Pope Leo XIV: Mild-mannered American with global view

Pope Leo XVI stressed that God had surprised him with his election as Pope. As Cardinal, Robert Francis Prevost, he had never thought that he would once become head of the Catholic Church.

VATICAN CITY — When Sister Barbara Reid is asked about her friend Bob Prevost—the man the world has come to know this week by a new name, Pope Leo XIV—many words readily come to mind. Saint. Intelligent. Thoughtful. Wise. All qualities one might expect, or at least hope for, in the most renowned Catholic on the planet. But there’s more. The Voice of Chicago WhatsApp Find more news on our WhatsApp channel. Follow us.

'The pope is Peruvian!' How 2 decades in South America shaped the vision of Pope Leo XIV

Cardinal Robert Prevost's leadership roles in Chicago and Rome were essential in his formation. But his time in Peru best prepared him to take on the challenges of directing the global Catholic Church.

Pope Leo XIV: Mild-mannered American with global view

VATICAN CITY — With 10 days under his belt as pope, Leo XIV has already shown himself to be a mild yet focused bridge-builder, with a soft spot for the underdog and a passion for tennis. On May 8, Robert Francis Prevost made history as the first pope from the United States but his experience goes well beyond his Chicago roots. The 69-year-old pontiff saw the challenges facing the worldwide Catholic Church up close in two decades as a missionary …

Published in: El Universal By: Carlos Raúl Hernández Much of my life, not to say all, I saw and heard Leo XIII described hundreds of times as “reactionary, enemy of the revolution.” Today, as the new Pope Prevost took his name, an act impossible to believe by chance, many who want it postmo, transform the predecessor retrospectively and discover that he was not such a “caverineman.” According to this epiphany, now Leo XIII was a progre, populist…

The latest papal election ended in surprise, as it was not Cardinal Pietro Parolin, who was considered the most likely candidate worldwide, but the American Robert Francis Prevost, who stepped onto the balcony of St. Peter's Square. In the background, a single sentence by Hungarian Cardinal Péter Erdő could have turned the tide. The Archbishop of Esztergom-Budapest spoke for the first time about the backstage details of the election, and also re…