The pope is on the line: AP is there for pontiff’s call to his brother in Chicago

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This article was published 09/05/2025 (321 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

NEW LENOX, Ill. (AP) — It was one of the most surreal phone calls I’ve experienced.

A few hours earlier, John Prevost had watched the TV in stunned disbelief as his younger brother emerged on the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica and was named Pope Leo XIV. Journalists quickly showed up at the older brother’s front door in suburban Chicago to learn everything they could about the new pontiff. I was one of them.

I had arrived at Prevost’s home in New Lenox in the early evening after packing up and driving three hours from Indianapolis, where I am based. After walking by other media and news equipment outside, I knocked on the door. Prevost let me come in.

As we talked, a ringing came from the basement. Prevost hurried to a tablet downstairs and I followed, my camera on.

“That might be the pope,” he said.

He found he had a few missed phone calls from his brother. He called the pope back, using a speaker to play the audio out loud. The pope picked up.

I got the shot — the new pontiff’s voice speaking to his older brother, asking him why he hadn’t been answering his calls. I was shaking.

“Well, first you need to know you’re on the air right now,” the older brother responded. “This is the first time I’m hearing that this thing rang.”

The conversation went on for just a few minutes. They talked about the news of the day and discussed making plans for the older brother to come to Rome sometime this week. They talked like regular siblings.

During the rest of the interview, Prevost and I spoke about the new pope and the brothers’ family. We talked about their childhood in Chicago and the pope’s favorite food, which is steak. Prevost told me they FaceTime almost every day and they play The New York Times’ game Wordle. He said the last time he had spoken with his brother was Tuesday before the conclave began.

I couldn’t help but replay over and over in my mind the call, a human moment from one of the world’s most divine figures. The pope called his brother, and the brother called back.