Exploring Pope Leo XIV's deep roots on Chicago's South Side, south suburbs
Faithful flock to reported childhood home in Dolton; brother confirms new pontiff is White Sox fan
CHICAGO (WLS) -- Pope Leo XIV and his family have a long history on Chicago's South Side.
Long before Robert Prevost was elected by his fellow Cardinals, he was a friend to a South Side family.
Among the many things we're learning about the new chosen leader of the Catholic Church is that he taught on the South Side at the all-boys St. Rita High School.
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As news of a Chicago-born pope spread, southsiders with personal connections to "his holiness" celebrated a man they know simply as "Father Bob."
"Vince was texting me, 'Mama. I think it's Father Bob. I think it's Father Bob,'" said Heidi Skokal, a family friends of Pope Leo XIV. "I'm gonna try not to cry. We're so excited."
Skokal said she was watching closely when the white smoke emerged from the Sistine Chapel. When she heard the name of the new pope, her cell phone immediately started ringing.
"My sister-in-law calls, and she's like, 'Heidi, we know the Pope!' and I'm like, 'I know!'" Skokal said.
Skokal said her father Ed Schmit came to know Father Bob through St. Rita of Cascia. She said their friendship goes back more than two decades. Her dad passed in July of 2020, but even in his last days, she said he was taking phone calls from his old friend.
"My dad said, 'Father Bob, I know you're going to be the next pope. And he would always joke around, and here it is, you know, and I'm sure my dad's looking down," Skokal said. "He's got the best seat, right, in the house."
Through her dad, Father Bob was a constant presence when her son Anthony was born almost six weeks early. it was Father Bob who came to their home to bless him in 2014. Father Bob officiated Skokal's sister's wedding. And as we've now learned the pope is a White Sox fan, and there's a picture from the 2005 World Series to prove it.
"This is the same guy that I met when I was a little kid just in my house. You know?" St. Rita student VInce Skokal said. "This is the same guy that's gone to Sox games with my grandpa."
Vince Skokal is a senior at St. Rita, and as the latest generation in a family of southsiders, he believes the pope's roots played a big role in his rise to the leader of the Catholic Church.
"There's something that comes with being from the South Side in general," Vince Skokal said. "There's like a grittiness, I believe, and like a hard work work ethic. And I think that's something that's always, you know, stuck with him.
Although it's been a few years since her dad passed, Heidi Skokal told ABC7 her family still has her dad's cell phone, with Father Bob's number in the contacts. She joked maybe once the chaos dies down, they'd shoot the pope a text from the Schmit family.
St. Rita of Cascia High School on the city's South Side held a special prayer service for Pope Leo, who has extensive experience with the school.
The connections here at St. Rita High School are truly endless. A lot of the people in that building know Pope Leo personally.
He's visited there many times over the years and even at one point - taught physics as a substitute teacher.
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When the conclave began, the senior class was tasked with researching candidates for the papacy.
Marty McMullen and Cormac Lacy were the lucky ones to receive, at the time, then-Cardinal Robert Prevost and they delivered their presentation Friday morning.
RELATED: Pope Leo XIV celebrates first Mass as pontiff in Sistine Chapel
What's more, McMullen previously attended St. Gabriel Catholic School, where Pope Leo's brother John Prevost was the principal. The pope even presided over a Mass McMullen attended.
"My town is very small, so I would never expect the pope to have said a Mass at my former grammar school so it's just really cool and a full circle moment to be honest," senior Marty McMullen said.
He isn't the only one with a personal connection to the Bronzeville-born pope.
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"I was so overwhelmed," teacher Br. Joe Ruiz said. "I think I've never been so happy in my life."
RELATED: Pope Leo XIV is a White Sox fan
Ruiz said the holy announcement brought him to tears having been personally trained by Pope Leo.
"I lived with him for a year," Ruiz said. "I know that his favorite cake is chocolate cake from Portillo's... he's a very down-to-earth guy very humbling guy. Easy to talk to, approachable."
Pope Leo even received his vows at St. Rita back in 2013.
Ruiz later visited his friend Robert when he was bishop in Peru about eight years ago.
"I stayed at the place, the bishop's house and he took me all around where he serves in the community there and it was a humbling experience," Ruiz said. "He's really a people person."
"A lot of our staff know him because of all this time here, not only as the provincial, but during his visits," Deacon John Donahue, president of St. Rita HS. "He would celebrate sacraments and he would baptize and confirm some of our students here if he was around for that."
The unexpected connection to this South Side Catholic school, inspiring to these young students.
"To have a guy that came from the same area as me is crazy," senior Cormac Lacy said. "It kind of shows you can really do anything pretty much. You can come from Chicago, this area, and become the pope one day."
Celebrations will certainly continue here at St. Rita where Pope Leo is also an honorary alumnus.
Pope Leo was born in Chicago's Bronzeville neighborhood and grew up in Dolton. His family has always been dedicated to Catholic education.
According to the Archdiocese of Catholic Schools, Pope Leo and his brothers all graduated from St. Mary of the Assumption on the city's Far South Side.
RELATED: Chicago-born Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost elected pope, taking name Leo XIV | What we know
His father was the principal of Mt. Carmel Catholic School in Chicago Heights.
His mother worked as a librarian at Mendel Catholic High School in the Roseland neighborhood.
His brother was the principal at St. Gabriel Catholic School in Chicago's Canaryville neighborhood.
RELATED: Dolton neighbor told young Cardinal Robert Prevost he would be pope someday, New Lenox brother says
Chopper 7 over the house where Pope Leo XIV grew up in Dolton on Friday, where it was quickly becoming a landmark tourist destination. A few people could be seen stopping by and taking pictures.
"I'm sure because of, he's had humble beginnings that he has a greater understanding of people's needs," visitor Mary Edsey said.
At the red-brick home with a bright red door, the faithful were flocking with cameras in hand for a literal window into the soul of the pope.
"He came from a place that we all in right now, and he made it all the way to the top as being the pope from Dolton," neighbor Kareem Davis said.
The three-bedroom, two-bathroom house in Dolton in the 200 block of East 141st Place is reportedly where the Pope grew up, though ABC7 has not been able to confirm that.
It's been listed for sale. for around $200,000, but the seller removed the listing, according to real estate records.
"I would like for this to be a landmark where people can come and connect with God and, you know, connect with the pope," neighbor Donna Sagna said.
It's unclear what the seller of the home will do next. Messages ABC7 left for him and his agent were not returned.
John Prevost, who lives in New Lenox, says he spoke to his younger sibling the night before the Conclave began.
RELATED: Pope Leo XIV celebrates first Mass as pontiff in Sistine Chapel
He says then-Cardinal Robert Prevost was conflicted in recent weeks, about becoming pope, but said he'd be ready if God called.
"Even when it was announced and I am sitting there watching him speaking, 'This isn't real, I am going to wake up in a minute,'" his brother said. "I am going to wake up in a minute. It's something to be very proud of. It's an honor. But I think there is going to come a lot of responsibility here."
John said his brother remains close to his family and connected to this area and also says the pope is in fact a White Sox fan.
