Camille Naredo

Louis Prevost, brother of newly elected Pope Leo XIV, Robert Prevost, looks on outside his home in Port Charlotte, Florida, on May 9, 2025. Chandan Khanna, AFP

Louis Prevost, brother of newly elected Pope Leo XIV, Robert Prevost, looks on outside his home in Port Charlotte, Florida, on May 9, 2025. Robert Francis Prevost became the first pope from the United States on May 8, 2025, picking the papal name Leo XIV after cardinals from around the world elected him leader of the world's 1.4 billion Catholics. Tens of thousands of people packed in St Peter's Square cheered as Prevost appeared on the balcony of St Peter's Basilica, waving with both hands, smiling and bowing. (Photo by CHANDAN KHANNA / AFP)

Article (news)

US reacts to selection of Robert Francis Prevost as first American Pope

Agence France-Presse

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1746852966207AFP__20250509__466927F__v1__Preview__UsReactsToSelectionOfRobertFrancisPrevostAsFirs.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Louis Prevost, brother of newly elected Pope Leo XIV, Robert Prevost, looks on outside his home in Port Charlotte, Florida, on May 9, 2025. Chandan Khanna, AFP"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Louis Prevost, brother of newly elected Pope Leo XIV, Robert Prevost, looks on outside his home in Port Charlotte, Florida, on May 9, 2025. <em>Chandan Khanna, AFP</em></span></span></span></div><p>PORT CHARLOTTE, United States -- Louis Prevost is still reckoning with what just happened in his family.</p><p>His little brother, Robert Francis Prevost, is now Pope Leo XIV, the first American pope in the Catholic Church&#x27;s history, an incredible fate for a boy from Chicago who dreamt of becoming a priest.</p><p>&quot;We knew from a very early time, maybe when he was five or six, he was going to be a priest. There was no doubt in my mind,&quot; Prevost, 73, told AFP from his home in Port Charlotte, Florida.</p><p>&quot;When we played games, as kids, he liked to play priest a lot. I thought: &#x27;what the heck? Priest?&#x27;</p><p>&quot;He bought Necco wafers, little candy discs, and he&#x27;d pretend those were communion and give it to all our friends in the yard,&quot; Prevost recounted with a smile.</p><p>&quot;We were teasing him when he was six years old: &#x27;you&#x27;re gonna be the Pope.&#x27; And he didn&#x27;t like that.&quot;</p><p>On Thursday, after white smoke billowed out of the chimney of the Sistine Chapel, Prevost recalled feeling nervous because he felt the cardinal chosen to be pope would be his brother.</p><p>He turned on the TV, trying to calm down during the prolonged wait got the announcement.</p><p>When Cardinal Dominique Mamberti said his brother&#x27;s name at the Vatican, Prevost burst with joy.</p><p>&quot;I was in the bed, sitting down. It&#x27;s good thing I was because I probably would have fallen over,&quot; Prevost said.</p><p>&quot;When I thought: &#x27;My brother&#x27;s the Pope. You&#x27;re kidding me.&#x27; My mind was blown out of this world, it was crazy, ridiculous. So excited.&quot;</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/world/2025/5/8/pope-leo-xiv-cardinal-robert-prevost-elected-as-new-leader-of-catholic-church-0127">READ: Prevost becomes first US pope as Leo XIV</a></div><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/world/2025/5/9/-peace-be-with-you-pope-leo-xiv-ushers-in-new-era-with-powerful-first-blessing-0930">READ: Pope Leo XIV ushers in new era with powerful first blessing</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>- &#x27;Out of reach&#x27; -</strong></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/aVWwbzRtzgw?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div><p>Now with the initial excitement subsiding, he is left wondering how his youngest brother&#x27;s new role might affect their personal relationship.</p><p>&quot;This could be bad for the family. Will we ever see him again? Will we ever get to talk to him like brothers again? Or will it have to be all official? How are you Holy Father, blah, blah, blah. It opens up a lot of questions,&quot; Prevost said.</p><p>&quot;He&#x27;s still there, but he&#x27;s out of reach. We can&#x27;t just pick up the phone and call him. Now it&#x27;s got to be really special when you get to call the Pope,&quot; he added.</p><p>Prevost hopes his other brother, John, will be able to give him some answers when he visits Rome from their hometown of Chicago.</p><p>He thinks his brother&#x27;s papacy will be able to unite the Catholic Church, attract more faithful and make the world a more peaceful place.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/world/2025/5/9/-great-honor-world-leaders-welcome-first-us-pope-0832">READ: World leaders welcome first US pope</a></div><p>&quot;Whether he has the ability to settle, like the Gaza thing or the Russia and Ukraine conflict, who knows? But I&#x27;ve seen him take two warring parties and make peace in five minutes between them,&quot; Prevost said. &quot;He&#x27;s got a gift to communicate to people and make them open their eyes.&quot;</p><p>He also hopes having an American pope will revitalize the Catholic Church in the United States.</p><p>&quot;When he comes to America, he&#x27;s going to speak English, not Latin or Spanish or Italian,&quot; Prevost said.</p><p>&quot;People will understand what he&#x27;s saying. They&#x27;ll see him, they&#x27;ll realize he&#x27;s one of us.&quot;</p><div><strong>© Agence France-Presse</strong></div>

'You're gonna be the Pope,' Leo XIV's brother recalls telling him

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'You're gonna be the Pope,' Leo XIV's brother recalls telling him

Agence France-Presse,

Gerard Martinez

Published May 10, 2025 01:12 PM PHT

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