Why Now? Saving Pope Leo XIV’s Boyhood Church Before It’s Too Late

Why Now?

The Pope Leo XIV Legacy Campaign Launches at a Critical Moment

In early March 2026, Preservation Chicago released its annual list of the city’s Most Endangered Buildings. Among the seven historic sites named was St. Mary of the Assumption Church and School in the Riverdale Neighborhood, the boyhood parish of Pope Leo XIV.

For those of us deeply connected to this landmark, the listing was both an honor and a sobering wake-up call.

This is the church where a young Robert Prevost served as an altar boy, sang in the choir, and received his early education at the parish school. The same sacred space that helped shape the first American pope now stands vacant since 2011, battered by 15 years of challenges. A large hole in the roof, damaged windows, water intrusion, and years of exposure have left the midcentury modern church (designed in 1957) and the historic school buildings in serious condition.

The timing could not be more urgent.

While the election of Pope Leo XIV in 2025 brought renewed national and international attention to this Far South Side landmark, attention alone doesn’t stop water from pouring through the roof or prevent further structural damage. Every season that passes without major intervention brings the building closer to the point of no return.

That’s exactly why we are launching the Pope Leo XIV Legacy Campaign right now.

In 2022, I purchased the long-vacant campus at auction with a clear vision: to transform this historic site into a vibrant community hub for Chicago’s South Side. Phase 1 focuses on critical stabilization and restoration, repairing the roof and building envelope, upgrading mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems, and installing modern infrastructure that will support workforce training programs in high-demand fields like fiber optic telecommunications, solar energy installation, and roadway safety.

Our goal is ambitious but achievable: restore the buildings so they can once again serve the community, with job training classrooms, a tech hub, a food pantry, an Alzheimer’s respite center, arts programming, and more.

This is more than preservation. It’s about turning a symbol of the past into an engine of opportunity for the future.

The “Most Endangered” designation has spotlighted the stakes. It has also created a rare window of opportunity. With eyes now on Pope Leo’s childhood church, we have a chance to rally support from Chicagoans, Catholics, preservationists, and people who believe in second chances for both buildings and neighborhoods.

We cannot let this moment pass.

In the coming days, we will launch our public crowdfunding campaign so that everyday people, those who feel connected to this story, can be part of writing the next chapter.

Your support will help protect this historic landmark, honor Pope Leo XIV’s Chicago roots, and create real pathways to jobs and stability in Riverdale and beyond.

Stay tuned. The Pope Leo XIV Legacy Campaign is about to begin, and we invite you to be part of this historic restoration.

RESTORE • EMPOWER • LEGACY

— Joe Hall

Founder, JBlendz Enterprises