Leo XIV: The modest missionary in Peru who became the first American pope

The Washington Post ^ | May 11, 2025 | Chico Harlan , Samantha Schmidt , Kim Bellware and Bianca Padró Ocasio

[E. Pluribus Unum]

VATICAN CITY — Two-and-a-half years ago, Pope Francis was trying to fill a big job. For decades, that position — heading the powerful office that helps vet and select bishops — had gone to consummate Vatican insiders. But Francis had staked his papacy on expanding the boundaries of the Catholic Church. And he had his eye on a surprise contender: an American-born missionary operating in the coastal plains of Peru, some 6,000 miles from Rome.

“You know that I am very happy in Peru,” the missionary, then-Bishop Robert Prevost, recalled telling Francis. “But if you ask me to take on a new role in the church, I will accept.”

“Pray that I make a good decision,” Francis said, according to Prevost’s recollection.

In selecting Prevost for that job, Francis fast-tracked the career of the man who’d ultimately become his successor and provided a crucial step in what has now become a singular life path: from Chicago’s suburbs to Latin America to the frescoed halls of power in Vatican City, and finally to the very pinnacle of the Roman Catholic Church.

Elected Thursday as Pope Leo XIV, Prevost has become the first pontiff born in the United States — and instantly one of the world’s most consequential voices on faith and politics. He emerged from a historically up-for-grabs conclave — composed of 133 cardinals from more than 70 countries — by winning trust and positioning himself as a bridge-spanning figure fluent in five languages with experience on three continents.

By the standards of the church, his ascent occurred with remarkable speed. Before receiving the January 2023 job offer that brought him to Rome, he’d been one of the church’s 5,400 bishops — a role with local prominence but no global visibility. Running the diocese in Chiclayo,...

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TOPICS: Culture/Society
KEYWORDS: 20212; 202212; 202301; chicago; chiclayo; moche; peru; popebob; popefrancis; robertprevost

[No Party Affiliation]

I see articles by the WaPo and LATimes slobbering all over the new pope. I don’t consider that a particularly good sign.

[eeriegeno]

Pope Francis[b] (born Jorge Mario Bergoglio;[c] 17 December 1936 – 21 April 2025) was the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 13 March 2013 until his death on 21 April 2025. He was the first Jesuit pope, the first Latin American, and the first born or raised outside Europe since the 8th-century Syrian pope Gregory III.

First American Pope????

[piasa]

It is interesting that Francis offered him the job just one month after Peru’s Congress had to impeach their Marxist president Castillo for declaring an emergency [people were protesting the mess he had made of the economy] and moving to dissolve the Congress.

Castillo’s planned power grab was thwarted.

[piasa]

Excuse me, that’s not why they protesting...

Peru: President Caves to Deadly Leftist Riots, Proposes Trashing Constitution
Breitbart ^ | 01-30-2023 | CHRISTIAN K. CARUZO
Posted on 1/30/2023, 4:32:17 PM by ChicagoConservative27

Peruvian President Dina Boluarte announced on Sunday that she would soon present two proposals: to hold presidential elections this year, rather than in 2026 as planned, and “total” constitutional reform.

Boluarte vowed to make the changes if the nation’s Congress failed to pass the measures. The latter, a core demand of far-left rioters whose violence has resulted in 58 deaths and counting, would essentially result in a complete overhaul of Peru’s constitution. Leftists have been rioting in the country for nearly two months, erecting roadblocks to cut food supplies and burning down historic buildings, following the impeachment and arrest of unpopular communist former President Pedro Castillo.

(Excerpt) Read more at breitbart.com ...

[bobbo666]

When working in SAmerica did this new Pope also help out the previous in defending’celebrating convicted pedos? If so, the Church is irredeemably lost.

[quilterdebbie]

I read “American” as “U. S.”.

[dfwgator]

South America stole our name.

[Dick Vomer]

If the Washington Post, ABC, CBS and others find him "fascinating", he's a communist.

Always and every time... Read AA-1025 and the Devil and Bella Dodd to see what has happened to the Roman Catholic Church.

The communists and "humanists" have infiltrated large sections of the church and are dutifully and methodically bringing the Catholic church down. They don't care about going bankrupt (it would benefit them) only in the destruction and loss of force for good that needs to be destroyed in order for the communist to take over our lives.

Those books are short and an easy weekend read. It actually depressed me a little when I read AA 1025. It now reminds me of the "Screwtape Letters" by CS Lewis.

Stay strong, love Christ and your family. These parasites and worms will never "win" and only take joy out of power, death and earthly things.