Pope Leo XIV, now the Holy Father of 1.4 billion Roman Catholics, has close ties to Southwest Florida.
Cardinal Robert Prevost was elected by the papal conclave on Thursday, the first American Pope in history. His brother, Louis Prevost, lives in Port Charlotte.
Leo XIV’s Port Charlotte family did not immediately respond to the Herald-Tribune for comment. In an interview with
FOX4
The Pope’s sister-in-law, Deborah Prevost, mentioned that both she and her spouse were taken aback by the information and felt somewhat disheartened since it implied they would have less opportunity to see Robert.
Francis Rooney, the former U.S. Ambassador to the Vatican and a friend of Leo XIV’s, told
Gulf Coast News
He was “completely thrilled” about the rise of the first American Pope. He mentioned that the new Pope had “strong connections” to Southwest Florida.
Robert Prevost was born in Chicago in 1955. In 1977, he became part of the Order of St. Augustine and completed his graduation from Villanova University that same year. He earned a Master of Divinity degree from Catholic Theological Union in 1982 and was subsequently ordained. Additionally, he dedicated several years to mission work in Peru.
In 2023, he was assigned by Pope Francis to lead both the Pontifical Commission for Latin America and the Dicastery for Bishops at the Vatican, placing him in highly significant roles within the institution.
In addition to English, Prevost also speaks Spanish, Italian, French, and Portuguese.
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune:
Pope Leo XIV’s sibling resides in Port Charlotte.
