With his hair neatly parted and a twinkle in his eye, young Robert Prevost, affectionately known as Bob, epitomized the image of a clean-cut Catholic school student. To his friends at St Mary of the Assumption School in Dolton, a suburb of Chicago, he was a charming “trickster,” known for his playful pranks on classmates, often under the watchful eyes of nuns. Little did they know, this mischievous boy would one day become Pope Leo XIV, attracting the attention of the world as he stood on the balcony of St Peter’s Basilica.
Pope Leo XIV's journey began on the South Side of Chicago, where he was born in 1955. With a rich heritage that includes Spanish, French, and Italian ancestry, he hails from New Orleans’ Creole population. After completing his foundational education, he earned a degree in mathematics from Villanova University in Pennsylvania. His early aspirations seemed far removed from the papacy, as he and his friends dreamed of sports stardom or political careers. Yet, even then, there were whispers of his ambition to become Pope.
As he matured, Prevost entered the Augustines, a Catholic religious order established in 1244. He returned to Chicago to lead its Midwestern Province in 1999, later becoming the head of the order. However, his tenure was not without controversy; he faced backlash for allegedly moving an accused pedophile priest into a friary without notifying a local school. In 2014, Pope Francis appointed him as Bishop of Chiclayo in Peru, a position he held until his recent elevation to cardinal in 2023.
Former classmates fondly remember Pope Leo as the “smartest person in the class,” with one friend, Joe Merigold, recalling how he would often poke him with a pencil from across the desk. “He definitely has a sense of humour,” Merigold reflected. Another classmate, Father William Lego, acknowledged Prevost’s intelligence, emphasizing that he was a remarkable student who retained an incredible amount of information.
As news of his papacy spread, Chicago embraced Pope Leo XIV as its beloved son. One burning question arose among residents: Which baseball team did he support—the Cubs or the White Sox? His brother revealed that Pope Leo is a White Sox fan, prompting the team to celebrate with a billboard declaring, “Hey Chicago, he’s a Sox fan.” The local fast-food scene also joined in the festivities, with the Wieners Circle proudly announcing, “Canes nostros ipse comedit” (Latin for “he has eaten our dogs”).
Pope Leo XIV’s childhood home, located about 20 miles from Chicago's bustling downtown, has since become a site of pilgrimage. The small building, once a family residence, now serves as a shrine as media worldwide descend upon it. In Dolton, where the local church has been closed for over a decade, memories of the past intertwine with hopes for the future. “He’s the first Pope without a home church to return to,” remarked Michael Geagan, who served as an altar boy alongside him.
As residents of Dolton hope that Pope Leo's rise will rejuvenate interest in Catholicism, some entrepreneurs are already capitalizing on the papal connection. Reports surfaced of a local homeowner auctioning off tours of the Pope's childhood home for a staggering $3,500. John Prevost, the Pope's brother, reflected on their childhood dreams, noting that Prevost never truly believed he would ascend to the papacy, despite the odds being stacked in his favor.
As Pope Leo XIV stood before the crowds at St Peter’s Square, he appeared visibly contemplative, embodying the weight of his new responsibilities. Family friend Scott Kuzminski observed, “He didn’t say anything for about two minutes, and I could see him just steeling his face.” In that moment, the boy from Dolton transformed into a leader of millions, ready to embrace his calling.
Pope Leo XIV’s remarkable journey from a playful Chicago youth to the papacy is a testament to the unpredictable paths of life. His story resonates not only with the people of Chicago but also with Catholics around the world, inspiring hope and faith in a new era of leadership.
