Dolton’s Risky Bet: Buying Pope Leo XIV’s Childhood Home Amid Financial Turmoil

The small suburb of Dolton, Illinois, is poised to buy the childhood home of newly elected Pope Leo XIV — a property that has suddenly drawn nationwide attention. But beneath the hopeful rhetoric lies a troubling reality: Dolton is drowning in debt and questioning whether this purchase can truly benefit its cash-strapped taxpayers.Since Pope Leo XIV ascended as the successor to Pope Francis, visitors have flocked to this modest two-story house roughly 20 miles south of Chicago, treating it as a pilgrimage destination. On the surface, this looks like an opportunity for revitalization in a village battered by financial mismanagement...