Pope Leo XIV: A Journey from Chicago to the Papacy

Pope Leo XIV, formerly Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, has risen through the ranks of the Catholic Church, marking a remarkable journey that started in Chicago.

American Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost was recently elected Pope Leo XIV, making history after overcoming formidable odds in his path to the papacy. Here’s a snapshot of his significant milestones:

**1955:** Robert Francis Prevost is born in Chicago.
**1977:** He graduates from Villanova University with a Bachelor of Science in mathematics before joining the Order of Saint Augustine in Saint Louis.
**1981:** Prevost makes his solemn vows within the Order.
**1982:** He receives a Master in Divinity from the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago and is subsequently ordained as a priest.
**1985:** Prevost joins the Augustinian mission in Chulucanas, Peru, marking the beginning of his international clergy service.
**1987:** He earns a doctoral degree from the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome, later joining another mission in Trujillo, Peru, in the following year.
**1999:** Prevost is elected provincial prior of the Augustinian Province of Our Mother of Good Counsel in Chicago, consolidating his influence within the Church.
**2015:** He becomes bishop of Chiclayo, Peru, further expanding his ecclesiastical responsibilities.
**2023:** Pope Francis elevates Prevost to archbishop and instructs him to manage the Vatican office responsible for selecting and overseeing bishops worldwide.
**2025:** In a historic election, Cardinal Prevost is named the 267th pope of the Roman Catholic Church, choosing the papal name Leo XIV.

Eve Sampson, the article's reporter, is part of the 2024-25 Times Fellowship, a program aimed at nurturing early-career journalists.