Emily Sanna

Just hours after the election of Pope Leo XIV, media discourse was already making much of his Chicago roots, including discussing which sports teams he supports and where he goes for pizza. But Pope Leo’s Chicago connections have a deeper significance that point to how he may lead the church.

The election of Cardinal Robert Prevost, O.S.A. as Pope Leo XIV represents a profound milestone in the life of the Catholic Church, with a U.S.-born prelate being elected to the papacy for the first time. A missionary who spent most of his priesthood in Peru, Pope Leo’s election suggests a major continuation of the direction set by Pope Francis for the church as it navigates the 21st century.

On Monday April 21, 2025, at age 88, Pope Francis passed away. He had recently spent 38 days in the hospital for double pneumonia. Elected to the papacy on March 13, 2013, Jorge Mario Bergoglio was the first prelate from the global South and the first Jesuit to lead the Catholic Church. He was also the first pope to choose the name “Francis.” In many respects, his name set the tone for his papacy. Like St. Francis of Assisi, Pope Francis prized simplicity.