In a historic moment for the Catholic Church, Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost has been elected as the new pope, following a 24-hour conclave in the Vatican.

The white smoke that billowed from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel late Thursday signaled the Church had chosen its new spiritual leader—ushering in a new era with the election of the first American pontiff in the Church’s 2,000-year history.

Prevost, a former missionary in Peru and the head of the Vatican’s influential Dicastery for Bishops, will now be known as Pope Leone XIV.

He succeeds Pope Francis, who passed away last month at the age of 88 after over a decade at the helm of the global Catholic community.

Who Is Robert Francis Prevost?

Pope Leone XIV, born Robert Prevost, hails from the United States and brings with him decades of pastoral experience, much of it shaped by his work as a missionary in Peru.

Fluent in Spanish and known for his pastoral sensitivity and administrative rigor, he was tapped by Pope Francis in recent years to lead the Vatican’s powerful office responsible for the appointment of bishops—a key position that shaped the global episcopate.

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His election marks a major milestone not only for American Catholics but also for the global Church, as it signals a possible continuity with Francis’ vision of a more inclusive, compassionate, and globally conscious Catholicism.

Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost has spent a lifetime marked by deep spiritual commitment, international service, and unwavering obedience to the Church’s call—no matter where it led him.

Born in Chicago in 1955, Prevost grew up in a home regularly visited by priests, drawn not just by the warmth of the family, but also by the cooking of his Spanish mother, Mildred Martínez. His early exposure to faith life was reinforced by his father, Louis Marius Prevost, a French-Italian catechist, and by his own involvement as an altar boy and parish school student.

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Drawn to the priesthood from a young age, Prevost wrestled with whether to become a diocesan priest or join a religious order. He ultimately chose the Augustinian path, drawn to its emphasis on unity, communion, and the legacy of St. Augustine of Hippo. He entered the order’s minor seminary and later studied canon law at Rome’s Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas (the Angelicum). He was ordained a priest in 1982 by Archbishop Jean Jadot, then pro-president of the Vatican’s Secretariat for Non-Christians.

Following his ordination, Prevost was sent to Peru to serve in the Territorial Prelature of Chulucanas, a region with strong ties to the U.S. Augustinians.

His work there — across the jungle, highlands, and coast — deepened his love for the country, and he later became a naturalized Peruvian citizen. In just ten years, he held multiple roles including community prior, director of formation, judicial vicar, and professor.

In 1999, Prevost was elected provincial prior of the Midwest Augustinians. A year into his tenure, he allowed a priest who had sexually abused minors to live in a rectory near a Catholic school in Chicago, a decision made at the archdiocese’s request and later scrutinized publicly.

Two years later, in 2001, he was elected Prior General of the worldwide Augustinian order, serving two six-year terms until 2013. The following year, Pope Francis appointed him apostolic administrator of the Diocese of Chiclayo in northwestern Peru. He was named bishop of the diocese in 2015, overseeing a region that includes one of Peru’s largest cities, as well as rural communities and shantytowns.

In 2022, his leadership in Chiclayo came under fire when individuals accused him of failing to act on abuse allegations against two priests. The diocese strongly denied the allegations when they surfaced in international reports in 2024.

Despite controversy, Prevost continued to rise within the Church’s hierarchy. In 2020, he was appointed to the Dicastery for Bishops, the Vatican body responsible for overseeing the appointment of Latin Rite bishops worldwide. Pope Francis later confided in him about the possibility of becoming its head. Prevost responded humbly:

“Whether you decide to appoint me or to leave me where I am, I will be happy; but if you ask me to take on a new role in the Church, I will accept.”