In May, Father Jim Sichko traveled from his home in Madison County, Kentucky, to Rome, Italy, for an audience with Pope Francis. As a Papal Missionary of Mercy—one of only about a thousand people worldwide to hold that designation—Sichko is tasked with spreading a message of hope and kindness through acts of compassion. He’s gifted new bicycles to second graders in Eastern Kentucky, for example, and covered funeral expenses for people who’ve tragically lost family members. He meets with the Pope about twice a year to update him on his efforts and, like any good Southerner, he always comes bearing gifts.
Sichko made headlines during a 2018 visit when he presented Pope Francis with a bottle of 23-year-old Pappy Van Winkle bourbon. Over the years, he has brought him other unique items, including a pair of bright yellow Nike sneakers emblazoned with the Pope’s name and seal. On this most recent visit, he first presented the pontiff with a basketball jersey bearing the surname of the University of Kentucky’s new coach, Mark Pope. “This got him chuckling,” Sichko says.
He then nervously offered two commemorative bottles of ten-year-old Willett bourbon and a pen. “I was scared to death because the Pope usually doesn’t autograph anything,” Sichko says. Pope Francis signed both bottles—and then asked Sichko which one was for him. “I was put on the spot,” Sichko says. He quickly explained that he planned to auction the autographed bottles for charity and promised to bring the Pope another one.
The two Pope Francis–signed bottles—plus a third Sichko had signed by Tom Brady—are currently available for online bidding through Sotheby’s, with a live sale scheduled for December 7. Proceeds from the three bottles, part of Sotheby’s Whisky & Whiskey auction that includes some three hundred rare spirits in total, benefit Southeast Texas Hospice in Orange, Texas; Paws 4 the Cause, a no-kill animal rescue in Kentucky; Sichko’s giving ministry; and the Maxwell Street Legal Clinic in Lexington.
Apart from his visits with the Pope, Sichko’s work has brought him into contact with people he never would have imagined meeting. Garden & Gun spoke with him about these special bottles of bourbon, a chance encounter at the Masters, and why Dolly Parton calls him her favorite opening act.
What inspired you to connect bourbon, the Pope, and your work as a Missionary of Mercy?
My family taught me that when I visit someone new, I should bring a gift, and I wanted to bring the Pope something that represents Kentucky. When I present these gifts to the Holy Father, I’m doing it more as an ambassador.
I’d also always wanted to do a barrel pick, and I thought it would be a great way to commemorate the Pope’s tenth anniversary as the 266th Roman Pontiff. It took me several years to arrange. I bugged the heck out of Julian Van Winkle—he’s the one who gave me the Pappy 23 to present to the Pope in the first place—and he connected me with Drew [Kulsveen, Willett’s master distiller]. Drew, without hesitation, said, “absolutely.”
I invited the vice president of Delta, the vice president of the Atlanta Braves, my bishop, and a DEA agent [to the tasting]. Drew sat in as well. I had never done a barrel pick before, and I don’t drink much, so when they put the samples in front of me, I downed them all immediately. These were straight from the barrel! Let me tell you, I was feeling the effects, but I tried to keep it together because my boss—the bishop—was sitting next to me, and I wanted to make a good impression with everyone. That barrel yielded 149 bottles, and I saved bottle No. 1 for Pope Francis and auctioned off the others.
Then I thought, Wait a minute, the Pope is declaring a Jubilee Year next year. Why don’t I do this again? So, we did a second barrel pick. This time, I knew how to behave, but the bourbon was like jet fuel—they said it was 155 proof before bottling! Drew and I added the seal of the Jubilee Year to it, and I invited Drew and his wife to join me when I visited the Pope.
Does the Pope drink bourbon?
I’ve heard that, on occasion, he does. He also shares it with guests who visit him. We consider ourselves friendly people in the South, and sitting down for a drink is a natural way to connect with others.
So how did Tom Brady get involved?
Tom and I happened to both be at the Masters, and Delta Airlines, which supports my ministry, arranged for us to meet. As usual, I brought gifts. I gave him items from Pope Francis for his children and family, a pair of custom-made shoes, and a bottle of the Jubilee Year Willett—bottle No. 12, which was his jersey number. He thanked me and said, “Father, I want to keep the gifts you gave me from Pope Francis, but would you mind if I autograph these other items so you can use them to do something good?”
Another amazing gesture came from Sotheby’s. They’re not charging me any fees or taking a commission on the auction. They told me, “You give for a living, so why should we take from you?”
Sotheby’s estimates a sale price between $1,000 and $10,000 per bottle. Does that sound about right?
I looked it up, and I’ve never seen another bottle signed by the Pope. I did find a baseball he signed that sold for $17,000. I thought, If a baseball can get $17,000, Kentucky brown water better go for much more!
Beyond the monetary value for these charities, what do you hope the impact will be?
Even though this is focused on bourbon, the underlying message is that when you give, you also receive. I also want to encourage people to realize that nothing is impossible if you make the effort. It doesn’t have to be a grand gesture—holding a door open for someone or paying for their groceries can go a long way. You never know what someone else is going through. Maybe it will inspire them to think, What else can I do?
You’ve worked with many celebrities through your ministry and at speaking engagements. Is it true that Dolly Parton calls you the “greatest opening act ever”?
[Laughs] She has been a great supporter of many things that I’ve done. I tell people, “Don’t ever give me your phone number, because I will use it!”
