UPDATE: Pope Leo XIV meets with his home state\u2019s governor 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 \u201cThe Land of Lincoln,\u201d MK Pritzker, accompanied the governor during his visit. \u201cIt was an honor for MK and me to meet with @Pontifex \u2014 a son of Illinois \u2014 to express the pride and reverence of the people of this great state,\u201d Pritzker, who is Jewish, said following the meeting in a social media post. A statement from the governor\u2019s office said: \u201cAs 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.\u201d Invitation to return to hometown In an interview with NBC Chicago following his audience, Gov. Pritzker said that during the meeting he presented Pope Leo with an invitation to return to his hometown of Chicago. While the pope didn\u2019t express a timetable for the prospective visit, Pritzker said the pope \u201cwas optimistic that he would be coming to Chicago.\u201d \u201cWe share a great love of the state and the city,\u201d Pritzker said, adding that the pope \u201cseems like he carries his heart on his sleeve and of course he carries Chicago on his sleeve, too.\u201d Immigration discussion During the 40-minute meeting, which Pritzker said was arranged by Cardinal Blase Cupich of Chicago, the governor said that he and the pontiff also discussed the immigration enforcement actions that have been taking place in the city, with Pritzker saying that he expressed his gratitude for the pope\u2019s \u201cmoral leadership on this issue.\u201d Pritzker offered the pope several gifts including a framed piece of art made from an incarcerated woman at Logan Correctional Facility, the book \u201cLincoln: The Life and Legacy that Defined a Nation\u201d by Ian Hunt, the book \u201cA House That Made History: The Illinois Governor\u2019s Mansion, Legacy of an Architectural Treasure\u201d written by Illinois First Lady MK Pritzker, and a pack of Burning Bush Breweries\u2019 \u201cDa Pope\u201d American mild ale. The Vatican itself 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 Illinois Legislature. The Illinois Catholic Conference is urging Gov. Pritzker to veto the bill. In an Oct. 31 statement, the conference said that \u201crather than signing this bill, we ask the governor to expand and improve on palliative care programs.\u201d Such programs, the conference maintains, \u201crepresent a compassionate and morally acceptable alternative to assisted suicide.\u201d This story was updated on Nov. 19, 2025, at 4:30 p.m. ET with additional details of the conversation provided by Gov. Pritzker. This article was originally published by CNA. Ken Oliver-M\u00e9ndez contributed to this report. Receive the most important news from EWTN Vatican via WhatsApp. It has become increasingly difficult to see Catholic news on social media. Subscribe to our free channel today EWTN Vatican on WhatsApp Francesca Pollio Fenton Would you like to receive the latest updates on the Pope and the Vatican Receive articles and updates from our EWTN Newsletter. More news related to this article LIVE | Pope Francis in the Democratic Republic of Congo | Holy Mass Conclave schedule: What time does the smoke appear? Pope Francis makes first public speech since hospitalization for abdominal surgery 18 Seminarians Ordained to Diaconate at St. Peter’s Basilica More Than 20,000 Pilgrims From 90 countries To Participate In Jubilee Of The Sick Pope Leo XIV meets Father James Martin at the Vatican<\/p>\n