What an extraordinary moment it was, sitting in Saint Peter’s Square yesterday with more than one hundred thousand other people who were all there to witness the inaugural mass of the first American pope. I felt blessed by the surprise of the invitation alone, which came from Fr. Manuel Dorantes, a priest of the Archdiocese of Chicago. Needless to say, Gayle, Maria, and I were overjoyed to say yes.
It was an experience none of us will ever forget—an opportunity to witness a historic moment of hope and promise. Everyone I spoke to, including a cardinal who was also in the running for the pontiff title, said that Pope Leo is a “gift,” because, as Fr. Manuel says, “Pope Leo puts Jesus at the center of all he does.”
His mass on Sunday allowed us to both see and feel his humility.
Oprah Winfrey
“I was chosen, without any merit of my own, and now, with fear and trembling,” he said. “I come to you as a brother who desires to be the servant of your faith and joy, walking with you on the path of God’s love, for he wants us all to be united in one family.”
It gave me hope to hear him speak, so simply and from the heart, of unity in a world so divided.
As I stood there, taking in the sea of faces—different languages, colors, generations—all gathered for something greater than ourselves, I felt the unmistakable whisper of possibility. Not just for the Church, but for humanity. The Pope’s message wasn’t cloaked in dogma or political calculation. It was an invitation. An invitation to imagine what could happen if we centered our lives not around fear or control, but around love, service, and radical compassion. What struck me most was his insistence on walking with us, not above us. That’s what leadership in its highest form looks like: not power over, but power with. The kind of power that lifts, includes, and heals.
Oprah, Gayle, and Maria with Fr. Manuel Dorantes.
So yes, I left the Vatican filled with hope. But more importantly, I left with a challenge. A challenge to all of us to ask: What are we doing to be servants of joy? Of unity? Of love?
After the ceremony, Fr. Manuel invited us to Borgo Laudato Si’, the serene and majestic summer headquarters for the Pope, where we enjoyed a brunch prepared by my former chef in Chicago, Art Smith. The grounds are spectacular and open for public viewing; you can see here what we got to feast on with our own eyes. The whole day left me so full of beauty and possibility. My cup runneth over with a desire to do better, and be better—and not a moment too soon.
Oprah Winfrey is a global media leader, producer, philanthropist, actress, and author. Over the course of her career, she has created an unparalleled connection with people and communities around the world. Oprah oversees Harpo Productions, serves as chairman and CEO of OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network, and is the founder of O, The Oprah Magazine and OprahDaily.com. In 1996, Oprah’s Book Club launched, serving as a catalyst for the creation of book clubs around the world and millions of books sold across genres. For 25 years, Oprah was the host and producer of the award-winning talk show The Oprah Winfrey Show.
Oprah is also a dedicated philanthropist and the founder of the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls in South Africa. In 2013, she was awarded the Medal of Freedom, our nation’s highest civilian honor. In 2018, Oprah became the first African American woman to be honored with the Golden Globes’ Cecil B. DeMille Award, and in 2022, she was inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.