Central KY priest ponders what to do with UK basketball jersey signed by two Popes
Father Jim Sichko has a dilemma, and he’s asking his followers on social media to help him solve it.
What to do, Sichko wonders, with Pope Francis’ last gift to him, which just so happens to be a University of Kentucky men’s basketball jersey signed by not one, but two Popes: UK men’s basketball coach Mark Pope and Pope Francis himself.
Sichko said the late pontiff signed the basketball jersey, which has a No. 1 on the front, about three months ago, during Sichko’s last visit to the Vatican.
“Without me asking, he signed the UK jersey that Coach Pope had autographed for me to give to Pope Francis,” he said in a video shared to Facebook last week, days after Pope Francis died.
“I just don’t know what to do with it,” Sichko said in the video. “I don’t know whether I should keep it and cherish it.
“Whether I should put it in a shadow box and maybe give it to UK Athletics or Dr. (Eli) Capilouto or the UK Newman Center. Maybe I should auction it off for a favorite charity in Kentucky.”
He asked his Facebook followers to share their thoughts.
Sichko also took Pope Francis a jersey signed by Mark Pope last spring. That jersey was emblazoned with No. 23, since Pope is the university’s 23rd men’s basketball coach.
“He was delighted,” Sichko said at the time. “He wanted to make sure where this came from. He was very enthralled with it.”
Sichko, who lives in Central Kentucky, is a papal Missionary of Mercy commissioned by Pope Francis.
Opinions among the 260 people who had commented on the post by Tuesday were divided on what Sichko should do with his jersey.
One recurring theme among many who commented was that he might consider doing nothing with it just yet.
“I think that you should keep it for now. Take your time and grieve the loss of a great man and friend,” Emily Kleier Shewmaker wrote. “Maybe eventually it could be auctioned off benefitting (sic) a Ky charity but I also really like the idea of having it displayed somewhere where many can see it.”
“I say ‘just be’…. allow your grief to process —to give yourself much necessary time to decide,” Marsha Moors-Charles commented.
“God will guide you ..as will the everlasting presence of your friend and partner in ministry, Pope Francis. Deep breaths, my friend…and many prayers for you and all who loved Pope Francis.”
This story was originally published April 30, 2025 at 4:00 AM.
