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New York Times
15-06-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Big Cheers for No. 14, Pope Leo, at the Ballpark
Visuals by Jamie Kelter Davis Text by Ruth Graham Tens of thousands of Catholic Chicagoans and others gathered in the stands at Rate Field on Saturday afternoon for a celebration of the election of Pope Leo XIV. The joyful atmosphere at the park was a testament to faith: in the Church, in the son of Chicago who now leads it, in the White Sox, or in some combination of all three. Cardinal Blase J. Cupich said the event was designed as 'an opportunity to say that there's a lot of good that happens in Chicago.' The new pope, the former Robert Prevost, grew up in a modest brick home in a south suburb, Dolton, just on the other side of the city line, and is a confirmed Sox fan. 'We want to celebrate that he's not only from America, but he's from Chicago, and he's from the South Side,' said Rose Carlson, 42, as she filed into the ballpark with her husband, Eric. The couple saw Leo's election as a good omen for their team, noting that he was photographed days earlier sporting the team's black-and-white cap with his white papal cassock. With his election, 'the White Sox went worldwide,' Ms. Carlson said. 'Now they're higher than the Cubs.' They were both wearing Sox jerseys with 'LEO 14' on the back. More than 30,000 tickets to the event sold out within days of the announcement last month, organizers said. The ballpark, which has a capacity of 40,615 for White Sox games, was about half full on Saturday. The weather was sunny and mild, what might objectively be described as a perfect day. As crowds began to gather outside around noon, the mood was buoyant, with young people playing guitars, drumming and dancing. Inside, people waited in line to take photographs with cardboard cutouts of Leo in his papal robes, as well as by a fresh mural commemorating Leo's visit to the ballpark for Game 1 of the World Series in 2005, the last time the White Sox won the title. The event began with an eclectic program that included a welcome from a White Sox representative, who noted that Chicago baseball greats Paul Konerko and Ernie Banks both wore the number 14. The crowd also heard an original song about Leo's life with lyrics like, 'Called into the Vatican dicastery, where he dealt with problems and bureaucracy.' Students from Our Lady of Mount Carmel Academy also appeared onstage in their costumes from a mock conclave the school held in early May, before Pope Leo was selected from their hometown. (Their selection was a fourth- grader named Augie, who took the papal name Pope Augustine.) At the Mass that followed the program, Bible passages were read in Spanish, Polish and English, as well as prayers in Tagalog and other languages. Songs included traditional hymns, a popular Spanish praise song, and the spiritual 'Wade in the Water.' 'It's the joy of knowing there's so much that unites us,' said Maria Torres, 37, who had traveled in a group of 15 family members from Kewanee, Ill., about 150 miles outside the city. 'There are so many identities here, so many cultures, values, traditions and languages, but it's one person that unites us all.' At the culmination of the Mass, nearly 500 lay ministers and ushers dispersed throughout the stadium to distribute Communion. Elsewhere in the city and across the country, demonstrators were pouring into parks and streets, after a week in which President Trump deployed the National Guard and the Marines to Los Angeles in response to protests over immigration raids. Cardinal Cupich alluded to the turmoil in his homily. 'It is wrong to scapegoat those who are here without documents,' he said, to cheers from many in the stands. 'They are here due to a broken immigration system which both parties have failed to fix.' Leo himself made an appearance of sorts, in the form of a video message recorded at the Vatican and displayed on the large digital display looming above the outfield. In his first public address to an American audience, he encouraged young people to see themselves as 'beacons of hope.' After the Mass, the music continued, with a break for a familiar ballpark refrain. The crowd laughed with recognition, and then joined in: 'Let's go, Leo,' they chanted. 'Let's go!'
CBS News
15-06-2025
- Sport
- CBS News
Pope Leo XIV delivers message of hope on video played at Chicago's Rate Field celebration
Pope Leo XIV delivered a message of hope by video message on Saturday at a celebration and mass at Rate Field, honoring the papacy of the city's native son. In an eight-minute video played during the celebration at Rate Field, Pope Leo XIV urged Catholic faithful to be a "light of hope," to serve others, and to make the world a better place. "As you gather today in this great celebration, I want to both express my gratitude to you, and also an encouragement to continue to build up community, friendship as brothers and sisters in your daily lives, in your families, in your parishes, in the Archdiocese, and throughout our world," the pope said. "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 in this jubilee year of hope." The pope also spoke directly to the young people in the audience, telling them they are the "promise of hope for so many of us." "The world looks to you as you look around yourselves and says, 'we need you,'" the pope said. The event was emceed by Chicago Bulls announcer Chuck Swirsky. Cardinal Blase Cupich was the main celebrant and homilist at the Catholic Mass that was the final element of the celebration. The Chicago Archdiocese estimated some 30,000 people bought tickets to the celebration. "I remember when they picked Pope Francis, and I knew that coming to an event like this would be a once-in-a-lifetime experience," said Kelsey Hayes, of west suburban LaGrange. It was a packed program that included interviews with the Pope's former classmate and former college professor, and songs of praise from the choir at Leo High school. CBS News Chicago's Dorothy Tucker spoke to people at the celebration about their impressions of the pope's message. "I think the fact that he's reaching out to the youth across the world," Chris Poindexter said. "You can tell that he really cares. I mean it's hot in this stadium today. I know I felt that everyone got chills," Beatrice Poindexter said. The event also included an invitation from the Chicago White Sox for Pope Leo XIV to throw out a ceremonial first pitch at a future White Sox game. The pope — a lifelong White Sox fan — was in the stands in Game 1 of the 2005 World Series, and earlier this week donned a White Sox cap given to him as a gift at the Vatican. A new mural of the pope near where he sat for the first game of the 2005 World Series attracted fans on Saturday. So did a cut-out of the pope. "They whipped it up in record speed. Everything is just so gorgeous," said Collin Patton, of northern Minnesota. Cardinal Blase Cupich, who led the Mass that ended the event, noted the significance of the moment. "Wow. I think I'm going to remember this moment as the sermon on the mound," he said.
CBS News
14-06-2025
- Sport
- CBS News
Pope Leo XIV delivers message of hope on video played at Rate Field celebration
Pope Leo XIV delivered a message of hope by video message on Saturday at a celebration and mass at Rate Field, honoring the papacy of the city's native son. In an eight-minute video played during the celebration at Rate Field, Pope Leo XIV urged Catholic faithful to be a "light of hope," to serve others, and to make the world a better place. "As you gather today in this great celebration, I want to both express my gratitude to you, and also an encouragement to continue to build up community, friendship as brothers and sisters in your daily lives, in your families, in your parishes, in the Archdiocese, and throughout our world," the pope said. "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 in this jubilee year of hope." The event was emceed by Chicago Bulls announcer Chuck Swirsky. Cardinal Blase Cupich was the main celebrant and homilist at the Catholic Mass that was the final element of the celebration. The Chicago Archdiocese estimated some 30,000 people bought tickets to the celebration. It was a packed program that included interviews with the Pope's former classmate and former college professor, and songs of praise from the choir at Leo High school. CBS News Chicago's Dorothy Tucker spoke to people at the celebration about their impressions of the pope's message. "I think the fact that he's reaching out to the youth across the world," Chris Poindexter said. "You can tell that he really cares. I mean it's hot in this stadium today. I know I felt that everyone got chills," Beatrice Poindexter said. The event also included an invitation from the Chicago White Sox for Pope Leo XIV to throw out a ceremonial first pitch at a future White Sox game. The pope — a lifelong White Sox fan — was in the stands in Game 1 of the 2005 World Series, and earlier this week donned a White Sox cap given to him as a gift at the Vatican. Leo XIV, formerly Robert Prevost, was elected May 8, becoming the first U.S.-born pope in the 2,000-year history of the Catholic church.
Yahoo
14-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Pope Leo, from Chicago, makes his first US pitch at White Sox Park
By Tom Polansek and Joshua McElwee CHICAGO (Reuters) -Pope Leo, a native of Chicago's south side and a long-time fan of his beloved but beleaguered White Sox, sent a video message on Saturday to a sellout crowd attending Catholic Mass in his honor at their hometown ballpark. The pontiff, the first leader of the global Catholic Church from the United States, appeared for about seven minutes on Rate Field's jumbotron during the event, organized by the Chicago archdiocese and featuring several other local personalities, including Bulls announcer Chuck Swirsky. "It's a pleasure for me to greet all of you gathered together at White Sox Park on this great celebration," the pope said in the video message, his first public address to the U.S. since his election on May 8 to replace the late Pope Francis. The new pope called on Chicagoans to put aside "egotistical ways" in order to spread hope and work to build community in their hometown. "We have to look for ways of coming together and promoting a message of hope," he said, speaking in English with a slight Chicago accent. Hours before the event at Rate Field started, people had gathered around the stadium, including kids in White Sox jerseys, hawkers selling "Da Pope" baseball hats, nuns in white and blue habits and priests in their collars. Saturday's event, led by Chicago Cardinal Blase Cupich, took place as demonstrations were held in cities across the U.S., including at Chicago's Daley Plaza, to protest President Donald Trump's crackdown on undocumented immigrants, and in Washington, D.C., ahead of the president celebrating his 79th birthday with a military parade. The pope did not mention politics, and instead offered a message of encouragement to young people. Sister Barbara Reid, president of the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, where the pope attended seminary in the 1980s, told Reuters she hoped his message could help unite the U.S. "A celebration that's centered on hope and possibility and unity is needed now more than ever before," she said. "Hopefully this can be a catalyst to bring us together." Leo, the former Cardinal Robert Prevost, was born in Dolton, on the outskirts of the city's south side, and has spent most of his career as a priest outside the U.S. He is a member of the Augustinian religious order, and spent decades in Peru as a missionary and bishop, before first taking up a senior Vatican role in 2023. In a nod to Leo's close ties to the South American country, his celebration in Chicago on Saturday began with a performance of Peru's national anthem. The U.S. national anthem followed, performed by Leo High School's choir, which was a contestant on "America's Got Talent." The pope's family, including a brother who still lives in a Chicago suburb, has spoken about the pontiff's enthusiasm for the White Sox, even as the rival Chicago Cubs also tried to claim him. Leo briefly donned the trademark black-and-white Sox cap offered by a pilgrim during his weekly audience in St. Peter's Square on Wednesday. TICKETS RESELL FOR MORE THAN $1,200 On the first day that tickets became available for Saturday's event, more than 10,000 tickets were sold in the first 15 minutes, the White Sox said. Tickets, which sold for $5 apiece, hit resale sites like StubHub for more than $1,200 just hours after they were released, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. While Catholic parishes across the city, including the one where the Prevost family attended Mass, have shuttered amid waning church attendance, Chicago's identity is still very much entwined with the Catholic Church. When meeting strangers, Chicagoans sometimes identify their neighborhood by the name of the closest parish. "A lot of people in Chicago just have great pride that the new pope is from Chicago," said Rev. Tom McCarthy, a popular preacher from the city who is also an Augustinian. "They want to celebrate it together." The White Sox (39-121) set the modern-day record for most losses in a single season in 2024. This year, the team has the worst record in the American League so far. Fans pray the Mass gives the team a divine boost. "We need all the help we can get," said McCarthy, a lifelong Sox fan. "If the field is going to be blessed by this event, hopefully it will go right through to the players."
Reuters
14-06-2025
- Politics
- Reuters
Pope Leo, from Chicago, makes his first US pitch at White Sox Park
CHICAGO, June 14 (Reuters) - Pope Leo, a native of Chicago's south side and a long-time fan of his beloved but beleaguered White Sox, sent a video message on Saturday to a sellout crowd attending Catholic Mass in his honor at their hometown ballpark. The pontiff, the first leader of the global Catholic Church from the United States, appeared for about seven minutes on Rate Field's jumbotron during the event, organized by the Chicago archdiocese and featuring several other local personalities, including Bulls announcer Chuck Swirsky. "It's a pleasure for me to greet all of you gathered together at White Sox Park on this great celebration," the pope said in the video message, his first public address to the U.S. since his election on May 8 to replace the late Pope Francis. The new pope called on Chicagoans to put aside "egotistical ways" in order to spread hope and work to build community in their hometown. "We have to look for ways of coming together and promoting a message of hope," he said, speaking in English with a slight Chicago accent. Hours before the event at Rate Field started, people had gathered around the stadium, including kids in White Sox jerseys, hawkers selling "Da Pope" baseball hats, nuns in white and blue habits and priests in their collars. Saturday's event, led by Chicago Cardinal Blase Cupich, took place as demonstrations were held in cities across the U.S., including at Chicago's Daley Plaza, to protest President Donald Trump's crackdown on undocumented immigrants, and in Washington, D.C., ahead of the president celebrating his 79th birthday with a military parade. The pope did not mention politics, and instead offered a message of encouragement to young people. Sister Barbara Reid, president of the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, where the pope attended seminary in the 1980s, told Reuters she hoped his message could help unite the U.S. "A celebration that's centered on hope and possibility and unity is needed now more than ever before," she said. "Hopefully this can be a catalyst to bring us together." Leo, the former Cardinal Robert Prevost, was born in Dolton, on the outskirts of the city's south side, and has spent most of his career as a priest outside the U.S. He is a member of the Augustinian religious order, and spent decades in Peru as a missionary and bishop, before first taking up a senior Vatican role in 2023. In a nod to Leo's close ties to the South American country, his celebration in Chicago on Saturday began with a performance of Peru's national anthem. The U.S. national anthem followed, performed by Leo High School's choir, which was a contestant on "America's Got Talent." The pope's family, including a brother who still lives in a Chicago suburb, has spoken about the pontiff's enthusiasm for the White Sox, even as the rival Chicago Cubs also tried to claim him. Leo briefly donned the trademark black-and-white Sox cap offered by a pilgrim during his weekly audience in St. Peter's Square on Wednesday. On the first day that tickets became available for Saturday's event, more than 10,000 tickets were sold in the first 15 minutes, the White Sox said. Tickets, which sold for $5 apiece, hit resale sites like StubHub for more than $1,200 just hours after they were released, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. While Catholic parishes across the city, including the one where the Prevost family attended Mass, have shuttered amid waning church attendance, Chicago's identity is still very much entwined with the Catholic Church. When meeting strangers, Chicagoans sometimes identify their neighborhood by the name of the closest parish. "A lot of people in Chicago just have great pride that the new pope is from Chicago," said Rev. Tom McCarthy, a popular preacher from the city who is also an Augustinian. "They want to celebrate it together." The White Sox (39-121) set the modern-day record for most losses in a single season in 2024. This year, the team has the worst record in the American League so far. Fans pray the Mass gives the team a divine boost. "We need all the help we can get," said McCarthy, a lifelong Sox fan. "If the field is going to be blessed by this event, hopefully it will go right through to the players."
