Pope Leo XIV meets Cardinal Cupich and Chicago labour leaders at Vatican
Niwa Limbu • October 9, 2025
His Eminence Cardinal Blase Cupich was received in a private audience by Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican this morning, 9 October.
The Holy See Press Office confirmed that the meeting took place together with a delegation of labour leaders from Chicago, who were in Rome on pilgrimage for the Jubilee Year of Hope.
The audience was held in the Apostolic Palace and formed part of a series of encounters the Pope has held with American Catholic NGOs and charities this week. During the meeting, the Holy Father praised the unions of Chicago for their efforts to promote the dignity of workers and to train new generations with skills that serve both industry and society.
He expressed particular appreciation for initiatives aimed at broadening opportunities for minorities through apprenticeships and technical programmes. The Pope also commended projects supporting the transition to renewable energies, describing such work as both “commendable and timely” given the Church’s continued call to care for the created world.
The delegation, accompanied by Cardinal Cupich, presented the Pope with a report on their community work in the Chicago area, highlighting their support for shelters and food pantries serving immigrants and refugees. The Pope thanked them for their hospitality towards newcomers and for their commitment to inclusion, while noting that the protection of human dignity must remain at the heart of social policy. He prayed that their pilgrimage to Rome might strengthen their commitment to the Church’s social teaching and deepen their understanding of the moral dimension of work.
The Pope also briefly greeted Cardinal Cupich on the 8th after the General Audience and later met a group of children from Chicago’s Our Lady of Mount Carmel Academy. Their mock conclave, held earlier this year, drew attention online for its creative approach to teaching young Catholics about the papal conclave.
According to Vatican sources, it is understood that the Cardinal may also have had a private discussion with the Pope concerning the controversy in Chicago over a lifetime award presented to Senator Dick Durbin. It is believed that the Pope was keeping a close eye on the matter.
The issue, known informally as “Cupichgate”, has attracted debate in American Catholic circles in recent months. Such one-to-one meetings between the Pope and senior prelates are not unusual, especially when public issues intersect with Church leadership and pastoral concerns.
(Photo by VINCENZO PINTO/AFP via Getty Images)