Looking at the news, it seems that we at Aleteia aren’t the only ones who can’t get enough of our new Holy Father. Every detail of his life adds to the widespread amazement at witnessing history — the first US pope!
A new interview with his older brother John is out now, and it included some noteworthy new details about Leo and his family. Check out the whole interview at EWTN News (we love their coverage!).
Here are five things we can’t stop thinking about from this interview.
1His parents prayed the Rosary every day and often read the Bible to their children
They say “the family that prays together stays together.” For the Prevost parents, praying together set a powerful example. John Prevost said:
Periodically our dad would take the Bible out and read Bible stories. We always prayed before dinner. Our parents always, every evening after dinner, prayed the Rosary.
His words echo those of the Pope himself, who recently told a newlywed couple how his parents’ daily Rosary habit was a blessing to him:
My parents prayed the Rosary together their whole lives every day … I found that I was always blessed, I’m sure because of it, their love for one another.
2“Saintly” patience is his hallmark
There was always something different about the young Robert Prevost. His brother recalled his nearly otherworldly patience and thoughtfulness, even from a young age:
Pope Leo “has the patience of a saint,” Prevost said. “If you ask me a question … I come out and give you an answer. He would take a lot of time to think about it before he responded, and therefore itʼs a whole lot deeper in perspective than mine off the top of my head.”
3You’re not imagining it — Pope Leo is bringing people back to the faith
We’ve wondered if having a Pope from the U.S. is a factor driving the “convert boom” at many Catholic churches. His brother thinks so. He said:
Iʼve had people come to the door and tell me … “I wanted to let you know because of your brother, Iʼm coming back.” I think youʼre seeing that across the country. Because of him, people are coming back to church.
4John Prevost’s own life is changed forever
It was expected that becoming pope would change Robert Prevost’s life forever, but what about his brothers? His older brother John has experienced life-altering changes too, as he was suddenly catapulted into international fame after seven decades of a quiet life.
As the Pope’s brother, he is finding that sometimes people seem to want something from him that he can’t give:
Itʼs always interesting, but itʼs sometimes sad … you feel powerless of what people are looking for, and they expect me to be able to help, and I canʼt necessarily do anything for them except listen.
Then there’s the change of missing his little brother, who belongs to the whole world now—although happily, John said they still stay in touch daily.
And then there are the occasional real dangers of being associated with such a high-profile figure. Let's remember to pray for the whole Prevost family and not just for the famous brother.
5John Prevost is worried about Catholic schools
John Prevost spent some 35 years serving in Catholic schools, both as a teacher and a principal, so he witnessed long-term changes over decades. He raised concerns about the future of Catholic education — especially the cost:
I worry sometimes that Catholic schools unfortunately are becoming too expensive for the average person to afford, and if itʼs only going to become something for the wealthy people. I hope not.
Families like his own benefitted from Catholic education in an era when these schools were much less expensive. How can Catholic schools continue to serve ordinary families amid rising costs and pressures? There may not be an easy answer, but it’s a question well worth considering for all of us.
