The Vatican did not release any details about what was discussed during the Nov. 19, 2025, meeting Pope Leo XIV held with Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker. / Credit: Photo courtesy of the Office of Gov. JB Pritzker
CNA Newsroom, Nov 19, 2025 / 14:23 pm (CNA).
Pope Leo XIV met with the governor of his native Illinois, JB Pritzker, on Wednesday at the Vatican. The first lady of the U.S. state known as “The Land of Lincoln,” MK Pritzker, accompanied the governor during his visit.
“It was an honor for MK and me to meet with @Pontifex — a son of Illinois — to express the pride and reverence of the people of this great state,” Pritzker said following the meeting in a social media post. The governor added: “Pope Leo XIV’s message of hope, compassion, unity, and peace resonates with Illinoisans of all faiths and traditions.”
A statement from the governor’s office said: “As the first American pope, a native Illinoisan, and an advocate for the poor and less fortunate, Pope Leo XIV serves as a true inspiration to people of all faiths. His message of hope, unity, compassion, and peace resonates in his home state of Illinois and across the globe.”
The office added: “The governor and first lady offered their well-wishes and deep gratitude to Pope Leo XIV for his public service and for his positive representation of Chicago, Illinois, and the United States.”
Pritzker offered the pope several gifts including a framed piece of art made from an incarcerated woman at Logan Correctional Facility, the book “Lincoln: The Life and Legacy that Defined a Nation” by Ian Hunt, the book “A House That Made History: The Illinois Governor’s Mansion, Legacy of an Architectural Treasure” written by First Lady MK Pritzker, and a pack of Burning Bush Breweries’ “Da Pope” American mild ale.
The Vatican did not release any details about what was discussed during the visit. The Democratic governor currently has before his desk the decision on whether to either sign into law or veto assisted suicide legislation that was recently approved the by the Illinois Legislature.
The Illinois Catholic Conference is urging Gov. Pritzker to veto the bill. In an Oct. 31 statement, the conference said that “rather than signing this bill, we ask the governor to expand and improve on palliative care programs.” Such programs, the conference maintains, “represent a compassionate and morally acceptable alternative to assisted suicide.”
