On Saturday, JD Vance spoke with officials in Vatican City
Vice President JD Vance and the Vatican had an uncomfortable conversation on Saturday, April 19.
Vance, who recently converted to Catholicism, met with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the secretary of state, and Archbishop Paul Gallagher, the foreign minister, during his visit to Vatican City.
While the Vatican described the talks as “cordial,” there were some surprising differences in perspective between the vice president and the church officials.
The Vatican has expressed some concerns about the Trump administration’s immigration policies, in particular. Following a heated exchange in the Oval Office between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Trump announced he would reduce international aid to Ukraine.
The Vatican has consistently called for the peaceful resolution of the ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza. Although Vance did not meet with Pope Francis, who is recovering from pneumonia, the Vatican shared insights from his conversations with other church leaders during his visit.
The two leaders held a meeting during which they discussed a range of global issues, such as war, political tensions, and humanitarian crises, focusing primarily on migrant, refugee, and prisoner issues.
The Vatican has expressed its hope that the relationship between the Catholic Church and the government of the United States will be harmonious in recognition of its crucial support to vulnerable populations in the U.S.
As Cardinal Parolin noted to La Repubblica, there were clearly significant differences between the policy of the current U.S. administration and that of previous administrations, particularly in the West, that the Vatican had experienced in the past years prior to Vance’s visit.
After Pope Francis was hospitalized in February for pneumonia, he wrote a letter to the U.S. bishops that seemed to address some of Vance’s earlier remarks.
In an interview with CNN, Vance suggested that Catholic teachings supported the Trump administration’s strict stance on immigration. In response, the Pope emphasized that “Christian love” should not be about expanding one’s interests but building inclusive fraternity for all people. To understand this true spirit of love, he encouraged reflection on the parable of the Good Samaritan.
It should be noted that despite facing criticism from Pope Francis, Vance has not shied away from standing up for his beliefs and has humorously referred to himself as a “Baby Catholic.”