Live Updates: Leo XIV Vows to Lift Up ‘Ordinary People’ in 1st Mass as Pope

Robert Francis Prevost, a Chicago-born cardinal recently elected as the new pope, is of Creole descent from New Orleans, with a family history reflecting the rich tapestry of American culture. His maternal grandparents, Joseph Martinez and Louise Baquié, were identified as Black or mulatto in historical records and lived in a diverse, Catholic neighborhood before relocating to Chicago. This revelation, confirmed by genealogist Jari C. Honora and the pope’s brother, highlights the historical significance of Black Catholics in the U.S. and sheds light on the complex identity of the first U.S.-born pontiff, Leo XIV.

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