A Humble Start, A Historic Role
Robert Prevost always stood out. He topped his class and kept perfect posture during morning Mass. After college, he taught math and filled in for physics at a local high school. Today, he leads 1.4 billion Catholics as Pope Leo XIV.
His election marks a historic first. He’s the first American pope and the first from the Augustinian order. His appointment followed the death of Pope Francis.
From Chicago to the Vatican
Born on September 14, 1955, in Chicago, Robert Francis Prevost grew up in Dolton, a suburb just south of the city. He was the youngest of three sons. His father, Louis, a Navy veteran, became superintendent of local schools. His mother, Millie, was a librarian and devoted parish volunteer.
Faith shaped the Prevost home. They attended St. Mary of the Assumption Parish regularly. Parishioners remember young Robert’s discipline. He served as an altar boy and excelled academically.
Despite his quiet nature, he had a playful side. Classmates described him as bright, devout, and grounded. “He was just godly,” one recalled. “Not in an in-your-face way. It was part of his aura.”
A Life of Early Commitment
After eighth grade, Robert made a bold move. Instead of following his brothers to high school, he joined the Augustinian-run St. Augustine Seminary High School in Michigan.
From there, he attended Villanova University in Pennsylvania. He earned a degree in mathematics in 1977 and studied philosophy. That same year, he entered the Augustinian novitiate in St. Louis. He professed his first vows in 1978 and his solemn vows in 1981.
The childhood home of Pope Leo XIV as seen on May 8, 2025 | Source: Getty Images
A Scholar and Servant
Robert pursued theological studies at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, earning a Master of Divinity in 1982. Later that year, at 27, he was ordained a priest in Rome.
He continued his studies at the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas, receiving a licentiate in canon law in 1984. By 1985, while working on his dissertation, he began missionary work in Peru.
Deep Roots in Peru
Robert first served in Chulucanas, then returned briefly to Rome to complete his dissertation in 1987. That same year, he became vocation and missions director for his home province in Illinois. He then returned to Peru, this time to Trujillo.
For 11 years, he held leadership roles in the Archdiocese of Trujillo. He led the Augustinian community, guided new members, and taught theology and canon law. He also pastored two parishes in low-income areas.
Rise Within the Augustinian Order
In 1999, Robert returned to Illinois. He became provincial prior, overseeing the order’s Midwestern operations. Less than three years later, he was elected Prior General—the Augustinians’ top global role. He served 12 years, including a reelection in 2007.
A Bishop for the Margins
In 2014, Pope Francis appointed him apostolic administrator of the Diocese of Chiclayo, Peru. He later became bishop and was naturalized as a Peruvian citizen. He traveled extensively, staying connected to remote communities. His dedication drew Vatican attention.
Robert Francis Prevost presides over his first Holy Mass as Pope Leo XIV with cardinals in the Sistine Chapel at the conclusion of the Conclave on May 9, 2025 | Source: Getty Images
Back to Rome
In 2020, Robert joined the Congregation for Bishops, later renamed the Dicastery for Bishops. In 2023, Pope Francis appointed him prefect of the office. He also became President of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America.
That September, Pope Francis made him a cardinal, assigning him the Diaconate of Saint Monica. He officially took possession in January 2024.
A Global Voice in Church Leadership
As cardinal, Robert joined papal journeys and participated in both sessions of the Synod on Synodality. He emphasized service, discernment, and attention to those on the margins—echoing the mission of Pope Francis.
In 2023, he had said the Church must focus on “the poor, the neediest, those on the margins.” By 2025, many saw him as a strong, if quiet, contender for the papacy.
A Surprising Choice
Though his name circulated, few expected an American pope. Yet Robert’s global experience, calm leadership, and multilingual skills positioned him as a unifier in a divided Church.
Following Pope Francis’s death, the conclave began in May 2025. A record 133 cardinals gathered in the Sistine Chapel. Tensions rose between those seeking continuity with Francis’s vision and those favoring a more conservative turn.
Yet consensus formed. Robert Prevost—now Pope Leo XIV—stepped onto the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica on May 8, 2025, as the 267th pope in history.
