In brief
In a historical turn, Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, an American-born cleric, has been elected as the 267th pope of the Roman Catholic Church, now known as Pope Leo XIV. His journey is marked by dedication and various roles he has held within the Church over several decades.
Born in Chicago in 1955, Prevost earned a Bachelor of Science in mathematics from Villanova University before entering the Order of Saint Augustine in Saint Louis in 1977. He dedicated himself to the priesthood, making solemn vows in 1981, and was ordained a priest after receiving a Master in Divinity from the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago in 1982. Prevost's mission work began in 1985 in Chulucanas, Peru, and extended to Trujillo in 1988. Demonstrating strong leadership within the Augustinian community, he was elected provincial prior in 1999 before serving as bishop of Chiclayo, Peru in 2015. His trajectory continued upward when, in 2023, Pope Francis elevated him to the rank of archbishop and appointed him to lead the Vatican office responsible for selecting and managing bishops globally.On May 8, 2025, Cardinal Prevost's election as pope took many by surprise, given his long journey from Chicago to the Vatican. As Pope Leo XIV, he will now guide the Roman Catholic Church in its ongoing mission and response to the contemporary world. Eve Sampson, a reporter specializing in international affairs, brings insight into the significance of this new papacy within the context of global Catholicism.
