Pope Leo Receives Special Gift of WLA Materials

Pope Leo receives a gift of WLA materials from Fr. Thomas Neitzke on June 25, 2026. © Vatican Media

The Women and Leadership Archives (WLA) receives hundreds of requests each year regarding use of our collections from internal and external researchers alike. But in June 2026, we received a request like no other – to help create a gift for Pope Leo XIV! Mildred Martinez, Pope Leo’s mother, attended  in the 1930s and 40s. Mundelein College was founded by the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (BVMs) in response to a call by Cardinal George Mundelein for a Catholic women’s college in Chicago. Mundelein College affiliated with neighboring Loyola University Chicago in 1991. Today, the legacy and records of Mundelein College are preserved by the WLA.  

Fr. Thomas W. Neitzke, SJ, EdD, Senior Vice President and Special Assistant to the President at Loyola, requested that the WLA assemble archival materials from Mildred Martinez’s time at Mundelein College, which he could gift to Pope Leo. WLA staff created a memory book of reproductions from our collections, including excerpts from The Skyscraper student newspaper, concert programs, and photographs, all documenting Martinez’s extracurriculars at Mundelein. On June 25, 2026, the WLA memory book was presented to Pope Leo during a private audience with presidents of Jesuit colleges and universities in North America.

After the visit, Fr. Tom contacted the WLA to express his appreciation, “I wanted to send a heartfelt thank you for all the time, care, and thoughtfulness you put into gathering the materials for the binder I presented to Pope Leo. The Holy Father was clearly moved and impressed. People nearby overheard him saying that he wanted to keep it. Thank you again for making the binder so beautiful, thoughtful, and personal. It helped create a truly special moment, and I am very grateful for all your work.”

This rich portrait of student life deepens our understanding of Martinez’s experience as a young Catholic woman in Chicago while highlighting the far-reaching influence of Mundelein College. Through the efforts of the WLA, the memory book project demonstrates how archives and special collections can play a meaningful role in preserving personal histories and honoring individuals whose lives hold special significance for influential figures such as Pope Leo.

A digital version of the memory book is available here.