Letters from Leo — the American Pope & US Politics

Letters from Leo — the American Pope & US Politics

Future Pope Leo Thanked a Democratic Governor for Ending the Death Penalty

Long before Rome, Leo praised Illinois Governor Pat Quinn for repealing capital punishment in Illinois.

Christopher Hale's avatar
Christopher Hale
Aug 22, 2025
∙ Paid
220
4
41
Share

Dear friends,

Happy Friday, and thank you for being part of Letters from Leo.

This project exists to tell the stories that matter — like when, in 2011, Robert Prevost (now Pope Leo) wrote to Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn to thank him for abolishing the death penalty.

That moment anticipated the Church’s evolving teaching on the dignity of life. It was a glimpse …

Keep reading with a 7-day free trial

Subscribe to Letters from Leo — the American Pope & US Politics to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.

Already a paid subscriber? Sign in
© 2025 Christopher Hale
Privacy ∙ Terms ∙ Collection notice
Start writingGet the app
Substack is the home for great culture