SHOTLIST: CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, UNITED STATES (MAY 8, 2025) (ANADOLU – ACCESS ALL) 1. VARIOUS PICTURES ON WALL IN ST. RITA OF CASCIA HIGH SCHOOL 2. SOUNDBITE (English) GRADE 12 SENIOR, ROBERT KANIA SAYING: “Hello, I'm Robert Kania. So last year, on August 7th of 2024, I was in New Linux at St. Jude Parish, and actually got to meet Colonel Prievos at the time, now which is, he is hopefully the 14th, and right here is a photo.” 3. KANIA SHOWING PICTURES OF HIM WITH POPE LEO XIV (TWO SHOTS) 4. SOUNDBITE (English) GRADE 12 SENIOR, ROBERT KANIA SAYING: “Pope John Paul came here October 5th of 1979, and he sit exactly right here, right in front of the whole hierarchy, the carnal and bishops of America, and we actually have his Zuchetto in the back vault, and it's just so such a special like moment that we have for our school, and when that we have one, a saint that was here, two, now a current Pope who is standing right here in our church. “ 5. SOUNDBITE (English) GRADE 12 SENIOR, ROBERT KANIA SPEAKING WHILE SHOWING POPE JOHN PAUL’S ZUCCHETTO “Right here is where we keep Pope John Paul's Zucchetto that he gave us in 1979 as a gift to the school.” 6. SOUNDBITE (English) GRADE 12 SENIOR, ROBERT KANIA SAYING: “Okay, so right here we have the Pope's Zuchetto, so you see this hat right here? That's his. So Pope John Paul, when he was here on October 5th of 1979, after his trip, he gave this to us, and we keep it safe and of all in our back, this is a cherished piece of history that we hold here at St. Rita.” 7. VARIOUS INTERIOR SHOTS OF ST. RITA OF CASCIA HIGH SCHOOL 8. SOUNDBITE (English) PRESIDENT OF ST. RITA OF CASCIA HIGH SCHOOL, DEACON, JOHN DONAHUE, SAYING: “I'm Deacon John Donahue, President of St. Rita High School. “ 9. SOUNDBITE (English) PRESIDENT OF ST. RITA OF CASCIA HIGH SCHOOL, DEACON, JOHN DONAHUE, SAYING: “We've been following what's happening at the Vatican all week long. All of our theology classes know that Cardinal Prevost was one of the Cardinals participating, along with Bishop Blaise Shupich and Wilton Gregory, all from Chicago. But we really didn't think that they had a chance of being Americans, but we were following it. Once the white smoke came out, all of our attention turned to the Vatican. All the classrooms were watching. And when they came out and announced Father or Bishop Cardinal Robert Prevost, the whole school erupted because they knew that he is one of us from the Augustinian order. He's been at this school many, many times. Many of the faculty and staff know him. They've met him. Many of the students know him. So it's really, really exciting for St. Rita High School and the Augustinian community here.” 10. SOUNDBITE (English) PRESIDENT OF ST. RITA OF CASCIA HIGH SCHOOL, DEACON, JOHN DONAHUE, SAYING: “Well, this is one of the things that will help energize people because they're curious. They're curious to know. And this is an opportunity for us to help explain and spread the gospel message and invite people to come back or to at least explore the possibility of finding out what we do, how we do it, and those who have been away, maybe an opportunity to come back. John Paul II visited here in 1979. He was here in this very place where we are standing. So hopefully Pope Leo will come back, visit his hometown, and visit us here at St. Rita High School.” 11. SOUNDBITE (English) PRESIDENT OF ST. RITA OF CASCIA HIGH SCHOOL, DEACON, JOHN DONAHUE, SAYING: “I don't know him. I've never really met him. But if you talk to Father McCarthy, he could explain that much better than myself. But I don't know. But hopefully that he would be visiting the United States and stop in his hometown, Chicago, sometime in the future.” 12. SOUNDBITE (English) DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY RELATIONS OF ST. RITA HIGH SCHOOL, DEACON, FATHER TOM MCCARTHY, OSA, SAYING: “Father Tom McCarthy, I went crazy. I just jumped up and down. I said, "I can't believe this." We knew he was in the running, but everyone said he's an American, so he'll never get it. We know him as Augustinians as our brother Bob, and we know the good that he is, the good man that he is. And it was obvious that the Cardinals saw the goodness of him. Not political, nothing political. It's all about the Holy Spirit guiding. And so, I think the Holy Spirit did a great job, and I think the Cardinals did a great job.” 13. SOUNDBITE (English) DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY RELATIONS OF ST. RITA HIGH SCHOOL, DEACON, FATHER TOM MCCARTHY, OSA, SAYING: “Well, I met him 42 years ago when he was Father Bob, and he was a missionary in Peru. Just very friendly, very likable, good sense of humor, and just normal, everyday guy that you wouldn't mind going out for a pizza with. Just a really good, down-to-earth, great sense of humor, and a very compassionate guy. I think he is going to give it a try. I think once people get to know him and to see how he's just a wonderful human being that loves God, loves the church, loves people, if they give him a chance, I think he's going to really be a force in our church and in our world.” 14. SOUNDBITE (English) DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY RELATIONS OF ST. RITA HIGH SCHOOL, DEACON, FATHER TOM MCCARTHY, OSA, SAYING: “I was very fortunate, you know, when I was in high school, to see John Paul II when he was in Chicago, and I see the change and the impact he made on the world and the church, I hope Pope Leo will do the same thing.”CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, UNITED STATES - MAY 8, 2025: The election of Pope Leo XIV, formerly Cardinal Robert Prevost of Chicago, has ignited pride and celebration at St. Rita of Cascia High School, where the new pope once served as a teacher. The 69-year-old Augustinian cardinal's historic rise as the first American pope was met with elation across his former school community. Students and faculty remembered him not just as a religious leader but as a humble and compassionate mentor. “On August 7, 2024, I met Cardinal Prevost at St. Jude Parish. Now he’s Pope Leo XIV,” said Grade 12 student Robert Kania, proudly displaying a photo of the encounter. “Pope John Paul came here in 1979 and sat right here. We actually have his zucchetto in the school’s back vault.” School President Deacon John Donahue described the moment of the Vatican announcement: “Once the white smoke came out, all the classrooms were watching. When they announced Cardinal Robert Prevost, the whole school erupted. He’s one of us from the Augustinian order.” “Hopefully, Pope Leo will return home and visit St. Rita again," he said. Father Tom McCarthy, Director of Community Relations, expressed his joy. “I just jumped up and down. Everyone thought, ‘He’s American, so he’ll never get it.’ But we know him as Brother Bob — a holy, humble man.” McCarthy, who has known Prevost for over four decades, recalled his early years: “He was a missionary in Peru — very down-to-earth and caring. I truly believe he’ll be a force in the Church and in the world.” Robert Prevost, a 69-year-old cardinal who is originally from Chicago, Illinois, was elected Thursday as pope, making him the first American ever to ascend to the papacy. He will take the name of Pope Leo XIV, marking the first time the name Leo has been used by a pope since the 19th century.