As the world watched in the election of the first US Pope, it began to spread a seemingly trivial but highly charged question among the Chicagoans: will be Pope Leo XIV, now a man of 1.4 billion Catholics around the world, loyal to his roots, or accept team glory in the Vatican city?
Are they loved chicks with their history on the northern side or White Sox, whose pride on the south side runs deep? The answer may surprise you and evokes debates that go far behind the baseball diamond.
Congratulations to Pope Leo XIV! pic.twitter.com/s02yDDegQd
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) May 8, 2025
Robert Francis Prevost, now Pope Leo XIV, grew up in a house where sports loyalities were deeply divided. His mother was born in Bronzeville and grew up in the southern suburbs and was a devoted fan of Cubs of Chicago on the north side, while his father was a perennial supporter of St. Louis Cardinals.
According to his brother, John Pestosta, the new Pope decided soon – and it was not with the young.
“Anyone said Cubs did it badly on the radio,” John WGH said. “It’s a sox. He was never a Cubs fan.”
Pope Leo XIV has two brothers, Louis and John. Louis, a military veteran, is based in Florida, while John, who cleared the debate on the Pope’s baseball loyalty, once served as the director of the Catholic school.
While the Pope now leads 1.4 billion Catholics around the world, it is clear that when it comes to baseball, his heart lies on the south side.
The revelation of the sports loyalty of the Pope Leo quickly sent social media to madness, especially after Chicago Cubs tried to claim the newly elected Pope as their own.
Within a few hours after his election, Cubs Hold Online published and quoted the legendary broadcaster Harry Caray: “A good gentleman wants the young to win!”
But the south side did not want to let it slip.
White Sox immediately accepted its new holy connection and sent a team jersey and cap directly to the Vatican.
“The family always knows best,” said the NBC Chicago team. “And it sounds like a lifelong fans of Pope Leo Xiva a little closer to the 35th and shields. Some things are bigger than baseball, but in this case we are glad that the White Sox fan will be represented in Vatice.”
Sport has always been an integral part of Pope Leo’s life. He spent his early years in the suburbs of Dolton and regularly participated in the Mass in St. Mary of the Assumination, located on the far southeast side of the city.
At a press conference on Thursday, Sister Barbara Reid, President of the Catholic Theological Union, where she studied, she studied her character and said, “He is an extraordinary person with a very eager intellect, a heart as big as the world, especially for people on the edge.”
Although he spent a large part of his adult life serving the church abroad, especially in Peru, Pope Leo maintained a strong connection with his Chicago roots – and his sports loyalty.
Football passion
Pope Leo, a graduate of Villan’s University of 1977, has long held love for sport. Before entering the papacy, Robert showed his southern loyalty by attending the World Series 2005 in the area of ​​guaranteed rates to encourage Chicago White Sox.
In addition to baseball, Pope Leo enjoys tennis and described himself as an informal player. In an interview of 2023 he even revealed his excitement to return to the tennis court. “Since I left Peru, I have had few opportunities to practice, but I look forward to returning to the court,” he shared, adding, “Not that this new work would leave me a lot of free time.”
According to reports, Pope Leo is also a long -term supporter of Allianza Lima, a popular football club in Peru.
In conclusion, while Pope Leo XIV can now hold the highest position in the Catholic Church, his roots remain firmly set on the southern side of Chicago. Whether it is his loyalty to White Sox, his love for tennis or his continuing support for Allianza Lim in Peru, the passion of the Pope for Sport and his hometown is undeniable. Since the world continues to adapt to the historical elections of the first US Pope, it is clear that the unique combination of Pope Leo XIV about faith, intellect and personal interests will make it a leader with a different association with his religious duties and his esteem sporting loyalty.