Pope Leo XIV: podcast appearances and interviews

Pope Leo XIV, born Robert Francis Prevost in Chicago on September 14, 1955, is the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of Vatican City. He became a friar in the Order of Saint Augustine in 1977 and was ordained as a priest in 1982. He earned a Doctor of Canon Law degree in 1987 from the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome. His career includes extensive missionary work in Peru during the 1980s and 1990s, where he served as a parish pastor, diocesan official, seminary teacher, and administrator. Prevost was elected prior general of the Order of Saint Augustine, a role based in Rome from 2001 to 2013. During this period, he traveled extensively to various provinces and missions worldwide. He later returned to Peru as Bishop of Chiclayo from 2015 to 2023 and acquired Peruvian citizenship. In 2023, Pope Francis appointed him prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops in Rome and president of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America. Following his return to Rome, Prevost was elevated to the rank of cardinal. As a cardinal, he emphasized themes such as synodality, missionary dialogue, and engagement with social and technological issues including climate change, international migration, church governance, and human rights. His election as pope in 2025 was unexpected, as he was considered a dark horse candidate; he is notable for being the first pope born in the United States, the first from the Order of Saint Augustine, and the first citizen of Peru to hold the papal office. As pope, Leo XIV has opposed armed conflict and nationalism while advocating for immigrant rights and addressing the ethical implications of artificial intelligence. He has reaffirmed teachings on social justice, environmental stewardship, marriage, and sexuality, consistently referencing the Second Vatican Council as the church’s guiding star.