Pope Leo XIV

Bishop Louis Tylka of the Catholic Diocese of Peoria said his parishes have seen a significant increase in attendance recently. It comes from a mixture of curiosity and hunger for faith amid many populations, especially youth.

Pope Leo XIV has told the mayors of Bloomington and Normal that authority must be understood as service. The Pope referred to the example of Christ, who came “not to be served but to serve.”

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and his wife, MK, meet the Chicago-born pope in the Vatican and arrive bearing gifts, including a Chicago brewery’s mild ale dubbed “Da Pope.” The pontiff gladly accepted the sudsy offering, saying, “I’ll put that in the fridge.”

Gov. JB Pritzker met with Pope Leo XIV in Rome on Wednesday, with the two discussing the Trump administration's aggressive immigration raids and the governor formally inviting the Chicago-born pontiff back for a visit to his hometown.

Catholic organizations had lobbied Quinn to end the death penalty. The former governor was not previously aware of Prevost’s message to him.