MAKING THE


POPE T


OF A by paul kengor


he reaction to the surprising pa- pal election on May 8, 2025, of Robert Francis Prevost was remarkable for its


praise, unity, and optimism. But the most moving and en-


dearing reactions came from his older brothers, Louis and John. Lou had been watching the


papal coverage on Newsmax TV. He was not feeling well that


day, so he had called off work and was resting in bed. But soon, he was sitting up — jumping up! “The cardinal came out to an-


nounce to the crowd that we have a new pope,” Lou Prevost told Newsmax’s Ed Henry. “I’m waiting, and he starts to


say the name ‘Roberto.’ And as soon as he started, [my] mind started blowing because I think there was only one other cardinal with the name Robert. “And when he said ‘Francis-


co,’ that sealed it because there’s no Robert Francis [other] than Robert Francis Prevost.” His mind fl ashed back to the


three brothers growing up to- gether in the 1950s and 1960s. He pondered: “Remember


that time way back when, when we used to tease him about being


68 NEWSMAX | MAY 2026


Robert Prevost felt the call of priesthood from an early age. All he wanted to do was be a priest.


the pope? And he’s the pope.” Few to no papal observers


and Vatican experts predicted an American pope one day, but friends and family of Robert Francis Prevost long ago had foreseen something altogether uniquely possible. So how did that happen? What


was this boy like? How was such a kid raised? What of those roots of Robert Francis Prevost? He was born Sept. 14, 1955,


at Mercy Hospital at 25th Street and Prairie Avenue on the South Side of Chicago. He was the third and fi nal


child of Mildred Agnes and Louis Marius. Preceding him were two older brothers, Louis Martin and John Joseph. Mildred was older than Louis.


At the time of the birth of baby Rob (as the family called him), she was 43 and Louis was 35. They were living in a tiny box of a brick house on 212 E. 141st Place in Dolton, not even 1,000 square feet in size. They had gotten a bank loan


to purchase the newly built struc- ture in 1949. Their mortgage was $42 per month. The family attended church


at St. Mary of the Assumption on the southern edge of Chicago. It was like a second home to the


family. They never missed Mass; it was always the top priority. The entire family was in-


volved at the parish, serving as lectors and singing in the choir, with the boys serving as altar boys, and the family generally acting as volunteers and steady participants in the parish life. The boys developed a strong


faith, nurtured by their parents at home as well as at church. They did not leave their faith at the par- ish door. The family prayed grace before meals and the rosary every night after dinner. As for Rob, he felt the call of


the priesthood from an early age. During play time, the future


pope always wanted to play be- ing a priest. Even as young as age 5 or 6,


said his brother Lou, “While me and my friends are out playing with cap pistols and BB guns, and Rob wants to play priest, and we used to tease him to no end about that. Come on, come on, let’s do something!” All Rob wanted to do was be a


priest. For his education, Rob at-


tended the parish school, where he and fellow students started their day with Mass, which was said in Latin. Young Rob took it all in. It


ILLUSTRATION/DOOM.KO/SHUTTERSTOCK / POPE/ALESSANDRA BENEDETTI/CORBIS/CORBIS VIA GETTY IMAGES


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