first American Pope

Who is Cardinal Robert Prevost, the new Pope Leo XIV?
He’s an American from Chicago, a member of the Augustinian order, and until now led the Vatican’s Dicastery for Bishops — the office that shapes who becomes a bishop across the Catholic world.
Born in 1955 (69 y.o.), Prevost has deep missionary roots, spending years working in Peru with local communities. He’s seen as a moderate, closely aligned with Francis’ reformist and progressive approach, supporting greater roles for laypeople and women in the Church.
His choice of the name Leo XIV is no accident — popes named Leo (especially Leo XIII) are linked to social reforms and global openness. All signs point to the Francis-era direction continuing.