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:

 


📸 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.

 


🏡 His childhood home was reportedly listed for $199K the day before the conclave. 

 


🧬 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. ✍️⛪

 

 

The best way to listen to the Best of the Week is on our #1 Free Catholic App. It’s free and always will be! To get and share the Relevant Radio app, check it out here.

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&nbsp;altar boy from the South Side becomes the Vicar of Christ. 🙌
&nbsp;
You can listen to his entire hour of commentary about Pope Leo XIV&nbsp;<a href="https://relevantradio.com/2025/05/the-patrick-madrid-show-may-09-2025-hour-1/">here</a>.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Hour 2 is available to listen <a href="https://relevantradio.com/2025/05/the-patrick-madrid-show-may-09-2025-hour-2/">here</a>. Hour 3 is <a href="https://relevantradio.com/2025/05/the-patrick-madrid-show-may-09-2025-hour-3/">here</a>.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
<hr data-start="386" data-end="389">
&nbsp;
🍼 Humble Beginnings in the Windy City
&nbsp;
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 Mart&iacute;nez,&nbsp;was a Spanish-Creole librarian with deep Louisiana roots. 🌎💒
&nbsp;
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.
&nbsp;
<hr data-start="1091" data-end="1094">
&nbsp;
A Brainy &amp; Prayerful Path
&nbsp;
Young Robert was no slouch in school either; he studied&nbsp;math at Villanova, graduating in 1977.
&nbsp;
God had bigger plans. He entered the&nbsp;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).
&nbsp;
<hr data-start="1636" data-end="1639">
&nbsp;
✈️ From Peru to the Pontificate
&nbsp;
This wasn&rsquo;t a man who just sat around in chancery offices. He&nbsp;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.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
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.
&nbsp;
<hr data-start="2270" data-end="2273">
&nbsp;
🪜 Cardinal, then&hellip;Pope!
&nbsp;
In 2023, he was made a cardinal, and by early 2025, elevated to Cardinal Bishop:&nbsp;one of the highest honors in the Church. Just a few months later, he appeared on the balcony of St. Peter&rsquo;s Basilica, smiling (and maybe a bit stunned), as the world heard those famous words:
 &ldquo;Habemus Papam!&rdquo;: We have a Pope!
&nbsp;
<hr data-start="2639" data-end="2642">
&nbsp;
🎤 First Words as Pope
&nbsp;
Patrick shared audio from Pope Leo&rsquo;s first Mass, where he began his homily in English before switching to Italian.
&nbsp;
His opening line was a quote from the Psalms:
&nbsp;
<blockquote data-start="2915" data-end="3045">
&ldquo;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.&rdquo;
&nbsp;
</blockquote>
It was humble, sincere, and straight from the heart. 💖
&nbsp;
<hr data-start="3104" data-end="3107">
&nbsp;
Fun Fact Corner:
&nbsp;
<ul data-start="3133" data-end="3575">
<li data-start="3133" data-end="3307">
📸 There's a photo of him at a Chicago World Series game dressed incognito, talking on a cell phone: captioned: &ldquo;Here&rsquo;s the Pope at the World Series.&rdquo; Instant classic.
</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
<ul data-start="3133" data-end="3575">
<li data-start="3308" data-end="3428">
🏡 His childhood home was reportedly listed for $199K the day before the conclave.&nbsp;
</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
<ul data-start="3133" data-end="3575">
<li data-start="3429" data-end="3575">
🧬 His Creole roots and international experiences give him a beautiful cultural depth: a bridge between continents, languages, and peoples.
</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
<hr data-start="3577" data-end="3580">
&nbsp;
From altar boy in Dolton to Peter&rsquo;s successor: it&rsquo;s a story only God could write. ✍️⛪
&nbsp;
&nbsp;
The&nbsp;best way to listen to the Best of the Week is on our #1 Free Catholic App. It&rsquo;s free and always will be! To get and share the Relevant Radio app, check it out <a href="https://relevantradio.com/listen/get-the-app/">here</a>.

Life can get busy, and it's easy to miss out on the captivating moments from your favorite Relevant Radio shows. But now, we've got you covered! "The Best of the Week - Relevant Radio Podcast" brings you the crème de la crème of Relevant Radio's programming. We carefully curate and compile the most engaging and relevant content from the past week, just for you! Get ready to catch up on faith, culture, current events, and personal growth, all in one convenient and easily accessible podcast. It's like having a front-row seat to the most compelling moments from Relevant Radio's diverse range of shows. So, whether you're an active Relevant Radio listener or new to our programming, "The Best of the Week - Relevant Radio Podcast" is your passport to a world of knowledge, growth, and inspiration.

Life can get busy, and it's easy to miss out on the captivating moments from your favorite Relevant Radio shows. But now, we've got you covered! "The Best of the Week - Relevant Radio Podcast" brings you the crème de la crème of Relevant Radio's programming. We carefully curate and compile the most engaging and relevant content from the past week, just for you! Get ready to catch up on faith, culture, current events, and personal growth, all in one convenient and easily accessible podcast. It's like having a front-row seat to the most compelling moments from Relevant Radio's diverse range of shows. So, whether you're an active Relevant Radio listener or new to our programming, "The Best of the Week - Relevant Radio Podcast" is your passport to a world of knowledge, growth, and inspiration.

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