What You Should Know About the New Catholic Pope, Leo

American Cardinal Prevost Elected Pope, Taes Name Leo

History was made Thursday as the College of Cardinals elected Cardinal Robert Prevost, a 69-year-old American from Chicago, as the new head of the Roman Catholic Church. He will be known as Pope Leo, becoming the first American pontiff in the Church’s 2,000-year history.

A quiet yet influential figure within the Vatican, Pope Leo has spent much of his life outside the spotlight. He is widely respected for his deep commitment to social justice and missionary work, particularly his nearly decade-long service as a bishop in Chiclayo, a city in northwestern Peru.

Despite being relatively unknown to the broader public, Pope Leo held one of the Vatican’s most powerful roles under Pope Francis: he led the Dicastery for Bishops, the office responsible for recommending and vetting future bishops around the world. This behind-the-scenes role placed him at the heart of shaping the Church’s future leadership — a legacy that likely helped secure his election.

Appointed cardinal by Pope Francis in 2023, Pope Leo reflects many of the values his predecessor championed: humility, global inclusion, and a compassionate Church. In a rare public statement at a Vatican press conference last year, he said: “Our work is to enlarge the tent and to let everyone know they are welcome inside the Church.”

His election marks a new chapter for Catholicism, signaling a continuation — and perhaps deepening — of the Francis-era focus on marginalized communities, missionary outreach, and reform-minded leadership.

As Pope Leo prepares to address the world in his first Urbi et Orbi blessing, many within the Church and beyond are eager to see how this soft-spoken American shepherd will guide more than 1.4 billion Catholics through one of the most complex eras in modern Church history.