The Catholic Church has entered a new era with the election of Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost as pope, following the College of Cardinals’ decision on Thursday.
His emergence marked a historic milestone as he becomes the first American to assume the papacy, now known as Pope Leo XIV.
Pope Leo XIV, who previously served as Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops and President of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America, brings decades of clerical and administrative experience to the role.
Born on September 14, 1955, in Chicago, he was ordained a priest on June 19, 1982. His early years in the clergy saw him take on key leadership roles within the Augustinian Order.
In 1998, he was elected provincial of the Augustinian Province of Chicago and returned from missionary work to take up the post in March 1999.
By 2001, Prevost had risen to become Prior General of the Augustinians, overseeing the order globally.
Between 2013 and 2014, he served as director of formation at the Convent of St. Augustine in Chicago and as provincial vicar of the Province of Our Mother of Good Counsel.
His international service continued in November 2014 when he was appointed apostolic administrator of the Diocese of Chiclayo in Peru, along with the title of titular bishop of Sufar.
His dedication to church leadership earned him further recognition in January 2023, when he was elevated to archbishop-bishop emeritus of Chiclayo while leading the Dicastery for Bishops.
Late Pope Francis honored him during the September 30 consistory, naming him the cardinal-deacon of Santa Monica degli Agostiniani Church in Rome.
He was later promoted to the rank of cardinal-bishop on February 6, 2025, with his assignment at the Suburbicarian Diocese of Albano in Rome’s ecclesiastical province.
As Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, Pope Leo XIV played a critical role in recommending and evaluating episcopal candidates across the globe—a responsibility that showcased his deep understanding of the Church’s global mission.
His elevation to the papacy signals a continuation of moderate leadership with a strong emphasis on global outreach, pastoral care, and administrative reform.
