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Daily Mail
16-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Surprising reason why Pope Leo's childhood home is up for sale in 'luxury auction'
If your current home is lacking a touch of the Catholic spirit, then this listing may be your dream come true. Newly-elected Pope Leo's childhood home in Chicago is up for sale via a 'luxury private auction,' with a reserve price of $250,000 and an auction date set for June 18. The humble abode, located in the suburb of Dolton, was taken off the market after Cardinal Robert Prevost's election last week, but as per the Zillow listing, the childhood home of Pope Leo XIV is up for sale once again - presumably in a bid to cash in on his election. Touted as a 'Piece of Papal History,' the home has been described as a 'truly one-of-a-kind opportunity.' 'This beautifully updated home isn't just a charming three-bedroom, three-bathroom residence... It's the childhood home of Pope Leo XIV, the first American Pope in history,' the description reads. It then goes on to tell the backstory of the single-story home, tempting potential buyers with the 'rare chance to own a tangible piece of his inspiring legacy.' 'Born Robert Francis Prevost in Chicago and raised right here in Dolton, Pope Leo XIV's journey from this humble neighborhood to the Vatican is a testament to faith, perseverance, and purpose,' the listing relayed. Pope Leo's home features a freshly renovated interior, but still offers a 'modern touch while maintaining its original character.' 'With three generously sized bedrooms and full bathrooms on both the main and upper levels, the layout is both functional and inviting,' it continued. 'A touch of personalization to the exterior and landscape will unlock this home's full potential. 'The spacious backyard provides the perfect setting for outdoor relaxation, gatherings, or creative landscaping projects. Whether you're a homeowner searching for a meaningful space to call your own or an investor looking for a property with historical significance and high potential, this is an opportunity like no other.' The 69-year-old, who is first American Pope in history, lived in the house for two decades with his father Louis, a teacher, and librarian mother Mildred and two brothers. The family is believed to have sold the property after the death of the Chicago-born Pope's parents. Mildred died in 1990 and Louis in 1997. The brick bungalow was put on the market for $245,957 on May 5, but was immediately removed again once the Pope was appointed. Estate agent Steve Budzik said the home's owner, who wishes to remain anonymous, was at a doctor's appointment with his pregnant wife when the Pope's appointment was announced. 'He was like, "This is great. This is better than winning a lotto ticket,"' Budzik said. 'I say one in a million [chance of this happening] but it's more in the billions. You'd have a better chance of winning the lotto.' The owner, an electrician, purchased the property in May 2024 for $66,000 and carried out extensive renovations. According to neighbors, the home had fallen into disrepair and had been used as a drug den by previous owners. 'The last couple of years I was pulling my hair out. One family was selling drugs right here and then a second family moved in and there was a lot of violence and fighting and shooting,' Donna Sagna, 50, who lives next door, previously told The Mail on Sunday. An earlier buyer had made a $219,000 offer in April but backed out. One neighbor said the price of the home 'will skyrocket' after the Chicago native's appointment. 'It must be worth at least double now, if not more,' she said. 'Hopefully this will be good for all of us. This isn't a great area so we needed this.'
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Pope Leo XIV: Why the College of Cardinals chose Chicago native and Augustinian to lead the church
Newly elected Pope Leo XIV appears on the central loggia of St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican shortly after his election as pontiff on May 8. (AP Photo/Domenico Stinellis) When 69-year-old Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost appeared on the main balcony of St. Peter's Basilica for the first time as Pope Leo XIV on May 8, he was cheered loudly by the huge crowd of pilgrims, tourists, local Catholics and other onlookers who had waited hours for the first sign of white smoke and the official announcement. As a specialist in Catholic history and ritual, I know how important this moment was for Catholics and others all over the world. A new pope brings with him a sense of excitement often mixed with uncertainty. But the choice of the College of Cardinals came as a surprise to some. Prevost is the first pope from the United States, and, traditionally, the European-dominated College of Cardinals has had reservations about choosing a cardinal from the U.S. for fear of too much American influence in the church. So, who is Prevost, and what might have influenced the cardinals' vote? Born in Chicago, Illinois, Prevost joined a Catholic religious order at the age of 20: the Order of St. Augustine, called Augustinians, founded in the 13th century. Instead of withdrawing from the world in isolated monasteries, members of this order travel as mendicants to aid the poor as well as serve as missionaries and teachers. Prevost studied theology in the U.S. and Rome, and as a newly ordained priest he spent a year in Peru. After a short return to the U.S. as an official of the Augustinian order in Illinois, he returned to Peru as a seminary professor to teach canon law, the legal structure of the Catholic Church. He would stay in Peru for the next 10 years. In 1999, he became the prior — that is, the head — of the local Augustinian province in Chicago and was later elected prior of the worldwide Augustinian order. This gave him a truly global experience, since the Augustinians had some 50 communities spread across every continent. In 2015, Pope Francis appointed him bishop for the Diocese of Chiclayo in Peru. In 2019, Francis appointed him a member of several important Vatican dicasteries, or departments, where he became familiar with the central church administration. Most importantly, he served as prefect, or chairman, on the Dicastery for Bishops. In fact, because of his lengthy pastoral experience in Peru and service at the Vatican, some commentators had noted before Prevost was chosen that if the cardinals were to elect an American pope, it would be him. His service on the Dicastery for Bishops was considered especially important, since members play a key role in selecting new bishops. During the 20th century, especially after the Second Vatican Council — a series of meetings of the world's bishops to modernize the church, ending in 1965 — the popes began to name cardinals from other parts of the world that were previously considered to be on the periphery of the Catholic Church. This led to popes being chosen from outside of Italy for the first time in centuries. Pope St. John Paul II was Polish and the first non-Italian pope since the 16th century. Pope Benedict XVI was another non-Italian, born in Germany, who had served as a Vatican official. Pope Francis was born in South America to parents who were Italian-born immigrants to Argentina. The College of Cardinals, which had few representatives from other continents until recently, is now much more international. Some 80% of the cardinal electors were named by Francis, many from countries that had never before had a cardinal. In reviewing his record, the cardinal electors might have taken a number of factors into account. Prevost would be an effective administrator as head of the church and was an expert in church canon law. He had decades of experience doing pastoral work in South America, as well as in North America. And as prior general of the entire Augustinian order, he would likely have traveled widely to visit many of the communities he supervised. The new pope appeared on the Vatican balcony wearing the traditional papal garments: white cassock, short red cape, decorated red and gold stole, and golden cross hanging around his neck. Francis, on the other hand, had appeared dressed in the plain white cassock of a pope. Certainly, he had not chosen the simplicity of Francis. Was this a sign that he would be more of a traditionalist? His choice of a papal name, I believe, could indicate a different point of view. Pope Leo XIII wrote a groundbreaking encyclical in 1891, 'Rerum Novarum,' subtitled 'On Dignity and Labor.' In this he stressed the rights of workers to unionize and criticized the conditions in which they worked and lived. He also championed other rights the ordinary worker deserved from their bosses and from their government. In his first remarks from the balcony, offering a glimpse into the direction of his papacy, Leo XIV stressed the role of Catholics and the church as peacemakers and bridge-builders, in dialogue with other religious traditions and cultures. His first words were 'Peace be with you all,' describing this peace as 'a disarmed peace, a disarming peace.' He further urged Catholics to act together 'without fear … united with one another … to build bridges' through dialogue and outreach — to bring peace to the world. He may not follow exactly in Francis' footsteps, but he will likely continue walking in the same direction. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Joanne M. Pierce is a professor emerita of religious studies at College of the Holy Cross. Through its opinion section, Kansas Reflector works to amplify the voices of people who are affected by public policies or excluded from public debate. Find information, including how to submit your own commentary, here.
