Overview
- Reports Thursday highlighted a confirmed anecdote shared by Rev. Tom McCarthy in Naperville about Pope Leo XIV’s frustrating call to his Chicago-area bank.
- Pope Leo, born Robert Prevost, phoned the South Chicago branch months after moving to the Vatican to update his phone number and address.
- After answering security questions, he was told the changes required an in-person visit, and when he said, “Would it matter to you if I told you I’m Pope Leo,” the representative ended the call.
- The issue was later resolved when another priest reached the bank president, and the pope’s account details were updated.
- The account comes via McCarthy, who confirmed it to the New York Times, and outlets reported no immediate responses from the Vatican or the bank, underscoring how anti-fraud rules often block remote changes even for public figures.