Gov. Bruce Rauner was part of an 80-member delegation that traveled to the Vatican. They witnessed Chicago Archbishop Blase Cupich become a cardinal.
Other notable members of the group included Illinois Senate President John Cullerton, and Chicago Mayor Rahm Emaneul. None of their trips were financed by taxpayers.
In a Facebook video, Rauner said he had a lot of “interactions” with the delegation.
"This is a celebration not only for Catholics, but for people of all goodwill and of all faiths and of all backgrounds. This is about celebrating what unites us. This is about faith and family, and understanding and sharing and loving, caring for each other, forgiving each other, listening, understanding."
But it's unclear if that sentiment will extend to the political arena.
Illinois has been mired in a budget stalemate, with Rauner insisting on a specific pro-business agenda. Democrats criticize it as anti-union.
Cardinal Cupich previously jumped into the fray with a pro-union speech focused on the “essential relationship between the Catholic Church and the labor movement.”
