Chicago suburb where Pope Leo XIV grew up poised to buy his childhood home

CNN

02-07-2025

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A village in Chicago's south suburbs is poised to purchase Pope Leo XIV's childhood home after its board voted unanimously on Tuesday to take control of the property.
Since the pope's election, the small, two-story house on E. 142nd Place in Dolton, Illinois – around 20 miles south of the Windy City - has gained national attention, drawing visitors and attracting those interested in the leader's early life.
Leo, known before as Cardinal Robert Prevost, was elected in May as the first American pope – a decision that stunned many in the United States who celebrated his ascension as a historic moment. Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson called Leo's election at the time as 'one of the biggest moments in the modern history of our city.'
Born in Chicago in 1955, Prevost earned his bachelor's in mathematics from Villanova and went on to receive his diploma in theology from the Catholic Theological Union of Chicago. He later spent decades as a missionary, including 20 years in Peru, where he is a naturalized citizen and served as a bishop.
Members of the Dolton Village Board on Tuesday called the purchase of the pope's home a 'once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,' saying that gaining control over the house will allow the board to 'do it justice.'
'We can either seize this moment and move it forward, or we can let that moment go to an investor,' Dolton Mayor Jason House said at a board meeting Tuesday. The purchase will provide Dolton with the opportunity to re-evaluate enterprise and historic land zones and bring 'state and congressional funds' into the town, House added.
Other trustees at the Tuesday meeting joined the mayor in expressing support for the decision, with some citing the homes of Michael Jackson and Martin Luther King as examples of historic sites that have brought economic benefits for their communities.
Officials, however, acknowledged the concerns and complaints of residents who say that traffic into the community has added further strain to already-dilapidated roads.
'Purchasing the pope's house is admirable,' longtime Dolton resident Mary Avent told CNN affiliate WBBM, 'but with the state we're in right now, I guess my concern is, do we have the money?'
Avent told the outlet that Dolton currently lacks a police and fire chief, which she believes is more important.
Trustee Edward Steave, at the Tuesday meeting, assured residents that their complaints were valid, but asserted 'we can do this great thing at the same time.'
The sale is likely to close within the next two weeks, the mayor said.
Photos posted on the village's Facebook page late Tuesday show workers conducting repairs to the roof of the pope's house. It is unclear whether those repairs are being directed by the town.
CNN has reached out to the Dolton Village Board for further information.