Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York City was elected Pope Leo XIV on May 8. Consider his family history, which in deep ways, shapes the complex legacy of immigration and race in the United States. His paternal grandfather, John R Prevost, immigrated from the eastern coast of Sicily. In stark contrast, his maternal lineage traces a vibrant tapestry of cultural pluralism that deeply enriches his leadership.
John R Prevost debarked in New York on the steamship Perugia in May 1903. He was born Salvatore Giovanni Gaetano Riggitano on June 24, 1876, in Milazzo, a province of Messina, Italy. Upon immigrating to the States, Riggitano decided that John would be his first name. He would go on to assume his wife Suzanne Prevost’s surname. This alteration represents an important personal shift in his life as he returned home to try and put down roots in a foreign nation.
The family story doesn’t stop with John R Prevost. Pope Leo XIV’s maternal grandparents, the Martinezes, add a powerful chapter to his cultural heritage. At one point, they identified as Black. Mildred Martinez’s father, Joseph, was born on the island that today is home to both the Dominican Republic and Haiti. He and Mildred’s mother, Louise, raised her in New Orleans’s lively Seventh Ward, a neighborhood known for its deep Creole roots and culture. By about 1920, they took the leap to Chicago.
Pope Leo XIV’s colorful lineage reflects the rare and surprising history of his life. It reflects the larger American story of immigrants and paints a nuanced picture of America’s contradictory dance with race. It’s an important reminder of the vital issues still at play regarding identity, provenance, and belonging all across the United States.
As a cardinal, Robert Prevost, who would go on to become Pope Leo XIV, was considered open and progressive regarding current issues plaguing society. He previously criticized an assertion made by JD Vance, Trump’s vice-president, through an opinion column. His commitment to social justice and human dignity was further underscored during his first address to world diplomats after his election.
In that State of the Union speech, he pledged to “respect” the “dignity” of migrants. He stated, “My own story is that of a citizen, the descendant of immigrants, who in turn chose to emigrate.” This deeply personal story resonates intensely with his papacy. As such, he’s now shepherding the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics.
Pope Leo XIV’s words are prophetic testimony to our shared humanity.
“All of us, in the course of our lives, can find ourselves healthy or sick, employed or unemployed, living in our native land or in a foreign country, yet our dignity always remains unchanged. It is the dignity of a creature willed and loved by God.” – Pope Leo XIV
His faithfulness to these values is born out of his own experience as a Child of the Church. Rev. Robert Prevost, ordained a priest in 1982. He went on to become the global head of the Augustinians, a Catholic religious order. His ascension to the papacy is a momentous occasion for American Catholics. Beyond that, it provides an important new lens through which to engage the Church in discussion about immigration and inclusivity.
Kyle Betit, a public historian and community organizer who studies historic American immigration patterns, urges the value in looking back to inform the present. These past experiences have created our current realities.
“We often see parallels between the past and the present.” – Kyle Betit
Pope Leo XIV’s election arrives amidst a moment when conversation around migration couldn’t be more profound. His family’s deep history of labor and adversity only serves to compliment the story that all Americans are a part of—a story of struggle, resilience, and hope.