John Prevost points to an old photo of his brothers, including the newly elected Pope Leo XIV, Robert Prevost, left, during an interview with the Associated Press on Thursday, May 8, 2025, in New Lennox, Ill. (AP Photo/Obed Lamy)2025-05-09T05:00:19Z NEW LENOX, Ill. (AP) When white smoke poured out of the Sistine Chapel revealing that a new pope had been chosen, John Prevost turned on his television in Illinois, called his niece and they watched in awe as his brothers name was announced.She started screaming because it was her uncle and I was in the moment of disbelief that this cannot be possible because its too far from what we thought would happen, Prevost said Thursday in an interview with The Associated Press from his home in New Lenox, Illinois.Next, he said he felt an intense sense of pride that his brother, Cardinal Robert Prevost, had become the 267th pontiff to lead the Catholic Church, making the Chicago-born missionary the first U.S. pope.Its quite an honor; its quite a once in a lifetime, he said. But I think its quite a responsibility and I think its going to lead to bigger and better things, but I think people are going to watch him very closely to see what hes doing. Robert Prevost, a 69-year-old member of the Augustinian religious order who spent his career ministering in Peru, took the name Leo XIV. John Prevost described his brother as being very concerned for the poor and those who dont have a voice. He said he expects him to be a second Pope Francis. Hes not going to be real far left and hes not going to be real far right, he added. Kind of right down the middle. John Prevost, brother of newly elected Pope Leo XIV, Robert Prevost, speaks during an interview with the Associated Press on Thursday, May 8, 2025, in New Lennox, Ill. (AP Photo/Obed Lamy) John Prevost, brother of newly elected Pope Leo XIV, Robert Prevost, speaks during an interview with the Associated Press on Thursday, May 8, 2025, in New Lennox, Ill. (AP Photo/Obed Lamy) Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More At one point during the interview, John Prevost realized he had missed several calls from his brother, so he gave the new pope a call back. Leo told him he wasnt interested in being part of the interview and after a brief message of congratulations and discussion in which they talked like any two brothers about travel arrangements, they hung up.The new pope grew up the youngest of three boys. John Prevost, who was only a year older than him, said he remembers Robert Prevost being very good in school as a kid and enjoying playing tag, Monopoly and Risk. From a young age, he said he knew his brother was going to be a priest. Although he didnt expect him to become pope, he recalled a neighbor predicting that very thing when Robert Prevost was only a first grader.She sensed that at 6 years old, he said. How she did that, who knows. It took this long, but here he is, first American pope.When Robert Prevost graduated eighth grade, he left for seminary school, his brother said.Theres a whole period there where we didnt really grow up together, he said. It was just on vacations that we had contact together.These days, the brothers talk on the phone every day, John Prevost said. Robert Prevost will call him and theyll discuss everything from politics to religion and even play the days Wordle.John Prevost said hes not sure how much time his brother will have to talk as the new pope and how theyll handle staying in touch in the future.Its already strange not having someone to talk to, he said.___Golden reported from Seattle.