Father Gosbert Rwezahura is the pastor at the last Catholic church in the South Holland and Dolton areas in the Chicago south suburbs, where Pope Leo XIV grew up.
“This is a huge blessing for the Archdiocese of Chicago,” he said. “We are so happy.”
Rwezahura hopes having a Pope from the economically-depressed area might revitalize the faith and spirit of people not only in South Holland, but across the United State. The area has seen many closings of Catholic churches and schools, a common problem in the Catholic Church in America.
He said he is particularly happy that Cardinal Prevost chose the name of Leo, because the last Pope Leo, who served until 1903, was known as a champion for social justice.
Many Catholic parishes in southeast Wisconsin face dwindling membership and aging, underused buildings. Milwaukee area parishes are increasingly banding together in clusters to pool resources and reduce costs.
Robert F. Prevost, now Pope Leo XIV, was born at Mercy Hospital and attended St. Mary of the Assumption Parish in Riverdale, Illinois, near South Holland and Dolton, with his family growing up.
The church consolidated with Queen of Apostles in Riverdale, Illinois, and then, in 2019, with St. Jude in South Holland to form Christ Our Savior Catholic Church, where Rwezahura has been pastor for six years.
The parish closed its elementary school in 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic, Rwezahura said.
He said Christ Our Savior still has some members who attended Queen of Apostles and remember the new pope as a child, and many have been calling him to express their joy. Rwezahura said he is thinking about planning a special Mass or celebration in honor of Pope Leo XIV.
Who is the new pope? Meet Robert F. Prevost, now Pope Leo XVI
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Pastor in Pope Leo XIV’s boyhood community expresses joy, hope in new papacy
Reporting by Frank Vaisvilas, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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