Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost was elected Pope on May 8, 2025 (local time), taking the name Leo XIV.

Pope Leo XIV is the Church’s first Augustinian Pope, and the first born in North America.

The future Pope was born and raised in Chicago in the United States in 1955. At 27, he was sent to Rome to study Canon Law at the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum). Later, he served a mission in Peru, and became the Bishop of Chiclayo.

In 2023, then-Pope Francis called him to Rome to serve as Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops and President of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America. Later appointed by Francis as Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, he became a Cardinal in 2024.

When Pope Francis was hospitalised in early 2025, the future Pope Leo XIV presided over the Rosary for Pope Francis’s health in Saint Peter’s Square.

A Pope of peace

Pope Leo XIV calls us to pray for peace in a world in the midst of storms. The new Pope’s first words when addressing the world from the Central Loggia of St Peter’s Basilica not long after his election were “Peace be with you!”

He also said:

“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. You help us to build bridges with dialogue and encounter so we can all be one people always in peace.”

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  • Pope Leo XIV echoes the cry of Francis: War is always a defeat!
    on June 18, 2025 at 9:39 am

    Warning that the “atrocity” of modern scientific weapons risks leading combatants “to barbarism far greater than in the past,” Pope Leo XIV reminds world leaders that “war is always a defeat” and “nothing is lost with peace; everything can be lost with war.” Read all  

  • Pope Leo at Audience: Let us not be paralyzed by disappointment
    on June 18, 2025 at 8:24 am

    During his weekly General Audience, Pope Leo XIV reflects on the passage of the paralytic at the pool of Bethesda, and warns against becoming “discouraged and falling into spiritual apathy.” Read all  

  • Support the steps of Pope Leo XIV — Donate to Peter’s Pence
    on June 18, 2025 at 7:05 am

    With your donation to Peter’s Pence, you offer tangible support as the Holy Father takes his first steps as Pope. Help him proclaim the Gospel to the world and extend a hand to our brothers and sisters in need. Read all  

  • Over half of Sudan’s population faces growing food insecurity
    on June 17, 2025 at 11:17 am

    A recent report by the FAO and WFP reveal that conflict is the main driver behind the hunger crisis in a number of countries. Read all  

  • Nigerian Church grateful for Pope Leo XIV’s support and prayers over killings in Benue State
    on June 17, 2025 at 10:49 am

    An editorial for the Nigerian Catholic Network, written by Church authorities at the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria, Abuja, has commended Pope Leo XIV for his prompt message, “condemning the evil visited on the people and praying for their souls.” According to the editorial, the Nigerian Church appreciates the Pope’s closeness to Nigeria over the killings in Benue State. They, however, sharply criticised the silence, inaction, and how Nigerian authorities often handle these matters. Read all