The hometown of Pope Leo XIV buys his childhood house in the United States

The town of Dolton, a suburb of Chicago in Illinois (USA), bought the childhood house of Pope Leo XIV for $ 375,000 on Tuesday, July 8, after the unanimous approval of the purchase by the Municipal Board.

The newly elected mayor of Dolton, Jason House, announced on July 10 that a Steering Committee will be formed to plan how to manage property, which will become a historical site open to the public. He pointed out that the committee will then present the plans to the members of the Board and the community.

House summoned the extraordinary vote of July 1, which was unanimous, after listening to the members of the Board and allowing the public to express. Several neighbors opposed the purchase, due to the difficult economic situation of the people.

Given the complaints of Dolton’s residents for the deteriorated state of the streets and the high debt of the municipality, House defended the acquisition of the childhood house of the first Pope born in the United States, Robert Francis Prevost – now Pope Leo XIV -, stating that “eventually it will be paid alone” and qualifying it as a “historical opportunity”.

Dolton, a town that prospered during the industrial boom of the second half of the twentieth century, has suffered an economic decline since the 1980s. According to census data, per capita income is $ 29,776 and 20% of its inhabitants live in poverty.

Councilor Edward Steave highlighted the “buses full of people” who have arrived in the town to see the house, located in 212 E. 141st Place, from the election of the Pope, underlining the economic benefits that the historical site can bring to the community.

Also recognizing citizens’ concerns, councilor Kiana Belcher asked them “to be with us when making this decision, because we know it will benefit the entire people.”

For his part, Councilor Stanley Brown, who is not Catholic, but Christian, expressed his desire to “support Catholics.” “I believe that we have been given to us, and I believe in waiting in the Lord. He is here to strengthen our people, so let’s not miss this opportunity!” He said.

“We have been relegated to the last row … and now we have the opportunity to go to the front. We cannot let this opportunity escape,” Brown said.

The lawyer of the municipality, Burt Odelson, agreed and told CNA – an English assistance of Ewtn News – that “a world of opportunities” has been opened for this suburb, “like no other place in the world.”

“Things are only going to improve for the people of Dolton,” he said.

On the People’s Facebook page, photos of the house were published on July 1 receiving a new roof, financed by a donor, according to Odelson.

“The Pope’s house continues to attract visitors, bringing new energy and attention to our people. This increase in trafficking represents a new dawn for Dolton – potential, progress and promises,” the municipality wrote in their account.

After the meeting, Mayor House told the press that he expected the house to “become its definitive form” within 30 to 60 days after the purchase.

House indicated that the people will have the support of “several alliances”, possibly in reference to the Chicago archdiocese.

As for the next steps, Odelson explained that the municipality has investigated how the houses of old potatoes in other countries are preserved. Last month, he told CNA that he was in contact with a “high level” person in the archdiocese who was helping to “guide” the people in their goal of preserving historical housing.

The Chicago archdiocese did not respond to the request for comments of CNA before the closing of the publication.

In June, Odelson declared that once the house was bought, the municipality would establish a non -profit beneficial organization to raise funds aimed at preserving the house and revitalizing the neighborhood.

“It is a unique opportunity in life to preserve what many consider a sacred place,” Odelson told CNA. “We have to do well and do not have resources. We need external support.”

According to Odelson, people “from all over the United States have already offered to help preserve the house”, and the creation of the charity will allow them to do so.

After the election of the Pope in May, Odelson and House declared that the city intended to buy the modest brick house of three bedrooms and 97 square meters, which had been for sale since January.

The real estate agent Steve Budzik told CNA in May that, when the owner – the renovator of houses Pawel Radzik – discovered that the house that had remodeled belonged to the new Pope, withdrew it from the market to “rethink” the situation.

Then, Radzik listing her again for an auction through the firm Paramount Realty. The auction was scheduled to close on June 17, but it expanded a month “to close the negotiations with the municipality of Dolton,” Odelson said in June.

The final sale price was $ 375,000, much less than a million dollars that Budzik had estimated as a possible auction value.

Translated and adapted by ACI Press. Originally published in CNA.