Mayor Brandon Johnson meets with Pope Leo, invites him to visit Chicago
CHICAGO (WLS) -- Mayor Brandon Johnson met with Pope Leo XIV Thursday and invited him to visit Chicago in 2027.
Johnson and Pope Leo met privately Thursday for nearly an hour.
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The mayor said he and the pope share ideals, including their stance against the U.S. war in Iran, and pushing back against actions carried out by the Trump administration during "Operation Midway Blitz."
"Of course we shared the legacy of leadership and organizing in civil rights in Chicago," Mayor Johnson said. "I believe he took that to heart. Ultimately, that is going to be his decision on whether or not his schedule is going to allow for it. Who would have thought that a middle school teacher, the son of a pastor, would be in the Vatican talking to the pope who has his roots in the city of Chicago? I believe that he was definitely appreciative of the warm exchange and invite and we will look forward to hosting Mass in Chicago."
During the historic visit, they discussed politics, immigration, baseball and Chicago faith connections.
Johnson said the meeting brought him a sense of peace and comfort.
"I think the pastoral moment was the first question that he asked was, 'How's Chicago? How's Chicago?' And you know I was able to say that you know Chicago is strong," Johnson said.
The trip is funded in part by World Business Chicago, an economic development agency.
A total of 46 people are a part of the Chicago delegation to Rome, including a mix of people in the public and private sector, plus university, community and union leaders.
Chicago Teachers Union President Stacey Davis Gates; Yusef Jackson, the president and CEO of Rainbow PUSH Coalition; and some unexpected figures like Mary Dillon, the former Foot Locker CEO are part of the delegation.
Johnson also invited the pope to return home and deliver Mass in Grant Park. In a letter given to the pope, the mayor said it would be his "deepest honor" to welcome the pope back to his hometown in 2027.
Mayor Johnson and his team say they presented the pope with the key to the city and brought a few gifts, including giardiniera and White Sox merch.
"The pope had a couple words, and he really talked about the city of Chicago being more like a refuge, and also for us to be kind to one another. There's a lot of hostility and incivility in the world right now, and if we are to be kind to one another," 28th Ward Alderman Jason Ervin.
Julia Ramirez, who represents Chicago's 12th Ward, brought her 6-month-old son, Victor Nicholas, on the trip.
She presented the pope with a sanctuary city pin and one from the southwest community U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement watch.
Since Ramirez and the pope are both Sox fans, she made sure to dress her son in team gear.
"So when I held my son and I was speaking to the pope, because each of us actually had the opportunity to speak directly to the pope one-on-one, he made sure to make it a point that he was very happy to see that my son was a Sox fan and touched my son on the head and made sure that he touched the White Sox logo on his chest," Ramirez said.
Delegates described the pope as humble and down-to-earth. His concern for world events and those impacted by things like the war in Iran, also led to discussions about "Operation Midway Blitz," and how Chicago responded to the migrant crisis and more.
"Whether that's calling attention to the affordability crisis in America and around the globe, or going to Haiti, or Cuba, or Venezuela, our conversation was centered around how his pulpit and my pen can come together to defend humanity," Johnson said.
A West Side pastor took part in a special blessing.
"Clergy all over the world support him and certainly appreciate the moral clarity of his voice," said Rev. Marshall Hatch, with New Mt Pilgrim MB Church. "And I really couldn't help it, being the good missionary Baptist as I am. That as he prayed, I stood right next to the pope, saying, 'Amen' and 'yes, Lord,' all the way through."
The mayor will spend Friday with the Roman mayor and will visit sites, including the new metro station at the colosseum. Johnson will be back in Chicago on Saturday.
World Business Chicago said in a statement, "The visit supports Chicago's international profile and long-term economic development interests. World Business Chicago is covering the travel expenses for the Mayor and City Hall employees associated with this official visit and limited incidental costs like meals and transportation for the delegation. Private citizens pay for their own airfare and accommodations. WBC's funding for this trip is from private sector contributions.
"Promoting Chicago as a leading global city is central to World Business Chicago's role and is reflected in Chicago 2050 | A Plan for Economic Growth & Jobs, the city and region's economic growth strategy. The plan calls for Chicagoland to be recognized as a global super-region where the economy, relationships, and opportunities transcend borders."
Pope John Paul II visited Chicago in October 1979. He said Mass in Grant Park, and roughly a million people came to see him.
Full list of gifts presented to Pope Leo:
- Mayor Johnson personally presented Pope Leo with a Key to the City of Chicago and an invitation to return home and deliver Mass in Grant Park.
- Chicago White Sox hat with the Italian Flag, JP Graziano Giar, 2 hot 2 mild From Ownership
- An Immigrants Make America Greater, from Chicago sister cities international program
- The pope's parents' diplomas from DePaul University from President Robert Manuel
- Pope Leo Cubs Jersey and two Cubs hats from The Cubs organization
- Chicago Flag, Chicago White Sox hat with the Italian flag, Chicago tote bag, and ceremonial Chicago street sign from the city of Chicago
- Honey from the Chicago Cultural center roof from DCASE
- Brass tray with the Chicago lakefront etchings, 3 Chicago flag field notes, a World Business Chicago tote bag from the city of Chicago and World Business Chicago
- 2 "Everything dope including the pope comes from Chicago" T-shirts from Sherman "Dilla" Thomas
- Cornerstones book and a poster of stained glass from M.A.A.F.A Redemption Project Church and Rev. Dr. Marshall E. Hatch Sr.
- Letters from parishioners at St. Benedict the African in Englewood, written by a 5-year-old and 9-year-old and their mom with expressions of gratitude for his leadership
- Frango Mints from Catholic Charities
- Hat and jersey from Chicago Sky
- Hat from DePaul University
- Letters from families of detained immigrants
- Hat from Loyola University
- Bloodworks by Bishop Horace Smith, MD
- United Airlines plane from United Airlines
- Southwest community ICE watch pin
- Sanctuary city pin
- Resisting tyrants since pharaoh and White Sox kippah and White Sox pope T-shirt, Mishima Chicago
- Silver dove necklace representing peace, image of the Eucharist procession in Broadview, coalition front spiritual and public leadership
- I am somebody sweatshirt, Keep Hope Alive from Rainbow PUSH
- Union strike pin in a silver box, books and letter from St. Mary's College
-The Legacies of Sr. Madeleva Wolff, CSC, edited by Jessica Coblentz and Susan Mancino
- Saint Mary's College, Amanda Divine and Colin-Elizabeth
- "God Bless the Westside" T-shirt from Alderman Ervin
- Operation Breadbasket: An Untold Story of Civil Rights in Chicago, Martin L. Deppe
- Keeping Hope Alive: Sermons and Speeches of Rev. Jesse L. Jackson Sr., edited by Grace Ji-Sun Kim
The full delegation list for the trip is:
1. Mayor Brandon Johnson
2. Max Budovitch - Deputy Mayor, Business and Neighborhood Development, City of Chicago
3. Charles Smith - Vice Chair, World Business Chicago; and Chief Executive Officer, CS Insurance Strategies
4. Kristopher Anderson - Director, United Airlines
5. Martin Cabrera Jr - CEO, Cabrera Capital
6. Guy Chipparoni - Chairman of the Board, Choose Chicago; and President & CEO, Res Publica Group
7. Melissa Conyears-Ervin - City Treasurer, City of Chicago
8. John D'Alessandro - Principal, JLD Consulting Group, LLC
9. Joshua Davis - President and CEO, The Will Group
10. Stacy Davis Gates - President, Chicago Teachers Union
11. Mary Dillon - Former CEO, Foot Locker, Inc.
12. Jason Ervin - 28th Ward Alderman, City of Chicago
13. Pasquale Gianni - Principal, Gianni Legal and Consulting Services; and Chair, Milan Committee of Chicago Sister Cities International
14. Rabbi Lizzi Heydemann - Founder, Mishkan Chicago
15. Yusef Jackson - President & CEO, Rainbow Push Coalition
16. Charles Johnson - President, SodexoMagic
17. Reverend Tanya Lozano Washington - Pastor, Lincoln United Methodist Church; and CEO, Healthy Hood Chicago
18. Dr. Robert Manuel, PhD - President, DePaul University
19. Tamar Newberger - Chair of Chicago Sister Cities International, World Business Chicago
20. Dr. Michael Okiczyc-Cruz, DMin. - Executive Director, Coalition for Spiritual and Public Leadership
21. Julia Ramirez - 12th Ward Alderwoman, City of Chicago
22. Nadia Rawlinson - Co-owner & Operating Chairman, Chicago Sky; Board of Directors for Vail Resort, Stanford University Board of Trustees and Harvard Business School Board of Dean's Advisors
23. Dr. Mark Reed - President, Loyola University Chicago
24. Sheila Regan - Chief Operating Officer, Acclivus
25. Lamont Robinson - 4th Ward Alderman, City of Chicago
26. Antonio Romanucci - Attorney at Law, Romanucci and Blandin LLC
27. Carmen Rossi - CEO, 8 Hospitality
28. Reverend Reginald Sharpe Jr. - Senior Pastor, Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church
29. Maria Simon - General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer, Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago
30. Bishop Horace E. Smith, M.D. - Senior Pastor, Apostolic Faith Church; and Pediatric Oncologist & Hematologist, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
31. Phil Stefani - Owner, Phil Stefani Restaurants
32. Reverend Stephen Thurston - Pastor, New Covenant Baptist Church
33. Jeffrey Torosian - Partner/Co-Chair, US Business Litigation, DLA Piper LLP (US)
34. Laura Torosian
35. Father Juan Vargas - Associate Pastor, Archdiocese of Chicago - Our Lady of the Rosary
36. Angela Tovar, Commissioner, Department of Environment and Chief Sustainability Officer, City of Chicago
37. Jason Lee - Senior Advisor to the Mayor, City of Chicago
38. Billy Evans - Chief of Faith Engagement, City of Chicago
39. Erin Connelly - Communications Director, Office of the Mayor, City of Chicago
40. Ashlee Horton - Director of Executive Operations, Office of the Mayor, City of Chicago
41. Chris Witschy - Digital Director, City of Chicago
42. Vashon Jordan Jr. - Photographer and Creative Director, City of Chicago
43. Darius Newsome - Senior Aide, City of Chicago
44. Adrienne Tongate - Executive Vice President, Global Strategic Initiatives, World Business Chicago
45. Anel Montes Marchan - Vice President, Global Strategic Initiatives, World Business Chicago
46. Justus Pugh - ChiForward Portfolio and Partnerships Lead, World Business Chicago
