Following a unanimous vote by the Dolton Village Board this Tuesday, the south Chicago suburb is gearing up to acquire a piece of history: the childhood home of Pope Leo XIV. Elected in May as Pope Francis's successor, and notably, the first American pontiff, Pope Leo XIV, formerly Cardinal Robert Prevost, has inadvertently placed his modest Dolton dwelling in the spotlight, enticing pilgrims from various locales to visit the two-story sanctuary situated some 20 miles south of Chicago. According to Chicago Sun-Times, visitors have flooded in, treating the home as a pilgrimage site. Dolton's own mayor, Jason House, framed the acquisition as a "once-in-a-lifetime opportunity" in a meeting that raised both the village's pride and prickly financial concerns.
However, no financial endeavor comes without its questioning critics, especially when the town is wrestling with a \$3.65 million-sized fiscal albatross. Unpaid bills and depleted coffers are hardly the twin pillars of stability, which a report by former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, delving into Dolton's troubled accounts, starkly underscored. Sidelined by allegations of financial misdeeds against its former Mayor Tiffany Henyard, Dolton's national profile has been, until now, marred by controversy. "Purchasing the pope’s residence is admirable," Dolton resident Mary Avent addressed to the board, as reported by The Independent, "But with the state we’re in right now, I guess my concern is, do we have the money?"
With an unwavering commitment to the village's renewal, Mayor House assured attendees of his plan to refurbish the roads hemming in the pope's former abode. And while apprehension certainly rode shotgun during Tuesday's meeting, excitement was not altogether extinguished. Comparisons to the economic windfalls reaped from the childhood homes of Michael Jackson and Martin Luther King Jr. were drawn, illustrating opportunities that could arise from such a cultural landmark. Indeed, recent village Facebook posts brim with a renewed vigor, sparked by renovations like a significant roof replacement contributed by Gino Ferrari, head of Windy City Construction Group, which he dispensed pro bono.
Ferrari placed a sign outside the home, emblazoning "Pope Leo’s childhood home" with the tagline, "A roof for the pope’s roots." Engaging with the local community, as crews fixed the roof, neighbored by locals who offered water, and folks cycling in from Chicago to view the house, Ferrari conveyed to Chicago Sun-Times a sense of optimism, "Dolton has been through a lot in the last few years, so this is such a great, positive moment for Dolton. The community seems pretty excited."
