John Presor knew that his brother was prone to be elected Pope.
“Final Saturday, once I was within the church, one of many monks got here and advised me that the probabilities of Las Vegas had been 18 to 1,” says Mr. Presstos, who lives within the suburban Chicago. “He had little question. He thought he would undoubtedly be my brother.”
However Cardinal Robert Francis Presses, who was getting ready for the conclave, tossed it when his greater brother referred to as Illinois.
“He stated,” There isn’t a method, it won’t occur, “recalled Presses, 71 -year -old, who was retired by a profession as a trainer and director of the college.
In fact, it occurred. Cardinal Prevost is now Pope Leo XIV, the primary American Pontiff. And for his family and friends again to Illinois, the place the Pope grew up, every thing is totally different.
In a large -ranging interview on Thursday afternoon at his house in New Lenox, a 27,000 individuals organized a metropolis of about 40 miles southwest of the middle of Chicago, John Presseg thinks about climbing his brother to the papacy, the values ​​of the brand new Pope and his American roots.
Leo, whom G -n Prevost is accustomed to calling a slave, “has an excellent need to assist the oppressed and the despondent, the people who find themselves ignored,” says G -N -Relaxation. He predicts that his brother will proceed the legacy of his predecessor Pope Francis.
“The easiest way I might describe it proper now could be that he’ll comply with in Francis’ footsteps,” stated G -n Prevost. “They had been superb mates. They knew one another earlier than he was a pope earlier than my brother was even a bishop.”
Presses stated he often spoke on the telephone together with his brother each night time, however he hadn’t talked to him for the reason that starting of the conclave. He stated the brand new pope was “actually easy. He will not exit for consuming with 19 programs.” Final August, Presses stated, his brother stayed with him at his house in New Lenox for a number of weeks.
The brothers grew up in Dolton, Illinois, simply outdoors Chicago, and attended a church and college within the parish “St. Mary of the Assumption” on the south facet of Chicago. Their father Louis Presses was a faculty chief, and their mom Mildred Presse was a librarian who was deeply concerned within the parish life. Along with John and Robert, now Leo, the translations had one other son who now lives in Florida.
The long run Pope left Illinois to go to Michigan Excessive College and Faculty in Pennsylvania, however returned to his postgraduate house and for numerous publications with the Augusti, the spiritual order he joined. Leo additionally spent a lot of his profession in Peru.
John Presor outlined Pope Leo because the “center of the street” and stated, “I do not suppose we are going to see extremes in each method.” However, he stated, his brother won’t be afraid to make use of this new platform.
“I do not suppose he’ll stay quiet for too lengthy if he has one thing to say,” stated Mr. Presses. “I do know he’s not happy with what is occurring with immigration. I do know this for a reality. How far he’ll go together with him is simply the belief, however he won’t sit merely. I do not suppose it is going to be silent.”
Requested if his brother had expressed his need to be Pope, he stated “actually not.” However over the time when he climbed the ranks of the church, his reply to this query had begun to shift.
“It was” completely not, completely not, God forbid, “stated Mr. Presse. “After which it occurred,” Nicely, if that is what God needs, then we are going to cope with Him. “
Thursday was a blurring of G -n Prevost, whose telephone was continually ranging throughout an interview and whose road was lined with information vehicles.
“I noticed that individuals had been , as a result of it was the primary in so some ways,” stated Mr. Presses.
Requested what his mother and father, who died years in the past, he stated, he stated, “They are going to be in cloud 9. Completely wonderful. You may’t even dream of it.”
When he’s lastly in a position to attain his brother, he stated he plans to ask what he would do for rest and whether or not he can be out of labor in any respect. He stated he hoped to see him in Rome, however nonetheless did not understand how he would work.
Within the rapid neighborhood, nonetheless, there was one vital reality to clear. The pope, stated G -n Prevost, shouldn’t be a fan of Chicago cubes, as some reported. He has at all times cheered on the white sox.
