FORT WAYNE, Ind.—University of Saint Francis President Dr. Lance Richey issued the following statement upon the news of the election of Pope Leo XIV.
“The University of Saint Francis rejoices with the whole Catholic Church at the election of Pope Leo XIV. Both his American roots and his lifelong commitment to serving all people, especially the poor and marginalized beyond our national borders, perfectly reflect our Catholic, Franciscan values. We unite our prayers with those of Bishop Kevin Rhoades and all the faithful that God will bless the work of our new Holy Father. We look forward to advancing the mission of the Catholic Church under his pastoral leadership through our daily interactions with students, faculty, staff, alumni and community members.”
Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, originally from Chicago, Illinois, was elected today as the 267th pope and the first from the United States, taking the name Pope Leo XIV. He served as prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops (formerly known as the Congregation for Bishops) and president of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America since 2023. He spent much of his career as a missionary in South America and was appointed bishop of Chiclayo, Peru, where he served from 2014 to 2023. He has been a Peruvian citizen since 2015.
Media seeking an interview with Dr. Lance Richey should contact Communications Director Reggie Hayes at 260-399-7700, ext. 6413 or rhayes@sf.edu.
Founded in 1890 in the Catholic Franciscan tradition, the University of Saint Francis offers more than 60 undergraduate, graduate and doctoral programs through the College of Health Sciences and the College of Arts, Sciences, and Business. In addition to its traditional programs, Saint Francis designs focused curricula for working adults in Fort Wayne, Crown Point and online. USF Downtown houses the music technology program while offering enhanced internship and networking opportunities for students. The University of Saint Francis, recognized as an NAIA Five-Star Champion of Character institution, has 20 athletic programs boasting two individual and four team NAIA national championships. Approximately 1,800 students from a broad geographic region attend Saint Francis.