Boston resident meets Pope Leo XIV, invites pontiff to visit

Boston resident Stephen Ryan sparked a surprise chat with Pope Leo XIV during a recent visit to the Vatican, where they discussed baseball and shared a memorable moment.”We wanted to hopefully see the Pope, but never expected at the end of our trip that we would be in the presence and having a conversation with the Holy Father,” Ryan said.Ryan, who lives in the Seaport, is a parishioner of Our Lady of Good Voyage, and hopes the pontiff will one day visit the church. In order to get the Pope’s attention, Ryan knew he needed to be creative. With an American Pope, he figured baseball would be a good strategy. After all, the pontiff is known to be a White Sox Fan. “So we came up with a sign and we know he likes sports and unfortunately he’s a White Sox fan and we are Red Sox fans and we had a sign that said ‘White Sox-Red Sox,’ promoting a game at Fenway Park in August,” Ryan said.The plan worked, Ryan said. “When he did see the sign, we had the interaction about the White Sox Red Sox, and I invited him to come to Boston and he said he would love to come to Boston. He actually said it multiple times. I am holding him to it,” Ryan said.They also threw the Pope a pair of red socks. Reflecting on the encounter, Ryan described the Pope as genuine and sincere, noting the excitement of speaking with fellow Americans in Vatican City.”When you’re in his presence, you are just having a one-on-one conversation with another human being. He was genuine and sincere and he seemed excited to talk to fellow Americans in Vatican City,” Ryan said.

BOSTON —

Boston resident Stephen Ryan sparked a surprise chat with Pope Leo XIV during a recent visit to the Vatican, where they discussed baseball and shared a memorable moment.

“We wanted to hopefully see the Pope, but never expected at the end of our trip that we would be in the presence and having a conversation with the Holy Father,” Ryan said.

Ryan, who lives in the Seaport, is a parishioner of Our Lady of Good Voyage, and hopes the pontiff will one day visit the church.

In order to get the Pope’s attention, Ryan knew he needed to be creative.

With an American Pope, he figured baseball would be a good strategy. After all, the pontiff is known to be a White Sox Fan.

“So we came up with a sign and we know he likes sports and unfortunately he’s a White Sox fan and we are Red Sox fans and we had a sign that said ‘White Sox-Red Sox,’ promoting a game at Fenway Park in August,” Ryan said.

The plan worked, Ryan said.

“When he did see the sign, we had the interaction about the White Sox Red Sox, and I invited him to come to Boston and he said he would love to come to Boston. He actually said it multiple times. I am holding him to it,” Ryan said.

They also threw the Pope a pair of red socks.

Reflecting on the encounter, Ryan described the Pope as genuine and sincere, noting the excitement of speaking with fellow Americans in Vatican City.

“When you’re in his presence, you are just having a one-on-one conversation with another human being. He was genuine and sincere and he seemed excited to talk to fellow Americans in Vatican City,” Ryan said.