On May 8, Robert Francis Prevost was announced as the next Pope to the world. Prevost chose the name Pope Leo XIV after being elected as the 267th leader of the Roman Catholic Church, thus making two historic firsts– he is the first U.S.-born Pope to lead the church, and the first from the Augustinian order.According to reports, the newly elected pope made his first public appearance from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica, greeting the crowd with the words, “Peace be with all of you!”At 69 years old, the new pontiff shared a heartfelt message, expressing his hope that peace would “enter your hearts, reach your families, and all people, wherever they are.” He delivered his brief address in Italian, Spanish, and Latin.
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But who is Pope Leo XIV? Who is his family and what inspired him to take up Papacy? Read on to know all about him:
How Pope Leo XIV’s mother and aunts shaped his path to the Papacy
Robert Francis Prevost (now Pope Leo XIV) was born on September 14, 1955, in Chicago, Illinois, to Louis Marius Prevost and Mildred Martínez. His mother Mildred, of Spanish descent, was a librarian and a graduate of DePaul University with a degree in library science (Class of 1947). Two of her sisters were nuns. At St. Mary’s, she was a devoted member of the Altar and Rosary Society and sang in the church choir. A neighbor once described her as one of the “church ladies” who attended daily Mass, cleaned the church, and led fundraising efforts. Mildred passed away in 1990.His father, Louis had French and Spanish ancestry and served as a Navy lieutenant during World War II. After the war, he became an educator, eventually serving as superintendent for District 169 and principal of Mount Carmel Elementary School. He was also active in religious education as a catechist. Louis passed away in 1997.He also has two brothers, named– Louis Martín and John Joseph, and he has spoken about growing up in an immigrants family. While they’ve stayed largely out of the public eye, their close-knit family background played a foundational role in shaping the Pope’s values and calling.“I was born in the United States… But my grandparents were all immigrants, French, Spanish… I was raised in a very Catholic family, both of my parents were very engaged in the parish,” Prevost told Italian network Rai, reported the BBC.Pope Leo XIV, born as Robert Francis Prevost, grew up attending St. Mary of the Assumption parish on 137th Street. The Prevosts were known in the community for their deep faith and active involvement in parish life—as musicians, altar servers, lectors, and volunteers, as per Town and Country Magazine.
