Standing before the new Pope, what strikes you right away is his ability to create a familiar, almost intimate atmosphere in just a few seconds. Speaking about peace - his pontificate’s absolute priority - he quoted the words of Mother Cabrini: “Begin the mission, and the means will come.”

An invitation to act, he said, that applies just as much to those who build peace as to anyone undertaking any good work: you don’t need to wait until you have everything - you need to start. We spoke about Francesca Cabrini, the saint of Lombard origin and the first U.S. citizen to be canonized by the Church.

He reminded me that Pope Leo XIII had sent her to America to care for the thousands of Italians seeking opportunity overseas, and that her legacy - schools, hospitals, orphanages - is still alive today. We also talked about the film that, here in America, has moved millions of immigrants from around the world, about its inspirational message, and above all, the power of the woman at its heart.

When I asked for more, he shared his own Italian American roots, how he grew up between Chicago and the stories of his Sicilian grandparents who arrived in the United States at the start of the 20th century. His roots are also interwoven with the Creole community of New Orleans, which taught him from an early age the value of dignity and respect for every person. “I’ve seen up close what it means to search for a future far from home, and how important it is to find someone who welcomes you,” he told me.

I spoke to him about the projects behind ilNewyorkese, We the Italians, and the Italy America Reputation Lab, all born to give voice and representation to the large Italian community in the United States. It moved me to see his interest as I explained that this community, in many ways, tells the very story of American immigration. I presented him with a basketball jersey, a symbol of the events we organize to bring together sports and community, and he listened with curiosity as I described how these gatherings become opportunities to meet, to share, and to build real connections.

During our conversation, we found common ground on the inspirational value of the Italian American community, which represents much more than just people bound by shared origins: it is living proof of what sacrifice, resilience, and the ability to reinvent oneself truly mean. Every family carries with it stories of painful departures, humble jobs, and sleepless nights endured to secure a better future for their children. It is a community that has preserved its roots without being confined by them, integrating and contributing decisively to America’s cultural, economic, and social growth. Knowing that, for the Holy Father, the Italy America Reputation Lab - the foundation leading many of our cultural and institutional initiatives - can serve as a reference point for his pontificate in the United States gave meaning to the sacrifices of these past two years. It also strengthened the path we are walking, in which he asked me to be “a living bridge between two worlds, bearing witness to the values of family, work, and faith.”