The United States Vice President JD Vance, and the Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, both Catholics, will attend the inaugural Mass of Pope Leo XIV, the first pontiff born in the United States, on Saturday, May 18.
The Mass is scheduled for 10:00 am (Rome time), and will be held in the Plaza de San Pedro to mark the beginning of the Pontificate of Leo XIV.
Receive the main news of ACI Press by WhatsApp and Telegram
It is increasingly difficult to see Catholic news on social networks. Subscribe to our free channels today:
Vance, a converse to La Fe, congratulated the Holy Father For his elevation to the pontificate in an X publication after the election of the new Pope, saying that “millions of American Catholics and other Christians will pray for their successful work at the head of the Church.”
Shortly after announcing his pontificate, they resurfaced in XIV previous XIV publications that criticized Trump already Vance for the deportation and migration policies of the administration, in an account that has since been since then has been eliminated.
In An interview on May 9 With Hugh Hewitt, Vance addressed that theme, saying that he is not “playing the Pope politicization game,” and added: “I am sure that he will say many things that I will love (and) I am sure that he will say some things that I will not agree with, but I will continue to pray for him and the church despite everything and during everything, and that is how I will handle it.”
“The Church tries to save souls and spread the Gospel,” he added. “And yes, from time to time public policy will play as all human institutions do, but that’s not really about. And I think it is much healthier for US media, and certainly for Catholics, not adopt such a political attitude in the era of social networks towards the papacy.”
Rubio also addressed the subject During a press conference on Thursday, making similar comments, saying: “I don’t see the papacy as a political position” and “I see it as a spiritual position.”
“The Church has solid teachings of social doctrine, and I think there is no incompatibility,” said Rubio.
“We are also compassionate with migrants,” he continued. “I would say that there is nothing compassionate in mass migration. There is nothing compassionate at open borders that allow people to be trafficked here. (Nor is it compassionate) for the American people, … flooding our country with individuals who are criminals and that our communities pretend.”
Vance was for the last time in the Vatican on April 20 and met with Pope Francis the day before the death of the Pontiff. During the encounter, both exchanged Easter greetings and the Pope gave Vance gifts for him, his children and his wife.
The president of the United States, Donald Trump, was for the last time in the Vatican for Francisco’s funeral on April 26. In 2013, when Pope Francis was elevated to Papacy, the United States delegation to his inaugural mass was also headed by the vice president of that time, former president Joe Biden, who is also Catholic.
Translated and adapted by the ACI Press team. Originally published in CNA.
Tyler Arnold
Tyler Arnold is a reporter of the National Catholic Register. He previously worked at The Center Square and has published in various media, including The Associated Press, National Review, The American Conservative and The Federalist.