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3w ago

Cardinal Robert Prevost Becomes First American Pope as Leo XIV

The Chicago-born pontiff begins his papacy with calls for peace, dialogue, and unity, inheriting deep challenges and a mandate to continue social justice priorities.

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Overview

  • Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, a 69-year-old Chicago native and former missionary in Peru, was elected as Pope Leo XIV, marking the first time an American has led the Catholic Church.
  • The conclave of 133 cardinals concluded in less than two days, with white smoke signaling Prevost's election after achieving a two-thirds majority vote.
  • In his first public address from St. Peter’s Basilica, Pope Leo XIV emphasized peace, dialogue, and bridge-building, echoing themes of unity and compassion.
  • The new pope inherits a divided Church facing critical issues, including the global clerical abuse crisis and declining religious participation in Western nations.
  • Pope Leo XIV is seen as a continuation of Pope Francis’s legacy, focusing on the environment, migrants, and the poor, while also bringing his own perspective shaped by years of service in Latin America.