Pope Leo XIV made sure the White Sox knew he was with them as they headed into the postseason.
On Sept. 9, 2026, the pope wrote a letter to White Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf, and the team shared it Tuesday, Sept. 29, just hours before Chicago opened its American League wild-card series against the Houston Astros. The message, posted to the White Sox’s Twitter/X account, arrived at Rate Field on the day of Game 1.
“Earlier today, a letter from Pope Leo XIV arrived at Rate Field,” the team wrote.
The letter itself carried the kind of blessing only a fellow White Sox fan could deliver.
“I was pleased to receive the kind letter that you sent following the game that took place at Rate Field on August 11, 2026. I am most grateful for this thoughtful gesture. As I have noted, ‘sport can truly become a school of life, where all can learn that abundance does not come from victory at any cost, but from sharing, from respecting others and from the joy of walking together’ (Letter Life in Abundance, 6 February 2026).
“In this spirit, it is my hope that the White Sox will continue to foster bonds of friendship and solidarity among people, and thus bear hopeful witness to the possibility of living and working together in peace. With these sentiments, I willingly invoke the Almighty’s abundant blessings upon you and your loved ones.”
Pope Leo, whose given name is Robert Prevost, is a Chicago native and was in the crowd for the 2005 World Series, when the White Sox beat the Astros for their most recent championship.
Now the same two teams were set to meet again Tuesday, with Houston visiting Rate Field for Chicago’s first playoff game there since 2021.
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