Chicago Catholic school students mark 1-year anniversary of Pope Leo's papacy with food drive

CHICAGO (WLS) -- This Friday marks the one-year anniversary of Pope Leo XIV's papacy.

To celebrate, students at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Academy are marking the milestone by embracing the pontiff's message of giving.

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They're celebrating the pope Chicago-style.

On Wednesday morning, the students launched a food drive to benefit a neighborhood food pantry, all in Pope Leo's honor.

"It means to me that I can help people who are in need," third-grader Ella-Rose Chilufya said.

It's happening because of the Catholic school's Team Fourteen student organization: a group created to give the kids a way to support Pope Leo and his ministry.

"Not only are we praying, we're also doing," teacher and advisor Allison Foerster said.

The club is comprised of about 40 third- through eighth-grade students at the Catholic elementary school in the city's Lakeview East neighborhood.

The group's charge is to put the holy father's monthly prayer intention into action through a service project.

May's message is to feed the hungry and the poor.

"It means a lot to know that we're helping people," third-grader Sawyer Nolot said.

Many at the school have developed a connection with the pontiff over the last year, after creating a mock conclave video that went viral and even traveling to Vatican City in October to see the pope.

"So it's just crazy to think about that. He grew up the same as I did," Team Fourteen leader Vincent Wall said.

After enthusiastically sorting and packing up the truckload of donations, the school of 240 students attended a special Mass to pray for Pope Leo, along with their act of kindness.

The truck now will head over to the nuns at the Mission of Our Lady of Angels.