The Chicago Convergence: Three Missions, Two Souls and One City

Living in Chicago periodically reminisces me of the great monk Swami Vivekananda, his life and mission. Last year at this time, in the month of June I spent time along with family in Vivekananda Vedanta society of Chicago summer retreat center. For a small person like me, getting an opportunity in U.S. at a nominal fee to spend time with divine, pure Swamijis is very great happening. I don’t have much company in this country for an outing, and this is a great way to spend time in the company of likeminded seekers and Gurus. This opportunity is provided by a center by virtue of work done by its supreme founder Swami Vivekananda more than 130 years ago in U.S. and in India. To be specific, in 1895, Vivekananda established Vedānta Societies in the USA to spread the message of Vedānta among the people of West. It is by virtue of this great work that people like us are enjoying the fruits even in this day and age. The three-day event every month of summer is a good opportunity for anyone on spiritual path to get profound knowledge on varied topics. Spiritual retreats like the ones hosted by the Vivekananda Vedanta Society of Chicago can have profound, positive ripple effects on both individuals and society at large. Through meditation, mantra yoga, and Vedanta study, attendees often experience reduced stress, emotional balance, and deeper self-awareness. Connecting with teachings of Ramakrishna and Vivekananda helps many find personal meaning, purpose, and inner peace. Participants tend to adopt better habits—mindful eating, regular spiritual practice, and a more conscious way of living. Imagine hundreds of people returning from the retreat feeling more peaceful, purposeful, and grounded. It’s not just personal enlightenment—it’s social evolution. Even if one person becomes more kind, more just, and more aware because of these experiences, society inches toward greater harmony. It's the eastern spiritual injection and societal cleansing of the western land to aid in its daily functioning and progress. I hope I can continue my association with this body further down the line. 

I invoked Swami Vivekananda to remind about the mission he ignited back then. On September 11, 1893, a young monk from India rose to address the World's Parliament of Religions in Chicago. Swami Vivekananda's opening words, "Sisters and Brothers of America," received a standing ovation that lasted for two minutes, marking not just a moment of personal triumph, but the beginning of a mission that would fundamentally alter the West's understanding of Eastern spirituality. Vivekananda's mission was threefold: to introduce the profound philosophical depths of Vedanta to the Western world, to demonstrate that all religions lead to the same divine truth, and to awaken India to its own spiritual heritage while embracing modernity. His Chicago appearance was not merely a speech but a declaration of spiritual independence, establishing that Eastern wisdom had something vital to offer to the materially advanced but spiritually seeking West. The Parliament became Vivekananda's platform for articulating his vision of religion as a unifying force rather than a divisive one. His message resonated so powerfully that he was invited to lecture across America for nearly two years, laying the groundwork for the first Hindu mission in the Western hemisphere. 

Drawing from the teachings of his guru, Sri Ramakrishna, Vivekananda established the Ramakrishna Mission in 1897, creating an institutional framework that would perpetuate his vision long after his death. The mission embodied his revolutionary approach to spirituality: that service to humanity was equivalent to worship of the divine. This was encapsulated in his famous dictum, "Serve man as God," which transformed traditional monastic life from withdrawal from the world to active engagement with social issues. 

The Ramakrishna Mission became a pioneering model of spiritual organization that combined contemplative practice with social service. It established hospitals, schools, and relief centers while maintaining ashrams for spiritual seekers. This dual approach addressed both the material and spiritual needs of society, creating a template that influenced countless religious and humanitarian organizations that followed. He shines as a bright light when the world is still dark and ignorant. 

Vivekananda's teachings through the mission emphasized the practical application of Vedantic philosophy. He taught that the ultimate goal of human life was not escape from the world but the realization of one's divine nature through selfless service. This message, first articulated on the Chicago platform, spread through the mission's activities across India and internationally, establishing centers that continue to operate today in over 20 countries. 

While we talked about one monk of a religion who rose to immeasurable heights through his work from the foundation laid in Chicago, let us also remind about another mission led by current Pope, born in Chicago, who became the first American pontiff for entire world. Cardinal Robert Prevost was elected as the Catholic Church's next pope on May 8, 2025, becoming Pope Leo XIV and making history as the first American pontiff. This groundbreaking election represents not just a personal achievement, but the culmination of a uniquely American Catholic experience that began in the diverse neighborhoods of Chicago and would ultimately reshape the global Catholic Church's approach to modern challenges. 

The election of Pope Leo XIV marks a pivotal moment in Catholic history, as there had long been a taboo against a U.S. pope, given the geopolitical power already wielded by the United States in the secular sphere. However, his Chicago foundation, combined with his extensive missionary work in Peru, created a unique profile that transcended national boundaries and positioned him as a bridge between the developed and developing worlds. 

Chicago's Catholic landscape provided young Robert Prevost with an unparalleled education in the complexities of modern Catholic life. The city's history as a destination for waves of immigrant populations—Irish, Polish, Italian, Mexican, and countless others—created a Catholic Church that was inherently multicultural, socially conscious, and deeply engaged with issues of economic justice and social mobility. 

Pope Leo XIV's election represents the culmination of a distinctly American Catholic experience that began in the diverse neighborhoods of Chicago and extended through missionary service in Peru to global leadership in Vatican City. His Chicago foundation provided him with the institutional knowledge, practical skills, and collaborative approach necessary for effective papal leadership in the 21st century. 

His mission demonstrates how local experience can provide the foundation for global leadership, and how the particular characteristics of American Catholicism—its institutional sophistication, democratic engagement, and practical idealism—can contribute to the universal Catholic Church's mission of serving humanity's spiritual and material needs. 

The firm base of his rise lay not in ecclesiastical ambition or theological brilliance alone, but in decades of practical experience in building bridges between different communities, addressing complex social challenges, and maintaining Catholic identity in diverse cultural contexts. His Chicago foundation provided him with the moral authority and practical wisdom necessary to lead a global church that must speak effectively to both ancient spiritual truths and contemporary social realities. 

Pope Leo XIV's mission, rooted in the firm foundation of his Chicago upbringing and strengthened by his international experience, offers a model of religious leadership that combines spiritual vision with practical capability, demonstrating how authentic local experience can provide the foundation for effective global service. 

In the grand tapestry of spiritual leadership, few cities have witnessed such profound transformation as Chicago—where the ancient wisdom of the East met the dynamic faith of the West, where two extraordinary souls, separated by over a century, discovered their calling to serve humanity through the universal language of love, service, and spiritual awakening. 

The election of Pope Leo XIV in 2025 created a sacred symmetry—Chicago had given birth to both the first Hindu teacher to captivate the West and the first American pope to lead the global Catholic Church. This convergence was not mere coincidence but divine orchestration, demonstrating how the City of Big Shoulders had become the City of Big Hearts, nurturing leaders who would serve not just their own communities, but all of humanity. 

The convergence of their missions creates a powerful synthesis: the contemplative depth of Eastern mysticism combined with the practical engagement of Western social action, united in the common goal of serving humanity's complete needs—material, intellectual, and spiritual. 

After their great missions that are awakening the world, I myself is leading another mission in my own capacity for the last 15 years and more severely in the last 7-8 years. It is not an exaggeration if I say I am leading a mission life with deep realistic impact for the past many years. The culmination came when I moved to Chicago three years back and began working from here. The common thread running through the post is the city of Chicago and its position in making heroes of yesterday, today and tomorrow. I don’t say I am anywhere near to the great men discussed but not inferior to someone else either. Hence, I am including my own example as well.  

The third mission should also begin from this land with wider implications and greater good. A mission that guides the world toward solving modern problems and cultivating harmony needs clarity, courage, and compassion at its core. I can propose five main objectives for the next big mission – 1. A world of peace and not violence 2. A world replete with education, equality and economic growth 3. A world with sustainable living and not degradation of planet Earth 4. A world with ethical innovation to guide and serve humanity 5. A world where there is democracy, freedom and liberty for everyone. If we can move with purpose and achieve these 5 mission objectives, we can co-create a beautiful next century together. Working on this mission is a journey and never a destination in itself. Let us all take a page out of the text book from the great men who have emanated a bolder life work and play our own small part in building a better tomorrow. Afterall, the world no longer has a Gandhi, Martin Luther King and any other eminent personalities to guide us with overarching presence. It is we who should take over the baton and hand it to the next person in the distant future. Until then, let us move with purpose to dictate a better world. For a change, why do we see so many wars at present which hinder a peaceful world. Isn’t it time for an end. If we can end this, we have already achieved the first objective. In the coming days, we can delve into each of the five topics in separate posts along with challenges, violations in current world to know our present day standing.