From Math Classroom to Peter’s Chair

Long before the tiara, Robert Prevost taught algebra to high-schoolers in Chicago. He credits solving quadratic equations with honing his patience for curial syllabi: “If you can factor x² + 5x + 6, you can manage a synod.” His pedagogical methods—step-by-step proofs and Socratic questioning—now inform Vatican council debates, inspiring cardinals to “show their work” before voting. Educational psychologists laud this transparency: it’s led to clearer edicts and fewer doctrinal quibbles. Leo XIV’s academic roots prove that clear thinking paves the way for clear conscience.