During the visit, Checchio sought and received Leo’s permission to name the upcoming renovation of the cathedral rectory the Pope Leo XIV Center for Evangelization, in honor of both him and his family.
The gesture “moved the Holy Father deeply,” said Greg Bensel, the Saints’ and Pelicans’ senior vice president of government relations, who also attended the meeting.
To sweeten the invitation still more, Benson presented Leo with a customized Saints jersey, and — in case the team’s All Saints’ Day origins aren’t enough to entice him — Checchio shared some local recipes.
Call it a small taste of the celebration New Orleans would throw if Pope Leo XIV decided to visit.