Overview
- Brandon Johnson said he will travel to Rome May 26–30 with a meeting set with Pope Leo XIV for May 28.
- He said he plans to thank the Chicago-born pontiff for what he called moral clarity on caring for vulnerable people.
- Johnson joked he will bring a Chicago Cubs cap as a gift to the pope, who is known as a White Sox fan.
- The mayor’s office said World Business Chicago will pay for the trip’s expenses.
- No detailed agenda has been released, and coverage places the visit during a strained period for U.S.–Vatican relations that included Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s early-May meeting at the Vatican.