A fan takes a picture with a mural of Pope Leo XIV, a South Sider, at the Chicago White Sox's Rate Field. Photos AP
For years, the idea of an american pope was a non-starter. So on May 8, when Robert Francis Prevost, OSA, a born-and-raised Chicago Southsider, appeared at the balcony overlooking St. Peter’s Square and offered his first greeting as Pope Leo XIV, many American Catholics first registered disbelief. An old friend of Prevost said that even Prevost himself had referenced the conventional wisdom in an email to him the night before the conclave – he said that he was “sleeping well” because “an American is not going to be a pope.”
Almost instantly, the media served up stories about Leo’s love for the Chicago White Sox, Wordle, and tennis. It seemed no factoid was too trivial. Did the pope have a Costco card? Was he a fan of deep dish? The novelty of first North American pontiff (who also spent many years working in Peru) quickly transformed pop culture into pope culture. Memes highlighting Leo’s Chicago roots flooded social media platforms, while pope merch hit the market in a blink of the eye. Within hours, it was possible to buy Leo-labeled gifts for the reverent (rosaries and prayer cards), the practical (socks, T-shirts and mugs), jokers (bobbleheads and plush dolls), baseball fans (a Pope Leo baseball card from Topps or a Sox jersey that looks like a papal vestment) and, for the Chicago-obsessed, (a reprint of the Sun Times’ front page:“Da Pope!”)
After the initial frenzy subsided, the Archdiocese of Chicago – where Pope Leo grew up, studied theology, and spent time in ministry – hosted a massive event to honor and pray for the leader of world’s 1.4 billion Roman Catholics. On June 14, a sold-out crowd gathered at the White Sox’s Rate Field to celebrate Mass and to hear from a few folks who knew Pope Leo even before his ordination. Their stories offered insights into his own theological education, his ministry, and personal traits he has put in service to his church.
Chuck Swirsky, the play-by-play voice of the Chicago Bulls and reader at Holy Name Cathedral, interviewed Sister Dianne Bergant, CSA, one of Leo’s seminary professors, and Father John Merkelis, a fellow Augustinian priest and high school classmate of Pope Leo. Bergant, the Carroll Stuhlmueller, CP, Distinguished Professor Emerita of Old Testament Studies at Catholic Theological Union, arrived at CTU as a faculty member around the time Prevost arrived as an M.Div. student. Swirsky asked her what kind of student Pope Leo was.
Costumed students, who went viral with a mock conclave, arrive at a Mass at the Chicago White Sox's Rate Field.
“Good student. That’s all I can say. I’m not allowed to say more,” she said. Bergant, though, did say more. She told the crowd that when she was a young nun teaching grade school, she wanted to remember each of her students, so she held on to her grade lists. She still has the records from 45 years in the classroom, including those at CTU when Prevost went through. “I have proof that he was a good student,” she said.
Now retired and living in Wisconsin, Bergant also shared that she was watching on May 8 when the announcement was made “I was overwhelmed with emotion, but I don’t know how to describe the emotion,” she said. “I mean, someone’s got to be pope. And why not him?” She paused briefly. “But it says something – now here’s my shot – it says something about the education he got.” The crowd laughed and applauded before she said, “I know the theology out of which he operates.”
That theology, she said, grew out of the Second Vatican Council. “CTU came together as a Second Vatican Council product, if you will,” she said, referring to the collaborative and ecumenical spirit that has permeated the school since its founding in 1968. “His resume shows that’s the kind of minister he was, so you can draw the conclusion that that’s the kind of pope he will be.”
When Swirsky asked Merkelis about his old friend, Merkelis mentioned the pre-conclave email and attributes that sound custom-made for a leader in theological education who led a school in Peru and served on CTU’s board of trustees. “He’s deliberate, he’s thoughtful. He will listen to all sides, but he will make up his own mind. He’ll be clear, but he’ll be very pastoral. He’s a canon lawyer, and he knows how to pastorally apply the law. He’s a prayerful man,” Merkelis said. “And, having said all that, he’s a regular guy: a down-to-earth guy. ... I believe he will bring those same qualities to all the issues he faces.”
The pope didn’t make it to the Rate Field event, although he did send a video greeting. Brooks Boyer, senior vice president, chief revenue & marketing officer for the Chicago White Sox, welcomed the crowd, and invited Leo to throw out a ceremonial first pitch sometime. “The mound is waiting. Your crowd is certainly ready! And your team the White Sox is here for you with open arms. You pick the date and we’ll be ready to go.”