Whatever else one might say about his holiness Pope Leo XIV, there can be no question he has done right by the minor political pilgrims of Sweet Home Chicago.
To the point where we suspect that if he gets another White Sox hat, or T-shirt reminding him that Da Pope (which is, after all, he) is dope, or another bottle of J.P. Graziano giardiniera, pontifex maximus will be swearing off Malört for good.
We were happy to see Mayor Brandon Johnson (and some 60 connected others) waltzing through Rome with the ample mayoral security detail. By all means, Mr. Mayor. Et al. Et al.
But Illinois Treasurer Michael Frerichs personally delivering a check for “unclaimed property” for the princely sum of $8.65? We’re sure the bishop of Rome had been losing sleep over that. Once he’d kissed off Frerichs, who rarely misses a PR opportunity, the papal obligations to his hometown were not yet done: Oh no, Regional Transportation Authority Chair Kirk Dillard was on his way!
The Daily Herald reported Dillard was all excited to talk at the Vatican about AI and the White Sox.
The pope had a lot of smart and interesting stuff to say about AI recently, but we suspect he’s had more than enough of “How about those Sox?” from his endless procession of Chicagoland visitors, some of whom are actually Cubs fans. No doubt the pope has an assistant ready with the latest box scores so the main man can inspire Dillard to offer up quotes assuring the media the pope still follows “his beloved White Sox.”
Sports are tricky for religious leaders. We’re reminded of an incident at Wrigley Field this week, when a Cubs fan caught on the big screen an Astros player doing the sign of the cross in the pivotal ninth inning. “God is not with you tonight!” he bellowed with papal certainty.
Give the pope a break, Chicago pols and deliver him from having to talk South Side baseball. He has more important things to do.
And we have our Vatican editorial board meeting to schedule.
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