POPE LEO XIV
PRAYER FOR POPE LEO THE XIV
O God, who in your providential design willed that your Church be built upon blessed Peter, whom you set over the other Apostles, look with favor, we pray, on Leo our Pope and grant that he, whom you have made Peter’s successor, may be for your people a visible source and foundation of unity in faith and of communion. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
BRIEF BIOGRAPHY
Name: Robert Francis Prevost
Birthdate: 14 September 1955
Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, USA
Ordination to the Priesthood: 19 June 1982 in Rome, Italy
Ordination to the Episcopate: 12 December 2014 in Chiclayo, Peru
Elevation to the College of Cardinals : 30 September 2023 by Pope Francis (Cardinal-deacon, later promoted to Cardinal-bishop 6 Feb 2025)
Born in Chicago, Illinois to parents of French-Italian and Spanish descent, Robert Prevost answered the call to Religious life early, graduating from the Minor Seminary of the Augustinian Order in 1973 at the age of 18. He made his Solemn Profession in 1981 and was ordained priest a year later, aged 26.
In addition to a Doctorate in Canon Law from the Pontifical College of St. Thomas Aquinas (1987), Prevost has a Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics from Villanova University (USA).
For over four decades, Prevost has served the Church on three continents as a pastor, formator of Religious, and trusted administrator.
Half of his life in Holy Orders has been spent in northern Peru, where he headed the Augustinian Seminary in Trujillo and was the pastor of a suburban parish (1988-1998). He then returned as bishop of Chiclayo (2015-2023).
Between those stints in Peru, Prevost served the Augustinian Order as the Provincial of its Province of Chicago (1999-2001), and as Prior General of the Augustinian Order, based in Rome, for two consecutive terms (2001-2013).
Whilst serving as Bishop of Chiclayo, Provost was appointed a member of the Congregation for the Clergy in 2019, and a member of the Congregation for Bishops in 2020.
In January 2023, Pope Francis called Prevost to Rome, appointing him Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops. He was also made President of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America.