May 8, 2025 will be marked in the history of the Vatican and the Catholic world as the beginning of the pontificate of the first American pope. Robert Francis Prevost, 69, born in Chicago, was elected as the new pontiff after the white smoke and adopted the name Leo XIV. His election was announced from the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica with the traditional “Habemus Papam”.
With thousands of faithful gathered in St. Peter’s Square and millions more following him on television and digital platforms, Leo XIV addressed his first words to the world: “Thank you Pope Francis. His legacy of love, humility and courage lives on among us. It is up to us to continue his journey.
“God loves us all”
Leo XIV began his pontificate with a message of deep spirituality and closeness:
“God loves us all unconditionally. It doesn’t matter who we are or where we come from.”
We are called to walk together as brothers, without excluding anyone
León XIV
These words resonated strongly among Hispanic communities inside and outside the Vatican.
Especially in the United States and Latin America, where the figure of the new Pope has deep roots.
Before coming to Rome, Prevost was a missionary and bishop in Peru for more than a decade.
In 2015, he was appointed bishop of Chiclayo, and years later, prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops at the Vatican, a key position in the ecclesial hierarchy.
For a multicultural Church
During his speech, Leo XIV thanked in Spanish his community in Chiclayo, with whom he shared years of pastoral mission:
“To my brothers and sisters in Peru, thank you for teaching me to walk with God’s people. Your faith transformed me.
The new Pope also recalled the current challenges facing the Church, such as the weakening of faith in the new generations.
As well as global conflicts and the urgency of caring for migrants, the poor and the excluded.
Buzzy
In this context, Leo XIV called for interreligious dialogue and to reinforce compassion as the axis of Christianity.
For U.S. Hispanic Catholics, who represent more than 40% of the country’s faithful, the election of Leo XIV represents an unprecedented event.
His American origin, his background in Latin America and his sensitivity to social and immigration issues strengthen the Church’s connection with a community that has often felt marginalized within the country and global Catholicism.
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