From Chicago to the Vatican: Pope Leo XIV’s Pro-Life Journey
Join Cincinnati Right to Life in praying for our American Pope, Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, now Pope Leo XIV. We are certainly enthused that our new Pope has personally participated in many of the pro-life activities that Cincinnati Right to Life advocates for daily.
His marching for life, to student pro-life activities, and supporting women in crisis, the new Pope has been an active member of the pro-life community.
From Chicago—one of the most staunchly pro-abortion cities in the U.S.—to the global seat of Catholicism in the Vatican, Pope Leo XIV’s life and priesthood has been a bold testament to unwavering pro-life conviction.
Born Robert Francis Prevost on September 14, 1955, in Chicago, he grew up in a city known for its aggressive support of abortion rights. But amid the cultural noise, Prevost found clarity in Catholic teaching. His early faith was nurtured in the working-class neighborhoods of the South Side, where he was an altar server and choir member at St. Mary of the Assumption. Even as a young man, he was outspoken about the dignity of life, once saying, “A society that permits the killing of its most vulnerable ceases to be humane.”
His convictions only deepened during his time at Villanova University; a Catholic institution grounded in Augustinian values. It was there, as an undergraduate math major, that he saw the need for more outspoken student advocacy on life issues. In response, he co-founded the campus’s first official pro-life student organization.
After joining the Augustinian order and becoming a missionary in Peru, Prevost’s pro-life ministry expanded internationally. In 2015, he joined more than half a million people in the March for Life in Lima, boldly declaring, “Every life—rich or poor, born or unborn—is a gift from God that demands our protection.” His work in Peru focused not only on defending life from abortion but also on helping women and families in crisis through community and pastoral support.
In homilies and speeches throughout his Catholic priesthood, Pope Leo XIV expressed the value of all life.
“The Church must walk with all people, especially the most vulnerable, ensuring their dignity is upheld from the womb to the end of life, as this is the heart of Christ’s mission.”
“Bishops are called to be shepherds who defend the sanctity of life, ensuring no one—neither the unborn nor the aging—is left without the Church’s love and protection.”
We pray for Pope Leo XIV and look forward to his voice proclaiming the Gospel of Life throughout his Papacy.
