A number of years in the past, Pope Francis turned to an Augustinian priest and requested a query a few personnel determination he was contemplating.
“If I title Prevost as the pinnacle of the workplace for the bishops, how do you suppose he’ll do?” the Rev. Alejandro Ethical Antón, the prior basic of the Order of St. Augustine, mentioned Francis requested him within the library of the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace. He was referring to Robert Francis Prevost, a fellow Augustinian cleric.
Father Ethical Antón mentioned he would do properly.
“I additionally suppose he’ll,” Francis answered.
He did higher than most would have imagined. And on Thursday, he adopted Francis because the chief of the Roman Catholic Church, turning into its 267th pope.
However the quiet dialog within the Apostolic Palace was the results of years of a longtime connection between the current and future popes.
The 2 first met in Buenos Aires, when Francis was Archbishop Jorge Mario Bergoglio.
“Not all my encounters with Cardinal Bergoglio had been all the time in settlement,” the long run Leo said at a 2023 event.
However through the years, Leo additionally expressed admiration and heat for Francis, in response to individuals near the pope.
“Pope Leo spoke of Pope Francis as a superb pal,” mentioned the Rev. Tony Pizzo, one of many new pope’s buddies and a former schoolmate.
By 2013, Francis had turn out to be pope, and the long run Leo had turn out to be the prior basic for the Augustinian order in Rome, a job he was about to go away. Then Francis accepted an invite to preside over a personal Mass on the Basilica of St. Augustine in Rome.
“Bob practically fell over,” mentioned the Rev. Anthony Banks, one other Augustinian. Normally, he mentioned, “popes don’t have the time or the power to spend” at congregational Lots.
On the Mass, Father Prevost known as the pope “an amazing reward” and praised his compassion and outreach to the trustworthy.
It was not lengthy till Francis named him bishop of the Peruvian diocese of Chiclayo.
Francis was inspired by studies about how shut he caught to his flock in Chiclayo, in response to Father Ethical Antón, who mentioned he continued to have conversations with Francis concerning the new bishop. In 2023, Francis appointed him to steer the Vatican’s workplace overseeing bishops, one of many church’s prime jobs, and named him to be a cardinal.
“I’ve blended emotions,” the long run pope mentioned on the 2023 occasion, held simply earlier than he left Peru or the Vatican. He mentioned his choice can be to remain in Chiclayo, and that “the pope is aware of that too.”
Nonetheless, he added, “I’m grateful to the Holy Father for this nice demonstration of belief.”
In Rome, Francis saved nearer tabs on future Leo, assembly with him each Saturday. And after a serious assembly of church leaders, Francis expressed admiration for his work ethic. “Prevost’s preparation,” Father Ethical Antón mentioned Francis informed him, “was wonderful.”
Elda Cantú contributed reporting from Mexico Metropolis and Rosa Chávez Yacila from Lima, Perù.
