On a delightful Tuesday evening in St. Peter’s Square, Vatican City, anticipation is high among a group of students from Our Lady of Mount Carmel Academy as they prepare for Wednesday’s papal audience.
An ABC7 crew accompanied some of these students and Cardinal Blase Cupich on their journey. From their departure at O’Hare Airport to exploring Vatican City and Rome, the enthusiasm continues to grow.
ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to watch
Trading Lakeview for the stunning views of the Vatican, these students, who once participated in a class project that gained viral attention, now walk the same corridors as the Catholic cardinals they once impersonated.
“I feel so moved thinking about it,” expressed Allison Foerster, a teacher at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Academy. “It seems like a true blessing to be part of this, to contribute to something so special for our students.”
And on Wednesday, they will get to stand in St. Peter’s Square as their hometown pontiff, Pope Leo XIV, addresses the general audience.
“We have no expectation of what will happen. We are just coming in faith and in joy to be in his presence and see what happens,” Foerster said.
During their stay in Rome on Monday, the students had the opportunity to participate in a unique tour of the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls, where they visited the tomb of Paul the Apostle.
“I don’t want to leave. I want to learn more, but I can’t, because we have to go see other stuff,” said fifth-grader Max Schnakenberg.
Schnakenberg, 10, says the time between first putting on his conclave costume to being able to walk into walls of Vatican City was fast.
“They were like ‘Hey guys, let’s make our own conclave.’ And now, ‘Hey, we’re going to meet the pope.’ That’s a huge leap,” remarked Schnakenberg. “Just being here in Rome is incredible, and meeting the pope elevates the experience even further.”
Chicago native Pope Leo showed off his catching skills at a special greeting for Croatian pilgrims in St. Peter’s Square on Monday.
It is still anyone’s guess if these students will get more than just a general audience with the Holy Father.
But for Foerster, one the teachers who envisioned the idea of the mock conclave, says this trip itself is a blessing she and her fellow teachers never imagined.
“They’re really looking forward to just being a part of the experience. We know that no matter what, we get to see him and that in itself feels like such a gift,” Foerster said. “To be able to be here doing this, knowing this is a watershed moment for our church for our school… It’s such a gift to get be a part of this community, and to get to teach these sweet young people and to know that this is going to be a life-changing moment for them.”
Meanwhile, ABC News has learned the pope will make his first foreign trip.
The Vatican told reporters that Pope Leo XIV will travel to Turkey and Lebanon. His trip is set for late November into December.
Copyright © 2025 WLS-TV. All Rights Reserved.
