Vice President JD Vance recently faced another strong criticism from leaders of his religious group after he spoke out against the Pope. The 41-year-old vice president told Pope Leo XIV to be careful with his comments about President Donald Trump and the U.S. government’s actions in Iran. In response, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops released a sharp 164-word statement that condemned Vance’s criticism of the pope.
Bishop James Massa, who heads the USCCBC Committee on Doctrine, wrote that for over a thousand years, the Catholic Church has taught about just war theory, and the Pope’s comments were based on that tradition.
He explained that a just war must be a defense against an enemy who is actively fighting, and that the Pope clearly pointed this out.
Vance, who used to be an atheist and converted to Catholicism in 2019, said he enjoyed debating the Pope on religious matters.
The Pope had been making more critical statements about the U.S. military action in Iran, which led Vance to respond.
Vance asked, “How can you say God wasn’t on the side of those who fight?”
He added, “Was God on the side of the Americans who helped free France from the Nazis? Or those who liberated Holocaust camps?”
The bishops disagreed with Vance’s stance.
Massa noted that when the Pope speaks as the leader of the entire Church, he’s not just giving opinions but is delivering the Gospel and carrying out the role of Christ’s representative.
The bishops said the Church consistently teaches that everyone should pray for peace and work to avoid the bad effects of war.
Vance has been heavily criticized for his reaction to the Pope’s remarks, including a detailed analysis by Father James Martin, a Jesuit priest and well-known author.
Martin said, “It’s clear the Vice President doesn’t understand the basics of just war or the Church’s stance on peace.” He added, “War is always a loss for humanity, as St. John Paul II said. If that’s not enough, look to Jesus, who praised peacemakers, not warriors. After the Resurrection, Jesus told his frightened followers, ‘Peace be with you,’ not ‘Vengeance is mine.’”
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