholic Church’s expanding global character, increasingly shaped by voices from both the northern and southern hemispheres. The conclave’s decision followed days of private discussions, prayer, and discernment by the 133 cardinal electors who gathered in the Sistine Chapel. ALSO READ: Rwandan church welcomes Pope Leo XIV with joy, surprise Cardinal Prevost emerged as a top contender amid calls for continuity with Pope Francis’ priorities, particularly on social justice, pastoral engagement, and curial reform. A member of the Order of Saint Augustine (O.S.A.), Pope Leo XIV combines pastoral experience, theological expertise, and strong leadership within Church institutions. He joined the Augustinians in 1977, professed his vows in 1981, and was ordained a priest in 1982. His early ministry included missionary service in northern Peru’s Piura region, where he engaged with local communities. Fluent in Spanish and well-versed in Latin American culture, Prevost dedicated much of his vocation to serving in Peru. His roles included community prior, director of formation, and professor of theology and canon law in the Archdiocese of Trujillo. From 1989 to 1998, he served as judicial vicar and helped train seminarians at the “San Carlos e San Marcelo” Major Seminary. In 1999, he returned to the U.S. to become provincial prior of his religious province, but was soon elected prior general of the global Augustinian order in 2001, serving two terms. After stepping down in 2013, he resumed duties in Chicago but was appointed within a year as apostolic administrator of Chiclayo, Peru, by Pope Francis. He was ordained bishop in December 2014 and officially assumed leadership of the diocese in November 2015. During his tenure as bishop of Chiclayo, he was widely respected for his pastoral sensitivity and dedication to formation. In 2018, he became second vice president of the Peruvian Episcopal Conference, reinforcing his influence within the Latin American Church. Pope Francis gradually brought Prevost into the Vatican’s central administration. In 2019, he joined the Congregation for the Clergy. A year later, he was named to the Congregation for Bishops, responsible for guiding episcopal appointments. In 2020, he was also appointed apostolic administrator of the Diocese of Callao. On January 30, 2023, Pope Francis named Prevost Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, one of the Church’s most powerful roles. In that capacity, Prevost helped shape the global hierarchy by overseeing the selection of bishops. He also served as president of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America, reinforcing his influence in ecclesial affairs beyond any single region. His elevation to the College of Cardinals came in September 2023, when he was assigned the deaconry of Santa Monica. As a cardinal, he took part in the Church’s highest governing circles, serving on multiple Vatican departments, known as dicasteries, including those for Evangelization, Doctrine of the Faith, Eastern Churches, Clergy, Consecrated Life, Culture and Education, and Legislative Texts, as well as the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State. Prevost’s experience spanning missionary work, religious governance, curial leadership, and academic scholarship made him a strong choice in the conclave. His doctoral dissertation, written at the Angelicum in Rome, explored leadership in religious communities, highlighting his long-standing focus on authority and service in ecclesial life. Though viewed as a centrist, Pope Leo XIV holds positions that bridge progressive and traditional camps within the Church. He has consistently advocated for marginalized people, especially migrants and the poor. At the same time, he upholds established Church teaching, including opposition to ordaining women as deacons. His papal name, Leo XIV, draws symbolic connections to earlier popes: Leo I “the Great”, who defended Christian doctrine during crisis and asserted papal authority; and Leo XIII, a towering intellectual figure of the 19th century, whose encyclical Rerum Novarum became a foundation of Catholic social teaching.
