JD Vance has signaled his support for the newly elected Pope Leo XIV, despite the pontiff apparently not being a fan of the vice president.
Cardinal Robert Prevost, the first ever American to be elected as Holy Father, made a point to share articles criticizing fellow Catholic Vance just months before he was chosen to lead the global church.
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On Thursday evening, a crowd of pilgrims let out a triumphant roar of cheers after white smoke billowed from the Vatican, indicating that a new holy leader had been chosen.
Several tense moments later, parishioners looked up in shock as Prevost emerged from the balcony of St Peter’s Basilica and said, “Peace be with you.”
Prevost, who was born in Chicago, Illinois, has made history as the first American Pope.
Throughout the Catholic Church’s 2,000-year history, Americans had often been passed up for the job because of the country’s established global prominence.
However, Prevost, 69, was a unique choice as he was a naturalized citizen of Peru, where he served as a seminary leader and apostolic administrator.
In recent years, Prevost has become indispensable to the Vatican. In 2023, Pope Francis hand-selected him to head the office that vets global bishops.
That position elevated him above other cardinals considered to head the church, making him an easier choice.
Also in recent years, Prevost has kept up an intriguing internet presence, where he often appeared to share his true thoughts on Donald Trump’s second presidency.
His latest repost on X was a critique of Trump’s immigration crackdown from Catholic commentator Rocco Palmo.
In the post, Palmo quoted, “Do you not see the suffering? Is your conscience not disturbed? How can you stay quiet?”
And just a few posts before this, Prevost boldly shared a spate of articles questioning statements made by Vance, who converted to Catholicism throughout his 30s.
One article was an opinion piece with the headline “JD Vance is wrong: Jesus doesn’t ask us to rank our love for others.”
And the other was an article criticizing Vance after Pope Francis penned a letter to American bishops and encouraged them to support illegal immigrants being targeted by the crackdown.
But despite these glaring signs of apparent mistrust of their administration, Vance and Trump have both sent their well-wishes to the new leader.
In a post on X, Vance wrote, “Congratulations to Leo XIV, the first American Pope, on his election!
“I’m sure millions of American Catholics and other Christians will pray for his successful work leading the Church. May God bless him!”
And before that, Trump took to Truth Social to say, “It is such an honor to realize that he is the first American Pope.”
“What excitement, and what a Great Honor for our Country. I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV,” he wrote.
“It will be a very meaningful moment!”