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"New wine in old bottles?"

Pope Leo XIV

Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost was elected by the Conclave as the 267th Bishop of Rome to succeed Pope Francis I on 08 May 2025, henceforth to be known as Pope Leo XIV. His selection marked the culmination of two days, and four rounds of voting by the conclave of 133 cardinals.

The election of Pope Leo XIV marked the first time someone hailing from the United States had been selected to serve as leader to the world's 1.4 billion Catholics. 69 years old at the time of his election the Chicago native greeted the crowds from the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica with the words: "Peace be with all of you!"

The choice of papal title as Leo XIV, was said by some observers to be in clear reference to Pope Leo XIII and his Rerum novarum (Rights and Duties of Capital and Labor) 15 May 1891 encyclical, which addressed the condition of the working classes. Rerum Novarum changed the playing field. That encyclical largely invented what we now call Catholic social ethics. Before Leo XIII, the Church tended to identify with aristocrats and monarchs. His encyclical argued strongly for worker's rights—particularly the right of workers to unionize; it also said that "pure capitalism" was not one of the options that Catholics could choose in organizing their economic lives. The right to private property was a "relative right," not an absolute one, in the sense that concern for the poor had to take precedence over other rights, like making money.

The first Augustinian Pope, Leo XIV was the second Roman Pontiff - after Pope Francis - from the Americas. Unlike Jorge Mario Bergoglio, however, the 69-year-old Robert Francis Prevost was from the northern part of the continent, though he spent many years as a missionary in Peru before being elected head of the Augustinians for two consecutive terms.

He was born on September 14, 1955, in Chicago, Illinois, to Louis Marius Prevost, of French and Italian descent, and Mildred Martínez, of Spanish descent. He has two brothers, Louis Martín and John Joseph. He spent his childhood and adolescence with his family and studied first at the Minor Seminary of the Augustinian Fathers and then at Villanova University in Pennsylvania, where in 1977 he earned a Degree in Mathematics and also studied Philosophy.

On September 1 of the same year, Prevost entered the novitiate of the Order of Saint Augustine (O.S.A.) in Saint Louis, in the Province of Our Lady of Good Counsel of Chicago, and made his first profession on September 2, 1978. On August 29, 1981, he made his solemn vows. The future Pontiff received his theological education at the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago. At the age of 27, he was sent by his superiors to Rome to study Canon Law at the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum).

In Rome, he was ordained a priest on June 19, 1982, at the Augustinian College of Saint Monica by Archbishop Jean Jadot, then pro-president of the Secretariat for Non-Christians, which later became the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue and then the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue. Prevost obtained his licentiate in 1984 and the following year, while preparing his doctoral thesis, was sent to the Augustinian mission in Chulucanas, Piura, Peru (1985–1986). In 1987, he defended his doctoral thesis on "The Role of the Local Prior in the Order of Saint Augustine" and was appointed vocation director and missions director of the Augustinian Province of “Mother of Good Counsel” in Olympia Fields, Illinois (USA).

The following year, he joined the mission in Trujillo, also in Peru, as director of the joint formation project for Augustinian candidates from the vicariates of Chulucanas, Iquitos, and Apurímac. Over the course of eleven years, he served as prior of the community (1988–1992), formation director (1988–1998), and instructor for professed members (1992–1998), and in the Archdiocese of Trujillo as judicial vicar (1989–1998) and professor of Canon Law, Patristics, and Moral Theology at the Major Seminary “San Carlos y San Marcelo.” At the same time, he was also entrusted with the pastoral care of Our Lady Mother of the Church, later established as the parish of Saint Rita (1988–1999), in a poor suburb of the city, and was parish administrator of Our Lady of Monserrat from 1992 to 1999.

In 1999, he was elected Provincial Prior of the Augustinian Province of “Mother of Good Counsel” in Chicago, and two and a half years later, the ordinary General Chapter of the Order of Saint Augustine, elected him as Prior General, confirming him in 2007 for a second term. In October 2013, he returned to his Augustinian Province in Chicago, serving as director of formation at the Saint Augustine Convent, first councilor, and provincial vicar—roles he held until Pope Francis appointed him on November 3, 2014, as Apostolic Administrator of the Peruvian Diocese of Chiclayo, elevating him to the episcopal dignity as Titular Bishop of Sufar. He entered the Diocese on November 7, in the presence of Apostolic Nuncio James Patrick Green, who ordained him Bishop just over a month later, on December 12, the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, in the Cathedral of Saint Mary.

His episcopal motto was “In Illo uno unum”—words pronounced by Saint Augustine in a sermon on Psalm 127 to explain that “although we Christians are many, in the one Christ we are one.” On September 26, 2015, he was appointed Bishop of Chiclayo by Pope Francis. In March 2018, he was elected second vice-president of the Peruvian Episcopal Conference, where he also served as a member of the Economic Council and president of the Commission for Culture and Education.

In 2019, Pope Francis appointed him a member of the Congregation for the Clergy (July 13, 2019), and in 2020, a member of the Congregation for Bishops (November 21). Meanwhile, on April 15, 2020, he was also appointed Apostolic Administrator of the Peruvian Diocese of Callao. On January 30, 2023, the Pope called him to Rome as Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops and President of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America, promoting him to the rank of Archbishop.

Pope Francis created him Cardinal in the Consistory of September 30, 2023, and assigned him the Diaconate of Saint Monica. He officially took possession of his titular church on January 28, 2024. As head of the Dicastery, he participated in the Pope’s most recent Apostolic Journeys and in both the first and second sessions of the 16th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops on synodality, held in Rome from October 4 to 29, 2023, and from October 2 to 27, 2024, respectively.

Meanwhile, on October 4, 2023, Pope Francis appointed him as a member of the Dicasteries for Evangelization (Section for First Evangelization and New Particular Churches), for the Doctrine of the Faith, for the Eastern Churches, for the Clergy, for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, for Culture and Education, for Legislative Texts, and of the Pontifical Commission for the Vatican City State.

He was also one of the most internationally, pastorally trained cardinals. Most cardinals are known for their work in Rome and in their native land. His ministry in Peru means that he was shaped significantly by three cultures. None of the popes in my lifetime have had his cultural diversity. The new pope’s recent statements also indicate strong support for immigrants and refugees and condemnation of their demonization, including those cloaked in Catholic justifications.

Leo XIV’s Afro-Caribbean roots through his maternal grandparents and dual Peruvian citizenship shape the gifts of the “American Catholicism” this appointment represents. All of his multiple assignments outside of the United States make him more “Pan American”—even while he continues to be a White Sox fan.

The Church had a significant “anti-Francis” element to it, which will probably be just as unhappy with Leo. Leo will continue the papacy of Francis and especially its social commitments: compassion and justice for all, care for the environment, and so on. This was why Francis favored and promoted him; in hindsight, he was Francis’s number one choice.

On 14 September 2025, Pope Leo XIV turned 70. Despite reaching this milestone, Pope Leo remained a relatively new figure on the papal stage. Even after 132 days in office, Vatican observers continue to speculate about the overarching direction of his pontificate. In several key areas, he has already diverged notably from his predecessor, Pope Francis (2013-2025).

In August, Leo took two extended retreats at the papal summer residence in Castel Gandolfo near Rome — a location Pope Francis notably avoided. His choice of attire evokes a more traditional image of the papacy, aligning him visually with Benedict XVI rather than Francis. He dons the ornate papal stole, a symbol of grandeur rarely seen in recent years. Leo was preparing to move into the Apostolic Palace — the top floor of the majestic building overlooking St. Peter's Square. The residence had stood vacant for 12 years and required extensive renovation before his arrival.

Although Cardinal Robert Prevost's election drew attention to his athletic interests, his age at the time — 69 — already placed him above the average for newly elected popes. Francis and Benedict were 73 and 78, respectively, while earlier pontiffs tended to be younger: John Paul II was 58, and both John Paul I and Paul VI were 65.

Leo cultivated an image of physical vitality — bolstered by anecdotes from his former fitness trainer. "His enthusiasm for sports is very American: he plays tennis and was a devoted fan of the Chicago White Sox," notes Catholic theologian Benjamin Dahlke, a professor at the University of Eichstätt and a leading German authority on the US Catholic landscape. Dahlke adds that Leo's passion for sports makes him "relatable and human." He describes Leo as "highly professional," someone who speaks with measured deliberation. "Everything feels intentional and well-considered, like a seasoned American executive." The Pope, Dahlke observes, clearly possesses the skills required to lead a complex institution.

Many were still waiting for Leo to leave a distinct mark on Church leadership. "It's difficult to pinpoint his stance or predict the trajectory of Church politics," Dahlke says. He believes the conservative wing of the US Church is "not dissatisfied." Leo places great importance on dignified Mass celebrations, and the bishops he has appointed to American dioceses are "certainly not left-leaning."

Yet despite his traditional appearance, Leo expressed support for synodal dialogue formats that include lay participation. He also welcomed the world's most prominent Catholic LGBTQ+ pastor, US Jesuit James Martin, for a private audience.

Leo's more reserved approach, marked by patience and dialogue, may reflect his unique background. Unlike many of his predecessors, he was not a bishop for decades prior to his election. An Augustinian friar, he spent 10 years as the highest-ranking member of the Augustinian order. His fellow friars describe his leadership style as one rooted in inquiry and attentive listening, rather than unilateral decision-making.

Speculation emerged early on that Leo XIV might become a counterforce to US President Donald Trump. Some even suggested that the most powerful American in the world was now the Pope, with 1.4 billion Catholics under his spiritual leadership. US Vice President JD Vance visited Leo early in his papacy, fueling such conjecture. In recent months, the Trump administration's aggressive, at times militant stance on immigration has strained its relationship with the generally Republican-aligned US bishops. Meanwhile, Pope Leo has consistently emphasized themes of peace, urging global leaders to take responsibility for resolving conflicts and safeguarding world stability. Whether addressing Russia's war in Ukraine or the volatile situation in the Holy Land, Leo has repeatedly made his voice heard.