LEO XIV Robert Francis Prevost is the New Pope 

Just moments earlier, from the Blessing Balcony of St. Peter's Basilica, Cardinal Mamberti solemnly declared "Habemus Papam," proclaiming to Rome and the whole world that Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost had been elected as Pope Leo XIV.

Leo XIV – The Second Pope from the Americas 
Robert Prevost, the first Augustinian Pope, now Leo XIV, is the second Pope from the Americas, following Pope Francis. However, unlike Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina, Robert Prevost, 69, is from North America — specifically the United States — and spent many years in mission work in Peru before being elected as the Prior General of the Augustinian Order for two consecutive terms.

The First Augustinian Pope 
Robert Francis Prevost was born on September 14, 1955, in Chicago, Illinois, to a family of French and Italian descent (father: Louis Marius Prevost) and Spanish descent (mother: Mildred Martínez). He has two brothers: Louis Martín and John Joseph.

He spent his early years with his family and studied at the Augustinian minor seminary, then at Villanova University in Pennsylvania, where he earned a Bachelor's degree in Mathematics and studied Philosophy in 1977.

On September 1, 1977, he joined the novitiate of the Order of St. Augustine (O.S.A.) in St. Louis, belonging to the Province of Our Lady of Good Counsel in Chicago, and made his first vows on September 2, 1978. He professed his solemn vows on August 29, 1981.

He studied theology at the Catholic Theological Union (CTU) in Chicago. At the age of 27, he was sent to Rome to study Canon Law at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum).

In Rome, he was ordained a priest on June 19, 1982, by Archbishop Jean Jadot — then President of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue (now the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue) — at the St. Monica Augustinian Institute.

He earned his Licentiate in Canon Law in 1984 and was preparing his doctoral thesis when he was sent to Chulucanas, Piura, Peru (1985–1986) for missionary work. In 1987, he successfully defended his doctoral thesis titled "The Role of the Local Superior in the Augustinian Order."

In the same year, he was appointed Director of Vocations and Director of Missions for the Province of Our Lady of Good Counsel in Olympia Fields, Illinois (USA).

Mission in Peru
The following year, he joined the mission in Trujillo, Peru, serving as director of the common formation program for Augustinian novices from the apostolic vicariates of Chulucanas, Iquitos, and Apurímac.

For 11 years, he served in various roles: Community Superior (1988–1992), Formation Director (1988–1998), and Trainer of Solemnly Professed Religious (1992–1998). Simultaneously, he served as Judicial Vicar (1989–1998) and Professor of Canon Law, Patristics, and Moral Theology at the Major Seminary of San Carlos y San Marcelo in the Archdiocese of Trujillo.

At the same time, he was involved in pastoral ministry at the poor parish of Our Lady Mother of the Church, later renamed St. Rita Parish (1988–1999), and was the administrator of Our Lady of Monserrat Parish from 1992 to 1999.

In 1999, he was elected Provincial Superior of the Province of Our Lady of Good Counsel in Chicago, and two and a half years later, he was elected Prior General of the Augustinian Order by the General Chapter, serving two terms until 2007.

Bishop of Chiclayo, Peru (2015–2023) 
In October 2013, after completing his mission in Rome, he returned to Chicago to serve as Formation Director at St. Augustine Monastery, First Councillor, and Provincial Delegate, until Pope Francis appointed him on November 3, 2014, as Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Chiclayo, Peru, and elevated him to the rank of Bishop, titular of Sufar.

He officially assumed the diocese on November 7, witnessed by Apostolic Nuncio James Patrick Green, and was consecrated Bishop on December 12, the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, at the Cathedral of St. Mary.

His episcopal motto is "In Illo uno unum" — a quote from St. Augustine’s Sermon on Psalm 127: "Though we are many, in Christ we are one."

On September 26, 2015, he was appointed Bishop of Chiclayo. In 2018, he was elected Second Vice President of the Peruvian Episcopal Conference and served as a member of the Economic Council and President of the Commission for Culture and Education.

In 2019, Pope Francis appointed him to the Dicastery for the Clergy (July 13, 2019) and in 2020, to the Dicastery for Bishops (November 21, 2020). On April 15, 2020, he was appointed Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Callao, Peru.

Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops 
On January 30, 2023, he was summoned back to Rome as Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops and President of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America, and was raised to the rank of Archbishop.

 Created Cardinal in 2024 
On September 30, 2023, Pope Francis elevated him to the rank of Cardinal in the Consistory, assigning him the titular church of St. Monica. He officially took possession of the church on January 28, 2024.

As Prefect, he accompanied Pope Francis on Apostolic Journeys and participated in both sessions of the 16th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops on Synodality, held in Rome from October 4–29, 2023, and October 2–27, 2024.

On October 4, 2023, he was appointed a member of the Dicasteries for Evangelization (Section for Initial Proclamation and New Particular Churches), Doctrine of the Faith, Eastern Churches, Clergy, Consecrated Life, Culture and Education, Legislative Texts, and the Pontifical Commission for the Vatican City State.

On February 6 this year, Pope Francis elevated him to Cardinal Bishop, assigning him the suburbicarian See of Albano.

When Pope Francis was hospitalized at Gemelli Hospital, Cardinal Prevost led the Rosary prayer for him at St. Peter's Square on March 3.  Source: Vatican New

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