Pope Leo’s hometown Dolton was hit with economic hardship following the collapse of the steel industry on the Far South Side. But residents hope their new fame can spark opportunity.

In one of Chicago’s south suburbs, while other boys were playing cops and robbers, the future Pope Leo XIV would pretend to hold Mass in the basement of his family’s small brick home, reading from scripture and distributing disk-shaped candy wafers to his two older brothers.

Cardinal Blase Cupich, Archbishop of Chicago, said he expects Pope Leo XIV "feels an obligation," to speak to what he called the issues of the day, amid "real challenges globally."

The Rev. Richard J. McGrath was a longtime leader of Providence Catholic High School, run by the Augustinians, whose Midwest province, and ultimately the order worldwide, were led by now-Pope Leo XIV.

Chicago’s South Side was solidly working class during Pope Leo’s childhood, said Rob Paral, a researcher at the Great Cities Institute at the University of Illinois Chicago. The family attended a South Side church, but they lived in Dolton, a suburb just past the city line.

A popular Chicago restaurant chain is celebrating the election of Pope Leo XIV with a sandwich named in the pontiff’s honor.

Before ascending to lead the Roman Catholic Church, Leo spent his childhood in Chicago’s South Side, where his family was beloved. He later spent two decades carrying out missionary work in Peru ...

Catholic Charities of Chicago uses a lobbying firm that supports pro-abortion politicians and represents abortion providers, according to a report this week.