Prague, CZ – On May 8, history was made in St. Peter’s Square as the Catholic Church announced the election of Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, OSA as the new Pope, following the passing of Pope Francis. The 69-year-old American-born prelate will take the papal name Pope Leo XIV.
Cardinal Robert Provost was born on September 14, 1955, in Chicago, Illinois of French and Italian descent on his father’s side and Spanish on his mother’s. He spent most of his childhood with his family before beginning his religious education at the Minor Seminary of the Augustinian Fathers.
He later attended Villanova University in Pennsylvania, where he graduated in 1977 with a degree in Mathematics and pursued additional studies in Philosophy. Just months later, on September 1, 1977, he entered the novitiate of the Order of Saint Augustine (O.S.A.) in Saint Louis, part of the Province of Our Lady of Good Counsel of Chicago. He made his first profession the following year and took his solemn vows on August 29, 1981.
His Life in Summary
Peers describe Pope Leo as serious, focused, and dependable leader and known for his good sense of humor. He was appointed by Pope Francis as prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops who is responsible for evaluating episcopal candidates and advising on appointments. He also held the role of president of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America.
Below is a summary of the life about the new American pontiff:
Early Life & Formation (1950s–1985)
- 1977 – Graduates from Villanova University (Math & Philosophy)
- Sep 1, 1977 – Begins novitiate, Order of Saint Augustine, St. Louis
- 1978 – First profession
- Aug 29, 1981 – Solemn vows
- 1982 – Ordained priest in Rome by Abp. Jean Jadot
- 1984 – Licentiate in Canon Law (Angelicum, Rome)
- 1985 – Begins mission work in Chulucanas, Peru
Mission & Academic Work in Peru (1988–1999)
- 1988 – Director of Augustinian formation in Trujillo, Peru
- 1988–1992 – Local Prior
- 1988–1998 – Formation Director
- 1992–1998 – Instructor for professed members
- 1988–1999 – Parish ministry: Saint Rita & Our Lady of Monserrat
- Judicial Vicar & Professor at Major Seminary “San Carlos y San Marcelo”
Order Leadership (1999–2013)
- 1999 – Provincial Prior, Augustinian Province of Chicago
- 2001 – Elected Prior General, worldwide Order of Saint Augustine
- 2007 – Re-elected Prior General
- 2013 – Returns to Chicago; serves in provincial leadership
Episcopal Ministry in Peru (2014–2020)
- Nov 3, 2014 – Appointed Apostolic Administrator, Diocese of Chiclayo
- Dec 12, 2014 – Ordained Bishop (Titular Bishop of Sufar)
- 2015 – Named Bishop of Chiclayo
- 2020 – Interim Apostolic Administrator of Callao
Vatican Roles & Cardinalate (2019–2025)
- 2019 – Appointed to Congregation for Clergy
- 2020 – Appointed to Congregation for Bishops
- Jan 30, 2023 – Named Prefect, Dicastery for Bishops & President, Latin America Commission
- Sep 30, 2024 – Created Cardinal; assigned Diaconate of Saint Monica
- Jan 28, 2024 – Takes possession of diaconate
- Feb 6, 2025 – Promoted to Order of Bishops; assigned Albano
- Feb 9, 2025 – Celebrates Jubilee Mass with Pope Francis
- Mar 3, 2025 – Leads public Rosary during Pope’s hospitalization
May 8, 2025
Elected as the new Pope
Cardinal Tagle’s Message of Support for the Filipino People
On another hand, during a LIVE Post-Conclave Presscon by CBCP with Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle, CBCP President and Kalookan Bishop Pablo Virgilio Cardinal David, and Manila Archbishop Jose Cardinal Advincula, following the election of Pope Leo XIV as pontiff. He said,
“Maraming salamat sa mga nagtiwala sa amin na posible kaming maging Papa. Pero, ito rin ay isang spiritual learning sa atin na when it comes to the ministry in the church, ang criteria, ang approach ay hindi katulad ng nangyayari sa mundo. Yung pag sinabing , we rely on the holy spirit and through prayer, disiplinado dapat kaming lahat na hindi isipin o magpadala sa kandidato ako Yung ganong internal disipline ay kailangan kung hindi baka kainin ka rin ng ganon.
Walang kandi-kandidato dito na parang ipropromote mo and sarili mo, ang kababayan mo kundi balik ka doon sa babanggitin mo sa pagboto mo, Haharap ako sa Diyos na huhusga sa akin.“
In English, “Thank you very much to those who believed in us, that we could possibly become Pope. But this is also a spiritual lesson for us: that when it comes to ministry in the Church, the criteria and the approach are not the same as what happens in the world. When we say we rely on the Holy Spirit and on prayer, we must all be disciplined enough not to think of ourselves as candidates or give in to that idea. That kind of inner discipline is essential, otherwise, you might be consumed by it.
There are no campaigns here, no promoting yourself or your fellow countryman. Instead, you return to that inner conviction when you cast your vote: ‘I will stand before God, who will judge me.'”
Peace be with you all!
