Cardinal Robert Prevost stepped onto the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica as the newly elected leader of the Catholic Church – a historic moment for Chicago. Meanwhile, a new journey begins for the state. The South Side native became the first American pope, taking the name Leo XIV and immediately drawing attention. Back home, Chicago residents reacted with pride, joy, and, in typical fashion, a flurry of hot takes. Certainly, it was a monumental day for Catholicism and the city’s deeply ingrained sense of identity.

It didn’t take long for social media to ignite with the most Chicago-like debate: Is Pope Leo XIV a Cubs fan or a White Sox fan?

The debate started after the Cubs shared a congratulatory post for the newly elected leader. The post reads, “Hey, Chicago, He’s a Cubs fan!” That’s enough to spiral conversations between the Cubs and White Sox faithful. Now, the new pontiff’s brother, John Prevost, chimed in on the debate with his insights. As per the famous sports presenter, Josh Frydman, he begs to differ.

“They had it wrong. He’s Sox, and then the radio announced Cubs, and that’s not true,” Prevost shared. While this update is like a win for the White Sox fans amid their below-par ongoing season, they talked about their intentions, too.

In a statement, the White Sox mentioned, “Family always knows best, and it sounds like Pope Leo XIV’s lifelong fandom falls a little closer to 35th and Shields.“

Now known to the world as Pope Leo XIV, Robert Prevost hasn’t walked this path alone. His two brothers, John and Louis, have been there every step of the way. You would be mesmerized knowing his early days as an altar boy on Chicago’s South Side to his journey as the leader of the Catholic Church. And for John Prevost, a retired Catholic school principal, well, now he holds a unique distinction of his own. Being the big brother to the first American pope!

For those unaware, South Side baseball fans haven’t had much to cheer about. And now, a rare bright spot is visible for the club with the ascension of one of their own to the highest office in the Catholic Church. For long-suffering White Sox fans, the election of Pope Leo XIV, born and raised in Chicago, feels like a divine intervention of a different kind.

The White Sox’s downhill stream continues

The White Sox’s 2025 season has been challenging. Their record of 10–28, at the bottom of the AL Central, says a lot. Additionally, their recent 10–0 loss to the Royals completed a four-game sweep. What’s worse, the figure tied their worst start in franchise history. Despite these struggles, the election of Chicago native Cardinal Robert Prevost as Pope Leo XIV offers a moment of pride for the city.

Prior to the series against the Royals, the team did show signs of improvement by winning two out of three games against the Astros, including a rain-shortened 5–4 victory. However, the good times were short-lived, and the White Sox are back to business! Well, in their typical fashion, for the last few years.

It’s actually difficult to attribute the White Sox’s losses to any single issue. Their bullpen ranks 21st in MLB with a 4.44 ERA. So, what could be expected with such a figure? In other instances, defensive miscues have proved costly, with the team tied for 29th in errors (27). In a broader perspective, the White Sox rank 27th in runs scored, 29th in batting average, and last in OPS. Now, that’s a terrible offense to say the least.

With a projected season record of 43–119, the White Sox are on pace to match their 2024 performance, which was the worst in modern MLB history at 41–121. But now, a shimmer of hope glimmers over the team – blessings from their very own new pope!