|
Newly
elected
Pope Leo
XIV,
Cardinal
Robert
F.
Prevost
of the
U.S.
appears
on the
balcony
of St.
Peter's
Basilica
at the
Vatican,
May 8,
2025.
REUTERS/HANNAH
MCKAY |
|
|
|
|
|
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Robert
Prevost:
The
First
American
Pope, A
Humble
Leader
on the
Global
Stage
Patricia
Romero -
International
Tell Us
Worldwide
VATICAN
CITY -
Robert
Prevost,
chosen
by the
world's
Catholic
cardinals
to lead
the
1.4-billion-member
Church,
has made
history
as the
first
pope
from the
United
States.
Despite
his
groundbreaking
election,
he
remains
a
relative
unknown
on the
global
stage.
At 69,
Prevost
hails
from
Chicago
but has
spent
much of
his
career
as a
missionary
in Peru.
His
elevation
to
cardinal
in 2023
was
relatively
recent,
and he
has
given
few
media
interviews.
Taking
the
papal
name Leo
XIV, he
succeeds
Pope
Francis,
who led
the
Church
from
2013.
A Legacy
of
Service
and
Social
Justice
Rev.
Mark
Francis,
a
longtime
friend
of
Prevost
since
the
1970s,
describes
him as a
steadfast
supporter
of Pope
Francis’s
vision,
particularly
his
commitment
to
social
justice.
"He was
always
friendly
and
warm, a
voice of
common
sense
and
practical
concerns
for the
Church’s
outreach
to the
poor,"
said
Francis,
who
attended
seminary
with
Prevost
and
later
lived in
Rome
alongside
him in
the
2000s.
"He has
a wry
sense of
humor
but
never
sought
the
limelight,"
added
Francis,
who
leads
the U.S.
province
of the
Viatorian
religious
order.
A Global
Perspective
Prevost
first
served
as a
bishop
in
Chiclayo,
northwestern
Peru,
from
2015 to
2023. He
became a
Peruvian
citizen
in 2015,
holding
dual
nationalities.
Recognizing
his
leadership,
Pope
Francis
appointed
him to
Rome in
2023 to
oversee
the
Vatican
office
responsible
for
selecting
Catholic
bishops
worldwide.
This
role
gave him
significant
influence
in
shaping
the
Church’s
leadership.
Jesus
Leon
Angeles,
a
Catholic
group
coordinator
in
Chiclayo
who has
known
Prevost
since
2018,
describes
him as a
humble
and
compassionate
leader.
"He is a
very
simple
person
who goes
out of
his way
to help
others,"
said
Leon
Angeles,
noting
Prevost’s
special
concern
for
Venezuelan
migrants
in Peru.
A
Scholar
and
Missionary
Born in
1955,
Prevost
is a
member
of the
Augustinian
religious
order,
which
operates
in 50
countries
and
emphasizes
community
and
equality.
His
academic
credentials
include:
- A
bachelor’s
degree
from
Villanova
University
in
Philadelphia
- A
master’s
degree
from the
Catholic
Theological
Union in
Chicago
- A
doctorate
in
Church
law from
the
Pontifical
College
of St.
Thomas
Aquinas
in Rome
Prevost
first
traveled
to Peru
as a
missionary
in 1985,
later
returning
to the
U.S. in
1999 to
take on
leadership
roles
within
his
order.
He later
moved to
Rome,
serving
two
six-year
terms as
head of
the
Augustinians,
visiting
communities
worldwide.
He is
fluent
in
English,
Spanish,
Italian,
French,
and
Portuguese.
A Leader
Who
Listens
Despite
his
high-ranking
position,
Prevost
has
remained
grounded.
Leon
Angeles
describes
him as a
leader
who
values
listening
as much
as
leading.
"He has
the
courtesy
to ask
for an
opinion,
even
from the
simplest
or most
humble
person,"
she
said.
"He
knows
how to
listen
to
everyone."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I
HI TECH NEWS
I
SPORTS
I
