By Deacon Eric Gurash
VATICAN CITY – May 8, 2025
After only twenty-four hours, Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, OSA, was elected the 267th pope, taking the name Pope Leo XIV. The announcement came after the fourth ballot of the conclave on Thursday, with white smoke rising from the Sistine Chapel at 6:05 p.m. Rome time (10:05 a.m. Saskatchewan time), signalling to the world, as bells tolled throughout St. Peter’s Square to cheering crowds, that a new pope had been chosen.
Prevost, a 69-year-old American born in Chicago, Illinois, is the former Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops and a former missionary bishop in Peru, known for his deep commitment to pastoral ministry and ecclesial service in Latin America. He is the first member of the Order of Saint Augustine, and the first American-born cardinal to become pope in modern history, and the first pope to take the name Leo since the pontificate of Leo XIII, remembered for his groundbreaking social encyclicals and dedication to justice and reform.
Within an hour of his election, the newly elected pope addressed the faithful in Italian and Spanish from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica, saying, “Peace be with you! Dearest brothers and sisters, this was the first greeting of the risen Christ, the good shepherd who gave His life for the flock of God. I, too, would like this greeting of peace to enter your hearts, to reach your families and all people, wherever they are; and all the peoples, and all the earth: Peace be with you.”
Pope Leo XIV expressed deep gratitude to Pope Francis, who passed away on April 21, 2025, and to the 133 cardinal electors who entrusted him with this Petrine ministry. Recalling the Easter blessing of the late Pope Francis, he reminded the world, “God loves us, all of us, evil will not prevail. We are all in the hands of God. Without fear, united, hand in hand with God and among ourselves, we will go forward. We are disciples of Christ, Christ goes before us, and the world needs His light. Humanity needs Him like a bridge to reach God and His love.”
In his address, the new pope urged the faithful to be missionaries of dialogue and builders of bridges mirroring the open arms of St. Peter’s Square in an embrace of all peoples, “to all who need our charity, our presence, dialogue, love.”
Born on September 14, 1955, Robert Francis Prevost entered the Augustinian novitiate in 1977, professing solemn vows in 1981. He holds degrees in mathematics, theology, and canon law, with his doctorate focused on Augustinian governance. Ordained in 1982, he served as a missionary in Chulucanas and Trujillo, Peru, for over a decade, working in seminary formation, parish life, and diocesan leadership.
Elected Prior General of the Augustinians in 2001, he served two terms before Pope Francis appointed him Apostolic Administrator and later Bishop of Chiclayo, Peru, in 2015. His work during times of political instability in Peru earned him respect for steady leadership. In 2023, he was named Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, overseeing global episcopal appointments. He was elevated to the College of Cardinals in September of that year.
The choice of the name Leo XIV evokes the legacy of Pope Leo XIII (1878–1903), famed for his encyclical Rerum Novarum, which laid the groundwork for Catholic social teaching. The new pope’s concern for peace, justice, and missionary outreach suggests a similar direction, aligning with the pastoral vision of Pope Francis.
Pope Leo XIV’s election marks a significant moment for the Catholic Church’s ongoing journey of reform, evangelization, and global engagement. As a missionary bishop, a religious superior, and a Roman official, he brings a uniquely global, pastoral, and collaborative perspective to the papacy.
He concluded his first public words by inviting the Church into a spirit of missionary openness, dialogue, and closeness to the suffering, and invoking the intercessions of the Blessed Virgin Mary on this day of the Supplicatio to Our Lady of Pompei “we want to be a synodal church, walking and always seeking peace, charity, closeness, especially to those who are suffering…Our blessed mother Mary always wants to walk with us, be close to us… So let us pray together for this mission, for all of the Church, and for peace in the world.”
