- Simone Orendain, Chicago, United States (OSV News).
On what began as a cloudy afternoon, in the bright and sunny stadium of Pope Leo XIV's favorite baseball team, the Chicago faithful cheered the election of one of their own to the papacy.
The June 14 celebration, organized by the Archdiocese of Chicago, included a series of short video clips and the first-ever broadcast of a video message Pope Leo XIV to the youth of the world at Rate Field, home of the Chicago White Sox baseball team on the Southside of Chicago, Illinois.
Recognize that God is calling you
In the message, the Papa Leo encouraged the young people to look within themselves, to recognize God's presence in their own hearts. "Recognize that God is present and that, maybe in many different ways, God comes to you, calls you, invites you to know his Son Jesus Christ, through the Scriptures, maybe through a friend or a relative...a grandparent, who might be a person of faith."
He emphasized the importance of recognizing this, especially "that yearning for love in our lives, for... searching, for a real search, for finding ways in which we can do something with our own lives to serve others."
Pope Leo also extended an invitation to join this Holy Year to the cheering, lulled crowd, eyes on video monitors throughout the field.
"In this Jubilee Year of Hope, Christ, who is our hope, in fact calls us all to unite, so that we can be that true living example: the light of hope in today's world," he said. (Full text available here).
Bulls broadcaster, Fr. John Merkelis, and a teacher, Fr.
The program before the scheduled Mass at the stadium included a three-way interview. With host Chuck Swirsky, known to locals as the broadcaster for the Chicago Bulls NBA team. With Pope Leo's classmate, Augustinian Father John Merkelis, president of Augustinian Providence High School in a south Chicago suburb.
And with Sister Dianne Bergant of St. Agnes, a former teacher of his at Catholic Theological Union, who said he was a very good student.
Father Merkelis spoke about the down-to-earth and humble way of his friend 'Bob' Prevost. He shared his thoughts on what kind of pope his high school classmate and close friend would be. "He's deliberate, he's thoughtful. He will listen to everyone, but he will make his own decision. He will be clear... He is a canon lawyer, and he knows how to apply the law in a pastoral way. He is a man who prays. And having worked that out, he's a normal guy," Father Merkelis said.
White Sox invite Pope to Chicago
White Sox senior vice president Brooks Boyer addressed the pope directly, in case he was watching the live broadcast.
"On behalf of the White Sox and all of our fans, it would be an honor to have him back here at Rate Field for a ceremonial first pitch. His fans are certainly ready and his team, the White Sox, is here with open arms," he said.
The program included an archdiocesan-produced music video of Augustinian Brother David Marshall singing and playing the piano to a song he composed about Pope Leo's Chicago roots, 'One of Us'. The song combines a mix of English, Spanish and Latin lyrics, highlighting the phrase "In Illo uno unum" (In the One we are one), the motto of Pope Leo XIV.
Sport, "a valuable means for human and Christian formation".
On the morning of the Sunday of the Holy TrinityThe Pope celebrated the concluding Mass of the Jubilee of Sport in St. Peter's Basilica, attended by several thousand people.
In the homilyLeo XIV has stated that "the binomial Trinidad-Sport is not exactly commonplace, yet the association is not absurd. In fact, every good human activity carries with it a reflection of God's beauty, and sport is certainly one of them."
"After all, God is not static, he is not closed in on himself. He is communion, a living relationship between the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, who opens himself to humanity and to the world. Theology calls this reality perichoresisthat is to say, "dance": a dance of reciprocal love".
The Pope has called sport "a valuable means for human and Christian formation".
And "the way to build peace" (Angelus).
After the Mass and the greeting to the thousands of faithful in St. Peter's Square, Leo XIV prayed the Àngelus with the faithful.
In his words, he said that "sport is a way to build peace, because it is a school of respect and loyalty, which makes the culture of encounter and fraternity grow. Sisters and brothers, I encourage you to practice this style in a conscious way, opposing all forms of violence and oppression".
Middle East, Ukraine, Africa...
The Pontiff then mentioned the armed conflicts in Myanmar, Nigeria (terrible massacre with 200 dead two days ago), Sudan, the Middle East, Ukraine and the whole world. "We continue to pray for peace in the Middle East, in Ukraine and throughout the world."
The Pope also recalled the beatification this Sunday afternoon at St. Paul Outside the Walls of Floribert Bwana Chui, a young Congolese martyr. "He was killed at the age of twenty-six because, as a Christian, he opposed injustice and defended the little ones and the poor. May his witness give courage and hope to the young people of the Democratic Republic of Congo and of all Africa!".
Appeal to young people from July 28 to August 3
In conclusion, he quoted to the young people: "I will be waiting for you in a month and a half at the Youth Jubilee! May the Virgin Mary, Queen of Peace, intercede for us". The Jubilee of young people will take place from July 28 to August 3 in Rome.
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Simone Orendain writes for OSV News from Chicago.
This article is a translation of the original which can be found at here.
