Chicago Native Becomes First American Pope: Robert Prevost Elected as Pope Leo XIV

For the first time in history, the head of the Roman Catholic Church hails from the United States, NBC News reports.

Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, a Chicago native and long-serving Vatican official, was elected pope on Thursday, taking the name Leo XIV.

The announcement marks a historic moment for the Catholic Church, which had been led almost exclusively by Italians until recent decades. The papacy of Polish-born John Paul II, followed by German Benedict XVI and Argentine Pope Francis, paved the way for broader representation in the Vatican’s highest office.

Pope Leo XIV, 69, was born on September 14, 1955, at Mercy Hospital in Chicago and raised in the suburb of Dolton, Illinois. The son of a Navy veteran and a librarian, Prevost grew up in a devout Catholic household centered around St. Mary of the Assumption Parish, where he was known by classmates for his quiet piety and spiritual maturity.

After attending St. Augustine Seminary High School in Michigan, Prevost earned a degree in mathematics from Villanova University in 1977. He joined the Order of St. Augustine in 1978 and was ordained a priest in 1982 following theological studies in Chicago. He later obtained a doctorate in canon law in Rome.

Prevost’s decades-long ministry included a significant period in Peru, where he served as a missionary, seminary professor, and later bishop of Chiclayo. He was appointed a cardinal by Pope Francis in 2024 and most recently led the Vatican office responsible for appointing bishops.

While his pastoral and administrative credentials are widely respected, Prevost’s record is not without controversy. During his leadership of the Augustinian order in the US, he faced criticism for his handling of abuse allegations involving clergy, including a $2 million settlement related to misconduct at Providence Catholic High School in Illinois. Similar concerns surfaced during his time in Peru, though Prevost has not been personally accused of abuse or misconduct.

Despite the scrutiny, Prevost’s rise through the Church hierarchy remained steady. His election was met with celebration in Chicago, particularly on the city’s South Side, where residents took pride in their local son becoming pope.

Appearing on the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica after the conclave, Pope Leo XIV addressed the crowd in Spanish and Italian, offering gratitude to his predecessor and setting a hopeful tone for his papacy.

“We can be a missionary Church, a Church that builds bridges, that is always open to receive everyone — just like in this square, to welcome everyone, in charity, dialogue, and love,” he said.

While Pope Francis was noted for his push toward LGBTQ Catholics, Leo XIV has previously taken a more conservative stance. In a 2012 address, he criticized Western culture for promoting values he said conflicted with the gospel.