Pope Leo XIV, From The United States, Brings Message of Peace

VATICAN CITY – “Peace be with all of you!” said Pope Leo XIV, the new leader of the Catholic Church, as he greeted the world from St. Peter’s Basilica on May 8, 2025. Born Robert Francis Prevost in Chicago, he was named the 267th pope by Cardinal Dominique Mamberti after the Conclave’s vote.

Born on September 14, 1955, in Chicago, Illinois, Pope Leo XIV grew up in the Midwest. In 1977, he joined the Augustinian Order in Saint Louis and studied theology at the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago. He became a priest in 1982 after making his vows in 1981.

In the U.S., he held important roles in his Chicago-based Augustinian community. In 1987, he helped guide new members and missions for the “Mother of Good Counsel” province in Olympia Fields, Illinois. After earning a doctorate in church law in Rome, he returned to Chicago in 1999 to lead his order’s province. In 2001, he became the global leader of the Augustinians, a role he held again from 2007. In 2013, he came back to Chicago to teach and support his order until 2014, when he was sent to Peru.

Pope Leo XIV also served in Peru, working in missions, leading the diocese of Chiclayo, and helping the Peruvian bishops’ group. In 2023, he became a cardinal and head of the Vatican’s bishop office. His work in Vatican offices for evangelization, faith, and clergy prepared him to lead the Church. With his Chicago background and caring spirit, Pope Leo XIV’s message of peace sets a hopeful tone for his time as pope.

Official biography:

Pope Leo XIV Greets St. Peter’s Basilica - Vatican News on X

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