US Vice President JD Vance met with senior Vatican officials amid sharp differences over the White House’s crackdown on migrants, with the Holy See reaffirming good relations but noting “an exchange of opinions” over the issue and current international conflicts.
According to a statement by the Vatican, Vance, a Catholic convert, met with the secretary of state, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, and the foreign minister, Archbishop Paul Gallagher.
“There was an exchange of opinions on the international situation, especially regarding countries affected by war, political tensions, and difficult humanitarian situations, with particular attention to migrants, refugees, and prisoners,” the statement said.
It was not mentioned if Vance stopped by to greet Pope Francis, who has been resuming some official duties during his recovery from pneumonia.
The Holy See, which has a tradition of diplomatic neutrality, has expressed alarm over the administration’s crackdown on migrants and cuts in international aid while insisting on peaceful resolutions to the wars in Ukraine and Gaza.
Although those concerns were reflected in the statement, the Vatican noted that talks with JD Vance were cordial and expressed satisfaction with the administration’s commitment to protecting freedom of religion and conscience.
“Finally, hope was expressed for serene collaboration between the State and the Catholic Church in the United States, whose valuable service to the most vulnerable people was acknowledged,” the statement added.
Alongside his family, JD Vance is spending Easter weekend in Rome and attended Good Friday services in St. Peter’s Basilica after meeting with Giorgia Meloni, the Italian Prime Minister.
Vance’s views faced Papal rebuke
Days before he fell sick and got hospitalised, Pope Francis and Vance had tangled sharply over migration and the Trump administration’s plans to deport migrants en masse.
Francis has made caring for migrants a hallmark of his papacy, and his progressive views on social justice issues have often put him at odds with more conservative members of the US Catholic Church.
Vance, who converted to Catholicism in 2019, identifies with a small Catholic intellectual movement, viewed by some critics as having reactionary or authoritarian leanings, often called “Post Liberal.”
This group is believed to share some longstanding Catholic conservative views, such as opposition to abortion and LGBTQ+ rights.
Observers believe they envision a counterrevolution in which they take over government bureaucracy and institutions like universities from within, replacing entrenched “elites” with their own and acting upon their vision of the “common good.”
In February, just before his hospitalisation, Francis sent out a letter to US bishops, appearing to respond to Vance directly for having claimed that Catholic doctrine justified such policies.
The US Vice President, who acknowledged Francis’ criticism, said he would continue to defend his views and recently posted prayers for the Pope’s recovery on social media.
