An Illinois village has voted to purchase the childhood home of the first American pope, with a trustee saying the acquisition of the property is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and a gift from God.
The village of Dolton, Illinois, located just south of Chicago, held a special board meeting Tuesday night where the Board of Trustees voted unanimously to purchase the childhood home of Pope Leo XIV.
The agenda for Tuesday’s special meeting listed the discussion and approval of the purchase of 212 East 141st Place and 200 East 141st Place as the first order of business.
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Residents expressed concern about the purchase in light of the village’s financial condition. Last year, the board hired former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot to analyze the village’s finances, who found that the village was $3.65 million in debt with mounting unpaid bills.
Noting that “some are talking about the repair of our streets, current infrastructure and back bills,” Mayor Jason House stressed that the village was “fully committed” to addressing those concerns.
“This does not derail from our intention, our drive and what we are going to do to repair the streets,” he added, referring to the purchase of Leo XIV’s childhood home. House described the village’s acquisition of the property as a “historic moment.” According to House, “We want to make sure that we’re doing it justice. We are honoring those that are members of this faith.”
Insisting that “this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” House maintained that “We can either seize this moment and move it forward or we can let that moment go to an investor.”
“I would like for our community to get the benefits of this opportunity,” he said.
“We have enterprise zones, historic land districts,” he explained. “The opportunities that have come across have been numerous.”
House detailed how the “opportunities for historic zones” can result in the village receiving “state and congressional funds that will come into this town.” Trustee Edward Steave elaborated on the likely benefits of acquiring the property, based on his conversations about what has happened to houses that once belonged to previous popes.
“Our lawyer just gave us what has [gone] on to the other pope’s [houses] throughout the world and this type of … traffic that it produces for that city,” he said.
Steve discussed how the house has attracted “constant busloads in and out of” the village. Additional comments made by trustees highlighted the benefits of residences of other famous people, including Michael Jackson’s former home in Gary, Indiana, and Martin Luther King Jr.’s childhood home in Atlanta, Georgia, which have become tourist attractions.
Trustee Stanley Brown suggested that God had given Dolton an opportunity to “strengthen our town” by purchasing the pope’s childhood home. Images shared on the Village of Dolton’s Facebook page on Tuesday night, shortly after the meeting concluded, echoed many of the sentiments expressed by members of the Board of Trustees and the mayor, stating, “The Pope’s House continues to draw in people, bringing new energy and attention to our village.”
“This increased traffic represents a new day in Dolton — full of potential, progress, and promise,” the village added. Images show a roof replacement taking place at the property and members of the media gathered in front of it.
The real estate website Zillow notes the home last sold for $131,900 in January 2019. Pictures of the 3-bedroom, 2-bathroom property show that it has undergone significant updates since its construction in 1949, including during Pope Leo’s childhood in the 1960s.
The village of Dolton’s move to purchase the property comes less than two months after Robert Francis Prevost became the first-ever American head of the Roman Catholic Church earlier this year, taking the name Leo XIV.
Ryan Foley is a reporter for The Christian Post. He can be reached at: ryan.foley@christianpost.com
