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The recent meeting between US Vice President JD Vance and the Vatican’s Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, highlighted key international issues, particularly surrounding conflicts and immigration challenges. This dialogue took place on Saturday, as described in an official Vatican statement.
Vance, who has converted to Catholicism, sat down with not only Cardinal Parolin but also Archbishop Paul Gallagher, the Vatican’s foreign minister. There was no mention of an audience with Pope Francis, who is gradually resuming his official duties after recovering from pneumonia.
The Vatican has maintained a stance of diplomatic neutrality, especially regarding the previous Trump administration. This approach has led the Holy See to express concerns about immigration policies during Trump’s presidency and reductions in international aid, all while advocating for peaceful solutions in areas like Ukraine and Gaza.
The Vatican’s statement reflected this cautious engagement, describing the meeting as cordial. It noted the administration’s positive steps toward safeguarding religious freedom and conscience. “There was an exchange of opinions on the international situation,” it stated, addressing the plight of countries embroiled in warfare, political unrest, and dire humanitarian conditions, particularly focusing on migrants and refugees.
The expression of “serene collaboration” in the statement likely references Vance’s allegations regarding the US Conference of Catholic Bishops and their alleged practices involving undocumented immigrants and federal funds. The US bishops have firmly denied such accusations.
In a recent interview before Vance’s visit, Cardinal Parolin indicated that the current US administration has a marked departure from past diplomatic approaches, especially in the West. He reinforced Ukraine’s right to territorial integrity and emphasized that any peace agreements must be constructed through dialogue rather than imposed decisions.
Vance’s Easter weekend in Rome included participation in Good Friday services at St. Peter’s Basilica following his meeting with Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. Post-meeting, the Vance family enjoyed a private tour of the Sistine Chapel, though it remains uncertain where they planned to celebrate Easter.
Pope Francis, in line with his mission, has often found himself at odds with the policies of the Trump administration, particularly regarding immigration and his broader advocacy for social justice. His conviction about caring for migrants has frequently put him at loggerheads with parts of the conservative Catholic community in the US.
Furthermore, in a significant shift in Church doctrine, the Pope has denounced capital punishment as inadmissible, contrasting with Trump, who has openly supported its expansion. After a public plea from Francis shortly before Trump’s inauguration, President Biden commuted the sentences of numerous federal death row inmates, illustrating the widening ideological rift between church teachings and governmental policies.
Vance, who embraced Catholicism in 2019, is associated with a small intellectual movement within the Church sometimes viewed as reactionary or authoritarian, known as “post-liberalism.” This group advocates for traditional Catholic values and often envisions a restructuring of governmental and social institutions to align with their ideals of the common good.
Just before his hospitalization in February, Pope Francis had critiqued the deportation strategies espoused by the Trump administration, asserting that such policies undermine human dignity. He also seemed to directly counter Vance’s claims that Catholic doctrine could justify these measures.
Vance has defended a stringent immigration agenda by invoking a medieval Catholic concept, ordo amoris, suggesting a hierarchy of care favoring family and community over those outside the nation. However, the Pope’s letter appeared to challenge this interpretation, emphasizing the biblical principle of universal brotherhood and kindness.
Acknowledging the Pope’s critiques, Vance has expressed that he will uphold his perspectives. During a February address at the National Catholic Prayer Breakfast, he recognized his newness to the faith and admitted there is much about it he has yet to understand.
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