Vance Takes on the Vatican — Will Catholic Conservatives Back Him?
JD Vance at a press conference, 2023. Public domain.
The world's most powerful Catholic and the most influential Catholic in the United States are at odds over a fundamental question of faith — how to treat migrants. Pope Francis and U.S. Vice President JD Vance have found themselves in a fierce ideological and theological battle that cuts to the core of their shared faith ... and could have implications that expand beyond the United States. What have these consequential men said? And what does it all mean?
Vance vs. Pope
JD Vance, who was raised as a Christian but later identified as an atheist, converted to Catholicism in 2019. Since taking office as Vice President, he has positioned himself as an advocate for strong immigration enforcement, including the Trump administration's controversial policy of mass deportations.
Senator Vance official portrait. Photo courtesy of United States Congress. Public domain.
Vance has defended these measures using the Catholic principle of ordo amoris — the idea of a "rightly ordered love" that Vance interprets as prioritizing care for family, community, and nation before extending concern to outsiders.
This take has put Vance at odds with Pope Francis, whose interpretation of ordo amoris radically differs from that of the Vice President.
Pope Francis visiting the U.S. Capitol on September 24, 2015. Photo courtesy of USCapitol. Public domain.
But the rift between the two men only became public after a controversial accusation.
A War of... Compassionate Words?
As the Trump administration began its long-promised ramping up of deportations, Vance appeared on "Face the Nation." On national television, Vance claimed that Catholic institutions benefitting from government contracts to assist refugees had a financial, rather than moral, interest in opposing deportations. His remarks drew praise from his political allies as well as immediate backlash from religious leaders, who condemned his comments as a cynical attack on the Church's longstanding commitment to aiding migrants.
Pope Francis responded with an encyclical that did not mention Vance by name ... but left little doubt about its target. He called mass deportations a "major crisis" and criticized policies that prioritize force over compassion. As reported by New Republic, in a pointed theological counter to Vance's ordo amoris argument, the Pope wrote, "Christian love is not a concentric expansion of interests that little by little extend to other persons and groups. 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." He reminded Catholics that Jesus himself was a migrant, forced to flee with his family to Egypt to escape persecution.
Allies Chime In...
Vance has largely refrained from responding directly to the Pope's rebuke, possibly aware that a public fight with the leader of the Catholic Church could alienate religious voters. However, conservative Catholic commentators have rallied behind him, arguing that Pope Francis has taken an excessively globalist stance at the expense of national sovereignty. Some within the Church hierarchy have also hesitated to fully embrace the Pope's position, with a few U.S. bishops offering tepid responses to his letter.
The dispute has also highlighted broader divisions within American Catholicism, where a significant portion of the faithful lean conservative on immigration and see Francis as out of step with their views. Vance's supporters argue that prioritizing the welfare of American citizens is not incompatible with Catholic teaching.
... While Opponents Point
At the same time, critics say Vance's rhetoric distorts the fundamental Christian obligation to welcome the stranger.
Moreover, American citizens on social media used the opportunity of the Pope's pointed remarks to voice their displeasure at the controversial Vice President:
A Pope in Declining Health
Adding another layer to the conflict is the Pope's increasingly fragile health. Francis has been battling a severe respiratory infection and was recently hospitalized with bilateral pneumonia. Despite his illness, he has continued to issue statements on social justice and immigration, making it clear that his position on the matter remains unwavering.
Amidst the feud, Vance took a moment to acknowledge the Pope's condition. In a rare conciliatory gesture, he posted on X:
Whether this marks a softening of his stance or merely an act of political decorum remains to be seen.
Powerful Men and Powerful Opinions
The battle between Pope Francis and J.D. Vance is more than a personal dispute — it is a reflection of the ideological struggle within and between the global Catholic Church and the American conservative movement.
How the two ideological and theological perspectives can be reconciled remains elusive. For now, the Pope's moral authority and the Vice President's political power continue to collide, leaving American Catholics — especially conservative ones — caught in the crossfire.
References: Pope Informs J.D. Vance He's Wrong About Migrants, Christianity | Pope Francis's Stunning Rebuke of J.D. Vance Exposes MAGA's Dark Soul | While Refuting J.D. Vance's Hillbilly Theology, Pope Francis Chastises U.S. Bishops | Pope Francis' Health Status and Prognosis | J.D. Vance Issues Chilling Pope Francis Statement Amid Ongoing Feud | J.D. Vance Used to Be an Atheist. What He Believes Now Is Telling.
