Contrary to early reports, the new pontiff isn't a Cubs fan — and the Sox faithful couldn't be prouder. "It's a dream," Helen Principato said. From the tailgaters to the clubhouse, there's a hope that the team's fortunes are blessed.

ROME — The new Chicago-raised Pope Leo XIV faces an immediate challenge in his native country: taming the brawling U.S. tribe of Catholics, riven by political divisions that have thwarted the will of his predecessors.

Prior to his election as Pope Leo XIV, Robert Prevost's social media activity suggested criticism of President Donald Trump's immigration policies.