CHICAGO (AP) 鈥� 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 was elected Pope Francis' successor, the new pope's childhood home 鈥� a small, two-story house in Dolton, Illinois, about 20 miles (32 kilometers) south of 鈥� has drawn visitors from across the country with many treating it as a pilgrimage site.
made history by becoming the from the United States 鈥� a stunning decision that by flocking to churches and .
was born in 1955 in the South Side Chicago neighborhood of Bronzeville and grew up in suburban Dolton, near , where he attended Mass and elementary school. He later studied theology at the Catholic Theological Union of Chicago in the Hyde Park neighborhood and taught in local Catholic schools, including at St. Rita High School.
Dolton Mayor Jason House called purchasing the pope's childhood home a 鈥渙nce-in-a-lifetime opportunity鈥� during a Tuesday meeting of the Dolton Village Board. The childhood homes of other popes have often been turned into museums or pilgrimage sites.
鈥淭his is a proud moment for our village and an opportunity, and we want to make sure that we鈥檙e doing it justice," he said.
Yet several residents at Tuesday's meeting were skeptical 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鈥檚 finances last year, and she found Dolton鈥檚 bank accounts had been depleted. The village was $3.65 million in debt and had unpaid bills piling up.
Dolton 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.
鈥淧urchasing the pope鈥檚 residence is admirable.鈥� Dolton resident Mary Avent told the board on Tuesday. 鈥淏ut with the state we鈥檙e 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.
鈥淲e can either seize this moment going forward or we can let that moment go to an investor," House said. 鈥淚 would like our community to get the benefit of this opportunity.鈥�
Other board members echoed the mayor's excitement over the purchase, as some spoke of how the childhood homes of and 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 鈥渂ringing new energy and attention to our village.鈥�
Gino Ferrari, president of Windy City Construction Group, said he offered the full roof replacement for free to the current owner, saying he 鈥渨anted to make sure this roof lasts a long time.鈥� In front of the home, the company put up a sign with an image of Pope Leo XIV and the words 鈥漃ope Leo's childhood home" and 鈥淎 roof for the pope's roots.鈥�
As crews worked on the roof Tuesday, they chatted with neighbors who offered them water and bike riders who traveled along the lakefront from Chicago to see the house.
鈥淒olton 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.鈥�
Christine Fernando, The Associated Press
