‘I Was Stunned’: Pope Leo XIV’s Brother Reflects on Historic Moment from Illinois

As the world watched the white smoke rise from the Sistine Chapel, John Joseph Prevost sat in disbelief at home in suburban Chicago. His younger brother, Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, had just been elected pope—making history as the first American to lead the Catholic Church.

“I was stunned,” said John Prevost, 71, a retired educator. “I honestly didn’t think it would happen.”

Now Pope Leo XIV, the former cardinal has long been known to those close to him as thoughtful, grounded, and quietly determined. His brother describes him as “middle of the road,” but unafraid to speak his mind.

“He has a deep desire to support the downtrodden and those society tends to forget,” John said during an interview Thursday at his home in New Lenox, a suburb about 40 miles southwest of Chicago. “He’s going to follow in Pope Francis’ footsteps. They were close even before either of them held high office.”

The Prevost brothers grew up in Dolton, a working-class suburb on Chicago’s South Side, attending St. Mary of the Assumption Parish. Their father, Louis, was a school superintendent; their mother, Mildred, a parish librarian. Robert left Illinois for high school in Michigan and college in Pennsylvania, but later returned for graduate studies and assignments with the Augustinian order. His ministry eventually took him to Peru, where he spent much of his clerical career.

Although Pope Leo is now a global figure, John Prevost says his brother remains humble and practical. “He’s not the type to go out for a 19-course meal,” he said with a chuckle, recalling how his brother stayed with him for several weeks last August.

John typically spoke with his brother daily—until the conclave began. Now, he awaits his first conversation with Pope Leo XIV. “He always said, ‘No way, I’ll never be pope,’” John recalled. “Then it became, ‘Well, if it’s what God wants, we’ll deal with it.’”

He also emphasized that Leo is unlikely to stay silent on critical issues. “He’s definitely not happy with the immigration situation,” John noted. “I don’t think he’ll hold back if he feels something needs to be said.”

On Thursday, Prevost’s quiet suburban street was filled with media vans, and his phone rang non-stop. “It’s overwhelming but exciting,” he said. “This is a first in so many ways.”

He’s unsure when he’ll visit his brother in Rome but hopes to make the trip. And he wants to ask one important question: “What do you do to relax now?”

One final correction, he adds with a grin: “Despite what some people are saying, he’s not a Cubs fan—he’s always rooted for the White Sox.”