He is still seen as a longshot, but Cardinal Timothy Dolan’s friends and relatives in the St. Louis area are watching closely as the process of choosing a new pope begins.

Dolan is among 115 cardinal electors at the Vatican to select the next pope. Some experts say Dolan himself is an unlikely choice because he’s American and because he was elevated to cardinal just 13 months ago.

Dolan grew up in a ranch house in Ballwin, a St. Louis suburb. His younger sister, Debbie Williams, says none of the relatives are surprised by Dolan’s success.

Three of Dolan’s four siblings live in the St. Louis region, as does his mother. His late father was a production foreman at McDonnell Douglas.