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Meet America’s Robert Francis Prevost, First American Chosen As New Pope

Published

4 months ago

May 8, 2025

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.

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.

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.”

Related Topics:Conclave Pope Leo Vatican

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10 Killed In Nepal Protest Over Social Media Ban

Published

3 hours ago

September 8, 2025

Editor

At least 10 protesters were killed Monday after Nepal police fired rubber bullets, tear gas, and water cannon to disperse demonstrators in Kathmandu demanding the government lift its ban on social media and tackle corruption.

Several social media sites — including Facebook, YouTube, and X — have been inaccessible in Nepal since Friday after the government blocked 26 unregistered platforms, leaving users angry and confused.

“Until now, 10 protesters have died and 87 are injured,” Shekhar Khanal, spokesman for the Kathmandu valley police, told AFP.

“The crowds are still in the streets”.

Many of the injured were being treated at the nearby Civil Hospital, according to its information officer Ranjana Nepal.

“I have never seen such a disturbing situation at the hospital,” she told AFP.

“Tear gas entered the hospital area as well, making it difficult for doctors to work”.

Waving national flags, young demonstrators in the capital Kathmandu started the protest with the national anthem before unleashing chants against the social media prohibitions and corruption.

The crowd swelled as it crossed into a restricted area close to the parliament and pushed through barbed wire.

Violence erupted in the streets as police baton-charged protesters, some of whom climbed over the wall into the parliament premises.

The district administration imposed a curfew in several key areas of the city, including the parliament, the president’s residence, and Singha Durbar, which houses the prime minister’s office.

Similar protests were organised in other districts across the country.

Popular platforms such as Instagram have millions of users in Nepal who rely on them for entertainment, news, and business.

“We were triggered by the social media ban, but that is not the only reason we are gathered here,” said student Yujan Rajbhandari, 24.

– ‘We want to see change’ –

“We are protesting against corruption that has been institutionalised in Nepal.”

Another student, Ikshama Tumrok, 20, said she was protesting against the “authoritarian attitude” of the government.

“We want to see change. Others have endured this, but it has to end with our generation,” she told AFP.

Since the ban, videos contrasting the struggles of ordinary Nepalis with the children of politicians flaunting luxury goods and expensive vacations have gone viral on TikTok, which is still operating.

“There have been movements abroad against corruption, and they (the government) are afraid that might happen here as well,” said protester Bhumika Bharati.

The cabinet decided last month to give the affected companies seven days to register in Nepal, establish a point of contact, and designate a resident grievance handling officer and compliance officer.

The decision came after a Supreme Court order in September last year.

In a statement on Sunday, the government said it respected freedom of thought and expression and was committed to “creating an environment for their protection and unfettered use”.

Nepal has restricted access to popular online platforms in the past.

The government blocked access to the Telegram messaging app in July, citing a rise in online fraud and money laundering.

It lifted a nine-month ban on TikTok in August last year after the platform agreed to comply with Nepali regulations.

AFP

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Popular Influencer Lola Shot

Published

4 hours ago

September 8, 2025

Editor

Popular social media influencer Lola Doll is in critical condition after being shot multiple times outside her home in Georgetown on Saturday night.

This was disclosed in a Sunday statement released on social media by the Guyana Police Force.

The 33-year-old, whose real name is Lolita Callender, was attacked at about 11:35 p.m. local time in front of her residence at Texas Square, East Ruimveldt.

“She is presently receiving medical attention at the Georgetown Public Hospital, where she remains in critical condition, having sustained gunshot wounds to her neck, face, hands, and right leg,” the statement partly read.

The police operatives disclosed that Callender was seated in her car when a gunman on a motorcycle opened fire.

“Preliminary information indicates that the victim was seated in her motor car when she was shot by a male on a motorcycle,” the GPF added.

Leadership tussle claims two as Edo begins probe
Authorities said efforts are underway to track down the suspect.

“Police ranks are actively pursuing the suspect, and CCTV footage from the area is being reviewed as part of the investigation,” the release noted.

The force appealed to the public for assistance, saying,”The Guyana Police Force is urging anyone who witnessed the incident or has information to come forward.

“Persons can also share information anonymously by calling 911 or the nearest police station.

“Investigations remain ongoing,” the police stated.

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French PM Ousted In Parliament Confidence Vote

Published

4 hours ago

September 8, 2025

Editor

France’s parliament on Monday ousted the government of Prime Minister Francois Bayrou after just nine months in office, leaving President Emmanuel Macron scrambling to find a successor and plunging the country into a new political crisis.

Bayrou, who has been in the job for just nine months, had blindsided even his allies by calling a confidence vote to end a lengthy standoff over his austerity budget, which foresees almost 44 billion euros ($52 billion) of cost savings to reduce France’s debt pile.

Bayrou, the first premier in the history of modern France to be ousted in a confidence vote rather than a no-confidence vote, will submit his resignation on Tuesday morning, according to a person close to him who asked not to be named.

In the vote in the National Assembly, 364 deputies voted that they had no confidence in the government, while just 194 gave it their confidence. “In line with Article 50 of the constitution, the prime minister must submit the resignation of his government,” said Speaker Yael Braun-Pivet.

Bayrou is the sixth prime minister under Macron since his 2017 election, but the fifth since 2022. Bayrou’s ousting leaves the French head of state with a new domestic headache at a time when he is leading diplomatic efforts on the Ukraine war.

But defending his decision to call the high-risk confidence vote, Bayrou told the National Assembly, “The biggest risk was not to take one, to let things continue without anything changing… and have business as usual.”

Describing the debt pile as “life-threatening” for France, Bayrou said his government had put forward a plan so that the country could “in a few years’ time escape the inexorable tide of debt that is submerging it.”

“You have the power to overthrow the government,” but not “to erase reality,” Bayrou told the MPs in a doomed final bid to save his government before the vote.

Unpopular president

Macron now faces one of the most critical decisions of his presidency—appoint a seventh prime minister to try to thrash out a compromise, or call snap elections in a bid to have a more accommodating parliament.

There is no guarantee an election would result in any improvement in the fortunes of Macron’s centre-right bloc in parliament.

And although the Socialist Party (PS) has expressed readiness to lead a new government, it is far from clear whether such an administration could survive.

Heavyweight right-wing cabinet ministers, such as Justice Minister Gerald Darmanin, are trusted by Macron but risk being voted out by the left.

According to a poll by Odoxa-Backbone for Le Figaro newspaper, 64 per cent of the French want Macron to resign rather than name a new prime minister, a move he has ruled out.

He is forbidden from standing for a third term in 2027.

Around 77 per cent of people do not approve of his work, Macron’s worst-ever such rating, according to an Ifop poll for the Ouest-France daily.

Le Pen ruling

Alongside political upheaval, France is also facing social tensions.

A left-wing collective named “Block Everything” is calling for a day of action on Wednesday, and trade unions have urged workers to strike on September 18.

The 2027 presidential election, meanwhile, remains wide open, with analysts predicting the French far right will have its best-ever chance of winning.

Three-time presidential candidate for the National Rally (RN), Marine Le Pen suffered a blow in March when a French court convicted her and other party officials over an EU parliament fake jobs scam.

Le Pen was sentenced to four years’ imprisonment, two of which were suspended, and a fine of 100,000 euros ($117,000).

The ruling also banned her from standing for office for five years, which would scupper her ambition of taking part in the 2027 vote unless overturned on appeal.

But a Paris court said Monday her appeal would be heard from January 13 to February 12, 2026, well before the election—potentially resurrecting her presidential hopes.

Cheered by her MPs, Le Pen urged Macron to call snap legislative elections, saying holding the polls is “not an option but an obligation” and describing Bayrou’s administration as a “phantom government.”