'I flipped out, I said no way!' - Chicago celebrates hometown Pope
Summary
Residents of Chicago, especially Catholics, are excited about the election of Pope Leo XIV, who grew up on the city's South Side and served as an altar boy at St Mary's of the Assumption. The choice of an American pope brings hope for rejuvenating the Catholic Church in the U.S., despite its declining influence and attendance in recent years.Key Facts
- Pope Leo XIV, formerly Cardinal Robert Prevost, grew up in Chicago's South Side.
- The church where he served as an altar boy, St Mary's of the Assumption, is now in disrepair.
- The Catholic Church's influence in U.S. cities like Chicago has decreased, with falling attendance and closed schools.
- Catholics are about 20% of the U.S. population, down from 24% at the century's start.
- Pope Leo XIV attended a local school where he was known as a top student and aspired to be a priest.
- His father was a school administrator, and his mother was a librarian; they bought their home in 1949.
- The Midwest Augustinians, a group Pope Leo once led, released a list of priests accused of abuse in 2024 after public pressure.
Read the Full Article
This is a fact-based summary from The Actual News. Click below to read the complete story directly from the original source.