Johnson Invites Pope Leo XIV to 2027 Chicago Mass as Pair Discuss Slavery’s Legacy
Updated
Updated · Chicago Sun-Times · May 28
Johnson Invites Pope Leo XIV to 2027 Chicago Mass as Pair Discuss Slavery’s Legacy
8 articles · Updated · Chicago Sun-Times · May 28
An hourlong private Vatican meeting centered on slavery, with Mayor Brandon Johnson saying Pope Leo XIV’s discussion of its lasting global damage stood out most.
Monday’s papal encyclical set the backdrop: Leo apologized for the church’s role in legitimizing slavery and failing to condemn it for centuries, a theme Johnson linked to reparations and repairing harm.
Johnson also used the meeting to hand Leo a letter inviting him to celebrate Mass in Grant Park in 2027; delegation members said the Chicago-born pope smiled and replied, “I’d like to do that.”
A 45-member Chicago delegation joined Johnson in Rome, bringing about two dozen gifts including Leo’s parents’ DePaul diplomas, parishioners’ letters and Frango mints.
The talks ranged beyond Chicago to Gaza, Haiti, Venezuela, affordability and “endless wars,” underscoring Johnson’s effort to frame the visit around both civic pride and global concerns.
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