The 267th successor of St. Peter, Pope Leo XIV, born Robert Francis Prevost, marks a historic milestone in the Catholic Church. Hailing from the United States, with a deeply rooted missionary spirit shaped in Peru, he is the first Augustinian to ascend to the papacy and only the second Pope from the Americas, following Pope Francis. His election is a testament to the Church’s evolving global identity one that honors both tradition and missionary dynamism.
Robert Francis Prevost was born on September 14, 1955, in Chicago, Illinois, into a culturally rich household. His father, Louis Marius Prevost, was of French and Italian lineage, while his mother, Mildred Martínez, was of Spanish descent. With two brothers, Louis Martín and John Joseph, Robert’s early life was shaped by faith and family. He pursued his early religious education at the Minor Seminary of the Augustinians before earning a degree in Mathematics and Philosophy from Villanova University in 1977.
That same year, he joined the Augustinian novitiate in St. Louis, formally entering religious life with his first profession in 1978 and solemn vows in 1981. A gifted scholar, he later studied theology in Chicago and Canon Law in Rome at the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas, where he was ordained a priest in 1982.
Pope Leo XIV’s deep missionary heart took shape during his years in Peru, beginning in 1985. His pastoral and academic service stretched across Chulucanas and Trujillo, where he became a beloved figure among both clergy and laity. He held several leadership roles: community prior, formation director, judicial vicar, and theology professor. He also served in underserved communities, establishing the parish of Saint Rita and leading pastoral care efforts in impoverished areas.
His experience in Peru not only honed his pastoral leadership but also cemented his identity as a man of the people, committed to the Church’s social mission.
In 1999, Prevost was elected Provincial Prior of the “Mother of Good Counsel” Province in Chicago. Just two years later, in 2001, he was chosen as the global head of the Augustinian Order an acknowledgment of his visionary leadership. He served two six-year terms as Prior General, guiding the international community of Augustinians through times of spiritual and structural renewal.
In 2014, Pope Francis appointed him as Apostolic Administrator of Chiclayo, Peru, elevating him to bishop. He was ordained on December 12, 2014 Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe symbolizing his enduring connection with Latin America. As Bishop of Chiclayo, he was a force for reform, transparency, and pastoral outreach. His episcopal motto, “In Illo uno unum” (“In the One, we are one”), echoed his Augustinian roots and his desire for ecclesial unity.
From 2015 to 2023, he served the Diocese of Chiclayo with distinction, also taking on leadership roles in the Peruvian Episcopal Conference, including as second vice-president and head of the Commission for Culture and Education.
Prevost’s theological depth and administrative competence led Pope Francis to appoint him to several Vatican congregations. His responsibilities included membership in the Congregations for the Clergy and Bishops, and in 2020, he was named Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Callao.
His most prominent Vatican assignment came on January 30, 2023, when he was named Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops and President of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America roles critical to shaping the global episcopate. Elevated to Cardinal on September 30, 2023, he was assigned the titular church of Saint Monica in Rome.
As Prefect, Cardinal Prevost played a central role in the ongoing Synod on Synodality and joined numerous papal journeys and doctrinal bodies. His presence spanned multiple Vatican dicasteries, from Evangelization and the Doctrine of the Faith to the Eastern Churches and Culture and Education, reflecting his wide-ranging theological vision.
On February 6, 2025, he was promoted to the Order of Bishops and given the Suburbicarian See of Albano. Three days later, he co-celebrated Mass with Pope Francis during the Jubilee of the Armed Forces a defining event of the Holy Year of Hope.
During Pope Francis’s hospitalization in March 2025, it was Cardinal Prevost who publicly led the Rosary in Saint Peter’s Square, symbolizing his role as a spiritual anchor in moments of concern for the Church.
Pope Leo XIV brings a rare blend of academic scholarship, missionary fervor, and administrative excellence to the papacy. His journey from the streets of Chicago to the villages of Peru, and from Rome’s theological halls to the Chair of Peter speaks to a life spent building bridges across nations, cultures, and ecclesiastical traditions.
As the first Augustinian Pope, he carries forward the wisdom of St. Augustine, the spirit of reform, and the compassionate service of a missionary shepherd. In an era marked by division and uncertainty, Pope Leo XIV emerges as a symbol of unity, humility, and hope for the Catholic Church and the world.