Illinois State Treasurer Returns Unclaimed Funds to Pope Leo XIV

伊利諾州財政長將未領取資金歸還給教宗利奧十四世

Jun 5, 2026, 20:58
EuropePolitics

Introduction

Illinois State Treasurer Mike Frerichs has officially informed Pope Leo XIV that there are funds available for him in the state's unclaimed property registry.

伊利諾州財政長 Mike Frerichs 已正式通知教宗利奧十四世，在該州的未領取財產登記冊中有一筆可用資金。

Main Body

The recent appointment of Chicago native Robert Prevost as Pope Leo XIV has led to several diplomatic visits from Illinois officials, including Governor JB Pritzker and Mayor Brandon Johnson. During a visit on Wednesday with the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce, Treasurer Mike Frerichs delivered a certificate for the recovery of $8.65. These funds came from an old PayPal account and had been kept in the state's unclaimed property account.

芝加哥本地人 Robert Prevost 最近被任命為教宗利奧十四世，促使包括州長 JB Pritzker 和市長 Brandon Johnson 在內的伊利諾州官員進行了數次外交訪問。在週三與芝加哥地區商會的訪問期間，財政長 Mike Frerichs 交付了一份追回 8.65 美元的證明書。這些資金來自一個舊的 PayPal 帳戶，一直保存在該州的未領取財產帳戶中。

Earlier, the Treasurer tried to arrange this transfer through the local archdiocese, but those efforts were unsuccessful. Consequently, Mr. Frerichs decided to deliver the news in person. To ensure that no government or campaign money was used, the trip was paid for privately by Mr. Frerichs and his wife, Erica. Along with the certificate, the Treasurer gave the Pope a commemorative Abraham Lincoln coin and a book about Chicago's history, while Mrs. Frerichs presented family rosaries for a papal blessing.

此前，財政長曾嘗試透過當地總教區安排此次轉帳，但未能成功。因此，Frerichs 先生決定親自遞交消息。為了確保未使用政府或競選資金，此次旅程由 Frerichs 先生及其妻子 Erica 私人出資。除了證明書外，財政長還贈送給教宗一枚亞伯拉罕·林肯紀念幣和一本關於芝加哥歷史的書，而 Frerichs 夫人則呈上家族玫瑰念珠以祈求教宗祝福。

From a professional perspective, the Treasurer emphasized that this gesture is part of his office's marketing strategy. Since 2015, Frerichs has helped return over $2.5 billion to about 2.5 million people. He asserted that sharing individual stories of recovery, even for small amounts, leads to more people visiting the website and claiming their money. This activity is happening during an election cycle, where Frerichs is running against Republican candidate Max Solomon.

從專業角度來看，財政長強調這一舉動是他部門行銷策略的一部分。自 2015 年以來，Frerichs 已協助約 250 萬人追回超過 25 億美元。他主張分享追回資金的個人故事，即使金額很小，也能吸引更多人訪問網站並領回資金。此活動發生在選舉週期中，Frerichs 正與共和黨候選人 Max Solomon 競爭。

Conclusion

The funds will be sent as soon as the Pope provides a mailing address.

只要教宗提供郵寄地址，資金將立即寄出。

Vocabulary Learning

The 'B2 Logic': Connecting Ideas with Transition Words

At the A2 level, students use simple sentences: "The Treasurer tried to call. He failed. He went in person."

To reach B2, you must stop using 'And' and 'But' for everything. You need logical connectors that show the relationship between two ideas. Let's look at the 'magic' words used in this story to turn basic English into professional English.

⚡ The 'Result' Bridge: Consequently

In the text: "...those efforts were unsuccessful. Consequently, Mr. Frerichs decided to deliver the news in person."

  • What it does: It replaces "So."
  • Why use it: It tells the reader: "Because X happened, Y is the direct result." It sounds academic and organized.
  • A2 Style: So, he went to see the Pope.
  • B2 Style: Consequently, he decided to visit in person.

⚡ The 'Reason' Bridge: Since

In the text: "Since 2015, Frerichs has helped return over $2.5 billion..."

  • The Secret: At A2, you know Since for time (Since Monday). At B2, Since can also mean "Because."
  • Example: Since it is raining, we should stay inside.
  • Pro Tip: Starting a sentence with Since makes your speech flow more naturally and less like a list of facts.

⚡ The 'Addition' Bridge: Along with

In the text: "Along with the certificate, the Treasurer gave the Pope..."

  • What it does: It replaces "And also."
  • Why use it: It allows you to group items together more elegantly. Instead of saying "He gave X and he gave Y," you create a single, sophisticated phrase.

Quick Summary for your Growth:

A2 WordB2 AlternativeEffect
SoConsequentlyMore professional/logical
BecauseSinceMore fluid/natural
And alsoAlong withBetter sentence structure

Vocabulary Learning

unclaimed (adj.)
Not requested or taken by the person who has a right to it.
Example:The bank has a list of unclaimed accounts that have been inactive for years.
registry (n.)
An official list of names, items, or records.
Example:The land registry keeps a record of who owns every piece of property in the city.
recovery (n.)
The process of finding or getting back something that was lost.
Example:The recovery of the stolen painting took several months of police work.
consequently (adv.)
As a result of something that has already happened.
Example:He failed to study for the exam; consequently, he did not pass.
commemorative (adj.)
Designed to remember or honor a specific person or event.
Example:The city issued a commemorative coin to mark the 100th anniversary of its founding.
perspective (n.)
A particular way of considering or viewing something; a point of view.
Example:From a financial perspective, the project is too expensive to continue.
asserted (v.)
Stated a fact or belief confidently and forcefully.
Example:The lawyer asserted that his client was innocent of all charges.
Practice B2 words in a crossword→