June 27--Chicago Archbishop Blase Cupich met privately with Pope Francis for the first time Friday, the Vatican announced Saturday.
Cupich is one of 46 bishops in Rome this weekend to receive their palliums, symbols of their offices as bishops. The pallium will be placed on Cupich's shoulders by the pope's U.S. ambassador, Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano, on Aug. 23 at Holy Name Cathedral in Chicago.
Cupich met the pope in the Vatican guesthouse that also serves as Francis' residence. Cupich thanked the Francis for meeting with him and for appointing him to Chicago.
"I also took the opportunity to tell him about the many wonderful things happening in our local Church and assured him of our support for his ministry of unity," he said in a statement. "The pope specifically asked the people in the archdiocese to pray for him daily, and I assured him that I would relay this message."
As the meeting ended, Cupich asked the pope for his blessing, which Francis extended to all the people and clergy of the archdiocese.
mbrachear@tribpub.com
