White Sox receive papal letter before beating Astros in playoff opener

Pope Leo XIV sent a letter to owner Jerry Reinsdorf hours before the White Sox opened the AL wild‑card series with a 6‑3 victory over the Astros.

By Felo News Desk · Published Wed, 30 Sep 2026 04:49:04 GMT

The Chicago White Sox received a letter from Pope Leo XIV on the day of their American League wild‑card series opener against the Houston Astros, and went on to win the game 6‑3 at Daikin Park.

What happened

On Tuesday, September 29, 2026, the White Sox faced the Astros in Game 1 of the AL wild‑card series. The team posted a 6‑3 victory at Daikin Park in Chicago. Hours before the game, a letter from Pope Leo XIV was delivered to the club’s headquarters at Rate Field.

What the reports add

Reuters‑style coverage from the New York Post noted that the Pope’s letter praised sport as a “school of life” and referenced his own history as a White Sox fan, including attendance at the 2005 World Series opener. The Associated Press piece reported that the September 9 letter was addressed to owner Jerry Reinsdorf and arrived at Rate Field on the morning of the game. Both outlets identified the Pope as Robert Francis Prevost, elected pontiff in May 2025, and mentioned his earlier visit to France for a Mass on September 28, 2026.

What was said

According to the New York Post, the Pope wrote, “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 Associated Press quoted the letter as beginning with thanks to Reinsdorf for a previous note the team sent after a 2025 charitable contribution.

How it came about

The papal note follows Pope Leo XIV’s long‑standing connection to Chicago. He grew up in the city, attended the 2005 World Series opener (a 5‑3 White Sox win), and has publicly expressed his fandom since becoming pope. The White Sox clinched a postseason berth for the first time since 2021 earlier in September, as reported in Felo’s playoff‑berth roundup. Their wild‑card spot set up the matchup with Houston, where the papal letter arrived.

Key facts

The White Sox beat the Astros 6‑3 in Game 1 of the AL wild‑card series. (nypost.com)
Pope Leo XIV sent a letter to owner Jerry Reinsdorf on September 9, 2026. (winnipegfreepress.com)
The letter arrived at the White Sox’s Rate Field headquarters on the morning of the game. (winnipegfreepress.com)
Pope Leo XIV, born Robert Francis Prevost, grew up in Chicago and attended the 2005 World Series opener. (nypost.com)