Bishop Thomas John Paprocki | Diocese of Springfield

Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost has been named Pope Leo XIV, marking the first time an American has ascended to the papacy. On May 8, he greeted a crowd in St. Peter’s Square with a blessing and the words, “Peace be with you all!” delivered in Italian.

Prevost's journey to becoming pope includes significant time spent ministering in South America and leadership roles within the Augustinian order. He was appointed bishop of Chiclayo, Peru by Pope Francis in 2014 and later called to Rome in 2023 to lead the Dicastery for Bishops.

Born on September 14, 1955, in Chicago, Prevost is of Italian, French, and Spanish descent. His education includes studies at an Augustinian seminary in Michigan and a degree from Villanova University. He entered the Order of St. Augustine in 1978 and was ordained as a priest in 1982 after studying theology at the Catholic Theological Union of Chicago.

After earning a doctorate in canon law from Rome’s Pontifical College of St. Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum) in 1987, Prevost returned briefly to Chicago before moving to Peru. There he served as an ecclesiastical judge and taught canon law for ten years.

In his role as head of the Midwest Augustinians starting from 1999, Prevost eventually became prior general of the Augustinians until 2013. During his service under Pope Francis' appointments, he contributed significantly to Church governance through various roles including prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops since 2023.

Prevost shared his vision for episcopal leadership with Vatican News: “We are often preoccupied with teaching doctrine...but we risk forgetting that our first task is to teach what it means to know Jesus Christ.” He emphasized communicating “the beauty and joy of knowing Jesus” through personal witness.