Pope Leo XIV: First North American Pope Appointed

Melis: A Moderate with an Eye on the World
Not to be seen as a front-runner, he’s positioned himself as a moderate who values social justice. He is a trusted confidant of Pope Francis, a fellow Jesuit, and is expected to maintain his predecessor’s emphasis on constructing a church that is welcoming and supportive of the poor, especially migrants.

On social issues his posture is generally described as moderate. He has endorsed certain reforms, including permitting divorced Catholics to receive Holy Communion, but expressed indecision on others, including blessing same-sex couples. He also shares Pope Francis’ opposition to female deacons being ordained.

Response to Sexual Abuse Allegations
There have already been some tough questions about his record on sexual abuse in Peru. There are reports that Prevost was unaware of allegations against priests in his diocese. But allies have rushed to his defence, insisting he acted properly and cooperated with the victims in question.

A Leader Who Is Humble and Relatable
In addition to his humility, Prevost has been described as a unifier and down-to-earth person. Rev. The papal contributor James Martin described him as a “kind person” and “very reserved.” His friends and close associates also emphasized his concern for social outreach and the poor.

As he ascended through church hierarchy, however, Prevost never abandoned the social mission of the church. "A bishop is not a little prince sitting in his duchy," he said, adding that the church should be visible for society.

A Life Between Chicago and Peru
Prevost, who was born in Chicago in 1955, studied both mathematics and theology before becoming a priest in 1982. He went on to Rome, where he earned a licentiate and doctorate in canon law. But it was in Peru that he really started to make a name for himself.

Upon first arrival in Peru as a missionary, Prevost served in a number of positions in the local church hierarchy, including as a pastor and a teacher of canon law. Later, he came to Chicago for a while, then returned to Peru where he was head of the Augustinian seminary in Trujillo. His experience in Peru forged an identity with the country, which he would later return to serve as bishop and apostolic administrator.

Rising Through the Ranks
The church career of Prevost was rapid and brilliant. After serving in Chicago, he was prior general of the Augustinian Order from 2001 to 2013. He went back to Peru in 2014 as the apostolic administrator of the Diocese of Chiclayo and in 2015 he was appointed bishop of that area.

The pace of Prevost’s career was spurred by the aegis of Pope Francis. He became prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops in 2023 and was made a cardinal later that year. Within two years, he was elected pope.

Pope Leo XIV's Future
As Pope Leo XIV, Prevost faces the challenge of guiding the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics through an era of great upheaval. It remains to be seen how his approach will risk individual modern social topics weighed against centuries-old teachings of the church he now leads, as he adopts the work of his predecessor, Pope Francis.

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