The Patrick Madrid Show Pope Leo XIV: From Chicago Ballparks to the Chair of St. Peter (Special Podcast Highlight)
Patrick gave you a glimpse into the childhood and early years of our brand-new Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV (Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost), with the kind of reverent curiosity you'd expect when an altar boy from the South Side becomes the Vicar of Christ.
You can listen to his entire hour of commentary about Pope Leo XIV here.
Hour 2 is available to listen here. Hour 3 is here.
Humble Beginnings in the Windy City
Born on September 14, 1955, in Dolton, Illinois (a suburb of Chicago), little Robert Prevost was raised in a faithful Catholic home. His dad, Louis Marius Prevost, was of French-Italian descent and served in the U.S. Navy during WWII. His mom, Mildred Martínez, was a Spanish-Creole librarian with deep Louisiana roots.
He grew up going to St. Mary of the Assumption parish, where he served as an altar boy. So yes, he literally started out on the altar... just not quite at the Vatican level yet. He has two brothers, Louis Martin and John Joseph.
A Brainy & Prayerful Path
Young Robert was no slouch in school either; he studied math at Villanova, graduating in 1977.
God had bigger plans. He entered the Order of St. Augustine in 1978, professed vows in 1981, and was ordained a priest in 1982. He studied theology in Chicago and canon law in Rome, eventually earning his doctorate from the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum).
From Peru to the Pontificate
This wasn’t a man who just sat around in chancery offices. He served as a missionary priest in Peru, taught at seminaries, worked in diocesan offices, and even led the global Augustinian order as Prior General, twice.
Eventually, he was appointed a bishop in Peru, received dual citizenship, and climbed the Vatican ranks: prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops and president of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America. If you wanted to become a bishop under Pope Francis? You probably went through his office.
Cardinal, then…Pope!
In 2023, he was made a cardinal, and by early 2025, elevated to Cardinal Bishop: one of the highest honors in the Church. Just a few months later, he appeared on the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica, smiling (and maybe a bit stunned), as the world heard those famous words:
“Habemus Papam!”: We have a Pope!
First Words as Pope
Patrick shared audio from Pope Leo’s first Mass, where he began his homily in English before switching to Italian.
His opening line was a quote from the Psalms:
“I will sing a new song to the Lord, for He has done marvels... not just with me, but with all of us, my brother Cardinals.”
It was humble, sincere, and straight from the heart.
Fun Fact Corner:
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There's a photo of him at a Chicago World Series game dressed incognito, talking on a cell phone: captioned: “Here’s the Pope at the World Series.” Instant classic.
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His childhood home was reportedly listed for $199K the day before the conclave.
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His Creole roots and international experiences give him a beautiful cultural depth: a bridge between continents, languages, and peoples.
From altar boy in Dolton to Peter’s successor: it’s a story only God could write.