Chicago just made Catholic history at Rate Field, home of the White Sox, where thousands gathered for a Mass honoring their hometown son, Pope Leo XIV. This Morning Air episode with John Morales and Fr. Burke Masters, the chaplain for the Chicago Cubs, gave listeners a behind-the-scenes look at an unforgettable night of prayer, unity, and celebration in the city’s South Side.
The stadium was alive with faith. The place was electric—buzzing not with the crack of bats but with live music, testimonies from people who knew Pope Leo personally, and the anticipation of a message from the pope himself. When it came, the whole place seemed to hold its breath. Pope Leo appeared on screen from the Vatican, speaking in English with a gentle cadence and that signature hint of Peruvian accent, telling the youth: “Christ, who is our hope, calls all of us to come together… to be beacons of hope in the world.” He reminded everyone that God’s love cannot be earned. “He pours it out anyway.” The crowd, according to Fr. Burke, was captivated.
Fr. Burke brought three busloads from his parish and made a pilgrimage stop at Pope Leo’s childhood home. It was a humble place, but one steeped in grace, and a powerful reminder of how greatness and holiness often begin in quiet corners. Pope Leo is a Sox fan, confirmed by his own brother, though his mom was a Cubs fan. The papal event even managed to bridge that eternal city rivalry. Fr. Burke, who played for the White Sox minor league and now ministers in the Cubs’ clubhouse, described the evening as a moment of truce. The Church, for one night, united Sox and Cubs fans under a single banner: Christ.
What stood out most was the excitement of the young people. Some might not grasp the full weight of having a pope from their own city, but they could feel the joy. The moment whispered to every heart present: the Church is alive, and Christ is still calling people to be world-changers. And Pope Leo? He’s not just leading the Church—he’s leading with a heart formed by Chicago, radiating hope to the world.