Once in a while, the actual event exceeds intense anticipation.
For River Forest Village President Cathy Adduci and a practicing Catholic, that moment was April 6, when she met Pope Leo XIV in Rome.
As a member of a delegation of over 20 mayors and civic leaders from across the state, Adduci met the pontiff in Clementine Hall, located on the second floor of the Apostolic Palace in Vatican City. The event was coordinated by the Illinois Municipal League
There are a few moments in life that stand out from the rest, and this was one for Adduci.
The obvious question: What was he like?
“He was very gracious, he was very engaging,” Adduci said. “He acknowledged everything.”
She had a chance to talk to him about the village and its four Catholic institutions: Dominican University, Trinity High School, St. Luke and St. Bernardine Parish and St. Vincent Ferrer Parish.
Since Pope Leo is a native Chicagoan, from south suburban Dolton, was he familiar with River Forest and those Catholic institutions and communities?
Sure was.
“[He said], ‘I know where that’s at,’” she said. “I asked each of the institutions to write letters that I left with the pope. I handed them to his team.”
He also blessed a bag of rosaries Adduci brought from home from friends and family.
Adduci went to St. Elizabeth Seton High School in South Holland, not far from Dolton, and used to spend a lot of time in that community growing up. After they discussed River Forest, she explained that, “and his eyes widened,” she said.
There were even a few moments of levity. The pope is a White Sox fan, and “he said they need some help, they’re struggling,” said Adduci, who also visited the U.S. embassy in Vatican City with the delegation.
But there was more to this meeting than blessings and reminiscing. The pope gave a moving speech, so much so that Adduci took plenty of notes.
“He basically said there are many tasks that vie for your attention each day,” she said. “I would encourage you to listen to the poor, the immigrants and the least among you, seeking to accompany them in your work to promote the common good for the benefit of all.”
Adduci, who personally paid for her trip and traveled with a friend, flew out of O’Hare International Airport on March 28, arriving in Rome the next day. Flying over, the anticipation was palpable.
“You felt like Monday is going to come, how is this all going to work?” she said. “You look across these mayors, mayors that run big cities. We were all anticipating, how do you address the pope?”
One thing she learned was the Vatican requests women wear a veil and a dark suit.
“A priest that was with us, he gave mass while we were in Rome, and during one of the homilies [he said], ‘We veil the people we feel are holy. We believe women are holy, the mother of God.’ That really resonated with me.”
Of course, as village president Adduci has many responsibilities, but in her view, it wasn’t hard to make the decision to travel to Vatican City, especially during Holy Week.
“It was a very easy decision,” she said. “It wasn’t an inexpensive decision, but it was worth it to meet His Holiness, to spend any time at the Vatican, just Rome itself. Once I was asked to join the trip, I absolutely said yes, I will make it happen.”
The result was a key takeaway that Adduci has contemplated since returning.
“I think it’s about working together,” she said. “Any problem can be solved if we work together with the goal we work together for the common good.
“We can and we should. We can solve our problems if we work together and not find fault.”