Latest news with #Augustinian
USA Today
3 days ago
- Business
- USA Today
House divided: Who will get Pope Leo's childhood home outside Chicago?
House divided: Who will get Pope Leo's childhood home outside Chicago? There's a growing schism in the first American pope's hometown. At stake is who will take Leo's childhood home and how much it will cost them. An auction for the house closes June 18. Show Caption Hide Caption JD Vance gives Pope Leo a special American gift Pope Leo XIV was given a Bears jersey by Vice President JD Vance at their first official meeting. DOLTON, IL – There's a rift growing in the Chicagoland hometown of America's first pope. Not over what baseball team will get his blessing. Or whether the area's anti-ketchup stance could become canon. But over his childhood home. Pope Leo XIV was born in Chicago in 1955 and grew up in a squat brick house just south of the city in the Village of Dolton, a town that boomed in the post-war era but has become blighted like many Rust Belt towns. The fate of the little ranch house at 212 E. 141st Pl. where he played priest, however, is up in the air. Local leaders want it for Dolton. The owner wants to auction it off to the highest bidder. 'This isn't just a local purchase, this is a global purchase, a global opportunity,' Steve Budzik, the owner's real estate broker, told USA TODAY. 'We knew if we put it on the open market that might attract the bidder who would be willing to pay the most.' Paramount Realty, the New York-based company behind the auction, is known for auctioning off the childhood home of President Donald Trump for over $2 million. Other properties it is currently selling include a castle in Pennsylvania appraised at $1.9 million and a Long Island house designed by architect Richard Meier that previously sold for $9.45 million. Dolton officials are threatening to get a judge to force owner Paweł Radzik to sell them the house. They aim to use it for the village, although they haven't said exactly how. The process of government claiming private property for public use is called eminent domain. 'I can think of no better public use than to preserve the house for the public to see and use so we meet the definition,' Village attorney Burt Odelson told USA TODAY. 'It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for all of us in the United States.' The Dolton-raised pontiff's election comes as his hometown has experienced a few rough decades amid a loss of manufacturing jobs and a corrupt mayor who racked up massive debts for the village of about 20,000. People in the village hope Leo's connection to it will spark its resurrection. Dolton's revival would center around the house where then-Robert Francis Prevost learned his faith from his parents and brothers. 'We talk about how he might have been formed by being an Augustinian and a missionary in Peru, but how about as a child of the suburbs,' said Father Stephen Koeke, a University of Notre Dame professor. 'His upbringing looks like that of so many Americans and if he was able to grow up in this context and pursue holiness . . . Well, maybe we too can do it.' Resurrection of Dolton: Can Pope Leo XIV bring glory back to his hometown? The tussle over the leader of the Catholic church's childhood home presents a uniquely American clash, according to legal experts and scholars, over the nation's near sacrosanct beliefs in property rights enshrined by the Constitution. 'Here in the United States, we have very strong feelings about the right to own and possess property and do with it what you want,' said Allison K. Bethel, a clinical law professor at the University of Illinois Chicago. 'The power to just come in and take it away runs counter to that. But when you think about it, doing so also goes all the way back to taking property from the Native Americans. This is how we do it here in America.' Auctioneer Paramount Realty opened up the house to bids on May 15, according to Budzik. Bidding closes on June 18, according to the listing. The minimum bid is $250,000. What's a pope's house worth? The first American pope's childhood home had been on the market for about four months at $219,000 when Leo became pope. Budzik took down the listing within days. The future pope's parents bought the house when it was completed in 1949 and held onto it until 1996, according to Cook County property records. Leo lived there until moving away for high school to a seminary school in Michigan. Radzik bought the 1,050 square-foot house for $66,000 in 2024, according to Cook County property records. It looks like countless others that went up across the nation in the postwar era, including a nearly identical squat brick home about a block away that Budzik listed for $175,000. But he remodeled the interior into a three-bedroom, three-bathroom home. The remodeling means the interior looks nothing like it did when Leo lived there, dissauding Radzik from wanting to be responsible for turning it into a museum. 'It sounds great in theory,' said Budzik. 'But I said, 'Paweł, are you going to do the research and find what cabinets were popular in the 1960s?' It would probably cost double what it took him to renovate it to 2025 standards.' Budzik said that he hopes a buyer would honor Leo's legacy. 'A truly one-of-a-kind opportunity—this beautifully updated home isn't just a charming 3-bedroom, 3-bathroom residence…it's the childhood home of Pope Leo XIV, the first American Pope in history,' reads the brochure which includes Leo's seal. 'Pope Leo XIV's journey from this humble neighborhood to the Vatican is a testament to faith, perseverance, and purpose. Now, you have the rare chance to own a tangible piece of his inspiring legacy.' Can Dolton claim the house? Dolton's path to claiming eminent domain over the house will be difficult, according to legal experts. The concept of eminent domain dates back to Ancient Rome, according to University of California Irvine professor Alejandro E. Camacho. Crucially, governments have to prove that the private property will serve a public purpose. Typical cases in the U.S. involve situations where government says it needs a particular property to build a road or park. Dolton will have a hard time meeting the standard of public purpose because the village only decided to go after the property in response to the news about its connection to Leo, according to Camacho. A judge granting Dolton eminent domain power would create a 'slippery slope' for future eminent domain cases, Camacho said. 'The reason they seem to be saying is 'The pope's home is valuable and we want in on that action,'' Camacho said. 'Why wouldn't the city just take every piece of property that's valuable and flip it?' Leo's status as pope only complicates the issue in a country where the government is not supposed to endorse a particular religion. 'If it was Abe Lincoln's house maybe you could argue there's federal laws implicated but the historical value is wrapped up so much in an individual religion,' Camacho said. 'I don't know if it runs afoul but it's at least worth saying it raises questions.' What happened with other popes' childhood homes? Other papal childhood homes have sparked the flourishing of unknown small towns, according to a USA TODAY survey of Leo's predecessors. The feeling in Dolton that Leo's childhood home could potentially bring an economic boom to the area is borne out in the hometowns of other popes. Wadowice, the town of around 17,500 in Poland where Pope John Paul II was raised, has benefited massively, according to Piotr Polak, a guide at the museum in John Paul's childhood home. 'There are at least a dozen of Wadowice-like towns in southern Poland,' Polak told USA TODAY from Poland. 'None of them is visited by hundreds of thousands of tourists from around the globe.' Polak said the museum in the tenement where then-Karol Wojtyła grew up opened in 1984. Around 200,000 people visit the museum annually, according to Polak. 'Without the figure of JP2 there would be next to no one from outside the local region here,' said the guide. 'One of the biggest blessings the town has is the fact that Karol Wojtyła had spent the first 18 years of his life here.' Pilgrims began arriving at the tenement almost immediately when John Paul became pope in 1978, according to Polak. A local priest helped the family find another place to live. Eventually the town and local church leaders then converted the tenement into a museum and a Polish businessman bought the building and donated it to the church. What Dolton wants Pilgrims from around the country began arriving at Leo's old house in Dolton when the Chicagoland pontiff was announced on May 8. For those in Leo's old neighborhood it came as a complete surprise when they saw the beatific looks on their faces as they regarded the little brick house in the middle of the block. 'This was a house that was not at all peaceful,' said nextdoor neighbor Donna Sagna, recalling days when the area was a hotbed of drug dealing and violence. Sagna, 50, hopes the pope's house can be the start of a completely different outlook for the block and the people of Dolton. The little town has struggled immensely since Leo's exodus. Dolton had a dozen murders in 2023, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner's office. About 20,000 people live in the village, meaning the homicide rate is about 10 times the national average. According to census data, the average income in the area is under $30,000. About a fifth of the population lives in poverty. 'I want to see this as a landmark with programs for the community, for people who are struggling,' said Sagna. 'I'd like to see that kind of change. Then the violence will come down.'
Irish Independent
4 days ago
- General
- Irish Independent
Augustinian church in New Ross in danger of falling into ‘further decay' unless council takes action
New Ross Standard Today at 20:00 The Augustinian buildings in New Ross should not be allowed to fall into 'further decay' according to local councillor John Dwyer. Speaking at the June meeting of the New Ross Municipal District (NRMD) Councillor Dwyer said the council needed to use whatever powers it had to preserve the buildings. 'The Augustinian building and the stone pathway has been closed permanently, I understand there may be sensitivities over the land ownership but we have to tackle the dereliction that's there – and not just by putting up hoarding,' he said. Describing the buildings as a 'spectacular part' of New Ross, Cllr Dwyer said the steps there were currently in a 'disgraceful condition'. "We need to use our powers under the Derelict Sites Act to ensure that the steps and the entrance are protected, and that the buildings are not allowed to fall into further decay,' he added.
Los Angeles Times
5 days ago
- Sport
- Los Angeles Times
Pope Leo XIV sends message of hope to Chicago and U.S. during White Sox broadcast
In his first words directed specifically to Americans, Pope Leo XIV told young people on Saturday how to find hope and meaning in their lives through God and in service to others. 'So many people who suffer from different experiences of depression or sadness — they can discover that the love of God is truly healing, that it brings hope,' the first American pope said in a video broadcast on the giant screen at Rate Field, the White Sox baseball stadium on Chicago's South Side. The event — set in Leo's hometown and at the home stadium of his favorite major league team — was organized by the Archdiocese of Chicago in honor of his recent election as pope. Leo seized the opportunity to speak directly to young people, tying his message to the Roman Catholic Church's ongoing Jubilee year of hope that was declared by Pope Francis. In Saturday's message, Leo urged those listening in the stadium and online to be beacons of hope capable of inspiring others. 'To share that message of hope with one another — in outreach, in service, in looking for ways to make our world a better place — gives true life to all of us, and is a sign of hope for the whole world,' he said. The afternoon program, emceed by Chicago Bulls announcer Chuck Swirsky, highlighted Leo's roots, including music by the city's Leo Catholic High School Choir and a musician from Peru, where Leo lived and worked for years. There was also a discussion featuring a former teacher of the future pope as well as a high school classmate and fellow Augustinian. The event also celebrated the mixing of Catholicism and baseball, including a special invitation from the team for Leo to throw out a ceremonial first pitch at a future White Sox game. Leo, formerly Robert Prevost, was elected May 8, becoming the first American pope in the 2,000-year history of the church. Leo, 69, spent his career serving as an Augustinian missionary and ministering in Peru before taking over the Vatican's powerful office of bishops. He succeeded Pope Francis, who died April 21. 'When I see each and every one of you, when I see how people gather together to celebrate their faith, I discover myself how much hope there is in the world,' Leo said in the video message. The program was followed by a Mass celebrated by Cardinal Blase Cupich, the archbishop of Chicago who was part of the conclave that elected Leo. Meyer writes for the Associated Press.
GMA Network
6 days ago
- Politics
- GMA Network
Pope Leo, from Chicago, makes his first US pitch at White Sox Park
Pope Leo XIV delivers a video message during a public celebration hosted by the Chicago White Sox and the Archdiocese of Chicago for the election of Pope Leo XIV, featuring a mass at Rate Field in Chicago, Illinois, US, June 14, 2025. REUTERS/Carlos Osorio CHICAGO - Pope Leo, a native of Chicago's south side and a long-time fan of his beloved but beleaguered White Sox, sent a video message on Saturday to a sellout crowd attending Catholic Mass in his honor at their hometown ballpark. The pontiff, the first leader of the global Catholic Church from the United States, appeared for about seven minutes on Rate Field's jumbotron during the event, organized by the Chicago archdiocese and featuring several other local personalities, including Bulls announcer Chuck Swirsky. "It's a pleasure for me to greet all of you gathered together at White Sox Park on this great celebration," the pope said in the video message, his first public address to the US since his election on May 8 to replace the late Pope Francis. The new pope called on Chicagoans to put aside "egotistical ways" in order to spread hope and work to build community in their hometown. "We have to look for ways of coming together and promoting a message of hope," he said, speaking in English with a slight Chicago accent. Hours before the event at Rate Field started, people had gathered around the stadium, including kids in White Sox jerseys, hawkers selling "Da Pope" baseball hats, nuns in white and blue habits and priests in their collars. Saturday's event, led by Chicago Cardinal Blase Cupich, took place as demonstrations were held in cities across the US, including at Chicago's Daley Plaza, to protest President Donald Trump's crackdown on undocumented immigrants, and in Washington, DC, ahead of the president celebrating his 79th birthday with a military parade. The pope did not mention politics, and instead offered a message of encouragement to young people. Sister Barbara Reid, president of the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, where the pope attended seminary in the 1980s, told Reuters she hoped his message could help unite the US. "A celebration that's centered on hope and possibility and unity is needed now more than ever before," she said. "Hopefully this can be a catalyst to bring us together." Leo, the former Cardinal Robert Prevost, was born in Dolton, on the outskirts of the city's south side, and has spent most of his career as a priest outside the US. He is a member of the Augustinian religious order, and spent decades in Peru as a missionary and bishop, before first taking up a senior Vatican role in 2023. In a nod to Leo's close ties to the South American country, his celebration in Chicago on Saturday began with a performance of Peru's national anthem. The US national anthem followed, performed by Leo High School's choir, which was a contestant on "America's Got Talent." The pope's family, including a brother who still lives in a Chicago suburb, has spoken about the pontiff's enthusiasm for the White Sox, even as the rival Chicago Cubs also tried to claim him. Leo briefly donned the trademark black-and-white Sox cap offered by a pilgrim during his weekly audience in St. Peter's Square on Wednesday. Tickets resell for more than $1,200 On the first day that tickets became available for Saturday's event, more than 10,000 tickets were sold in the first 15 minutes, the White Sox said. Tickets, which sold for $5 apiece, hit resale sites like StubHub for more than $1,200 just hours after they were released, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. While Catholic parishes across the city, including the one where the Prevost family attended Mass, have shuttered amid waning church attendance, Chicago's identity is still very much entwined with the Catholic Church. When meeting strangers, Chicagoans sometimes identify their neighborhood by the name of the closest parish. "A lot of people in Chicago just have great pride that the new pope is from Chicago," said Rev. Tom McCarthy, a popular preacher from the city who is also an Augustinian. "They want to celebrate it together." The White Sox (39-121) set the modern-day record for most losses in a single season in 2024. This year, the team has the worst record in the American League so far. Fans pray the Mass gives the team a divine boost. "We need all the help we can get," said McCarthy, a lifelong Sox fan. "If the field is going to be blessed by this event, hopefully it will go right through to the players." —Reuters
Vancouver Sun
6 days ago
- Sport
- Vancouver Sun
In White Sox stadium broadcast, Pope Leo XIV sends message of hope to Chicago and the U.S.
In his first words directed specifically to Americans, Pope Leo XIV told young people on Saturday how to find hope and meaning in their lives through God and in service to others. 'So many people who suffer from different experiences of depression or sadness — they can discover that the love of God is truly healing, that it brings hope,' the first American pope said in a video broadcast on the jumbotron at the White Sox baseball stadium in Chicago. The event — set in Leo's hometown and at the home stadium of his favourite major league team — was organized by the Archdiocese of Chicago in honour of his recent election as pope. Leo seized the opportunity to speak directly to young people, tying his message to the Catholic Church's ongoing Jubilee year of hope that was declared by Pope Francis. In Saturday's message, Leo urged those listening in the stadium and online to be beacons of hope capable of inspiring others. 'To share that message of hope with one another — in outreach, in service, in looking for ways to make our world a better place — gives true life to all of us, and is a sign of hope for the whole world.' Pope Leo XIV speaks to the crowd at Rate Field at the @archchicago celebration. The afternoon program, emceed by Chicago Bulls announcer Chuck Swirsky, highlighted Leo's roots, including music by the city's Leo Catholic High School Choir and a musician from Peru, according to the event's program. There was also a discussion featuring a former teacher of the pope as well as a high school classmate and fellow Augustinian. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. The event also celebrated the mixing of Catholicism and baseball, including a special invitation from the team for Leo to throw out a ceremonial first pitch at a future White Sox game. Leo, formerly Robert Prevost, was elected May 8, becoming the first American pope in the 2,000-year history of the church. Leo, 69, spent his career serving as an Augustinian missionary and ministering in Peru before taking over the Vatican's powerful office of bishops. He succeeded Pope Francis, who died April 21. 'When I see each and every one of you, when I see how people gather together to celebrate their faith, I discover myself how much hope there is in the world,' Leo said in the video message. The program was followed by a Mass celebrated by Cardinal Blase Cupich, the archbishop of Chicago who was part of the conclave that elected Leo. — Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP's collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.
