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Pope Leo XIV

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Pope

Leo XIV

OSA
Bishop of Rome
Papacy began8 May 2025
PredecessorPope Francis
Other post(s)Cardinal-Bishop of Albano (2025–present)
President of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America
Previous post(s)
Orders
OrdinationJune 19, 1982
by Jean Jadot
ConsecrationDecember 12, 2014
by James Patrick Green
Created cardinalSeptember 30, 2023
by Pope Francis
RankCardinal Bishop
Personal details
Born
Robert Francis Prevost

(1955-09-14) September 14, 1955 (age 69)
Chicago, Illinois, US
Alma mater
MottoIn illo uno unum
(In the one Christ we are one)
Styles of
Robert Francis Prevost
Reference styleHis Eminence
Spoken styleYour Eminence
Informal styleCardinal

Pope Leo XIV (born Robert Francis Prevost, September 14, 1955) is an American Catholic prelate who has been head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State since 8 May 2025. He served as prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops and president of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America since 2023. He previously served as Bishop of Chiclayo in Peru from 2015 to 2023, and was prior general of the Order of Saint Augustine from 2001 to 2013. In 2015 Cardinal Prevost became a naturalized citizen of Peru as confirmed by Peru's National Civil Registry.[1] On May 8, 2025, he was elected Pope.

Born in Chicago, Prevost spent the early part of his career there working for the Augustinians. He served in Peru from 1985 to 1986 and from 1988 to 1998 as a parish pastor, diocesan official, seminary teacher and administrator. He was made a cardinal in 2023.

In 2023, Pope Francis appointed Prevost as Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, a prominent role that has elevated his profile as a potential papal candidate. Since Francis's death, Prevost had been called papabile, a leading candidate for election as pope during the 2025 papal conclave.[2][3][4] He has been announced as the new pope, choosing the papal name Leo XIV.

Biography

Early life

Robert Prevost was born in Chicago on September 14, 1955. He completed his secondary studies at the minor seminary of the Order of St. Augustine in 1973. Prevost earned a Bachelor of Science degree in mathematics at Villanova University in 1977.[5]

Deciding to become a priest, Prevost joined the Order of St. Augustine in September 1977. He took his first vows to the order in September 1978 and his solemn vows in August 1981.[6] The following year, he was awarded a Master of Divinity degree from Catholic Theological Union in Chicago.[7]

Priesthood

Prevost was ordained a priest by Archbishop Jean Jadot for the Augustinians in Rome on June 19, 1982.[8] He earned a Licentiate of Canon Law in 1984 and a Doctor of Canon Law degree in 1987 from the Pontifical College of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome.[5][9]

Prevost joined the Augustinian mission in Peru in 1985 and served as chancellor of the Territorial Prélature of Chulucanas from 1985 to 1986.[10] He spent 1987 working as pastor for vocations and director of missions for the Augustinian Province of Chicago.

Prevost in 1988 returned to Peru, spending the next ten years heading the Augustinian seminary in Trujillo. He also taught canon law in the diocesan seminary and served as prefect of studies. Prevost served as judge of the regional ecclesiastical court and a member of the college of consultors of Trujillo. He also led a congregation on the outskirts of the city.[11]

Augustinian leadership

In 1998, Prevost was elected provincial of the Augustinian Province of Chicago and returned to the United States to assume that position on March 8, 1999.[10]

In 2000, Prevost allowed Father James Ray, an Augustinian priest, to reside at St. John Stone Friary in Chicago. Ray had been suspended from public ministry since 1991 due to credible accusations of sexual abuse of minors. Although the priory was close to a Catholic elementary school, Prevost did not notify the school administration about Ray. The Augustinians noted that Ray was assigned a monitor while at St. John Stone. Ray was moved to a different residence in 2002 when the US Conference of Catholic Bishops adopted stricter rules for handling priests accused of abusing minors.[12][13][a]

In 2001, Prevost was elected to a six-year term as prior general of the Augustinians. He was elected to a second six-year term in 2007. From 2013 to 2014, Prevost served as director of formation in the Convent of St. Augustine in Chicago, as well as first councilor and provincial vicar of the province of Our Mother of Good Counsel, which covers the midwestern United States.[11]

Bishop of Chiclayo

On November 3, 2014, Pope Francis appointed Prevost as apostolic administrator of the Diocese of Chiclayo and titular bishop of Sufar.[11] He received his episcopal consecration on December 12, 2014, at St. Mary's Cathedral in Chiclayo.[14] On September 26, 2015, he was named bishop of Chiclayo.[5]

On July 13, 2019, Prevost was appointed a member of the Congregation for the Clergy in Rome, although he initially declared that only the humble ones are eligible.[15] On April 15, 2020, he was named apostolic administrator of Callao in Peru.[16] On November 21, 2020, Francis named him a member of the Congregation for Bishops.[17]

Within the Episcopal Conference of Peru, Prevost served on the permanent council for the 2018 to 2020 term.[18] He was elected in 2019 as president of its Commission for Education and Culture. He was also a member of the leadership of Caritas Peru. Prevost had a private audience with Francis on March 1, 2021,[19] fueling speculation of a new assignment either in Chicago or Rome.[20]

Dicastery for Bishops

On January 30, 2023, Francis appointed Prevost prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops with the title archbishop-bishop emeritus of Chiclayo.[21] On July 9, 2023, Francis announced plans to make Prevost a cardinal at a consistory on September 30th.[22][23] At that consistory, he was made cardinal-deacon of Santa Monica degli Agostiniani Church in Rome.[24]

On February 6, 2025 Francis promoted Prevost to cardinal-bishop, assigning him to the Suburbicarian Diocese of Albano in the Province of Rome.[25][26]

Contender for the papacy

Prevost has been considered a possible candidate for the papacy. In 2023, Pope Francis appointed him as the Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, a key position within the Roman Curia. The office is responsible for evaluating and recommending candidates for the episcopate around the world. This role has increased Prevost’s visibility and influence within the Catholic Church, potentially raising his profile ahead of any future papal conclave.[27]

Prevost has faced criticism from advocates for clergy abuse survivors regarding his handling of sexual abuse allegations during his leadership in the Augustinian order and in Peru. The advocacy group SNAP (Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests) has alleged that Prevost failed to act against abuse claims involving Richard McGrath, a former president of Providence Catholic High School, allowing him to remain in his position despite longstanding accusations.[28]

Papacy

See also

Notes

  1. ^ That Ray was allowed to live at the Friary was first reported by the Chicago Sun Times in 2021, based on documents the Church made public in 2014.[12]

References

  1. ^ "Reniec: El cardenal Robert Prevost, que participará en el cónclave, es ciudadano peruano y cuenta con DNI vigente". Time. May 4, 2025. Retrieved May 8, 2025.
  2. ^ "Who Could Be the Next Pope? These Are the Names to Know". Time. May 6, 2025. Retrieved May 6, 2025.
  3. ^ "U.S. cardinal's résumé, demeanor land him on 'papabile' lists". Angelusnews. April 30, 2025. Retrieved May 6, 2025.
  4. ^ "The first American pope? This cardinal has the best chance of making history in this conclave". National Catholic Registry Online. April 30, 2025. Retrieved May 6, 2025.
  5. ^ Jump up to: a b c "Rinunce e nomine, 26.09.2015" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. September 26, 2015. Retrieved November 21, 2020.
  6. ^ "Robert Francis Cardinal Prevost [Catholic-Hierarchy]". www.catholic-hierarchy.org. Retrieved March 21, 2025.
  7. ^ "Bishop Robert Francis Prevost, OSA". Catholic Theological Union. February 1, 2023. Retrieved February 2, 2023.
  8. ^ "Robert Francis Cardinal Prevost [Catholic-Hierarchy]". www.catholic-hierarchy.org. Retrieved March 21, 2025.
  9. ^ "Pope names missionary bishop to head Dicastery for Bishops". Dicasterium pro Communicatione. January 30, 2023. Retrieved February 2, 2023.
  10. ^ Jump up to: a b "Robert F. Prevost nombrado Administrador Apostólico en Chiclayo". Orden de San Agustín (in Spanish). November 3, 2014. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved June 1, 2021.
  11. ^ Jump up to: a b c "Rinunce e nomine, 03.11.2014" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. November 3, 2014. Retrieved November 21, 2020.
  12. ^ Jump up to: a b Herguth, Robert (February 26, 2021). "Church officials disapproved moving another priest accused of abuse to Hyde Park friary, records show". Chicago Sun Times. Retrieved January 30, 2023.
  13. ^ Pillar, The (March 16, 2021). "Vatican congregation member allowed priest accused of child abuse to live near Catholic school". www.pillarcatholic.com. Retrieved January 30, 2023.
  14. ^ ""Una autoridad debe apartarse de la corrupción, el egoísmo y de enriquecerse a sí mismo"". La República (in Spanish). May 17, 2015. Retrieved November 21, 2020.
  15. ^ "Rinunce e nomine, 13.07.2019" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. July 13, 2019. Retrieved November 21, 2020.
  16. ^ "Rinunce e nomine, 15.04.2020" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. April 15, 2020. Retrieved November 21, 2020.
  17. ^ "Rinunce e nomine, 21.11.2020" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. November 21, 2020. Retrieved November 21, 2020.
  18. ^ "Consejo Permanente". Episcopal Conference of Peru (in Spanish). Retrieved November 21, 2020.
  19. ^ "Audiences, 01.03.2021" (Press release). Holy See Press Office. March 1, 2021. Retrieved May 31, 2021.
  20. ^ "Curial speculation follows papal meetings with bishops". Catholic News Agency. March 6, 2021. Retrieved May 31, 2021.
  21. ^ "Resignations and Appointments, 30.01.2023" (Press release). Holy See Press Office. January 30, 2023. Retrieved January 30, 2023.
  22. ^ "Le parole del Papa alla recita dell'Angelus, 09.07.2023" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. July 9, 2023. Retrieved July 9, 2023.
  23. ^ Lubov, Deborah Castellano. "Pope Francis announces Consistory for creation of new Cardinals". Vatican News. Dicastery for Communication. Retrieved October 2, 2024.
  24. ^ "Assignation of Titles and Deaconries to the new Cardinals, 30.09.2023" (Press release). Holy See Press Office. September 30, 2023. Retrieved October 1, 2023.
  25. ^ "Resignations and Appointments, 06.02.2025" (Press release). Holy See Press Office. February 6, 2025. Retrieved February 6, 2025.
  26. ^ "College of Cardinals: Pope extends terms of dean and vice-dean". Vatican News. Dicastery for Communication. February 6, 2025. Retrieved February 26, 2025.
  27. ^ "Who will be pope? Meet some possible contenders". PBS News. May 2, 2025. Retrieved May 3, 2025.
  28. ^ ""If he saw and stayed silent—he's not a good priest;" Activist says inaction over Providence H.S. sex abuse disqualifies Pope hopeful Prevost". May 2, 2025. Retrieved May 3, 2025.
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