Share and Follow
Vance emphasized the significance of careful discourse, drawing a parallel between his responsibilities and those of religious leaders. “Just as the Vice President of the United States must tread carefully when discussing public policy, it’s equally crucial for the Pope to exercise caution when addressing theological issues,” he remarked.
He continued, “When discussing theology, one must be prudent and ensure that their statements are grounded in truth.”
“This is a principle I strive to uphold, and it is a standard I expect from all clergy, be they Catholic or Protestant,” Vance added.
The Pope, in his message, asserted, “God does not endorse any form of conflict.”
He further declared, “Those who follow Christ, the Prince of Peace, cannot align themselves with those who have historically resorted to violence and continue to cause destruction today.”
Vance said the pope’s comments were in contradiction to a “more than thousand-year tradition of Just War theory”.
“He said that God is never on the side of those who wield the sword…how can you say that?” Vance said.
“Was God on the side of the Americans who liberated France from the Nazis?
“Was God on the side of the Americans who liberated Holocaust camps and liberated those innocent people from those who had survived the Holocaust?”
Vance has publicly espoused his Catholic faith, including penning an autobiography about his faith journey this year.
The vice president was baptised as a Catholic in 2019, three years before he entered electoral politics. Before that he identified as an atheist.
In the image, Trump is dressed in robes and healing a man with glowing light from his hand. In the foreground a kneeling woman prays to him.
Trump later deleted the image and claimed he was actually being depicted as a doctor.
Vance meanwhile brushed off the criticism by claiming Trump was making a joke.
“I think the president was posting a joke, and of course, he took it down because he recognised a lot of people weren’t understanding his humour,” Vance said.
Earlier this week, Trump accused Pope Leo as being “weak on crime”.
The first American pope, Leo XIV has been the head of the Catholic Church for less than a year.
The Chicago-born pontiff was ordained in 1982 and became a cardinal in 2023.
NEVER MISS A STORY: Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.