After just one day of deliberations, the College of Cardinals has chosen 69-year-old Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost as the 267th pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church.
The Chicago-born cleric, known for his pastoral work in Latin America and his tenure as head of the Vatican’s powerful Dicastery for Bishops, will now be known as Pope Leo XIV.
He becomes the first pope from the United States and the second from the Americas, following Pope Francis of Argentina. A dual citizen of the U.S. and Peru, Leo XIV is widely seen as a bridge figure between North and South America, tradition and reform.
Cardinal Prevost’s election marks a continuation of the pastoral and reformist vision of Pope Francis. Known for advocating for migrants, the poor, and environmental justice, Prevost is viewed as a centrist-progressive on many social issues.
Leo XIV’s choice of papal name is also significant. While many popes adopt names to honor predecessors, Leo XIV breaks a 120-year gap since the last Pope Leo.
The early life of Robert Francis Prevost
Born in 1955 to parents of Spanish and Franco-Italian descent, Prevost grew up in Chicago. After earning a degree in Mathematics and studying Philosophy at Villanova University, he entered the Augustinian novitiate in 1977, professing solemn vows in 1981.
He completed his theological training at the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago and obtained a doctorate in Canon Law from the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum) in Rome.
Prevost’s missionary heart found a home in Peru, where he served for over a decade in Trujillo. There, he took on multiple roles as prior, formation director, judicial vicar, professor, and parish administratordeepening his pastoral and administrative expertise in some of the country’s most underserved communities.
His leadership within the Augustinian Order grew steadily: first as Provincial Prior in Chicago (1999), then as Prior General for two consecutive terms (2001–2013), a rare distinction within the Order.
In 2014, Pope Francis appointed him Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Chiclayo, Peru, later naming him Bishop in 2015. He also briefly served as Apostolic Administrator of Callao.
Robert Prevost’s journey into a life of commission
Recognized for his integrity and wisdom, Prevost was tapped for increasing responsibilities within the global Church. He was appointed Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops and President of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America in January 2023.
He was created Cardinal in September 2024, receiving the Diaconate of Saint Monica, and subsequently elevated to the Order of Bishops in February 2025, with the suburbicarian title of Albano.
Cardinal Prevost has played an active role in recent papal missions, including key Synod sessions and major Vatican events. On February 9, 2025, he celebrated Mass alongside Pope Francis for the Jubilee of the Armed Forces, one of the Holy Year’s landmark liturgies.
He also led public prayers for the Pope’s health during a recent hospitalisation.
With a deep theological foundation, cross-cultural missionary experience, and a clear pastoral vision, Pope Leo XIV (Robert Francis Prevost) represents a continuation of the Church’s global, inclusive, and synodal path.
