Pope Meets With JD Vance After Criticism of Trump Administration

The New York Times ^ | April 20, 2025, 8:21 a.m. ET | Emma Bubola

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Vice President JD Vance met with Pope Francis at the pontiff’s residence in Rome on Sunday, the Vatican said, in a previously unannounced visit during Easter celebrations.

The Vatican said the meeting was a “brief” exchange of Easter wishes that lasted “a few minutes.” In a photograph released by the Vatican, the pope is seated in a wheelchair opposite Mr. Vance as the pair talk.

The meeting came after the pope criticized the Trump administration’s deportation policies and urged Catholics to reject anti-immigrant narratives, in an unusually direct attack on the American government.

The rebuke came in the form of an open letter to American bishops in February, with some of the pope’s criticisms apparently leveled directly at statements made by Mr. Vance.

Mr. Vance, who was baptized as a Catholic six years ago, has been spending Holy Week in Rome with his family. He attended the Good Friday service in St. Peter’s Basilica. On Saturday, Mr. Vance met with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s secretary of state, and with Archbishop Paul Gallagher, the Vatican’s foreign minister.

Mr. Vance had not been expected to meet the pope, who only recently left the hospital after spending five weeks there in serious condition. Francis has since made few public appearances.

The two met at Casa Santa Marta, the pope’s residency, as the Sunday mass continued in St Peter’s Square. Francis later appeared on the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica, waved at the tens of thousands gathered below, and wished them a happy Easter.

Before entering the hospital, the pope, a staunch advocate for migrants and refugees, had directed a sharp critique toward President Trump over his administration’s immigration policy, saying that deporting people come from difficult situations violates the “dignity of many men and women, and of entire families.”

In...

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Too bad Frank isn't Catholic.

[Ben Dover]

Next after the “I really don’t care, Margaret” meme...”Lighten up Francis”

[avital2]

there can’t have been much talking as the Pope can barely speak. when he does it is only a phrase or sentence, as we saw during balcony appearance today.

[piytar]

Pope Francis is an anti-Pope IMHO. Don’t think he is The Anti-Pope per Revelations. Think that’s going to be the next one. But I could be wrong.

[Repent and Believe]

What Would It Take?
By Steven Speray

This is the question no Vatican 2 or Novus Ordo church member wants to answer. What would it take for you to become a sedevacantist?

The reason is three-fold.

First, nobody wants to believe that Christ left the Church without a pope for such a long time. It is such a difficult position to hold in society. The consequences are devastating to say the least. They know that by saying nothing may imply they would follow an antipope if it could be proven so and yet they realize how deadly this position would be. Fear is the bottom line.

Secondly, they know by saying they will convert if you can prove the claimant of the papacy a manifest heretic would put them on the spot of honoring their word. The fear of being put on the spot and to accept the awful position is not worth taking the chance of answering this way.

Thirdly, is the belief that the pope does not need to be Catholic. If this were the case, God would prevent the heretic pope from teaching formal heresy. Therefore, there is no convincing them of becoming a sedevacantist, because the position presents to them the problem of Christ’s promise to always be with the Church, which, for these people, means always having a pope.

[Repent and Believe]

Re. What would it take for you to become a sedevacantist?

...was a snippet. More at https://stevensperay.wordpress.com/why-sedevacantism/

[july4thfreedomfoundation]

Someone should remind the pope that these are illegal alien invaders, not “immigrants.”

And why doesn’t he tear down that three-foot-thick wall surrounding Vatican City?

[frank ballenger]

RE: To become a sedevacantist.

I prefer if we leave people’s sexual preferences to their private lives. 😉

[rottweiller_inc]

Yeah the Pope is sad all those illegals the Catholic church trafficked into this country are being kicked out. He see’s a large drop in donations to the church.

[ArcadeQuarters]

Fake pope.

[frank ballenger]

Ha. They say it’s never too late to convert.

The Church thought it was a good idea to pour money into facilitating more illegals to come into the US.

Millions of dollars go to
Catholic Charities USA
The International Catholic Migration Commission (ICMC)
Strangers No Longer
Justice for Immigrants
Catholic Migration Services.

These organizations offer services like support, advocacy,
legal assistance,
basic needs support (food, shelter, etc.),
and advocacy for policy changes.

---

Forbes Magazine:
The Catholic Church, through various organizations like Catholic Charities, receives significant government funding to aid immigrants. For instance, Catholic Charities USA received $1.4 billion from government support in one instance, compared to $1 billion in private donations, according to Forbes. This funding supports programs providing various services to immigrants, including legalization assistance and advocacy, notes Catholic Charities of LA.

[doc maverick]

He’s a marxist plant installed by globalists.
The Vatican got paid to elect him.

[No name given]

Correct.

[God luvs America]

“The meeting came after the pope criticized the Trump administration’s deportation policies and urged Catholics to reject anti-immigrant narratives, in an unusually direct attack on the American government.”

---

Sure- i’ll reject anti-immigrant narratives once the red pope demands his home nation of Argentina and other nations around it start opening their doors to illegal invaders (i’ve been waiting for ten years now). Then i want to hear the red pope castigate corrupt leaders in south and central America as John Paul II did...

[Avalon Memories]

I was raised a Roman Catholic in an all-girls boarding school run by nuns. Thanks to my experiences during the 12 years I was at Holy Rosary, I have been non-religious my entire adult life. The VP is, of course, entitled to his religious beliefs, but this pope is a Communist and his sudden decision to meet with JD is manipulation pure and simple.

[ckilmer]

sounds like a revisionist view of the obvious answer.

“Is the Pope Catholic?”

[ckilmer]

He see’s a large drop in donations to the church.

//////
It wasn’t a drop in donations—it was a drop US federal funding.

[gildafarrell]

JD needs to tell the popester to get off his high horse.

[Hattie]

I hope JD informed the Pope plane.loads of illegals are being prepared to move to his courtyard as they speak.

[jonrick46]

Of course the Catholic Church is mad about the Trump Administration’s deportations. They were counting on the illegals, who are mostly Catholics from southern American countries, as new members of their congregations. This is proving to be a new source of money in the collection plates. Always follow the money.