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Business Standard
03-07-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
Pope Leo XIV's hometown okays childhood home buy, eyes village revival
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 AP 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-storey 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 neighbourhood 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 sceptical 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 neighbours who offered them water and bike riders who travelled 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. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)


The Independent
08-05-2025
- General
- The Independent
Catholic Chicagoans celebrate as native son Pope Leo XIV becomes first American pope
After white smoke billowed Thursday from the Sistine Chapel, signaling that a pope had been chosen, students in every classroom at The Frances Xavier Warde School in Chicago had their eyes glued to TV screens. As the image of the new pope, Chicago native Cardinal Robert Prevost, appeared onscreen, cheers erupted through the hallways. Children jumped out of their seats, pumping their hands in the air. 'Our students are just beside themselves," said Mary Perrotti, director of advancement at the school. 'They're beyond excited and can't believe a Chicagoan is their new pope. They were in awe.' Prevost, 69, took the name Leo XIV and replaced Pope Francis, who died last month. The first American elected pontiff, Pope Leo XIV was born and raised in Chicago before undertaking his ministry in Peru. Catholic Chicagoans gathered in churches and celebrated from their homes as the historic decision was announced. 'Our young people have a model now of a leader with justice and compassion at the heart of his ministries — and who is from their home,' Perrotti said. "It's such a deep feeling of connection for them.' Prevost was born in 1955 in the south side Chicago neighborhood of Bronzeville and grew up in suburban Dolton, where he attended Mass and elementary school at St. Mary of the Assumption. He later studied theology at the Catholic Theological Union of Chicago in Hyde Park and taught in local Catholic schools, including at St. Rita High School, according to the school. Linda Eickmann, 62, was also born and raised in Dalton and attended St. Mary's. When she saw the news of the new pope on TV, she screamed with joy. 'How cool is that?" she said. "A pope from my elementary school, from my town. It's unreal.' Eickmann remembered Prevost's family as being so deeply involved in the St. Mary's community that everyone knew their names. They ran sloppy joe sales to raise money for the school, and all their sons were altar boys, including Prevost. Everyone at St. Mary's knew Prevost wanted to be a priest one day, Eickmann said. Raul Raymundo, co-founder of a local community advocacy group called the Resurrection Project, said Thursday was a proud day for Chicagoans and hoped Pope Leo XIV will "continue Pope Francis' legacy and Chicago's legacy of social justice and compassion, especially in welcoming immigrants.' 'There's tears of joy, of hope, of motivation to rise to this moment and leave this world better than we found it," said Raymundo, an immigrant from Mexico who grew up in Chicago's Pilsen neighborhood. At Holy Name Cathedral, about two dozen people gathered to pray as light filtered in through the stained glass windows. Father Gregory Sakowicz, the cathedral's rector, said that when the new pope was announced, the sun came out in the city — a coincidence that he described as 'God's way of remaining anonymous.' He said he was 'happily shocked,' and that he had a burning question: Whether the new Pope was a White Sox fan? When a journalist in the crowd said she'd heard Pope Leo XIV is a Cubs fan, Sakowicz chuckled. 'God bless him,' he said. Social media also erupted with excitement over Pope Leo XIV's Chicago connection and people swapped memes and jokes about Chicago staples — deep-dish and tavern-style pizza, the Chicago liqueur Malort and baseball. Many users also proclaimed hope the new pope would represent Chicago's history of social justice. 'For Catholic Chicagoans, to have a native son who has been born and raised in a city where support and care of all has always been central to who we are as a city, it really speaks volumes," Perrotti said. "I truly believe his upbringing in Chicago informs his ministries, his compassion and sense of justice. Now, he can give the world a sense of who we are as a city.'