They Hung Up on Pope Leo!

[Luigi]

I don't know what news service this is from, but it showed up on my local ABC affiliate's web page. 

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‘Would it help if I told you I’m Pope Leo?’ Pope attempts to update his banking information himself, gets hung up on

by: Ben Bradley, Katharin Czink

Posted: May 7, 2026 / 01:10 PM CDT

Updated: May 7, 2026 / 01:10 PM CDT

We all have to deal with the ordinary tasks of daily living and so does The Pope, apparently.

A very relatable story making a big splash on social media this week, as told by Father Tom McCarthy a fellow Augustinian and long-time friend to Pope Leo.

“He is one of us,” he said. “He’s a Chicagoan a Southsider, he really is.”

Shortly after that Southsider became the leader of the Catholic Church one year ago, the former Robert Prevost simply wanted to update his contact information on his bank account. He was moving to Rome and wanted to let the local branch in Chicago know where to find him.

“He is as normal as they come,” McCarthy said.

And that’s why it was no surprise Pope Leo himself made the call.

More Coverage: Chicago’s Pope Leo

“This is how humble he was that he didn’t have an assistant or a secretary do it, which he could have done,” McCarthy said. “But he said, ‘Oh I’ll just quick call and change.’ He answered all the questions. They said, ‘Sorry, sir. You have to come in person.’ So finally he says, ‘I really can’t come in person. Would it help if I told you I’m Pope Leo?’ They hung up! … I’d hang up on him! If someone is telling me, ‘This is the Pope,’ I’d hang up on them. So I’m not blaming the employee.”

Of course, it all got resolved. The pontiff asked a friend here in Chicago to help him verify his identity. And the bank was happy to keep the pope’s business.

[dUSt]