Truly didn't know if this was a joke the first time I heard it, or if he was going with a lot of US/worldwide mayors. But no... just him (along with some Chicago bigwigs).

AFAIK, Brandon ain't Catholic. But it won't be the first time a non-Catholic politician meets with the Pope.

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Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson was headed to Rome on Wednesday to meet with Pope Leo XIV in the Vatican.

The mayor is expected to talk with the pope on Thursday.

"As I reflect on my upcoming time that I'll get a chance to spend with the pope, I think about our shared moral values, and our shared belief in human dignity," Mayor Johnson said at a news conference Wednesday morning, "because at the end of the day, building a safer city also means building a more just and compassionate one, where every young person, every family, and every community knows they are seen, supported, and worthy of opportunity."

Mayor Johnson said he plans to bring up voting rights, immigration rights, and workers' rights with the pope. The war with Iran is also expected to be addressed.

"We're going to really highlight ways in which the city of Chicago is showing up, but really how mayors across the globe are showing up, and how his leadership and his pulpit can help shine a light on the places in the world where grievances are quite severe and have been ignored," the mayor said earlier this week.

There will be both serious and non-serious topics on the agenda, the mayor said.

"It's going to be a very full, rich conversation," Johnson said. "And of course, the conversation will not end without us having a real substantive debate around our Cubbies and his Sox."

https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/chicago-mayor-brandon-johnson-headed-rome-talk-pope-leo-xiv/


Of course: whatta chowderhead. Whatta maroon.