Global Church: Why Chicago native and Augustinian to lead the church

Joanne M. Pierce

When 69-year-old Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost appeared on the main balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica for the first time as Pope Leo XIV on May 8, 2025, he was cheered loudly by the huge crowd of pilgrims, tourists, local Catholics and other onlookers who had waited hours for the first sign of white smoke and the official announcement.

As a specialist in Catholic history and ritual, I know how important this moment was for Catholics and others all over the world. A new pope brings with him a sense of excitement, often mixed with uncertainty.

But the choice of the College of Cardinals came as a surprise to some. Prevost is the first pope from the United States, and, traditionally, the European-dominated College of Cardinals has had reservations about choosing a cardinal from the US for fear of too much American influence in the church.

Born in Chicago, Illinois, Prevost joined a Catholic religious order at the age of 20: the Order of St. Augustine, called Augustinians, founded in the 13th century. Instead of withdrawing from the world in isolated monasteries, members of this order travelled as mendicants to aid the poor as well as serve as missionaries and teachers.

Prevost studied theology in the US and Rome, and as a newly ordained priest he spent a year in Peru. After a short return to the US as an official of the Augustinian order in Illinois, he returned to Peru as a seminary professor to teach canon law, the legal structure of the Catholic Church. He would stay in Peru for the next 10 years.

In 1999, he became the prior – that is, the head of local Augustinian province in Chicago and was later elected prior of the worldwide Augustinian order. This gave him a truly global experience since the Augustinians had some 50 communities spread across every continent.

In 2015, Pope Francis appointed him bishop of the Diocese of Chiclayo in Peru. In 2019, Francis appointed him a member of several important Vatican dicasteries, or departments, where he became very familiar with the central church administration. Most importantly, he served as prefect, or chairman, on the Dicastery for Bishops.

In fact, because of his lengthy pastoral experience in Peru and service at the Vatican, some commentators had noted before Prevost was chosen that if the cardinals were to elect an American pope, it would be him. His service on the Dicastery for Bishops was considered especially important, since members play a key role in selecting new bishops.

In reviewing his record, the cardinal electors might have taken several factors into account. Prevost would be an effective administrator as head of the church and was an expert in church canon law. He had decades of experience doing pastoral work in South America, as well as in North America. And as a prior general of the entire Augustinian order, he would likely have travelled widely to visit many of the communities he supervised.

The new pope appeared on the Vatican balcony wearing the traditional papal garments: white cassock, short red cape, decorated red and gold stole, and golden cross hanging around his neck. Francis, on the other hand, had appeared dressed in the plain white cassock of a pope.

Certainly, he had not chosen the simplicity of Francis. Was this a sign that he would be more of a traditionalist?

His first words from the balcony were “Peace be with you all,” describing this peace as “a disarmed peace, a disarming peace.” He further urged Catholics to act together “without fear … united with one another … to build bridges” through dialogue and outreach – to bring peace to the world.

He may not follow exactly in Francis’ footsteps, but he will likely continue walking in the same direction.