Robert Francis Prevost, 69, was born in Chicago to a father of French-Italian descent, a former military man, and a mother of Spanish descent. For over 25 years, he lived in Peru, and he was elected on Thursday as the first United States-born pope. Robert Francis Prevost, seen as an ally of the previous Pope Francis, will now serve as his successor, leading the Catholic Church.
Prevost, the 267th pope, was born in Chicago in 1955. After earning a bachelor’s degree in mathematics at an American university, he pursued a master’s degree in theology. He later went to Rome for further studies and was ordained as a priest at the age of 26. For 15 years, he worked as a missionary in Peru until 1998; he later returned to Peru and, in 2015, was appointed bishop of Chiclayo in northwest Peru. In addition to his American citizenship, Prevost also holds Peruvian citizenship.
Two years ago, Prevost was appointed president of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America, representing a region where nearly 40% of the world’s Catholics reside. He also became head of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, the body responsible for selecting and recommending candidates for senior positions in the Church worldwide. These roles effectively marked him as a candidate for the papacy. However, he was considered relatively inexperienced, having been appointed a cardinal only recently, and his chances were seen as low.
On the other hand, his candidacy was strongly supported by the late Pope Francis, who was instrumental in his election. Prevost was considered the leading "Bergoglian" candidate, named after the previous pope, Jorge Mario Bergoglio (Pope Francis). As the first South American pope, Francis had a deep connection with Prevost, who spent many years in Peru and, according to The Washington Post, fell in love with the country.
Within the Vatican, Prevost was described as a dark horse candidate who gained increasing support in the days leading up to the conclave. Nicknamed "The Latin Yankee" in Rome, Prevost’s expertise in Church law helped him garner backing from more conservative factions within the Vatican. "He was elected despite being somewhat of an enigma to the cardinals, especially the Americans, as he spent many years outside the United States," said theologian John Morris, a former priest and commentator for Fox News.
Further criticism arose during his tenure as bishop in Peru. Two priests were accused of sexually abusing three young girls. A complaint filed this year alleged that Prevost refused to investigate and provided only partial information to Rome. The Vatican also denied these allegations.
During that period, Prevost opposed the inclusion of gender studies in Peruvian schools, arguing that it could promote "confusing ideologies designed to create non-existent genders." He also opposed the ordination of women, saying, "It is not certain that this would solve any problems, and it might even create new ones." However, he acknowledged that "women can make significant contributions to Church life in many areas."
As for his stance on Jews, Israel, the October 7 massacre and the Gaza war, Prevost has not made any notable statements. The question remains whether he will continue the critical approach established by his predecessor. Last December, Francis expressed frustration that his representative, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, was not permitted to enter Gaza. In a sermon, Francis said, "Children were bombed. This is cruelty; this is not war. I wanted to say this because it touches my heart."
Israel condemned Francis’s comments about "genocide" in Gaza. In response, the Foreign Ministry issued a condolence tweet, which was later deleted, and no senior Israeli representatives attended his funeral. With the election of the new pope, Jerusalem hopes for a change. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, "Congratulations to Pope Leo XIV and the global Catholic community. I wish the first American pope success in fostering hope and reconciliation among all religions."
1 comment:
The trouble with senior Catholic leadership, including this pope, allowing pedophiles to move around to escape justice and not informing their new location of the potential danger.
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