Mayor Rockingham Meets Pope; Asks for the Pope’s Blessing on North Chicago

Mayor Rockingham and his wife Yvonne had the special opportunity and honor to meet Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican in Rome this week. Mayor Rockingham was among 25 Illinois mayors, their spouses and guests who had a private audience with Pope Leo as part of a diplomatic delegation from the Illinois Municipal League.

Chicago Tribune/News Sun Reporter Steve Sadin documented this historic visit and event in a beautiful feature article that appeared in the Lake County News Sun April 2, 2026. When Mayor Rockingham spoke to the Pope, he asked Pope Leo to pray for our city and give it his blessing, and the Pope said he would do that.

Here is Steve Sadin's article: