Chicago honors "Da Pope," a local figure of affection.
Filling hearts with joy: Pope Leo XIV's humble beginnings have brought a new magnet for pilgrims to Dolton, Illinois, where his childhood home now serves as a makeshift shrine.
Ever since the Vatican announced the election of Robert Francis Prevost, a Chicago-born cardinal with a career primarily in Peru, as the new leader of the Roman Catholic Church, interested visitors have been streaming to the brick bungalow situated on East 141st Place.
"I grew up in a house just like this," said 77-year-old Bob Castagna, a lawyer from St. John, Indiana, who has worked for the church and is originally from New York. His wife, Susan Castagna, 76, from Oregon, added, "It's like coming close to a person who's close to Jesus, close to God."
Marilyn Awong, a Dolton resident, likened the house to a magnet, and the owner managed to catch her interest. Awong revealed that he told her his wife was pregnant with a boy, suggesting he consider the name Leo. "It's pretty awesome that this house is in Dolton," Awong shared. "It's really positive for the village."
Neighbor Donna Sagna set up solemn Italian prayer music to welcome pilgrims to the now sacred site for Catholics around the world. She explained, "My idea is to support people in our community who connect with God in some way." Sagna expressed gratefulness for the prayers that drew her closer to the pope.
As Dolton continues to struggle with high crime rates and recover from a political scandal, having this connection to the pope brings hope for the community. Former neighbor Sagna emphasized, "It used to be violent over here, even in the pope's house. But we prayed and we prayed, and (now) it's better."
She displayed a cross outside the pope's house bearing the faces of Trayvon Martin, Tamir Rice, Eric Garner, Michael Brown, and other Black individuals whose deaths sparked national debates on police brutality and racial injustice. Sagna added, "I'm honored that I can be a testament. I can tell everyone about my prayer life and how great God is."
'Completely mind-blown'
The spectacle of devotion didn't go unnoticed by the pope's older brothers, Louis and John Prevost. Louis expressed his awe, saying, "It's just mind-blowing that my brother was elected pope," while John Prevost jokingly advised his brother to watch the movie 'Conclave' to know what to expect.
Pope Leo's spiritual foundation can be credited to the St. Mary of the Assumption Church on 137th Street, Riverdale, Chicago – a bustling church and school that once stood on the Chicago-Dolton border during the 1960s. Enshrouded in decay, the current state of the church serves as a stark reminder of the struggles that Pope Leo XIV faces to breathe life into a church reeling from sexual abuse scandals and decades of dwindling active worshippers in the U.S.
0 seconds of 1 minute, 43 secondsVolume 90%Press shift question mark to access a list of keyboard shortcutsKeyboard ShortcutsPlay/PauseSPACEIncrease Volume↑Decrease Volume↓Seek Forward→Seek Backward←Captions On/OffcFullscreen/Exit FullscreenfMute/UnmutemDecrease Caption Size-Increase Caption Size+ or =Seek %0-9 Live00:0001:4301:43'Completely mind-blown': Brother admits to jokingly advising Pope Leo XIV01:43Dolton, IL – As Pope Leo XIV embarks on his historic journey as the first American-born pope, his older brother, Louis Prevost, cannot help but feel awestruck. In a candid conversation with NBC News, Louis admitted that he was still "completely mind-blown" by his brother's meteoric rise to the highest position in the Roman Catholic Church. Despite the family's initial excitement and anticipation, Louis confessed that the enormity of the responsibility that comes with being pope was starting to sink in.
"I want him to know that we're here for him," Louis expressed, "Regardless of the challenges he'll face, we'll always be there to support him."
During his childhood, Louis recalled, the future pope was known for his charisma, intelligence, and compassion. The siblings would often joke that he'd become pope someday, an idea they attributed to Leo's unwavering devotion to his faith. "He really was born for this," Louis mused. "I can't wait to see what he accomplishes."
For now, the Prevost family is just <
With tentative plans to visit Leo during the coming weeks, Louis and his loved ones look forward to witnessing history in the making, sharing in a journey steeped in faith, family, and a powerful ambition to inspire hope.
- Louis Prevost, the older brother of Pope Leo XIV, confessed his amazement, saying, "I'm completely mind-blown that my brother was elected as the first American-born pope."
- Amidst the plans for a family visit to the pope, Louis shared, "I can't wait to see him bring positive change to the Church and the world. We're proud of him, beaming with love and admiration for the man leading the largest Christian denomination in the world."[Here, instead of 'I can't wait to see' we can replace with something like 'anticipate seeing', or 'look forward to seeing'][In the second sentence, we can emphasize the remark about the pope being the largest Christian denomination by using a more descriptive sentence like, "...leading the massive global Christian organization."]
