Pope Francis Skips Meeting JD Vance, Sends Deputy to Lecture Him About Compassion

Pope Skips Meeting With Vance, Sends Cardinal Instead

During Vice President JD Vance’s visit to the Vatican on Saturday, Pope Francis declined to meet with him, instead delegating the interaction to his second-in-command, Cardinal Pietro Parolin.

According to an official Vatican statement, the meeting included “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.” Gage Skidmore / Wikimedia

Pope’s Absence Seen as Diplomatic Snub Amid Ongoing Tensions

The absence of the pope—despite having recently resumed duties after a bout of pneumonia—was widely interpreted as a pointed diplomatic snub. The Vatican's language emphasized the need for “serene collaboration” between the Catholic Church and the White House, subtly seemingly referencing ongoing friction over the Trump administration's immigration policies. Presidenza della Repubblica / Wikimedia

Francis Condemns Deportations

Pope Francis has long criticized mass deportations, denouncing the practice as a “disgrace” and a “grave sin.” He also directly rebutted Vice President Vance’s use of the Catholic concept ordo amoris (order of love) to justify the administration’s hardline stance. In a February letter, the pope wrote, “Christian love is not a concentric expansion of interests that little by little extend to other persons and groups." Long Thiên / Wikimedia

Vance Admits Gaps in Faith: “I’m a Baby Catholic”

Vance, who converted to Catholicism in 2019, has acknowledged the pope’s critique, describing himself as a “baby Catholic” and admitting, “there are things about the faith that I don’t know.” The White House / Wikimedia

U.S. Bishops Slam Vance for Comments on Immigration Funding

The vice president has also drawn rebuke from some U.S. Catholic leaders. After claiming the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops was aiding the “resettlement of illegal immigrants” for funding purposes, New York’s Cardinal Timothy Dolan called the remarks “scurrilous,” “nasty,” and “not true.” MTF-GR / Wikimedia

Vance Attends Vatican Mass, Meets With Italy’s Prime Minister

Despite the tension, Vance and his wife Usha attended Good Friday mass at the Vatican and met with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni earlier in the week. The White House / Wikimedia