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France 24
a day ago
- General
- France 24
Pope Leo's Illinois childhood home to become tourist site
The modest brick home in the Chicago suburb of Dolton, population 21,000, was sold by its current owner for $375,000, WGN television said. It said the owner had bought the house for $66,000 last year -- prior to Pope Leo's election as the first American pontiff -- and done extensive renovations. The Dolton village board of trustees voted earlier this month to purchase the three-bedroom house and turn it into an attraction open to the public. According to WBEZ Chicago radio, the parents of Pope Leo -- born Robert Prevost -- bought the house in 1949 and sold it in 1996. © 2025 AFP
Time of India
04-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Why Pope Leo XIV's old house is now the most talked-about property in America?
What was once an overlooked property has now become Dolton's unexpected lifeline. With Pope Leo XIV's election drawing nationwide interest to his former home, the village sees an opportunity to attract tourism and rebuild its reputation. Despite resident concerns over finances, officials believe transforming the house into a landmark could restore both pride and prosperity to the community. Pope Leo XIV's childhood home in Dolton, Illinois, has become a symbolic lifeline for the struggling village. After his surprise election as the first American pope, the house drew national attention, prompting local officials to buy it with hopes of economic revival. (Images: Agencies, X/@BeSaintly) Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads A Village in Crisis Looks to the Church for Revival The decision to buy the Pope Leo XIV's former home is a bold one for Dolton. (Image: Facebook/Village of Dolton, IL) The Real Estate Miracle No One Saw Coming Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads From Forgotten Block to Sacred Ground A Global Leader with Local Roots What was once an ordinary two-story house in Dolton, Illinois is now at the center of a remarkable transformation. The birthplace and childhood home of newly elected Pope Leo XIV—formerly Cardinal Robert Prevost—has become a destination for curious pilgrims and a potential lifeline for a financially floundering since white smoke rose from the Sistine Chapel in May, signaling the election of the first American pope, this humble home has drawn nationwide attention. The house, located just 20 miles south of Chicago, has become an unofficial shrine almost overnight. On July 2, the Dolton Village Board voted unanimously to purchase the property, sparking both excitement and concern in a town still reeling from years of fiscal decision to buy the pope's former home is a bold one for Dolton. Once mired in scandal under former Mayor Tiffany Henyard—with depleted bank accounts and nearly $4 million in debt—the village has struggled to regain public trust. Even a financial audit last year by former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot laid bare the town's grim realities. So when current Mayor Jason House called the property purchase a 'once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,' the room was split between optimism and apprehension.'This is a proud moment for our village,' House told the board according to AP. 'We want to do it justice.' Still, some residents raised valid concerns. 'Do we even have the money?' asked Mary Avent, a local resident. It's a question that looms large even as repairs are already underway on the house, thanks to donations like a full roof replacement by Gino Ferrari's Windy City Construction Group Just two months ago, the home was on the market for a modest $200,000 and had been listed for over 100 days without a single serious offer. Pawel Radzik, a Polish-American investor who bought and renovated the property, was unaware of its divine history until a routine doctor's visit revealed that his home had once belonged to the newly elected revelation changed everything. Four offers came in overnight. The listing was pulled. Realtor Steve Budzik compared it to winning the lottery. Options now range from reselling at a far higher price to converting the house into a religious museum—a move that could attract global pilgrims and potentially inject tourism revenue into Dolton's battered riddled with crime and even occupied by drug dealers between 2017 and 2018, the house now represents a symbol of spiritual renewal and civic pride. Neighboring streets are already being repaired, and a newly installed sign reads 'A roof for the Pope's roots.' Bike riders from downtown Chicago and neighbors alike are flocking to catch a glimpse.'Dolton has been through a lot,' said Ferrari. 'But this moment—it's something good, something hopeful.' Pope Leo XIV , born Robert Prevost in 1955 in Chicago's Bronzeville neighborhood, grew up attending St. Mary of the Assumption and teaching at local Catholic schools. His unexpected rise to papacy has brought pride not just to the global Catholic community, but also to the tight-knit neighborhoods of South Side Chicago. With dual citizenship in Peru and the U.S., and a career steeped in missionary work, the pope brings with him a rare global perspective—and now, an unexpected tourism boom to his old zip election follows the death of Pope Francis and marks a new chapter in the Catholic Church. For Dolton, it may also mark the beginning of a long-overdue Mayor House put it: 'We can either seize this moment or let it slip away. I'd rather our community get the benefit of this opportunity.'
Los Angeles Times
02-07-2025
- Business
- Los Angeles Times
Pope Leo's hometown approves the purchase of his childhood home in hopes of reviving the village
CHICAGO — Pope Leo XIV's hometown is poised to buy his childhood home after the south Chicago suburb's board voted unanimously Tuesday to purchase the property, hoping it will breathe new life into a village saddled with financial woes. Since white smoke billowed in May from the Sistine Chapel and Pope Leo XIV was elected Pope Francis' successor, the new pope's childhood home — a small, two-story house in Dolton, Ill., about 20 miles south of Chicago — has drawn visitors from across the country with many treating it as a pilgrimage site. Cardinal Robert Prevost made history by becoming the first pope from the United States — a stunning decision that Chicagoans celebrated by flocking to churches and sharing memes. Prevost was born in 1955 in the South Side Chicago neighborhood of Bronzeville and grew up in suburban Dolton, near St. Mary of the Assumption, where he attended Mass and elementary school. He later studied theology at the Catholic Theological Union of Chicago in the Hyde Park neighborhood and taught in local Catholic schools, including at St. Rita High School. Dolton Mayor Jason House called purchasing the pope's childhood home a 'once-in-a-lifetime opportunity' during a Tuesday meeting of the Dolton Village Board. The childhood homes of other popes have often been turned into museums or pilgrimage sites. 'This is a proud moment for our village and an opportunity, and we want to make sure that we're doing it justice,' he said. Yet several residents at Tuesday's meeting were skeptical about any benefit to taxpayers, questioning whether the financially strained village could afford to purchase the home and maintain the streets surrounding it. The board hired former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot to probe the village's finances last year, and she found Dolton's bank accounts had been depleted. The village was $3.65 million in debt and had unpaid bills piling up. Dolton gained national attention amid allegations of its former Mayor Tiffany Henyard's financial mismanagement, corruption and failure to follow state transparency laws by turning over spending and other records. 'Purchasing the pope's residence is admirable,' Dolton resident Mary Avent told the board on Tuesday. 'But with the state we're in right now, I guess my concern is, do we have the money?' House said he is committed to repairing the streets surrounding Prevost's childhood home and assured residents he understood their concerns. Still, he said the sale will likely close within two weeks. The house's listed owner did not immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday. 'We can either seize this moment going forward or we can let that moment go to an investor,' House said. 'I would like our community to get the benefit of this opportunity.' Other board members echoed the mayor's excitement over the purchase, as some spoke of how the childhood homes of Michael Jackson and Martin Luther King Jr. offered economic opportunity to their communities. A recent post on the village's Facebook account showed workers repairing the house's roof and celebrated the home for 'bringing new energy and attention to our village.' Gino Ferrari, president of Windy City Construction Group, said he offered the full roof replacement for free to the current owner, saying he 'wanted to make sure this roof lasts a long time.' In front of the home, the company put up a sign with an image of Pope Leo XIV and the words 'Pope Leo's childhood home' and 'A roof for the pope's roots.' As crews worked on the roof Tuesday, they chatted with neighbors who offered them water and bike riders who traveled along the lakefront from Chicago to see the house. 'Dolton has been through a lot in the last few years, so this is such a great, positive moment for Dolton,' Ferrari said. 'The community seems pretty excited.' Fernando writes for the Associated Press.
02-07-2025
- Business
Pope Leo XIV's hometown approves the purchase of his childhood home
CHICAGO -- Pope Leo XIV's hometown is poised to buy his childhood home after the south Chicago suburb's board voted unanimously Tuesday to purchase the property, hoping it will breathe new life into a village saddled with financial woes. Since white smoke billowed in May from the Sistine Chapel and Pope Leo XIV was elected Pope Francis' successor, the new pope's childhood home — a small, two-story house in Dolton, Illinois, about 20 miles south of Chicago — has drawn visitors from across the country with many treating it as a pilgrimage site. Cardinal Robert Prevost made history by becoming the first pope from the United States — a stunning decision that Chicagoans celebrated by flocking to churches and sharing memes. Prevost was born in 1955 in the South Side Chicago neighborhood of Bronzeville and grew up in suburban Dolton, near St. Mary of the Assumption, where he attended Mass and elementary school. He later studied theology at the Catholic Theological Union of Chicago in the Hyde Park neighborhood and taught in local Catholic schools, including at St. Rita High School. Dolton Mayor Jason House called purchasing the pope's childhood home a 'once-in-a-lifetime opportunity' during a Tuesday meeting of the Dolton Village Board. The childhood homes of other popes have often been turned into museums or pilgrimage sites. 'This is a proud moment for our village and an opportunity, and we want to make sure that we're doing it justice," he said. Yet several residents at Tuesday's meeting were skeptical about any benefit to taxpayers, questioning whether the financially strained village could afford to purchase the home and maintain the streets surrounding it. The board hired former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot to probe the village's finances last year, and she found Dolton's bank accounts had been depleted. The village was $3.65 million in debt and had unpaid bills piling up. Dolton gained national attention amid allegations of its former Mayor Tiffany Henyard's financial mismanagement, corruption and failure to follow state transparency laws by turning over spending and other records. 'Purchasing the pope's residence is admirable.' Dolton resident Mary Avent told the board on Tuesday. 'But with the state we're in right now, I guess my concern is, do we have the money?" House said he is committed to repairing the streets surrounding Prevost's childhood home and assured residents he understood their concerns. Still, he said the sale will likely close within two weeks. The house's listed owner did not immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday. 'We can either seize this moment going forward or we can let that moment go to an investor," House said. 'I would like our community to get the benefit of this opportunity.' Other board members echoed the mayor's excitement over the purchase, as some spoke of how the childhood homes of Michael Jackson and Martin Luther King Jr. offered economic opportunity to their communities. A recent post on the village's Facebook account showed workers repairing the house's roof and celebrated the home for 'bringing new energy and attention to our village.' Gino Ferrari, president of Windy City Construction Group, said he offered the full roof replacement for free to the current owner, saying he 'wanted to make sure this roof lasts a long time.' In front of the home, the company put up a sign with an image of Pope Leo XIV and the words 'Pope Leo's childhood home" and 'A roof for the pope's roots.' As crews worked on the roof Tuesday, they chatted with neighbors who offered them water and bike riders who traveled along the lakefront from Chicago to see the house. 'Dolton has been through a lot in the last few years, so this is such a great, positive moment for Dolton," Ferrari said. "The community seems pretty excited.'
CNN
02-07-2025
- Business
- CNN
Chicago suburb where Pope Leo XIV grew up poised to buy his childhood home
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.
