Chicago made history this week when South Side native Cardinal Robert Prevost became Pope Leo XIV, the first American to ever lead the Catholic Church. For millions, it was a moment of spiritual significance. For Chicagoans? It also reignited one of the city’s most deeply entrenched divides: Cubs vs. White Sox.
Shortly after Pope Leo XIV’s election was announced from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica, congratulations poured in from around the world. But a particular post from the Chicago Cubs caught everyone’s attention. “Hey, Chicago, he’s a Cubs fan!” read the team’s message on social media, a claim that instantly divided the city.
The brother knows best
Now, the pope’s older brother, John Prevost, is setting the record straight, and it’s not what Cubs fans wanted to hear.
“They had it wrong. He’s Sox,” John told local reporters. “The radio announced Cubs, and that’s not true.” According to him, Robert’s allegiance has always been to the South Side and the team that plays just a few blocks from where they grew up.
The Chicago White Sox, quick to embrace the claim, shared their own response: “Family always knows best, and it sounds like Pope Leo XIV’s lifelong fandom falls a little closer to 35th and Shields.”
Faith, family, and fandom
Before he became the spiritual leader to over a billion Catholics, Robert Prevost was just a kid from Chicago’s South Side-an altar boy with a strong moral compass and a love for the game. His brothers, John and Louis, were by his side throughout that journey, and now John holds a unique title: big brother to the first American pope.
While Pope Leo XIV is now focused on guiding the global Catholic community, his roots remain tightly woven into Chicago’s culture. And in a city where baseball allegiances are practically inherited, his brother’s comments have added a new layer of pride for White Sox fans.
In true Chicago fashion, even a papal announcement couldn’t escape a good old-fashioned baseball debate.
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