White smoke rose from the Sistine Chapel around 6pm in Rome, signaling the decision of a newly elected Pope. Born Robert Francis Prevost, the cardinal accepted his duties as the 267th pope and chose the name Pope Leo XIV. He has made history by being the first US elected pope.
Born in Chicago in 1955, Robert spent his childhood and adolescence with his parents and two brothers, before studying at the Minor Seminary of the Augustinian Fathers, and later at Villanova University. In 1977 he completed his degree in Mathematics and was studying Philosophy. In the same year, he joined the Order of Saint Augustine.
Prevost completed his theological education at the Catholic Theological Union, Chicago, and studied Canon Law at the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas at the age of 27. Whilst in Rome, in 1982, Prevost was ordained a priest. He also held the title of the pro-president of the Secretariat for Non-Christians. From 1985 to 1986 he was sent to an Augustinian mission in Peru, and the following year returned to the US where he was appointed the vocation director and missions director of the Augustinian Province of “Mother of Good Counsel”, Illinois.
Over a period of 11 years, Prevost continued his missionary work in Peru to run an Augustinian seminary. Here he served many titles, including Parish pastor, diocesan official, the director of formation, a seminary teacher and judicial vicar.
In 1999 he returned to Chicago and was elected Provincial Prior of the Augustinian Province of “Mother of Good Counsel”. Almost 3 years later, he was elected as Prior General by the ordinary General Chapter of the Order of Saint Augustine, and again for a second term in 2007.
In 2013 he held the role of director of formation, first councilor, and provincial vicar at the Saint Augustine Convent, before Pope Francis appointed him as Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Chiclayo in 2014. Only 1 month later, he was ordained a Bishop. In 2015, Pope Francis appointed him the Bishop of Chiclayo. In 2018, he was elected as second vice-president of the Peruvian Episcopal Conference, a member of the Economic Council and president of the Commission for Culture and Education. In 2019, he was appointed as a member of the Congregation for the Clergy, a member of the Congregation for Bishops in 2020, and in the same year, appointed Apostolic Administrator of the Callao Diocese.
In 2023, Prevost was called to Rome by Pope Francis as Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, and President of the Pontifical Commission, and was promoted to the rank of Archbishop. Pope Francis created him Cardinal and was assigned the Diaconate of Saint Monica, and officially took possession of it in 2024.
His episcopal motto, In Illo uno unum, means “although we Christians are many, in the one Christ we are one.”, which highlights his commitment to the unity of the Church.
The information in this blog has been sourced from Vatican News.