Chicago Newspaper Finds Photo of Pope Leo XIV at White Sox World Series Game in 2005

The Supreme Pontiff seems to have crossed paths with Paul Konerko and friends.

Pope Leo XIV waves to the Vatican crowd upon his election. / Francesco Sforza - Vatican Media via Vatican Pool/Getty Images

Thursday brought good news and bad news for the Chicago White Sox. The bad news is they lost 10–0 to the Kansas City Royals. The good news is they have the most famous man on Earth in their corner.

When Cardinal Robert Prevost was elected Pope Leo XIV Thursday, his brother John took great pains to dispel early rumors that he was a fan of the Chicago Cubs. John told WGN that the pope is a lifelong Chicago White Sox backer, having spent much of his early life on the South Side.

As the world gradually introduced itself to the new Supreme Pontiff, Kaitlin Washburn andThe Chicago Sun-Times went even further—obtaining a photograph of the future Pope Leo XIV at the 2005 World Series.

The Chicago Sun-Times found a photo of Pope Leo, Robert Prevost, at the 2005 World Series against the Astros pic.twitter.com/oNcqpRC5Ry

— Michael Schwab (@michaelschwab13) May 9, 2025

Leo can be seen on the far left of the first photograph in the article, talking on a cell phone in the background of a picture of Ed Schmit—a close friend of Leo's who died in 2020—and his grandson.

The game would either have been Game 1 or 2; the White Sox won the first one 5–3 and the second 7–6 over the Houston Astros, who they beat in an eventual sweep.

Chicago is no stranger to friends in high places, but this is something else entirely for a fanbase in need of divine intervention.

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