St Mary Of The Assumption Church: All On The Dolton Parish Where Pope Leo XIV Started Off

Pope Leo XIV, a Chicago native, was elected the first American Pope ever on Thursday by the conclave of cardinals at the Vatican. Originally named Robert Prevost, Pope Leo XIV started his career in the Catholic order at the St Mary Of The Assumption Church in Dolton, South Chicago. The church is located at 13764 South Leyden Avenue, Dolton, Illinois.

Pope Leo XIV has been deeply rooted in St. Mary of the Assumption Church on East 137th Street in Chicago's Far South Side. His family were active parishioners, and young Robert served as an altar boy and attended the parish school during the 1960s. He was known for his devout participation in daily Latin Masses and catechism classes.

The Chicago Sun Times reported ahead of the election that Robert Provost, like his brothers, was born in Chicago in September 1955. His birth took place at the Mercy Hospital at 25th Street and Prairie Avenue.

He studied at the St. Mary of the Assumption School on the Far South Side with old photos of Pope Leo XIV from his school days also existing. The Chicago Sun Times quoted a former classmate of Robert Provost who shared many anecdotes about the newly elected Pope from his school days.

She revealed that while at the St. Mary of the Assumption School, Prevost, then in second grade, "never complained" when they were asked to memorize numerous catechisms.

Also read: Is Robert Prevost Liberal Or Conservative? Exploring Pope Leo XIV's Political Leanings

“Back in the day, they used to seat us by our classroom performance, so he always sat in the No. 1 seat, which was in the first row in the back,” Joseph Merigold, another former classmate of Prevost, was quoted saying in the report.

“He was kind of a little trickster, too, Merigold added. "Used to poke me in the back of the head with a pencil all the time because I was a kidder. So he definitely had a sense of humor that a lot of people wouldn’t know because he wasn’t really that outgoing.” Merigold said that Prevost was the "smartest person in the class."

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