Habemus Papam: Who is Robert Francis Prevost?

Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost has made history as the first American to be elected pope, assuming the name Pope Leo XIV and stepping into his role as leader of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics.

The 69-year-old Chicago native appeared on the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica Thursday evening, addressing thousands of cheering faithful with a blessing: “Peace be with you all.”

In his first address, Pope Leo XIV honored his predecessor, the late Pope Francis, and called for a renewed spirit of missionary outreach, urging Catholics to become “a church that builds bridges and dialogue.”

Speaking in Italian, he encouraged charity and love-driven conversation. He later switched to Spanish to greet his “beloved diocese” in Peru, where he served as bishop and missionary for over a decade.

Leo XIV was elected after just two days of conclave deliberations by 133 cardinal electors, highlighting his broad appeal among Church leaders. His election signals a likely continuation of the reforms championed by Francis.

Before his election, Prevost led the Dicastery for Bishops, the Vatican office responsible for appointing new bishops. He also served as president of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America.

Prevost’s deep ties to Peru where he served as bishop of Chiclayo from 2014 to 2023 and gained citizenship along with his missionary work in Trujillo, helped shape his global pastoral vision.

A member of the Augustinian order, he also served over a decade as its prior general, overseeing the congregation worldwide.

Despite long standing hesitations over electing an American pope due to the U.S.’s global political influence, Prevost’s international experience likely reassured the electors.

He is often described as an exceptional leader, calm, balanced, even-handed, and one who knows how to get things done without being authoritarian.

Leo XIV holds a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Villanova University and studied theology at the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago before earning a doctorate in canon law from the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome. He was ordained in 1982 and taught canon law in Trujillo’s seminary.

Leo XIV’s papacy begins during the Catholic Church’s 2025 Jubilee Year, a time of celebration and pilgrimage. But serious challenges lie ahead as he inherits a church reshaped by Francis’ progressive emphasis on social justice, inclusivity, and humility.

However, divisions remain particularly over issues like gender roles, sexuality, and migration where more conservative voices continue to push for doctrinal clarity and discipline.

Among Leo’s tasks will be to further address the clerical sexual abuse crisis, an unresolved and painful chapter for the Church. Survivors’ groups have criticized past leadership for failing to hold senior clergy accountable.

In past interviews, Leo acknowledged progress but admitted there is still “much to learn.”

Internally, his leadership style: collaborative, diplomatic, and mission-oriented may help unify factions within the Church.

Externally, the new pope steps into a volatile global landscape, marked by war, populism, and displacement, where his voice will carry diplomatic weight.

Pope Leo XIV’s name will now echo in churches around the world and in history as he begins this new chapter at the helm of the Roman Catholic Church.