By Chris Okoye
1. Historic First: Robert Francis Prevost is the first American to become Pope, taking the name Leo XIV. He's the 267th occupant of the throne of St Peter and the second Pope from the Americas after Francis.
2.
Dual Heritage:
Though born in Chicago in 1955, Pope Leo XIV is also a Peruvian citizen and
spent much of his life as a missionary in Peru. Many consider him as much a
cardinal from Latin America as from the United States.
3.
Family Background: He
was born to Louis Marius Prevost (of French and Italian descent) and Mildred
Martínez (of Spanish descent). He grew up with two brothers, Louis Martín and
John Joseph.
4.
Early Religious Life:
Prevost served as an altar boy in his youth before being ordained as a priest
in 1982 at the age of 27 in Rome.
5.
Educational Journey: He
studied at Villanova University where he earned a degree in Mathematics in
1977. Later, he received theological education at the Catholic Theological
Union in Chicago and obtained a doctorate in Canon Law from the Pontifical
University of Saint Thomas Aquinas in Rome.
6.
Augustinian First: Pope
Leo XIV is the first member of the Order of Saint Augustine (Augustinian
friars) to be elected Pope in Church history.
7.
Mission Work: At
age 30, he moved to Peru as part of an Augustinian mission. He spent 11 years
as a local parish pastor and seminary teacher in Trujillo, northwestern Peru,
working with marginalized communities.
8.
Leadership Roles:
Before becoming Pope, he served as Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, which
has the important task of selecting and supervising bishops in Latin America.
He was also Prior General of the Augustinian Order for two consecutive terms.
9. Recent Appointment: Pope
Francis made him a cardinal quite recently in September 2023, assigning him the
Diaconate of Saint Monica. He officially took possession of it on January 28,
2024.
10. Episcopal History:
Francis appointed him Bishop of Chiclayo, Peru in 2015. His episcopal motto is
"In Illo uno unum" ("In the one Christ we are one"), words
from Saint Augustine.
11. Social Stance: Pope
Leo XIV shares many of Francis's views on migrants, the poor, and the
environment. He has not shied away from challenging political figures,
including reposting criticism of US Vice President JD Vance.
12. Age and Election: At 69
years old when elected, he was chosen by a College of Cardinals where 80% of
the members were appointed by his predecessor Francis.
13. Languages: While not explicitly
stated in the text, his background suggests he is fluent in at least English
and Spanish, with likely knowledge of Italian and Latin from his ecclesiastical
education.
14. First Words: In
his first address as Pope, Leo XIV spoke fondly of his predecessor Francis,
saying "We still hear in our ears the weak but always courageous voice of
Pope Francis who blessed us," and called for unity: "United and hand
in hand with God, let us advance together."
15. Continuity Figure: He is
viewed as someone who will continue Francis's reforms in the Catholic Church
while bringing his unique perspective shaped by his experiences in both North
and South America.
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