A Shepherd Chosen for Global Leadership
Robert Francis Prevost, a seasoned missionary with deep roots in Latin America, was appointed by Pope Francis in 2023 to lead the dicastery for bishops, the Vatican office responsible for vetting candidates for episcopal appointments worldwide.His subsequent creation as a Cardinal that same year underscores the importance of this role. A member of the Order of Saint Augustine, Cardinal Prevost’s path to this prominent position is marked by decades of dedicated service.
Born September 14, 1955, in Chicago, illinois, to a family with French, italian, and Spanish heritage, Robert Prevost initially pursued studies in mathematics and philosophy at Villanova University in Philadelphia. In 1977, he began his formation with the Augustinians, professing his vows four years later. He was ordained a priest in Rome in 1982.
his commitment to missionary work led him to Peru in 1985-86, where he served as chancellor of the Diocese of Chulucanas and vicar of the cathedral. Following a brief return to Illinois to oversee pastoral vocations and missions for his province, he returned to Peru in 1988, dedicating the next eleven years to various roles within the Archdiocese of Trujillo.
In 1999, he was elected provincial for the Augustinian Midwest Province, returning to Chicago. He then served as prior general of the Order of Saint Augustine for two consecutive six-year terms, from 2001 to 2013. After a year as director of formation at the Saint Augustine convent in Chicago, alongside roles as first advisor and provincial vicar, he was appointed to the episcopate by Pope Francis in November 2014, returning him to Peru. He initially served as apostolic administrator of the Diocese of Chiclayo, becoming its bishop in September 2015.
cardinal Prevost’s experience in Peru has given him a keen understanding of the political and social landscape of South America, a region where the Peruvian bishops have historically played a vital role in maintaining institutional stability during times of political upheaval. Peru, roughly twice the size of France, hosted Pope Francis in January 2018, providing an opportunity for the Pope to meet and become acquainted with then-Bishop Prevost, and later receive him in a private audience in 2021.
Source I.Media