Habemus Papam! USA's Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost is elected Pope
VATICAN CITY — United States of America's Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost has been elected as the new head of state of the Vatican and the 267th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church.
White smoke poured from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel, a signal that tells the world that a new pontiff has been picked, and is now a cause for celebration of some 1.4 billion Catholics around the globe.
Two white seagulls and a gull chick were seen on the roof of the Sistine chapel, near the chimney, before white smoke poured out - a seemingly divine sign.
Elected by the College of Cardinals in conclave in the Sistine Chapel, the 69-year old Robert Francis has been chosen as successor to Pope Francis.
The newly-elected pope has chosen the name Pope Leo XIV.
Life
Robert Francis was born on 14 September 1955 in Chicago, Illinois, USA.
His ordination to the Priesthood was on 19 June 1982.
His ordination to the Episcopate was on 12 December 2014.
Elevation to the College of Cardinals was on 30 September 2023.
Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, former prefect of the influential Dicastery for Bishops, is a Chicago-born prelate with views close to Pope Francis who spent many years as a missionary in Peru before being elected head of the Augustinians for two consecutive terms.
Prevost entered the novitiate of the Order of Saint Augustine (OSA) in 1977 and made his solemn vows in 1981.
His educational background includes a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from Villanova University in 1977, a Master of Divinity from Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, and both a licentiate and doctorate in canon law from the Pontifical College of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome. His doctoral thesis was on “The role of the local prior in the Order of Saint Augustine.”
His career in the Church has been marked by significant roles and achievements. After his ordination as a priest in 1982, Prevost joined the Augustinian mission in Peru in 1985 and served as chancellor of the Territorial Prélature of Chulucanas from 1985 to 1986.
He spent the year 1987 to 1988 in the United States as pastor for vocations and director of missions for the Augustinian Province of Chicago before returning to Peru where he spent the next ten years heading the Augustinian seminary in Trujillo and teaching canon law in the diocesan seminary, where he was also prefect of studies.
He also served in other capacities there, including as a parish pastor, diocesan official, director of formation, seminary teacher, and judicial vicar.
In 1999, he returned to Chicago and was elected provincial prior of the “Mother of Good Counsel” province in the archdiocese. Two and a half years later he was elected prior general of the Augustinian and served two terms until 2013.
In 2014, he returned to Peru when Pope Francis appointed him apostolic administrator of the Diocese of Chiclayo. He was elevated to Bishop of Chiclayo in 2015. While there, he also served as vice-president and member of the permanent council of the Peruvian Bishops’ Conference from 2018 to 2023.
During that time, Peru’s bishops reportedly played an important role in ensuring institutional stability during the successive political crises that led to the overthrows of successive presidents.
In 2020 and 2021, Prevost served as apostolic administrator of Callao, Peru.
Pope Francis appointed Prevost prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops in January 2023, a powerful position responsible for selecting bishops, a position he held until Pope Francis died on April 21, 2025. On September 30, 2023, Pope Francis elevated Prevost to the rank of Cardinal.
During his first months as prefect, then-Archbishop Prevost continued to remain characteristically discreet in the media, but was reportedly appreciated for his ability to listen and his mastery of issues.
Church Views
On key topics, Cardinal Prevost says little but some of his positions are known. He is reportedly very close to Francis’ vision regarding the environment, outreach to the poor and migrants, and meeting people where they are. He said last year “the bishop is not supposed to be a little prince sitting in his kingdom.”
He supported Pope Francis’ change in pastoral practice to allow divorced and civilly remarried Catholics to receive Holy Communion. Prevost appears somewhat less favorable to currying favor with the LGBTQ lobby than Francis, but he showed mild support for Fiducia Supplicans.
Prevost has faced some controversy regarding clergy sexual abuse although he has been defended in both instances. The cardinal’s supporters stress his innocence and say the cases have been inaccurately and unfairly reported in the media.
Future of the Church
Ahead of the 2025 Conclave, Cardinal Prevost was being promoted as a possible compromise candidate if leading candidates were unable to obtain enough votes.
His lengthy missionary service in Peru allowed him to be seen as a more universal candidate than American which mitigated problems associated with choosing a pope from a superpower in his case.
Cardinal Prevost is a member of seven Vatican dicasteries as well as the Commission for the Governance (Governatorato) of Vatican City State, indicating how much Pope Francis trusted the cardinal and valued his administrative abilities.
He was a member of the Dicastery for Clergy, Dicastery for Evangelization, Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, Dicastery for the Eastern Churches, Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life, Dicastery for Culture and Education, and Dicastery for Legislative Texts.
As Pope Leo XIV takes on the helm of the global church, the faithful now await if, like Francis, he would lead with a liberal approach to Catholicism.
Photo Source: Vatican News
References:
Holy See Press Office
College of Cardinals
Catholic Herald
