Home · Faith · Oct 31 archive

Pope Leo XIV Meets Villanova and Notre Dame Basketball Teams at Vatican

6:29 PM ETConfirmed

Faith Desk

In Short: Pope Leo XIV met with Villanova and Notre Dame basketball teams at the Vatican, emphasizing neutrality and the importance of sports in fostering unity.

Pope Leo XIV met with the Villanova and Notre Dame men’s and women’s basketball teams at the Vatican on Saturday, ahead of their Rome opener on Sunday at the Palazzo dello Sport. The event, part of the Eternal City Tip-Off, drew about 7,000 spectators to the Vatican audience hall.

The pope, who is still recovering from lung cancer surgery, told the teams he remains neutral in the upcoming game. 'In any competition, the members of two teams, even when they have a competitive rivalry, are certainly not enemies,' he said, emphasizing the importance of sports in bringing people together.

Pope Leo XIV, born Robert Prevost, acknowledged his Villanova roots but maintained his neutrality. 'So the pope doesn’t take sides,' he said to laughs, before revealing that 'Prevost has another opinion.'

The pope highlighted the values of cooperation and mutual sharing that athletics can teach, especially in an age marked by technological distance. 'No matter what happens on the court, this is the true highlight of the trip,' he said, encouraging players and fans to get to know each other during their stay in Rome.

The event was established to honor the first American pope, and organizers noted the growing ties between Villanova and the Vatican. 'At Villanova University, all roads — or at least many of them — seem to lead to Rome, thanks to famed alumnus Pope Leo XIV,' said a Villanova representative.

Four student-athletes from each school presented the pope with gifts, including commemorative basketballs, jerseys, and a special prayer for athletes written by the late Holy Cross Father Theodore Hesburgh, a past president of Notre Dame.

The pope’s message resonated with the teams. 'I think it’s really great to have so many people that you know [in the room],' said a Villanova player, referring to the thousands of supporters from both universities who filled the hall.

The Nov. 1 event, called the Eternal City Tip-Off, will open the 2026-27 college basketball season for the Division 1 teams, with the NCAA providing a waiver for the early start.

What this adds

Background

What's confirmed

• The Villanova and Notre Dame men’s and women’s teams are scheduled to play a doubleheader on Sunday at the Palazzo dello Sport, about a half-hour drive from the Vatican, as the Eternal City Tip-Off continues.
• "In any competition, the members of two teams, even when they have a competitive rivalry, are certainly not enemies," he said.
• “By acting as a concrete means of bringing people together, athletics can teach the values of cooperation and mutual sharing. This is increasingly necessary in an age marked by the distance that can be created by technology,” he said in an audience at the Vatican, with athletes and other members of the University of Notre Dame and Villanova University, the Pope’s alma mater.

What's still developing

• "Tomorrow we will cheer, we will compete, but today we are simply grateful."
• In an age where technology seems to push people apart, sports draw them together and can promote values such as fraternity, solidarity, and peace, Pope Leo XIV highlighted on Saturday, October 31.
• Villanova has long sent students to Italy and the Vatican for internships and study abroad programs, but those opportunities are growing.
• "No one is born a champion, just as no one is born a saint," Leo said.

Sources

• NewsCordlink
• The Independentlink
• Vatican Newslink
• Cruxnowlink
• Ewtnnewslink
• Tribdemlink
• WarpBeat — background on Vatican Official Says Pope Leo's Cancer Diagnosis Is 'Game-Changer' link
• WarpBeat — background on Vatican releases first photos of Pope Leo XIV celebrating Mass at hospital link
• DRM News — video link