He’s not a seasoned Vatican insider. He didn’t rise through aristocratic ranks.
But on Thursday, Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost — a reserved, bilingual American from the working-class town of Dolton, Illinois — stood before the world on the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica as the newly chosen Pope Leo XIV.
“The bishop isn’t meant to be a prince,” he once remarked. “His duty is to walk with the people and share in their suffering.”
Now, this low-profile Augustinian missionary becomes the 267th pontiff in Catholic history — and the first American to lead the world’s 1.3 billion Catholics.
A South Suburban Start, a Global Journey
Born in 1955 and raised just outside Chicago, Prevost grew up attending St. Mary of the Assumption parish. He was an altar server as a child, already showing signs of the path he would follow.
Ordained in 1982, he earned a doctorate in canon law in Rome and joined the Augustinians. At just 30, he moved to Peru for mission work — and stayed more than 20 years.
“Some of us wanted to be priests,” recalled former classmate John Doughney. “But for him, it was something deeper — a true calling.”
Life in Peru: A Missionary’s Legacy
In the coastal city of Trujillo, Prevost worked as a parish pastor and taught in seminaries, connecting deeply with both clergy and poor communities. He later became Bishop of Chiclayo and eventually obtained Peruvian citizenship — a sign of his lasting bond with Latin America.
Despite living abroad, he frequently returned to serve in his hometown — maintaining strong ties with the American Catholic community.
That blend — a U.S.-born leader with a Latin American soul — now makes Pope Leo XIV a rare bridge between cultures at a time when the Church spans a rapidly shifting global landscape.
Known in Rome, Without the Vatican Politics
Though he wasn’t a celebrity cardinal, Leo XIV wasn’t unknown. In 2023, Pope Francis appointed him to head the Dicastery for Bishops, one of the most influential roles in the Vatican. The department oversees the appointment of bishops — especially in Latin America.
“He was likely seen as less entangled in Vatican politics,” said Daniel Rober, a professor at Sacred Heart University. “His pastoral style and global experience made him a strong consensus choice.”
A New Name with Historic Echoes
While he could have continued the legacy of Pope Francis with the name Francis II, Prevost instead selected Leo XIV — a name rich in Church history, most famously carried by Pope Leo XIII, a reformer known for his focus on social issues and renewal.
The original bearer, Pope Leo I — or Leo the Great — shaped key Church doctrines and famously convinced Attila the Hun to spare Rome. The choice suggests a pope who values tradition, but who also signals change on his own terms.
His Views on LGBTQ+ and Immigration
On LGBTQ+ issues, Pope Leo XIV has expressed more conservative views in the past. In a 2012 speech, he warned about cultural shifts promoting ideas “contrary to the Gospel,” including same-sex families and what he called the “homosexual lifestyle.”
On immigration, however, he’s shown compassion rooted in lived experience. His time in Peru brought him close to Venezuelan migrants, and he has spoken out against harsh immigration policies. Earlier this year, he reposted an op-ed challenging U.S. Senator JD Vance’s interpretation of Christian love, signaling a willingness to confront political narratives.
What Might His Papacy Look Like?
Grounded. Global. Pastoral.
That’s how many are describing Pope Leo XIV’s leadership style.
With experience from rural parishes to Vatican halls, he’s expected to build on Francis’ legacy of championing the poor — but with a quieter, more structured approach. His cross-cultural background, American upbringing, and Roman education position him to navigate a fractured Church with balance and humility.
And as the world looks to the future of his papacy, one thing seems clear: Pope Leo XIV did not seek the spotlight — he’s here to lead by serving.
