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Pope Leo was back in the news this week, after a lovely concert at Borgo Laudato Si and a brief conversation with NBC’s Tom Llamas about what he loves about America, when he might visit, and what being Pope really means (spoiler alert: he’s a universal bridge builder).

Fr. Patrick Mary Briscoe (who was at the event providing commentary for NBC), joined me on SiriusXM yesterday to analyze it all, including Pope Leo’s remarks. And because we just have to, we speculated wildly about where we’d like to see the Holy Father visit when he does eventually come to the United States.1

For the record, I can’t tell you (because I truly do not know) when Pope Leo will visit the United States, but the fact that he said soon2 and made direct mention of having looked at the calendar to consider dates that very same day is proof enough to me that it’s an active conversation happening at the Vatican. He will visit, he said as much, and there are many factors to consider.

I’m not a betting woman, and please do not run to Kalshi or Polymarket with this, but I’d guess that April/May of 2027 is being considered (post-Easter, but before the Presidential election things really begin to swing up), or perhaps post-Easter in the Spring of 2029, before the 11th National Eucharistic Congress (or maybe even the Congress itself). I may have to eat my hat, but I don’t think he’d visit during an election year, 2028, but if he did, it’d have to be early, likely before the Super Tuesday craziness in both parties begins. So, is it a January 2028 visit? He’s slated to visit Australia in September of 2028 for the International Eucharistic Congress, which will likely be the “big trip” for the Fall in that year.

To be honest, I am leaning more towards seeing a Springtime or Summer visit for a few reasons: 1) better weather, and easier coordination of outdoor stops/visits and 2) post Easter joy of a Papal trip are just truly unmatched (*cues tape on Africa and Spain trips in April and June). His visits to France in September and (likely) South America in November could provide some perfect Autumnal Papal vibes. Leo, among the fall foliage of the Midwest, ahead of Thanksgiving 2027 would be quite lovely…

Now to where Pope Leo would go when he visits? I think there’s 2 ways to play it.

He could do sort of a “Leo’s life” tour with stops at formative places in his life (Chicago, Philadelphia) and then also a bit of “American Catholicism” tour, with visits to some of the big “American Blesseds” tombs and shrines. There’s a nice little route to be had from Detroit (Bl. Solanus Casey) to Peoria, (soon to be Blessed Fulton J. Sheen), and then Oklahoma (Bl. Stanley Rother). From there, Leo could pop down to the border in Texas and make a profound statement concerning immigration and the dignity of peoples.

The perhaps simpler, more straightforward trip would be to visit the big cities — New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, and maybe a pop over to San Francisco (Pope Leo giving a speech to Silicon Valley, in the age of AI, would do major numbers) or to Los Angeles. And then, we have to consider: would they invite him to address a joint session of Congress (they should). But, would the Vatican avoid D.C. because of a political stench that could rub off (though, I do think a Papal perfume is certainly needed there).

All things considered, we must keep one key thing in mind: it isn’t purely crowds or vibes or viral moments that determine where or when a Pope visits. The Pope goes somewhere because a distinct and particular message to the people in that place needs to be given, and he is drawing close to the People of God there. It is a pastoral visit, and where is the Pope’s pastoral voice needed most? That’s what’s being considered and prayed through, and since the calendar was out this week, we know it’s an active conversation and discernment.

All in all, I hope to see a Papal visit that certainly puts Leo in places where vasts crowds of people could see and meet him, but I hope there’s a unique “this is what makes the Church in America beautiful and distinct” element that would bring him to holy sites that any and all of us could visit for years to come.

There’s something powerful about walking into certain Cathedrals in the U.S. and seeing the plaque on the wall that says “a Pope was here on this date” and knowing you’re standing in the place where the Pope has been. Just saying: it’d be pretty remarkable if we have a marker signifying the moment when Leo kneels before the tomb of the beatified man he watched preach the Gospel on TV as a kid, in Illinois.

I joined CNN’s Elex Michaelson on The Story Is late last night to offer some insight into how Pope Leo is making himself accessible (somewhat) to the media, and shared a few thoughts on the encounters I’ve been blessed to share with Pope Leo in this past year. And, ever the journalist, when I mentioned asking him about his favorite Christmas cookie, Elex wanted to know: what is Pope Leo’s favorite Christmas cookie?

Papa likes the Spritzes, perhaps in both cookie and maybe Aperol form.

This little hand motion he’s making is him describing cookie sprinkles, by the way.

Next week, I’m bringing the show on the road to the Knights of Columbus Supreme Convention in Denver and then popping up for a brief 24 hours in Peoria to film some content and pray at the tomb of Fulton J. Sheen.

Tickets for the Beatification are going fast, with some more seats opening up in some lower bowl sections at the Dome. Do not wait to get a seat. It will sell out, and you will not want to miss it.

Celebrate Sheen