Pope Leo XIV Wins Hearts Worldwide With His Chicago Charm, Compassion and Global Outreach
Robert Francis 'Bob' Prevost was born at Mercy Hospital on Chicago's South Side on Sept. 14, 1955, to Mildred Martinez and Louis Prevost. He has two brothers, Louis and John.
He grew up in a devout Catholic family in suburban Dolton, Ill. Sundays meant church at St. Mary of the Assumption, but afternoons were for cheering on his beloved Chicago White Sox, the South Side's baseball heroes.
The baseball organization, thrilled to claim the new pontiff as one of their own, announced they were sending a pinstriped Sox jersey and cap straight to the Vatican.
'Some things are bigger than baseball, but in this case we're glad to have a White Sox fan represented at the Vatican,' a team spokesperson quips.
Prevost was educated in Hyde Park at the Catholic Theological Union in the 1970s, where he was simply known as 'Brother Bob' to friends.
He graduated from Villanova University in Pennsylvania with a degree in mathematics in 1977.
After being ordained a priest in 1982, he embarked on a bold mission abroad. In the mid-1980s, the young Chicago priest packed his bags and headed to Peru as a missionary, working in poor villages and even leading a seminary in the city of Trujillo.
Fluent in Spanish and rich in compassion, he spent decades serving in Latin America, earning dual citizenship in the process.
His worldly experience and humility made him a beloved figure: Parishioners in Peru were so fond of 'Padre Prevost' that they'd celebrate his birthday for an entire week and every group in the parish insisted on throwing a party for their favorite priest.
By 1999, Prevost was back home leading Chicago's Augustinian order and he steadily climbed the ranks from bishop to archbishop.
Pope Francis took notice of this quiet powerhouse and brought him to Rome in 2023, naming him the head of the Vatican's powerful Dicastery for Bishops, then promoting him to cardinal. Prevost helped choose new bishops around the globe, all while working closely with Pope Francis and sharing his vision for a more inclusive Church.
Still, few pundits put him at the top of the papal contender list when Francis passed away in April. So when the College of Cardinals surprised the world by electing this 69-year-old Chicagoan as the first American pope ever, even Prevost's former classmates were shocked.
'We didn't think it was possible they'd pick an American,' admits one old friend.
Yet there he stood on the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica as Pope Leo XIV — living proof that sometimes the long shot wins the race.
Pope Leo XIV isn't just making history — he's making friends wherever he goes. Those who know Prevost describe him as an irresistibly charismatic figure with a down-to-earth style as hearty as a Chicago deep-dish pizza.
'He's an extraordinary person with a very keen intellect, a heart as big as the whole world, especially for people on the margins,' says Sister Barbara Reid, president of the Catholic Theological Union.
Whether in the slums of Peru or the halls of the Vatican, Pope Leo XIV has always gravitated toward the poor and forgotten, mirroring the compassion of his mentor Pope Francis.
Father John Lydon, who worked with Prevost for years, recalls a priest so outgoing and warm that everyone felt like his best friend — the kind of guy you'd feel comfortable grabbing a beer with after Mass.
Yes, this pope enjoys the occasional brew — and he can even belt out a tune! He has a surprisingly strong singing voice and was often chosen to lead sung prayers, earning him quiet fame in Vatican circles as the 'karaoke cardinal.'
He has chosen to live, like Pope Francis, in a modest Vatican guest house rather than the palatial papal apartments.
For his first official portrait, he flashed a broad smile instead of a serious look.
From dancing with children in Peruvian villages to enthusiastically high-fiving nuns on the streets of Rome, the new pope exudes joy.
As one Vatican insider put it, 'He brings a bit of that Chicago friendliness into the papacy, and folks are loving it.'
Leo XIV is passionate about global peace and unity. In his very first blessing as pope, he appealed for an end to conflicts tearing the world apart, calling for Catholics and all people of goodwill to be 'bridgemakers' across divides — a message that won praise far beyond the Church.
This peacemaker instinct comes naturally. Back in Chicago, Prevost was known for uniting people of different faiths and backgrounds. And in Peru, he often mediated disputes in communities, preferring dialogue over discord.
Now, as pope, he has pledged to continue his predecessor's work of outreach and reconciliation, vowing to be a 'bridge-builder' for a fractured world.
This is a pontiff with an X (previously known as Twitter) account. As a cardinal, he didn't hesitate to share heartfelt posts calling for compassion toward migrants and even chimed in on national debates on social media.
He has joked that St. Paul would have loved Twitter if it existed 2,000 years ago.
Under Pope Leo XIV, the traditionally secretive Vatican is finding new openness: Press conferences with candid Q&As, live-streamed Masses, and a warm, plainspoken style of preaching that resonates with ordinary people.
He's determined to meet the modern world on its own turf, all in service of spreading the timeless message of hope, peace and love.
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