American cardinal becomes Leo XIV: A multicultural papacy
On Thursday, Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost was elected as the new pope, taking the name Leo XIV. He hails from Chicago and has spent much of his priestly life in Peru.
Robert Prevost was born on September 14, 1955, in Chicago, marking the first time an American has become pope. In 1977, he earned a bachelor's degree in mathematics from Villanova University and joined the Order of St. Augustine in the following year. He later obtained a master's degree from the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago and a doctorate in canon law from the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome.
Throughout the years, he worked in Peru, serving in various roles, including as the prefect of a religious seminary in Trujillo. In 2014, he became the apostolic administrator of the Peruvian Diocese of Chiclayo, and that same year, he received his episcopal ordination.
In 2023, Pope Prevost was appointed by Pope Francis as the prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops and the president of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America. Also in 2023, he was appointed a cardinal deacon, and by February 2025, he became a cardinal bishop.
Prevost first went to Peru as a missionary in 1985 and returned to the United States in 1999 to take on a leadership role in his order. He later moved to Rome, where he served as the head of the Augustinians for two six-year terms, visiting many of the order's communities worldwide. He speaks English, Spanish, Italian, French, and Portuguese. After returning to Rome in 2023, Prevost generally avoided many social events that attract Vatican officials throughout the city, reports Reuters.
"Avoids cliques in Rome"
The French Catholic daily "La Croix" assesses that the new pope envisions the Church in one of the "broadest and most universal" ways, a perspective formed by his rich and diverse pastoral experience. Highlighting Cardinal Prevost's life journey, the daily states that it exemplifies a "multicultural Church," similar to that of his predecessor, Pope Francis.
The daily describes the new pope as a clergyman who "avoids cliques in Rome" while maintaining "good relationships in both progressive and conservative circles." By choosing him, "the cardinals confirm the choice of an open, multicultural, and missionary Church," emphasizes "La Croix."
A supporter of Francis's pontificate
Father Mark Francis, a longtime friend of Prevost since the 1970s, told Reuters that the new pope is a strong supporter of his predecessor Francis's pontificate, especially the former pope's focus on social justice issues.
"He was always friendly and warm and remained a voice of common sense and practical concerns for the Church's outreach to the poor. He has a wry sense of humour, but was not someone who sought the limelight," said Mark Francis to Reuters.
In a 2023 interview with the Vatican news service, Prevost emphasized the importance of evangelization for the Church's growth. During a Vatican press conference in 2023, he stated that "our work is to enlarge the tent and to let everyone know they are welcome inside the Church," recalls Reuters.
Prevost is also a tennis enthusiast. "I consider myself quite the amateur tennis player," he said in an interview two years ago, which was noted by publications such as the Argentine daily "La Nacion" and the French "Le Figaro." They also mentioned that there is a tennis court in the Vatican.
"Since leaving Peru I have had few occasions to practice so I am looking forward to getting back on the court," said Leo XIV in an interview.
