Pope Leo tells Villanova and Notre Dame basketball teams he is neutral
6abc Philadelphia • • sports
Key Points:
- Pope Leo XIV met with basketball teams from Villanova and Notre Dame in the Vatican, emphasizing his neutrality in sports despite his personal Villanova allegiance, and encouraged sportsmanship and friendship among players and fans.
- The teams were in Rome for the U.S. college basketball season opener, the Eternal City Tip-Off, honoring the first American pope, with games scheduled at the Palazzo dello Sport on All Saints' Day.
- Leo, a Villanova alumnus and avid sports fan recovering from recent lung cancer surgery, highlighted sports as a path to saintliness and warned against the negative effects of a win-at-all-cost mentality.
- Both universities' leaders acknowledged the significance of meeting the pope and stressed the event's importance beyond the competition, focusing on unity and shared values.
- A special Mass was held for the traveling fans at St. Peter's Basilica, underscoring the spiritual dimension of the event and the pope's support for both teams.
