• First American Pope: Born in Chicago, Illinois in 1955, he is the first Americans to hold the top position in the Catholic Church.
• Religious Order: He is a member of the Order of St. Augustine (O.S.A.), also known as the Augustinians—a Catholic religious order rooted in community life and inspired by the teachings of Saint Augustine.
• Missionary Work in Peru: He spent over 15 years as a missionary in Peru, where he served as a bishop and also led the formation of priests and religious.
• Academic Background: Prevost holds a doctorate in canon law from the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum) in Rome.
• Multilingual: He is fluent in English, Spanish, French, and Italian, which supports his international role in the Church.
• Named Cardinal: The late Pope Francis elevated him to the College of Cardinals in September 2023, reinforcing his global leadership role in the Church.
• – Views and Stances: – Synodality: Strong supporter of synodality, emphasizing the importance of consultation and lay involvement. – Same-Sex Couples: Expressed reservations about sympathy for beliefs contradicting the gospel but showed mild support for Fiducia Supplicans, allowing non-liturgical blessings for couples in irregular situations. He also opposes the ordination of women.
• Critic of Trump: While he and Trump are both from America, Pope Leo XIV is a firm critic of President Trump and JD Vance, advocating for the rights of immigrants and refugees and condemning Trump for his anti-immigrant policies.
• The first act of a new pope after he’s elected is to choose a new name. This is to signify that his becoming pontiff is akin to a second birth, the Vatican said. Also, in the early years of Christianity, many popes changed their names because their birth names were of pagan origin. The new pontiff’s choice of regnal name aligns him with a lineage of popes known for strong leadership and doctrinal clarity. The last Catholic Church leader with the papal name Leo was Pope Leo XIII, who served from 1878 to 1903, according to Fox 11. He was known for his intellectual contributions and social teachings
