"As a Catholic what does it mean to be in the middle of that?"
This is the question that was posed to JD Vance on Monday at a Turning Point USA conference in Georgia, in reference to the then-only-hours-old post by US President Donald Trump and the subsequent comments Pope Leo made to the media on his way to Africa (and then, responses from around the world.)
After Trump posted again about Leo (and uploaded a second AI-image of himself), it's a question probably many Catholics, and not just JD Vance, have been asked. "This is kinda a tough question!" he replied.
Vance's answer was long (you can watch it here from time stamp 13:45 until 19:25; some readers might find the link is updated to only include that section), with the part that's gone viral coming at the end, before he moved on to address someone who had been heckling from the crowd in regard to Gaza).
The nearly seven-minute response started off with him affirming that it's a good thing that Christian leaders should weigh in on political issues (and political leaders talk about their faith).
"I actually think that it’s a good thing when Christian leaders, whether they’re Catholic or Protestant -- Part of the gospel is talking about how the gospel applies to the issues of the day."
Some interpreted this as rather at odds with what he had said Sunday on Fox, which Aleteia wrote about here. But it is (as that article explains) getting at the Catholic position.
The Church understands politics as essentially the interaction of humans in the world, and thus very much what pastors need to speak about. It is with this understanding that pastors will say it's wrong to kill the unborn, or the elderly, or to treat someone who doesn't speak your language or have your skin color as less than human.
Inviting conversation
As he continued there was some blurring of the concepts of basic moral principles versus actions to be discussed under the light of the virtue of prudence.
Saying he's been frustrated with US Catholic clergy response to immigration policy, he added, "But again, I’d almost rather have the conversation. So I kind of like —even when there’s disagreement — I like it when the Pope comments on questions of immigration. I like it when the Pope talks about abortion; I like it when the Pope talks about matters of war and peace because I think that at the very least it invites a conversation."
Vance went on to say that he would try to quote something Pope Leo had said though he wasn't sure he could remember it word for word.
"He said that God is never on the side of those who wield the sword," Vance said.
Much attention has been on the Pope's various recent comments on the war, which have been several, partially because of the time of year. Palm Sunday with the Gospel of Jesus' passion (when he quoted Isaiah about the prayers God listens to), the Easter urbi et orbi blessing, and then the global prayer vigil on the eve of Divine Mercy Sunday, have all given the Pope "extra" opportunities beyond his normal weekly opportunities, to speak of peace (and other issues).
However, beyond all of those, Vance might have been referencing a papal tweet, which was posted April 10, i.e., before the prayer vigil (and before the Trump posts):
Vance's re-phrasing of that post led him to ask about World War II, and the liberation of France and the concentration camps. In the midst of that, a member of the crowd started yelling comments about Gaza, causing Vance to having to interrupt his line of thought more than once.
He referenced the "1000-year, more than 1000-year tradition, of just war theory," and said that "in the same way that it’s important for the vice president of the United States to be careful when I talk about matters of public policy — I think it’s very, very important for the Pope to be careful when he talks about matters of theology and I think that one of these issues here is that there has been — [heckling]
"If you’re going to opine on matters of theology, you’ve gotta be careful. You’ve gotta make sure it’s anchored in the truth and that’s one of the things that I try to do and it it certainly something I would expect from the clergy whether they’re Catholic or Protestant."
Bishops respond
On Wednesday, the US bishops responded, without making reference to Vance by name. The two-paragraph statement took issue with the implication that Pope Leo was not "being careful" or that he is "opining" as one voice among others to "invite conversation."
“For over a thousand years, the Catholic Church has taught just war theory and it is that long tradition the Holy Father carefully references in his comments on war. A constant tenet of that thousand-year tradition is a nation can only legitimately take up the sword ‘in self-defense, once all peace efforts have failed’ (Catechism of the Catholic Church, no. 2308). That is, to be a just war it must be a defense against another who actively wages war, which is what the Holy Father actually said: ‘He does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war.’
“When Pope Leo XIV speaks as supreme pastor of the universal Church, he is not merely offering opinions on theology, he is preaching the Gospel and exercising his ministry as the Vicar of Christ. The consistent teaching of the Church is insistent that all people of good will must pray and work toward lasting peace while avoiding the evils and injustices that accompany all wars.”
The bishops' statement was issued by Bishop James Massa, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Doctrine.
