SHORTLY AFTER THE Vatican announced that Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, a Chicago native, would be the next pope, the Cubs changed the iconic Wrigley Field sign to read, “Hey, Chicago, He’s a Cubs fan!” Then Pope Leo’s brother John refuted the claim. Apparently, Leo loves the White Sox, which is convenient, given that their colors more closely match the papal vestments. While this revelation is a big loss for the Cubs (they’re used to that, fortunately), it’s still a huge win for the city of Chicago. In June, Chicagoans (even Cubs fans!) swarmed to the White Sox’ Rate Field to hear Pope Leo address his hometown’s faithful via Jumbotron in what Chicago Cardinal Blase J. Cupich called “the sermon on the mound.”
Clearly, the new pope’s love of the Windy City runs deep, so we’ve put together a list of hometown facts about Pope Leo (Chicago Man) XIV. While all unverified by the Vatican, some truth could be hidden here. Stranger things have happened: a man on the moon, an American in the popemobile.
1. Traditionally, the Vatican announces the new pope with white smoke (created with a combination of the conclave’s burned election ballots and a bit of holy alchemy). With Pope Leo, they wanted folks to really taste and see history being made. So, they fired up some propane tanks outside of the Sistine Chapel and let some brats do the talking.
2. What the brats communicated was a bit different than usual. Typically, the cardinal protodeacon (a restrained, tormented Ralph Fiennes) gives the announcement in Latin: Habemus Papam! (“We have a pope!”) But Leo, a man of the people, asked for something a bit more ... local. Ralph Fiennes leaned out over the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica, cupped his hand around his mouth, and declared, “We got a guy!”
3. And boy is he a guy’s guy. Every Friday night back in high school, Robert “Robbie” Prevost absolutely demolished a Portillo’s cake shake. (For those not christened in this local delicacy, it’s basically a piece of cake that is fully immersed — not sprinkled! — into soft-serve vanilla ice cream and blended to slurp-able perfection.)
4. Clearly, Leo is something of a foodie. He has already told the other priests and sisters that while they should feel comfortable calling him “Holy Father” or “Your Holiness,” he would be disappointed if they didn’t occasionally respond to his papal addresses with a hearty, “Heard, Chef!” in honor of his favorite TV show, The Bear.
5. And while Leo has been enjoying getting to know his new colleagues at the Vatican, he’s become a bit homesick. That’s why he’s already dreaming up his first papal visit to the States — well actually, just one state (Illinois). He’s desperate to take a scenic cruise down Lake Shore Drive, and what he wouldn’t give to cheer on the Bulls (now called “The Papal Bulls”), with a mouth full of Italian beef. Heck, he’d even soup up the popemobile so it could survive the maze of the Lower Wacker if it meant he could once more see the sun set over Sears Tower. (While the pope was comfortable changing his own name to Leo, he’ll never call the city’s tallest building “Willis Tower.” You take the man out of the city, not the city out the man.)
Jenna Barnett is the culture editor at Sojourners and the producer of the award-winning podcast Lead Us Not.
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