If you were given a chance to ask a question directly to the pope, what direction would you take? Something spiritual and faith-oriented? Or would you go in a more lighthearted direction and perhaps ask about his go-to opener in Wordle?
For Mia Smothers, a freshman at Mercy High School in Baltimore, that’s not hypothetical.
Smothers, 14, was one of five students nationwide selected to pose a question directly to Pope Leo XIV on Friday during the 2025 National Catholic Youth Conference, underway in Indianapolis, IN. The event, streamed live by Eternal World Television Network (EWTN), was billed as the Pope’s first digital visit to the United States.
Not long after 10 a.m., Mia and four other Catholic youth, wearing jeans and navy long-sleeve shirts with a conference logo, walked onto a podium inside Lucas Oil Stadium and took their places in large blue upholstered chairs.
Each of the five had a prepared question for the pope, and Mia stood first.
Holding a microphone and looking ahead, she chose the spiritual route: “Is it hard,” she asked the pontiff, “to accept God’s mercy when you let him down?”
While the questions and answers were clearly well-practiced, the interactions were nonetheless energetic and heartfelt.
“None of us is perfect. Paul teaches that everyone has sins,” Pope Leo told Mia and the crowd of 16,000. “There’s good news; sin never has the final word. When we ask for God’s forgiveness, he never says no.”
Mia’s path to the Indianapolis stage and the direct connection to Pope Leo began weeks ago, when she was nominated for the role by Diane Moniuszko Lewis, a Mercy alumna who is director of evangelization at the Smothers’ family home parish, St. Francis de Sales in Abingdon. Mia lives in Joppa and is the second-oldest of 10 siblings.
Initially, Lewis thought she was recommending Mia to assist only in developing the questions for youth to ask the pontiff. After the process had concluded, Smothers learned she was selected to be a questioner.
Pope Leo was installed in May 2025, becoming the first U.S. citizen to become pope. He’s a graduate of Villanova University and a big fan of football, baseball and popular New York Times word games.
Mary Beth Lennon, president of Mercy High School, noted in a statement that “there are so many Mercy connections to Pope Leo,” including that he was born in Chicago in a former Mercy Hospital and Medical Center, and his mother’s sister, Sister Mary Sulpice Martinez, was a Sister of Mercy. “We are delighted,” Lennon said, “that Mia will represent young people, especially Mercy Girls, from across the United States.”
Archbishop William E. Lori said, “Mia’s strong faith and generous heart shine in everything she does. Her deep love for Our Lord certainly inspires those of us around her. Being selected to speak with the Holy Father is a beautiful testament to the example she sets for her family, her parish, classmates, and community. We are thrilled for this opportunity for Mia.”
Pope Leo’s warmth and connectivity shone through as he answered questions about topics ranging from artificial intelligence to how to stay off mobile devices from other teens representing the diocese in Iowa, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and Honolulu.
While all of the questions from the students were respectful, the most light-hearted came from a youth minister who served as moderator. She acknowledged that there was a range of questions the pope could face, including what his opening Wordle play is.
Pope Leo chose to answer that one: it’s not one – he changes it every day.
Exclaimed the moderator: “That’s breaking news.”
