Vatican Notes 'Exchange Of Opinions' Over Migrants, Prisoners In Meeting With JD Vance | rssama.com

VATICAN CITY (AP) — U.S. Vice President JD Vance met Saturday pinch nan Vatican’s No. 2 charismatic amid tensions complete nan U.S. crackdown connected migrants, pinch nan Holy See reaffirming bully relations but noting “an speech of opinions” complete existent world conflicts, migrants and prisoners.

The Vatican issued a connection aft Vance, a Catholic convert, met pinch nan caput of state, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, and nan overseas minister, Archbishop Paul Gallagher. There was nary denotation he met pinch Pope Francis, who has been resuming immoderate charismatic duties during his betterment from pneumonia.

The Holy See has responded cautiously to nan Trump administration, successful keeping pinch its contented of negotiated neutrality.

It has expressed siren complete nan administration’s crackdown connected migrants and cuts successful world aid while insisting connected serene resolutions to nan wars successful Ukraine and Gaza.

Those concerns were reflected successful nan Vatican statement, which said nan talks were cordial and that nan Vatican expressed restitution pinch nan administration’s committedness to protecting state of belief and conscience.

“There was an speech of opinions connected nan world situation, particularly regarding countries affected by war, governmental tensions and difficult humanitarian situations, pinch peculiar attraction to migrants, refugees, and prisoners,” nan connection said. “Finally, dream was expressed for serene collaboration betwixt nan State and nan Catholic Church successful nan United States, whose valuable work to nan astir susceptible group was acknowledged.”

Vatican Secretary of State cardinal Pietro Parolin meets pinch U.S. Vice President JD Vance during an assemblage astatine nan Apostolic Palac connected April 19, 2025 successful Vatican City, Vatican. (Photo by Vatican Media via Vatican Pool/Getty Images)

Vatican Pool via Getty Images

The reference to “serene collaboration” appeared to mention to Vance’s accusation that nan U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops was resettling “illegal immigrants” successful bid to get national funding. Top U.S. cardinals person pushed backmost powerfully against nan claim.

“It is clear that nan attack of nan existent U.S. management is very different from what we are utilized to and, particularly successful nan West, from what we person relied connected for galore years,” Parolin told La Repubblica regular connected nan eve of Vance’s visit.

As nan U.S. pushes to extremity nan warfare successful Ukraine, Parolin reaffirmed Kyiv’s correct to its territorial integrity and insisted that immoderate bid woody must not beryllium “imposed” connected Ukraine but “is built patiently, time by day, pinch speech and communal respect.”

Vance was spending Easter play successful Rome pinch his family and attended Good Friday services successful St. Peter’s Basilica aft gathering pinch Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni. On Saturday, aft introducing his family to Parolin, nan Vances sewage a backstage circuit of nan Sistine Chapel.

It wasn’t instantly clear wherever they would observe Easter. Francis, for his part, indicated he hoped to be Easter Mass that usually draws thousands to St. Peter’s Square, according to nan charismatic Mass booklet and liturgical plans released Saturday.

Prisoners look retired their compartment arsenic Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem tours nan Terrorist Confinement Center successful Tecoluca, El Salvador, Wednesday, March 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

via Associated Press

Papal rebuke connected migration, entreaty for prisoners

Francis and Vance person tangled sharply complete migration and nan Trump administration’s plans to deport migrants en masse. Francis has made caring for migrants a hallmark of his papacy and his progressive views connected societal justness issues person often put him astatine likelihood pinch members of nan much blimpish U.S. Catholic Church.

Francis besides changed religion school to opportunity that superior reward is inadmissible successful each cases. After a nationalist entreaty from Francis conscionable weeks earlier Trump took office, President Joe Biden commuted nan sentences of 37 of nan 40 group connected national decease row. Trump is an outspoken proponent of expanding superior punishment.

Vance, who converted to Catholicism successful 2019, identifies pinch a mini Catholic intelligence movement, viewed by immoderate critics arsenic having reactionary aliases authoritarian leanings, that is often called “postliberal.”

Postliberals stock immoderate longstanding Catholic blimpish views, specified arsenic guidance to abortion and LGBTQ+ rights. They envision a counterrevolution successful which they return complete authorities bureaucracy and institutions for illustration universities from within, replacing entrenched “elites” pinch their ain and acting upon their imagination of nan “common good.”

Just days earlier he was hospitalized successful February, Francis blasted nan Trump administration’s deportation plans, informing that they would deprive migrants of their inherent dignity. In a missive to U.S. bishops, Francis besides appeared to respond to Vance straight for having claimed that Catholic doctrine justified specified policies.

A Latin conception of love

Vance had defended nan administration’s America-first crackdown by citing a conception from medieval Catholic theology known successful Latin arsenic “ordo amoris.” He has said nan conception delineates a level of attraction — to family first, followed by neighbor, community, chap citizens and lastly those elsewhere.

In his Feb. 10 letter, Francis appeared to correct Vance’s knowing of nan concept.

“Christian emotion is not a concentric description of interests that small by small extends to different persons and groups,” he wrote. “The existent ordo amoris that must beryllium promoted is that which we observe by meditating perpetually connected nan parable of nan ‘Good Samaritan,’ that is, by meditating connected nan emotion that builds a fraternity unfastened to all, without exception.”

Vance has acknowledged Francis’ criticism but has said he would proceed to take sides his views. During a Feb. 28 quality astatine nan National Catholic Prayer Breakfast successful Washington, Vance didn’t reside nan rumor specifically but called himself a “baby Catholic” and acknowledged location are “things astir nan religion that I don’t know.”

While he had criticized Francis connected societal media successful nan past, Vance precocious has posted prayers for Francis’ recovery.