Before the Muñoz family set out on their trip to Italy, they concocted a plan: They wanted to see Pope Leo XIV at Vatican City. But they discovered that he had left the Vatican for a six-week rest at Castel Gandolfo, the papal summer retreat on Lake Alban south of Rome.
They decided to hop in a cab Sunday and make the short drive to the Cathedral of Albano in Albano Laziale, close to the retreat.
The family pushed their way through to get up to the barricade outside the cathedral, waiting nearly two hours in the sun. Once Leo made his way closer to them, the Muñoz family surprised him with a gift to remind him of his hometown: a T-shirt with ‘Da Pope’ written on it in white lettering and featuring the classic navy blue and orange colors of the Bears.
“I bought it on Amazon for the family, just as a fun photo-op moment,” said Ann Muñoz, a South Loop resident. “I ordered one extra just on a whim, on the off chance that we could maybe throw it at him from the back of the crowd or something. It was just completely wishful thinking.”
The shirt is in reference to the nickname for Chicago’s NFL team, ‘Da Bears,’ which became a bit in a recurring sketch on “Saturday Night Live.”
Muñoz, who holds Bears season tickets, said it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to meet Robert Prevost, who became the first U.S.-born pope in May. She traveled to Rome with her husband and three children, all of whom were able to speak briefly with the pontiff.
“There’s such a sense of pride there, because you just feel that connection,” Muñoz said. “You just want to be connected.”
Muñoz said her son handed Leo the shirt, telling the pontiff that it was a gift.
“This is for me?” the pope asked before holding up the shirt.
“He didn’t say much,” she said. “We were the ones that were telling him, ‘We love you, we’re from Chicago.’ He did most of his communicating just with his smile and his touch, and holding on to our hands, each one of us.”
When Leo got to her, Muñoz said, she was even able to kiss his ring, which is seen as a traditional sign of respect to the pope.
A picture of the family and the pope was even posted on the pope’s official Instagram page.
Muñoz said she and her family felt so welcomed by Pope Leo XIV, and their meeting was a blessing they didn’t expect to receive.
“We can’t stop thinking about it, because it’s the ultimate encounter as a Catholic, even just as a Chicagoan,” Muñoz said. “You can’t fake the excitement that we all had that day.”