Robert Francis Prevost, a Villanova University graduate and a Chicago native, was chosen as the first American pope in history to lead the Catholic church as Pope Leo XIV.
Prevost graduated from Villanova University with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics in 1977, writes Tom Dougherty for CBS News Philadelphia.
“As an Augustinian Catholic institution, we celebrate this significant day for our University community and the global Church,” said Villanova University President, the Rev. Peter M. Donohue, OSA, PhD. “Villanova, built on the teachings of St. Augustine, has always been grounded in advancing a deeper understanding of the fundamental relationship between faith and reason—between spirituality and wisdom.”
“With today’s election of His Holiness, Pope Leo XIV, I cannot help but reflect on what his Augustinian papacy will mean to our University community and our world. Known for his humility, gentle spirit, prudence, and warmth, Pope Leo XIV’s leadership offers an opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to our educational mission.”
The news broke in Rome Thursday evening after white smoke streamed from Sistine Chapel, signaling that the conclave of Cardinals had selected a new pope, writes Emily Bloch and Michelle Myers for The Philadelphia Inquirer.
Crowds erupted in cheers when the Vatican’s balcony doors opened, revealing Robert Prevost in his new role.
“Peace Be With You,” the new pope told the crowd.
He offered a message of peace and dialogue “without fear,” writes Nicole Winfield for The Associated Press, as reported in the Daily Times.
The Augustinian priest noted he was, above all, a Christian and a bishop, “So we can all walk together.”
He first spoke in Italian, then switched to Spanish, talking about his many years spent as a missionary and then archbishop of Chiclayo, Peru.
Prevost, 69, is a Peruvian citizen.
Prevost had been a leading candidate despite a taboo against the U.S. because of the geopolitical power of the United States in the secular world.
However, the Prevost was also a Peruvian citizen and lived for years in Peru as a missionary and then an archbishop.
Through the years, he has held several leadership positions within the Catholic church, led the Vatican’s bishops, and advised Pope Francis on his selection of bishops worldwide.
According to Villanova University, Prevost earned a Master of Divinity degree from Catholic Theological Union in Chicago in 1982 and was ordained a priest the same year. He went on to earn both licentiate (1984) and doctorate (1987) degrees in canon law from the Pontifical College of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome.
He joined the Augustinian mission in Peru in 1985, leading the seminary in Trujillo and teaching canon law.
Prevost returned to Chicago in 1999 after being named provincial of the Augustinian Province of Chicago. He was then elected in 2001 as the prior general of the Augustinians and re-elected to a second six-year term in 2007.
In 2014, Pope Francis named Bishop Prevost apostolic administrator of the Diocese of Chiclayo in northern Peru and titular bishop of Sufar. He was elevated to bishop of Chiclayo in 2015, holding the position for eight years until his appointment in January as prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops.
In July 2023, he was named by Pope Francis as one of 21 new cardinals, according to Villanova University.
Find out more in The Philadelphia Inquirer, the Daily Times and CBS News Philadelphia.
