Guaranteed Rate Field was transformed into a sea of white-and-black novelty miters on Tuesday night as the Chicago White Sox celebrated "Pope Night," honoring Chicago native and Sox fan Pope Leo XIV.
To pull off the unique promotion respectfully, the White Sox marketing team collaborated early on with Chicago priest Father Tom Hurley. "We didn't want to do anything sacrilegious or offend people," said Mike Downey, senior director of marketing and promotions for the White Sox, on "EWTN News Nightly." "We wanted to do something fun and tasteful that celebrates the fact that Pope Leo is a White Sox fan."
The collaboration paid off in a memorable ballpark moment when thousands of fans joined together for an impromptu "sign of peace." Wearing their White Sox-branded novelty miters, fans turned to neighbors in nearby seats, exchanging handshakes, high-fives, and blessings across the concourses.
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Hurley, who joined the crowd in the stands, reflected on what the pontiff would have wanted to come of such a night.
"A few more home runs," Hurley joked, motioning to his own branded miter. "But here's what he really would love to see. The pope is a guy who promotes peace. In the Catholic tradition, we offer a sign of peace during Mass because we want to bring peace to the world. I think the pope would love seeing everyone stand, find a new friend, and offer that same peace — whether they're Catholic or not."
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The idea for the tribute took root shortly after May 8, 2025, when Pope Leo XIV — formerly Chicago-born Robert Francis Prevost — was elevated to the papacy. Known for wearing a White Sox cap at the Vatican and having attended Game 1 of the 2005 World Series, the pontiff's lifelong allegiance inspired the team to act once news of his fandom broke.
Originally planned as a targeted promotion for a designated section of 10,000 fans, overwhelming demand after its announcement prompted the organization to expand the giveaway to all 40,000 attendees.
The spiritual energy in the stands mirrored the action on the field. The first-place White Sox kept the momentum going against the Cincinnati Reds, starting off with a first-pitch leadoff home run by Brenton Doyle.
"It seems like there's a little magic happening on the South Side right now," Downey added. "Fans like to comment that we've got the pope on our side. My message for him is just to keep an eye out for the South Siders and say a prayer for us in October."
This story was first published by the National Catholic Register, the sister partner of EWTN News, and has been adapted by EWTN News.
