Latest news with #RobertPrevost
Fox News
3 days ago
- Sport
- Fox News
Pope Leo XIV gives autographed jersey to White Sox player from 2005 World Series team
In a reversal of roles, a fan has signed a jersey for a pro athlete. Pope Leo XIV had a signed jersey delivered to former Chicago White Sox great Paul Konerko. Chicago Archbishop Blase Cupich presented Konerko a jersey with the new pontiff's signature on the back during a ceremony before a game against the Cleveland Guardians. It had the six-time All-Star's last name and "Pope Leo" above the No. 14. Robert Prevost became the first pope from the U.S. in the history of the Catholic Church when he was elected May 8. The Chicago-born missionary, who took the name Leo XIV, is a White Sox fan. Prevost attended the 2005 World Series opener against Houston in Chicago. He watched from Section 140, Row 19, Seat 2 as the White Sox beat the Astros 5-3 on their way to a four-game sweep and their first title since 1917. Prevost was shown on the "MLB on FOX" broadcast for that game at U.S. Cellular Field Oct. 22, 2005, and the cameras caught him during the top of the ninth inning as the White Sox were clinching a 5-3 win over the Houston Astros. According to the White Sox, the pope attended the game with the late Ed Schmit, a family friend and season ticket holder. They knew each other through their work at a Catholic high school on Chicago's South Side, and Schmit's son, Nick, remains the account holder for the pope's World Series seat. Prevost was first revealed as a White Sox fan when his brother, John Prevost, mentioned it in an interview with WGN-TV. "He was always a Sox fan," John said. In May, the team unveiled a graphic installed near the seat paying tribute to Pope Leo and that moment. The pillar artwork features a waving Pope Leo XIV along with a picture from the TV broadcast of the future pope sitting with good Schmit and his grandson, Eddie. Members of the 2005 team are in Chicago this weekend to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the championship run. The White Sox debuted uniform patches honoring late closer Bobby Jenks, who died last week in Portugal, where he was being treated for stomach cancer. On Friday, the team unveiled a statue of former ace Mark Buehrle. Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
France 24
4 days 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
The Independent
4 days ago
- Business
- The Independent
Pope Leo's childhood home in Chicago sells for nearly double the asking price
Pope Leo XIV 's childhood home in Chicago has just sold – and for well over the initial asking price. Long before taking up residence in the Apostolic Palace this May, the pontiff – then known as Robert Prevost – grew up in a modest two-story, three-bedroom home in the south Chicago suburb of Dolton, Illinois. This week, the house on E. 142nd Place was sold to the village of Dolton at about 70 percent above the initial asking price, Steve Budzik, the agent representing the seller, told Bloomberg. The sale rounds off the home's journey since being placed on the market in January, months before Prevost, 69, emerged from the conclave as pope. The house was originally listed earlier this year for $219,000 after a local property developer bought it for $66,000 to renovate. After Leo stunned Americans and was elected pope on May 8, the seller pulled the home from the market and later announced a luxury auction, with a $250,000 opening bid. The village of Dolton ended up purchasing the property for $375,000, Budzik said. The average house price in Dolton is about $179,000, according to The village hopes to work with the Archdiocese of Chicago to turn the house into a landmark and 'a meaningful and valuable asset to our community.' 'I'm happy for the village,' Budzik said. 'I think they were the best buyer for that property, and it's great for win for them.' The village had previously considered using eminent domain to take ownership of Leo's former home before completing a deal to purchase the property this week. The Dolton board voted unanimously on July 1 to take control of the property with members calling it a 'once-in-a-lifetime opportunity' to do the home '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 the board meeting. Photos from the village of Dolton's Facebook page last week show contractors doing work on the property's roof. 'The Pope's House continues to draw in people, bringing new energy and attention to our village,' the caption read. Leo's grounded demeanor is often traced back to his modest upbringing in the suburbs of Chicago's South Side. He spent his early years in Dalton living with his parents and his elder brothers, Louis and John, with his upbringing rooted in Catholic faith and Midwestern values. The world's most famous White Sox fan attended local schools and was heavily involved in his parish from a young age. Some of those who went to St. Rita High School with the pontiff affectionately refer to him as 'Father Bob.'
Time Out
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out
A Pope Leo tour is coming to Chicago, showing off the new pope's hometown roots
Move over, mob tours—Chicago's newest sightseeing sensation is all about the real boss: the pope. Starting this August, the Chicago Pope Tour invites you to hop on a four-hour guided bus ride to explore the South Side roots of Pope Leo XIV, the first American-born pontiff and a proud son of the Windy City. Born Robert Prevost at Mercy Hospital and raised near Dolton in the St. Mary of the Assumption Church parish, Leo XIV's unlikely journey from Chicago kid to leader of the Catholic Church is the stuff of local legend. Now, it's a fully narrated experience, with pizza included. (Duh.) The tour starts and ends in Lincoln Park, looping through major stops from the pope's early life from his childhood home to his parish church and seminary. Guides share behind-the-scenes stories, lesser-known facts and even a few papal puns. "Before he led millions, the Pope was just another Chicagoan," the tour website said. "Our unique bus tour hits the real places where he lived, studied, prayed—and yes, ate." But what's a pilgrimage without pizza? Each ticket includes a slice at Aurelio's, the beloved south suburban institution and one of Leo's favorite haunts. They've even added a cheeky "Pope-a-Roni" pizza to the menu in his honor. (Despite the recent closure of their Chicago location, suburban pride still stands.) Tour tickets are $59 on weekdays and $79 on weekends. The price covers transportation, a live guide, bottled water and the aforementioned holy slice. Tours run rain or shine, and they do fill up fast—so punctuality and early booking are key. Whether you're a history buff, lapsed Catholic, Chicago superfan or just here for the pizza, the Chicago Pope Tour promises an unexpected, feel-good ride through one of the city's most quietly remarkable stories.
The Independent
07-07-2025
- General
- The Independent
Pope speaks about childhood and early mornings as an altar boy
Pope Leo XIV has, for the first time since becoming pontiff, offered a glimpse into his childhood, recalling his early days in Chicago. He shared how, from the tender age of six, he would rise early to serve as an altar boy at the 6.30am Mass before heading to school. These personal memories emerged during an unscripted visit with children of Vatican employees attending the Holy See's summer camp. They were joined by other young people, including Ukrainian children, participating in summer programmes run by Italy's Caritas charity. The unannounced event took place in the Vatican's main audience hall, which had been transformed with large inflatable bouncy castles for the estimated 600 children present. One of the young campers, Giulia, asked Leo if he used to go to Mass as a child. The former Robert Prevost, who grew up the youngest of three brothers in the south Chicago suburb of Dolton, said the family always went to Mass on Sundays. 'But starting from when I was around six years old, I was also an altar boy in the parish. And so before going to school – it was a parochial school – there was Mass at 6.30am,' he said. 'And Mom would wake us up and say 'We're going to Mass!' Because serving Mass was something we liked because starting from when I was young, they taught us that Jesus was always close to us.' Leo, who was born in 1955, recalled that at the time, Mass was celebrated in Latin. He said he had to learn it to serve Mass even before he made his First Communion, one of the key sacraments in the church. 'It wasn't so much the language that it was celebrated in but the experience of getting to know other kids who served the Mass together, the friendship, and this closeness with Jesus in the church,' he said. Leo's brother, John Prevost, has said his little brother knew from a very young age that he wanted to be a priest. Young Robert used to pretend to celebrate Mass using their mother's ironing board as an altar and Necco candies — a once-popular sweet — as Communion wafers. History's first American pope spoke in Italian, but he switched to English to address a group of Ukrainian children, some of whom held up Ukrainian flags and snagged Leo autographs. He spoke about the benefits of meeting people from different backgrounds, languages and lands. It was one of the first times Leo has spoken unscripted at length in public, responding to questions posed to him by the children. He has tended to stick to his prepared texts for his audiences so far in his young pontificate.
