A Once-in-a-Lifetime Moment in Rome

A Once-in-a-Lifetime Moment in Rome

Last week, I had the extraordinary opportunity to travel to Rome with a group of Chicago business and civic leaders to meet His Holiness Pope Leo. The trip was organized by my friend Robert Blackwell, who had invited me on several occasions before. This time, however, felt different. How often does someone from Chicago become Pope?

As I prepared for the trip, I knew I wanted to bring something meaningful. It is customary to present gifts, but I wanted my gift to reflect the city and communities that helped shape both of our lives.

I reached out to alumni from Mendel Catholic High School, the historic all-Black Catholic boys school on Chicago’s South Side, where Pope Leo taught during his years in Chicago. The school has since closed, but its legacy remains strong. The alumni graciously provided a Mendel cap for me to present to him.

I also brought a gift connected to my own story. As a proud graduate of Mother McAuley High School, I learned that Pope Leo’s aunt, Sister Martinez, was among the school’s earliest teachers. With the help of the school, I was able to bring him a photograph and copies of her original transcripts.

When I presented those items, something special happened. You could see his face light up. For a brief moment, the formalities disappeared and what remained was a personal connection to family, memories, and Chicago. It was clear that the gift touched him deeply. Witnessing that reaction became one of the most meaningful moments of the entire trip.

The journey itself was a whirlwind. I traveled alone with the group, spending just four days in Rome before returning home. Rome is seven hours ahead of us and the plane ride is 9-10 hours one way so it was a rather grueling schedule but worth every minute. Not to mention that just before we were scheduled to meet the Pope, the skies opened up. A powerful storm swept through, drenching everyone. My hair was completely ruined, and under normal circumstances I might have been concerned. But in that moment, none of that mattered.
I was simply present. Present in Rome. Present in history. Present in a moment I never imagined I would experience.

As someone who has been a Catholic for most of my life and attended Catholic schools from childhood through college, the experience carried special significance. Chicago is home to one of the nation’s largest Black Catholic communities and standing there in Rome, representing my city, my faith, my schools, and my community, felt incredibly meaningful.

There are moments in life that remind us to say yes. To stop, step away from our busy schedules and embrace experiences that may never come again.
This was one of those moments. I will never forget it, and I wanted to share it with our WVON family.

Sometimes the greatest gifts are not the ones we give. They are the memories we bring home.

My best--Melody Spann Cooper