Three-fourths of the way into Brandon Johnson's term as mayor of Chicago, it's fair to say that his record has been mixed. Numbers showing significant drops in violent crime during his mayoralty have been undermined by coverage of "teen takeovers" and other incidents of violence, an increasingly independent City Council has stymied some of his most progressive policy goals, and other elected leaders have described his administration's lobbying in Springfield as ineffectual, typified by his messaging around that "mega-projects" bill designed to keep the Bears from bolting to northwest Indiana.
But this week's meeting at The Vatican with the Chicago-born Pope Leo XIV gave the mayor an opportunity to rise above criticisms in Chicago, the state and even from The White House, and focus on what the former middle-school social studies teacher has suggested is his role at this time: to serve as a vocal defender of democracy, and not just in the United States.
"We just had a real rich conversation about what this moment is calling for," the mayor told reporters after Thursday's hour-plus audience with His Holiness. "We talked about how it's incredibly important, and this was insightful for me, to lean into our faith even more. "
The mayor said their meeting included a discussion of Chicago's response to "Operation Midway Blitz," including executive orders designed to limit ICE activity in the city, and the Vatican's history-making encyclical issued just days earlier that apologized for the Church's role in authorizing the trading of slaves. In the moments immediately after the meeting, the mayor said that's the conversation that felt the most meaningful: "I had a real exchange with one of the most influential global religious leaders around how the legacy of slavery has had a devastating impact on our globe."
Mayor Johnson said the discussion also focused on how recent military actions in the Middle East, Venezuela and elsewhere have sparked a worldwide economic crisis, especially for lower-income people. And it's through that exchange that the mayor appeared to position himself as a potential envoy under the imprimatur of the Holy See: "I as mayor and mayors across the globe can work with him to go to these specific nations (affected by crisis). I said that I'm willing to lead a delegation of mayors and other leaders to places that I believe his influence can help call attention to the ongoing crisis that many, many people are suffering through."
It's not clear whether the Pope plans to take up the Mayor on his suggestion, nor do we know whether former Robert Prevost will accept the city's invitation to celebrate Mass in Grant Park next year. But for the mayor, the response is likely less important than the image of him handing a Cubs hat to a worldwide icon of faith who has become massively popular in his home town. It's an image that he surely hopes will make questions about ShotSpotter and the city's bond rating feel insignificant. And while he's not said for sure whether he intends to seek re-election, that image of him with the Pope ... which will surely be front-and-center in a potential campaign ad ... is one his potential opponents would find hard to match.
