Bad News Astros – Pope Leo XIV Blessed the White Sox Before Wild Card Series
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The Chicago White Sox may soon be the beneficiary of divine intervention.
In the lead-up to the team's Wild Card series against the Houston Astros, the organization shared a very special message from their most famous fan. Pope Leo XIV sent Jerry Reinsdorf and the White Sox a letter that arrived at Rate Field on Tuesday.
On official Vatican stationery, the Pope sent the franchise's chairman some well wishes. The note was in response to a message Reinsdorf sent Pope Leo XIV regarding the beloved "Pope Night" at Rate Field. Every fan in attendance received their own White Sox-themed Pope hat. This was originally pitched as an exclusive giveaway, only for the event to gain so much popularity that the team decided to give all fans the promotional item.
The letter from Pope Leo XIV reads as followed:
"I was please 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 invoked the Almighty's abundant blessings upon you and your loved ones.
From the Vatican, 9 September 2026.
Earlier today, a letter from Pope Leo XIV arrived at Rate Field. Go White Sox! pic.twitter.com/7qPKXPrDyz
— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) September 29, 2026
Pope Sends White Sox Message at Perfect Time
The Pope may have signed the letter earlier this month, but it only feels right that it arrived at the White Sox' doorstep on Tuesday morning.
Likewise, while it may have been addressed directly to Jerry Reinsdorf, it's hard not to think his blessing extends to the team as a whole. The Pope has shown his support for the White Sox every chance he gets, even famously donning a White Sox hat that was gifted to him. With that in mind, as busy as he is, one has to imagine he is well aware of the White Sox' first trip to the postseason in five years.
Pope Leo XIV is the first-ever American-born Pope and grew up on the South Side of Chicago. Raised as a White Sox fan, he even attended a World Series game during their iconic run in 2005. Obviously, this is why the franchise has continued to celebrate the holy figure, even hosting a Mass at the ballpark earlier this season.
Anyhow, even though the Houston Astros may have home-field advantage, they already faced an uphill battle as the worst team to make the postseason at 81-81. Add in the fact that their opponent has now received a direct blessing from one of the holiest figures on Earth, and you can't imagine they're feeling too hot!
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Elias Schuster is a sports journalist and content creator from the northern suburbs of Chicago. A graduate from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, he has covered the Bulls since 2019-20 and previously served as the editor of BN Bulls at Bleacher Nation. He has been the Publisher for Bulls On SI since December of the 2025-26 season. When he isn't obsessing over hoops, Elias spends his time obsessing over practically every other sport – much to his wife's dismay. He also loves strolling the streets of Chicago for the best cozy bar or restaurant to set up shop and write his next article.
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