US EditionChicago Native Pope Leo XIV Presented with Portillo's Chocolate Cake for His 70th Birthday
Brian Burch, confirmed by the Senate in a 49-44 vote, began his role discussing global conflicts and religious freedom with Pope Leo XIV, emphasizing U.S.-Holy See cooperation.
- On September 13, 2025, Brian Burch, a 50-year-old devout Catholic and father of nine, formally presented his credentials as the new U.S. ambassador to Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican's Apostolic Palace.
- In December 2024, President Donald Trump announced his intention to appoint Burch as ambassador, and the Senate confirmed him on August 2 with a 49-44 party-line vote, marking the end of his tenure as president of CatholicVote.
- During a private and warm meeting in the Vatican library, Burch and Pope Leo discussed global conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza, religious freedom, the Vatican-China relationship, the AI revolution, and the recent assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
- The ambassador characterized the encounter as very warm and informal, comparable to a conversation with a close friend from Chicago, and gifted the Pope a customized Portillo's chocolate cake in celebration of his 70th birthday on Sunday.
- Burch underscored the distinctive nature of the U.S.-Holy See relationship as crucial for advancing peace, human dignity, and prosperity, while Pope Leo stressed that political disagreements should not be settled through violence and expressed his prayers for Kirk’s widow and children.
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16 Articles
Leo XIV has shown that one can be followers without being imitators, reformers without being revolutionaries, leaders without need of clamor, bold men in hope acting with balance in consolidation
Pope Leon of the 14th, who took over the head of the Catholic Church in the month of later this year, completes on Sunday 70 years. On his day, the Pontifian sovereign received a new U.S. representative's cake at the Vatican, Brian Burch.
Pope welcomes Burch as new U.S. ambassador to the Holy See
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Leo XIV welcomed Brian Burch as the new U.S. ambassador to the Holy See Sept. 13, accepting his letters of credential and a chocolate cake topped with a metallic red sign saying, "Happy Birthday Pope Leo XIV." Homemade cards for the pope's 70th birthday Sept. 14 sat alongside the cake,
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