Robert Francis Prevost was born in Chicago in 1955. Speaking about his education, he studied mathematics and philosophy at Villanova University, followed by theology in Chicago and canon law in Rome. Prevost joined the Augustinian order in 1977 and spent years as a missionary and leader in Peru before rising in the Church hierarchy.
During his mission in Peru, Robert Francis Prevost took on multiple responsibilities, serving as judicial vicar, professor of Canon Law, parish priest, and formation director. His dedicated work with marginalised communities and support for local clergy not only strengthened the Church's presence in the region but also established his leadership within the Augustinian Order and the wider Catholic hierarchy.
Elected Prior General of the Augustinians in 2001 and re-elected in 2007, Robert Francis Prevost returned to Chicago in 2013. The following year, Pope Francis appointed him Apostolic Administrator of Chiclayo, and he was later named Bishop in 2015. In 2023, he was appointed Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops and elevated to Cardinal in 2024. He actively participated in the Synod on Synodality and assumed significant Vatican roles in areas such as evangelisation, doctrine, education, and legislative affairs.
Now, Robert Francis Prevost has ascended to the papacy, becoming Pope Leo XIV. As the first Augustinian and second American pontiff, his elevation marks a significant moment in Church history, reflecting his decades of pastoral service, theological insight, and leadership within both the Vatican and missionary fields.