Pope Leo XIV, a Chicago White Sox fan, is reportedly interested in throwing out the first pitch at a future game. The White Sox co-owner, Justin Ishbia, met with the Pope at the Vatican and discussed the possibility of the Pope throwing the first pitch at a new stadium. Pope Leo XIV attended a World Series game at Rate Field in 2005 when he was known as "Father Bob". The White Sox have extended an open invitation to Pope Leo XIV to throw out a first pitch. Illinois Gov. Jay Pritzker also invited the Pope to visit Chicago.
17 days ago
Pope Leo XIV, a lifelong Chicago White Sox fan, has reportedly shown enthusiasm for throwing the ceremonial first pitch at a White Sox game.1 This interest emerged during a recent meeting with team co-owner Justin Ishbia at the Vatican, where the Pope smiled and responded positively to the suggestion, saying "I'd love to—schedule permitting."1
Ishbia described the encounter as feeling like "two guys talking baseball," highlighting the Pope's passion for the sport.1 The discussion also touched on the team's vision for a new stadium, with Ishbia expressing hope that the Pope could participate in its opening.1
Pope Leo, formerly known as Father Bob, attended a 2005 World Series game at Rate Field, the White Sox's home since 1991.1 He was visible on television broadcasts during the event, underscoring his deep connection to the team.1
Following his election as Pope in May 2025, the White Sox honored him by installing a mural near his former seat at the stadium.1 This tribute reflects the team's recognition of his Chicago roots and fandom.1
The White Sox have extended an open invitation for Pope Leo to throw a first pitch since his election.1 Brooks Boyer, the team's executive vice president, even joked about letting the Pope take an at-bat during a visit.1
Illinois Governor Jay Pritzker recently invited the Pope to return to Chicago during a Vatican meeting.1 As the first U.S.-born Pope, many anticipate a potential trip to his homeland, with Chicago seen as a likely priority stop.1 The last papal U.S. visit was Pope Francis's 2015 tour of New York, Washington, and Philadelphia.1
The White Sox have a history of involving religious figures in game rituals.1 In 2018, Dominican Sister Mary Jo Sobieck threw what was called a "perfect pitch" before a game against the Kansas City Royals.1
Sobieck, a former college softball player with a fastball once reaching 76 mph, checked the wind like a pro and impressed fans and players alike.1 She later received her own baseball card in recognition of the throw.1
During Ishbia's Vatican visit, he gifted the Pope a signed White Sox jersey, continuing a tradition for visitors meeting the sports-loving Pontiff.1 Pope Leo's jersey collection has been growing since his election, symbolizing his ongoing ties to American sports.1
This enthusiasm aligns with the Pope's background as a Chicago native, fueling speculation about how his papacy might blend faith and cultural icons like baseball.1
Assess Catholic Church’s engagement with public life through ceremonial acts
The Catholic Church's engagement with public life through ceremonial acts reflects a deep theological conviction that worship is inherently communal and oriented toward the common good, extending beyond private devotion to influence society, politics, and culture. Ceremonial acts—such as public blessings, processions, papal audiences, and liturgical celebrations—serve as visible signs of the Church's mission to sanctify the world, foster ethical standards, and promote human dignity. Rooted in Scripture and Tradition, these acts embody the Church's role as a "public corporation" that represents reconciled humanity before God, while respecting the autonomy of civil authority. This engagement is not coercive but invitational, drawing on natural law and revelation to bridge faith and public discourse.
At its core, the Church's ceremonial acts underscore the public character of Christian worship, distinguishing it from purely private expressions. The liturgy, including the Eucharist and sacramentals, is described as the "public prayer of the eminent Bride of Christ," where the Church acts as the Body of Christ on behalf of all humanity. This public cultus (worship) originates in Christ's sacrificial reconciliation on the Cross and continues in the Eucharist, which represents humanity before God. Ceremonies are not mere formalities but essential to human nature, combining spiritual adoration with corporal expressions like gestures, vestments, and blessings to excite devotion, reverence, and moral insight. As St. Thomas Aquinas notes, these acts fulfill the twofold adoration owed to God—interior and exterior—making worship accessible to all, including the illiterate, and indicating necessary dispositions for grace.
Rites encompass sacraments, the Divine Office, and sacramentals, all performed publicly to sanctify individuals and society. The Church has never imposed uniformity, allowing diverse local customs that adapt essential truths to cultural contexts, provided they remain orthodox and valid. This flexibility enables ceremonial acts to engage public life dynamically, such as processions or blessings that extend liturgical life into everyday settings. Popular devotions like the Rosary or Stations of the Cross, when aligned with Church norms, "extend" the liturgy into daily life, fostering ceaseless prayer and communal solidarity without supplanting official worship. Thus, ceremonies are "monuments of tradition," preserving faith while adapting to societal needs.
Historically, the Church's ceremonial engagement with public life is evident in papal rituals that intersect with civil spheres, symbolizing moral and spiritual authority. The Congregation of Ceremonies, established by Sixtus V in 1587, oversees rites in the Papal Court, including receptions of princes, ambassadors, and the creation of cardinals—acts that blend ecclesiastical solemnity with diplomatic protocol. Public consistories, open to laypersons and prelates, involve the pope delivering the red biretta to new cardinals or hearing pleas for beatification, publicly affirming the Church's universal mission. These gatherings once included coronations of emperors, highlighting the Church's role in legitimizing temporal power under divine law.
The Urbi et Orbi blessing exemplifies this tradition, a solemn plenary indulgence imparted from basilica balconies on feasts like Easter or during jubilees, addressing "the city [Rome] and the world." Historically given at St. Peter's or the Quirinal Palace, it extends papal grace to pilgrims and society, reinforcing the Church's public witness. Similarly, the rite of the Presentation of the Lord involves offering candles as homage to the pope, transforming a liturgical feast into a communal act of devotion from Roman entities. For saints' cults, public expressions like Masses or relic expositions were once limited but evolved into broader solemnities, such as those in St. Peter's since 1662, integrating popular piety with official recognition. These acts historically positioned the Church as a moral guide, influencing public ethics without dominating governance.
Ceremonial acts facilitate dialogue between the Church and public institutions, promoting ethical values in pluralistic societies. Popes have used speeches during state visits to affirm civil leaders' roles while urging adherence to human dignity. John Paul II, addressing Austrian authorities, praised their defense of life and ethical standards, invoking God's blessing on public service as a partnership with the Church. In Paraguay, he emphasized evangelization's "repercussions in human society," calling politics an "essential ethical dimension" that the Church reminds officials to serve the common good. Such encounters, often ceremonial, underscore co-responsibility: the Church offers spiritual insight, while states provide material order.
In Malta, John Paul II highlighted agreements between the Holy See and government that preserve cultural patrimony, enabling the Church's mission amid democratic freedoms. Paul VI, greeting diplomats, linked the Holy Door's opening to global renewal, symbolizing reconciliation in public life. These rituals express solidarity, as seen in John Paul II's address to the diplomatic corps, where he urged believers' active public role to counter violence and promote life, viewing faith as "irreplaceable energies" for society. The International Theological Commission affirms religious freedom's public dimension, calling states to a "positive laicity" that integrates faith contributions without theocracy.
The virtue of religion itself demands public practice, transcending private spheres to shape culture. Pope Francis echoed this by advocating collaboration with public actors against human trafficking, ensuring effective societal impact. In the U.S., bishops stress "eucharistic consistency," where public witness—through ceremonies and advocacy—demands defending life, family, and the common good, influencing policy without partisan bias. Leo XIII affirmed honorable public service, provided it upholds Catholic doctrine on power's origin.
Challenges arise in balancing engagement with secularity, avoiding relativism or coercion. The Church influences civic culture via natural law arguments accessible to all, advocating practices that reasonably promote faith in majority-Catholic societies—e.g., symbolic blessings—while respecting pluralism. Benedict XVI warned against privatizing religion, which alienates both faith and polity; instead, Christianity provides moral sources for democracy. Ceremonies like the Eucharist contribute to society by fostering communion with God and others, countering mere social or aesthetic views.
Popular practices, such as processions or novenas, extend this when they accord with norms, promoting solidarity. In Australia, Paul VI linked democratic liberty to civic spirit, blessing public administrators for harmonizing individual rights with the common good. The Doctrinal Note on Catholics in Public Life rejects relativism, insisting ethical precepts root in human nature. Where sources diverge—e.g., medieval Christendom vs. modern separation—recent teachings prioritize dialogue and subsidiarity.
The Catholic Church engages public life through ceremonial acts as a leaven of Gospel values, from theological public worship to historical rituals and contemporary dialogues. These acts affirm human dignity, ethical governance, and communal prayer, inviting society to transcendence without imposing faith. By embodying Christ's light in visible symbols, the Church fulfills its mission, urging believers to witness publicly for justice and peace. This tradition, faithful to Vatican II and papal magisterium, remains vital for a world seeking moral renewal.