Displaying items by tag: papal election

On 8 May Pope Leo XIV, born Robert Francis Prevost in Chicago in 1955, was elected as the new head of the Catholic Church, becoming the first North American, American, and Peruvian pope. A member of the Order of Saint Augustine, he is also the first Augustinian pope in modern times. Prevost’s career included decades of service in Peru as a pastor, seminary educator, and diocesan official, before rising within his order’s global leadership. He later served as Bishop of Chiclayo and was made a cardinal in 2023, shortly before becoming Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops - a critical Vatican post. His wide linguistic fluency and diverse cultural experience positioned him as a bridge between the global North and South. His leadership will be closely watched for how he navigates past controversies and leads a Church increasingly shaped by voices from the global south.