HOUSTON — In a surprise move before the start of the wild-card series with the Houston Astros, the Chicago White Sox revealed a letter addressed to Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf from Pope Leo XIV.
The letter, signed Leo PP XIV, informed Reinsdorf that the pope was pleased to receive Reinsdorf’s letter from the game on Aug. 11, which was when the Sox gave away pope hats to every fan in attendance at Rate Field to celebrate their most famous fan.
Reinsdorf received the letter in the mail around 2 p.m. Tuesday, sources said. The Sox social media account said the letter “arrived today,” and they posted the photos about a half-hour before the Sox postseason opener in Houston.
“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,’” the pope’s letter read. “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 invoke the Almighty’s abundant blessings upon you and your loved ones.”
The Sox posted photos of the letter in front of a background of the ballpark grass, and in front of the seat where he sat during Game 1 of the 2005 World Series when he was an ordinary Sox fan from the South Side known only as Rev. Robert Prevost.