With the surprise election of Pope Leo XIV, who now holds the distinction as the first American-born pope, Chicagoans have turned their attention to a set of vacant buildings that hold a personal connection to the pontiff's past, St. Mary of the Assumption Roman Catholic Church, where Leo spent his formative years as a parishioner. This Far South Side church, now empty and in need of repair, has captured the fascination of many following the papal news.
Last week's revelation came to Joe Hall, a local non-profit entrepreneur, who in 2020 purchased the church property at auction to establish a home for his social services initiative, JBlendz Enterprises—Hall shared his vision for the campus to house various programs from solar energy education to DJ apprenticeship, according to Chicago Sun-Times. With emotions running high, Hall recounted, "And then my phone starts blowing up,” he said. “My wife has been calling, my mom’s been calling, and one of my friends that lives in the area called and said, ‘Hey, something happened at the [church] building. ... There’s a lot of news cameras down there and police officers. There’s some people out standing outside. I don’t know what’s going on.’" as he told Chicago Sun-Times.
The influx of Chicago-area Catholics into St. Mary's, a modest brick-and-limestone edifice seated at 138th and Leyden Avenue, reflects a potent mixture of pride and nostalgia. Local believers have been drawn to the site for prayer and reflection, as captured by NBC Chicago, which showcased photographs of the faithful within the deteriorating confines of the church. The current condition of the church shows noticeable signs of decay, both inside and out.
Hall sees the papal connection as a serendipitous boon to his restorative efforts, hoping for a momentum that can bring life and purpose back to the structures—the total revitalization's estimate skirting around $800,000 to $900,000 but Hall maintains, "I think with the right resources and the right people, things can be preserved" as he stated to Chicago Sun-Times. Moreover, Landmarks Illinois has echoed the sentiment of preservation through their advocacy manager, Kendra Parzen, who advocates that such vacant landmarks "continue to serve the surrounding community in a new way — as a community center, arts facility, or even as housing."
In addition to the parishioners' heartfelt visits; Preservation Chicago's Executive Director Ward Miller is pushing for the city to establish a thematic landmark district, which would not only enshrine the former parish but also other sites connected to Chicago's newly anointed papal figure, with Miller arguing, "We need to protect these buildings, communities and stories in Chicago, much like Rome [does]," in his communication with Chicago Sun-Times.
