The Vatican has provided a detailed account of what transpired during an exchange with Vice President JD Vance that occurred on Saturday, April 19.
Vance, who converted to Catholicism, visited Vatican City over the weekend to engage in discussions with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Secretary of State, and Archbishop Paul Gallagher, the foreign minister.
While the Vatican described the talks as ‘cordial,’ there was an unexpected divergence of views between the two sides during the meeting.
The Holy See has maintained a cautious stance regarding the Trump administration, often opposing the 47th President’s policies on immigration.
The Vatican also distanced itself when Trump decided to reduce international aid to Ukraine following a heated dispute in the Oval Office with Ukraine’s President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
The Vatican has consistently advocated for a peaceful resolution to the ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza.
Although Vance did not have an audience with Pope Francis, who is recovering from pneumonia, the Vatican shared details of the conversations with Vance.
“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 Vatican reported.
Additionally, there was hope expressed for harmonious collaboration between the state and the Catholic Church in the United States, recognizing the Church’s valuable service to vulnerable populations.
Before Vance’s visit on Saturday, Cardinal Parolin informed La Repubblica, “It is clear that the approach of the current US administration is very different from what we are used to and, especially in the west, from what we have relied on for many years.”
Just days before being hospitalized with pneumonia in February, Pope Francis wrote a letter to US bishops.
In the letter, the Pope appeared to counter Vance’s assertion that Catholic doctrine supported the Trump administration’s stringent immigration policies.
“Christian love is not a concentric expansion of interests that little by little extends to other persons and groups,” the Pope wrote.
“The true ordo amoris that must be promoted is that which we discover by meditating constantly on the parable of the good Samaritan, that is, by meditating on the love that builds a fraternity open to all, without exception.”
Despite the criticism from Pope Francis, Vance has not shied away from defending his views, referring to himself as a ‘Baby Catholic.’