In White Sox stadium broadcast, Pope Leo XIV sends message of hope to Chicago and the U.S.
In his first words directed specifically to Americans, Pope Leo XIV told young people on Saturday how to find hope and meaning in their lives through God and in service to others.
'So many people who suffer from different experiences of depression or sadness — they can discover that the love of God is truly healing, that it brings hope,' the first American pope said in a video broadcast on the jumbotron at the White Sox baseball stadium in Chicago.
The event — set in Leo's hometown and at the home stadium of his favorite major league team — was organized by the Archdiocese of Chicago in honor of his recent election as pope. Leo seized the opportunity to speak directly to young people, tying his message to the Catholic Church's ongoing Jubilee year of hope that was declared by Pope Francis.
In Saturday's message, Leo urged those listening in the stadium and online to be beacons of hope capable of inspiring others.
'To share that message of hope with one another — in outreach, in service, in looking for ways to make our world a better place — gives true life to all of us, and is a sign of hope for the whole world.'
The afternoon program, emceed by Chicago Bulls announcer Chuck Swirsky, highlighted Leo's roots, including music by the city's Leo Catholic High School Choir and a musician from Peru, according to the event's program. There was also a discussion featuring a former teacher of the pope as well as a high school classmate and fellow Augustinian.
The event also celebrated the mixing of Catholicism and baseball, including a special invitation from the team for Leo to throw out a ceremonial first pitch at a future White Sox game.
Leo, formerly Robert Prevost, was elected May 8, becoming the first American pope in the 2,000-year history of the church. Leo, 69, spent his career serving as an Augustinian missionary and ministering in Peru before taking over the Vatican's powerful office of bishops. He succeeded Pope Francis, who died April 21.
'When I see each and every one of you, when I see how people gather together to celebrate their faith, I discover myself how much hope there is in the world,' Leo said in the video message.
The program was followed by a Mass celebrated by Cardinal Blase Cupich, the archbishop of Chicago who was part of the conclave that elected Leo.
Holly Meyer, The Associated Press
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CTV News
3 hours ago
- CTV News
Owusu, Sealy and Escobar score goals as Montreal beats Revolution, snaps 4-game winless skid
CF Montréal forward Dante Sealy, left, and New England Revolution defender Peyton Miller, right, vie for control of the ball during the first half of an MLS soccer match, Friday, July 25, 2025, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Steven Senne) Prince Owusu, Dante Sealy and Olger Escobar each scored a goal on Friday night to help CF Montreal beat the New England Revolution 3-1 to snap a four-game winless streak. Montreal (4-15-6) went into the game with 15 points this season, fewest in MLS. Caden Clark tapped a one-touch pass from just outside the area toward the penalty spot and Sealy slammed home a first-timer to give Montreal a 2-1 lead in the 36th. Clark, a 22-year-old midfielder in his fifth MLS season, has a career-high tying four assists this season. After Jonathan Sirois punched away an arcing cross near the right post and fell to the ground, Luca Langoni skipped a shot from the right-center of the area that was blocked at the goal line by Joel Waterman in the 85th. New England (6-11-7) is winless, with five losses, in its last six. Sirois had one save, a diving one-hand stop of a shot by Chancalay, that was deflected by Bugaj, in the 53rd. Tomás Chancalay gave the Revolution a 1-0 lead with a a first-touch finish from the center of the area in the third minute. Chancalay has scored in back-to-back games for the second time in his three-year MLS career. Owusu, on the counter-attack, stopped a low entry pass played by Dawid Bugaj with his right foot as he held off a defender with his hip. Owusu then turned and scored on a rising second-touch shot with his left foot as he fell to the ground to make it 1-1 in the ninth minute. Owusu has scored seven of his 11 goals this season in the past eight games. Olger, who made his fourth career appearance, capped the scoring in the fifth minute of stoppage time with his first goal in MLS. The Revolution's Brayan Ceballos (yellow card accumulation) served a one-game suspension. This report by The Associated Press was first published on July 25, 2025.
CBC
12 hours ago
- CBC
Nick Kurtz of Athletics becomes 1st MLB rookie to hit 4 home runs in a game
Nick Kurtz of the Athletics became the first rookie in Major League Baseball history to hit four home runs in a game and matched the MLB record with 19 total bases against the Astros on Friday night in Houston. Kurtz went deep in the second, sixth, eighth and ninth innings. He also doubled and singled on his 6-for-6 night to equal Shawn Green, who had four homers, six hits and 19 total bases for the Los Angeles Dodgers on May 23, 2002 at Milwaukee. "It's hard to think about this day being kind of real, it still feels like a dream," Kurtz said in a postgame television interview. "So it's pretty remarkable. I'm kind of speechless. Don't really know what to say." It was the 20th four-homer game in major league history and second this season. Arizona's Eugenio Suarez did it on April 26 against Atlanta. Kurtz and Green are the only players with six hits in a four-homer game. Kurtz finished with eight RBIs and six runs scored as the Athletics beat the Astros 15-3. The 6-foot-5, 22-year-old slugger has 23 homers in 66 games this season. The fourth overall pick in last year's amateur draft out of Wake Forest, he made his major league debut on April 23 and hit his first homer on May 13. He is the youngest player with a four-homer game. Pat Seerey of the Chicago White Sox was 25 when he homered four times on July 18, 1948. On Friday, Kurtz homered off each of the Astros' four pitchers: Ryan Gusto, Nick Hernandez, Kaleb Ort and outfielder Cooper Hummel, who worked the ninth with the game out of hand. His longest drive was his third, a 414-foot solo shot off Ort in the eighth. For his fourth homer, he hit an opposite-field line drive to the Crawford boxes in left field on a 77 mph, 2-0 pitch from Hummel. The three-run shot made it 15-2. Kurtz has been the best hitter in the majors in July, ranking first in batting average (.425), on-base percentage (.494), slugging percentage (1.082), runs (22), doubles (13), homers (11) and RBIs (27).
CTV News
14 hours ago
- CTV News
Guerrero hits 2 doubles and scores twice as the AL-best Blue Jays beat the slumping Tigers 6-2
Toronto Blue Jays' Vladimir Guerrero Jr. runs after hitting a double to score Nathan Lukes during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers Friday, July 25, 2025, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun) DETROIT (AP) — Vladimir Guerrero Jr. doubled twice and scored a pair of runs as the Toronto Blue Jays defeated the slumping Detroit Tigers 6-2 Friday night. The American League-leading Blue Jays are 7-1 since the All-Star break, while the Tigers have lost five straight and 11 of 12. José Berríos (7-4) picked up the win, giving up two runs on five hits and two walks in six innings. Keider Montero (4-3) took the loss, allowing six runs on nine hits in four-plus innings. The Tigers took a 1-0 lead in the second when Wenceel Pérez singled, stole second and scored on Dillon Dingler's double. Addison Barger's RBI double made it 1-1 in the fourth and he scored with two outs on a throwing error by Javier Báez. The Blue Jays then took control with a four-run fifth. Nathan Lukes and George Springer started the inning with singles, and Guerrero hit an RBI double. Bo Bichette's two-run double made it 5-1 and Alejandro Kirk's single off reliever Tyler Holton gave Toronto a five-run lead. Spencer Torkelson's 23rd homer of the season pulled the Tigers within 6-2 in the sixth. Key moment The Tigers didn't get another baserunner after Torkelson's sixth-inning homer. Key stat The Tigers have been outscored 83-32 in their 12-game skid, an average of 4.25 runs per game. They had a plus-112 run differential through 93 games, but have given back almost half of it in a dozen contests. Up next The teams play the third game of their four-game series on Saturday with Tigers ace LHP Tarik Skubal (10-3, 2.19 ERA) facing RHP Kevin Gausman (7-7, 4.01). ___ Dave Hogg, The Associated Press
