White Smoke Has Risen: Who Is Robert Prevost, The New Pope Leo XIV Of Catholic Church At Vatican?

The new pope of the Catholic church in Vatican City has finally been elected. White smoke finally emerged out of St. Peter's Square in the late hours of Thursday, paving the way for the election of new Pope Leo XIV. The chosen one is the Augustinian cardinal Robert Prevost.

Before becoming the new Pope Leo XIV, Prevost was Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops. He is now the 267th Bishop of Rome.

Who Is Pope Leo XIV?

Born on September 14, 1995, in Chicago, Illinois, he was the first Augustinian bishop of Rome. His parents are Louis Marius Prevost, of French and Italian descent, and Mildred Martínez, of Spanish descent. He also has two siblings named Louis Martín and John Joseph.

According to Vatican News, on September 1 of the same year, Prevost entered the novitiate of the Order of Saint Augustine (O.S.A.) in Saint Louis, in the Province of Our Lady of Good Counsel of Chicago, and made his first profession on September 2, 1978. On August 29, 1981, he made his solemn vows. The future Pontiff received his theological education at the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago. At the age of 27, he was sent by his superiors to Rome to study Canon Law at the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum).

Prevost dedicated his early clerical career to the Order of Saint Augustine. His service included extensive work in Peru from 1985 to 1986 and 1988 to 1998, where he served as a parish pastor, diocesan official, seminary teacher, and administrator. Elected Prior General of the Order of Saint Augustine from 2001 to 2013, he later returned to Peru as Bishop of Chiclayo (2015-2023). In 2023, Pope Francis appointed him Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops and the president of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America and created him a cardinal the same year. These roles elevated his prominence as a papal candidate, as per Wikipedia.

He studied first at the Minor Seminary of the Augustinian Fathers and later joined Villanova University in Pennsylvania, where in 1977 he earned a Degree in Mathematics. Prevost has also studied Philosophy.

Prevost became the first pope from Peru and the United States (via dual citizenship), and the second pope from the Americas. He is the first pope from the Order of Saint Augustine and the seventh from orders following the Rule of St. Augustine.

Pope Leo XIV Salary:

In general terms, popes of Vatican City do not receive any salary, this is because their essential expenses such as food, clothing, healthcare, and more are mainly covered by the Vatican.

Pope Leo XIV Net Worth:

Although, Robert Francis Prevost's net worth is not officially revealed, as per reports, as a cardinal, he may be earning a monthly salary of between 4,000 and 5,000 euros.

On the appointment of the new pope, Fr. Alejandro Moral, Prior General of the Augustinians and a long-time friend of the newly elected Pope Leo XIV, tells Vatican News that the new Pope "immediately spoke of justice and peace and bridges between all, of synodality."

Also, Archbishop Timothy Broglio, President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, expressed joy and gratitude following the election of Pope Leo XIV.

Further, the Director of the Holy See Press Office, Matteo Bruni, describes Pope Leo XIV's first message to the world as a call to peace and dialogue, highlighting the significance of his name as a clear reference to the Church's social teaching in the modern age.