Pope Francis’s Final Meeting with JD Vance and Migrant Policy Clash

On Easter Sunday, April 20, 2025, Pope Francis, the 88-year-old leader of the Catholic Church, held what would be his final public encounter—a brief, awkward meeting with U.S. Vice President JD Vance at the Vatican’s Casa Santa Marta. The exchange, lasting mere minutes, came hours before Francis’s death from a cerebral hemorrhage on Easter Monday, April 21, and was overshadowed by the pontiff’s sharp criticism of the Trump administration’s mass deportation policies. Reported by outlets like The Daily Mail and The Washington Post, the meeting followed months of public disagreements, particularly over Vance’s use of Catholic doctrine to justify harsh immigration measures. This article explores the encounter, its roots in Francis’s advocacy for migrants, the theological dispute with Vance, and the broader implications for U.S.-Vatican relations, drawing on recent reports and public sentiment to unpack why this moment cemented Francis’s legacy as the “anti-MAGA pope.”

The Encounter: A Brief but Charged Moment

The meeting occurred at 11:30 AM in Casa Santa Marta, Francis’s modest Vatican residence, as the pontiff, frail and wheelchair-bound from a recent bout of double pneumonia, prepared to bless crowds in St. Peter’s Square. Vance, a 40-year-old Catholic convert, had spent Easter weekend in Rome with his family, attending Good Friday services and meeting Vatican officials. Initially, a papal audience was not confirmed, with Vance meeting Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s secretary of state, and Archbishop Paul Gallagher on Saturday, April 19. The Vatican described those talks as “cordial” but noted an “exchange of opinions” on migrants, refugees, and prisoners, reflecting tensions over Trump’s policies.

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JD Vance (pictured left) tried to mend his rocky relationship with Pope Francis (pictured right) at the Vatican on Easter Sunday after the leader of the Catholic church slammed the Trump administration’s treatment of illegal migrants

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Vance, center, his wife Usha and their children, Vivek, left, and Maribel, back to camera, arrive at the Basilica of Saint Paul

The Easter Sunday meeting, announced only after it concluded, was a last-minute addition, lasting just a few minutes. Vatican Media photos show Francis, visibly weak, seated opposite Vance, who expressed relief at the pontiff’s recovery, saying, “I know you’ve not been feeling great, but it’s good to see you in better health.” Francis, speaking through an interpreter, offered a feeble welcome and gifted Vance chocolate Easter eggs for his three children, a Vatican tie, and rosaries. Vance reciprocated with prayers, saying, “I pray for you every day. God bless you.” The 17-minute visit ended with Vance attending Easter Mass at St. Paul Outside the Walls.

Despite the courtesies, the encounter was strained. Francis’s Easter homily, delivered later that day by an archbishop, decried “contempt… towards the vulnerable, the marginalized, and migrants,” a pointed critique some interpreted as aimed at Trump’s deportation agenda. The Washington Post noted Vance’s deference contrasted with his earlier defense of mass deportations, highlighting the awkwardness of a meeting between a pontiff who prioritized migrants and a vice president tied to policies Francis called a “disgrace.”

The Backdrop: Francis vs. Trump’s Immigration Policies

Francis, the first Latin American pope, made caring for migrants a cornerstone of his 12-year papacy, citing the biblical call to “welcome the stranger.” His 2013 visit to Lampedusa, Italy, set the tone, and he consistently urged nations to protect those fleeing poverty, conflict, and climate crises. In 2016, he famously said anyone who builds walls to keep out migrants is “not Christian,” a jab at then-candidate Trump. In February 2025, days before his hospitalization for pneumonia, Francis issued a blistering letter to U.S. bishops, calling Trump’s mass deportation plans a “major crisis” that “deprives migrants of their inherent dignity” and “will end badly.” The Daily Beast dubbed him the “anti-MAGA pope” for his unwavering stance.

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Pope Francis meets with US Vice President JD Vance and delegation during an audience at Casa Santa Marta

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It came just one day after Vance, an adult Catholic convert, appeared to have been snubbed by the Pontiff and forced to meet with the Vatican secretary of state, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, and the foreign minister, Archbishop Peter Gallagher

The Trump administration, relaunched in January 2025, prioritized what it called “the largest deportation operation in American history.” The New York Times reported over 32,000 ICE arrests in Trump’s first 50 days, including 8,718 non-criminal migrants. Policies included detaining up to 30,000 migrants at Guantanamo Bay and cutting USAID funding, moves the Vatican’s charity arm called “catastrophic.” Francis’s critiques, echoed by U.S. bishops, sparked pushback from U.S. border czar Tom Homan, who noted the Vatican’s own walled city-state, arguing border enforcement was his domain.

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US Vice President JD Vance, his wife second lady Usha Vance and their children attend Mass on Good Friday at St. Peter’s Basilica on April 18

The Theological Clash with JD Vance

At the heart of the Francis-Vance tension was a theological dispute over “ordo amoris,” a medieval Catholic concept meaning “order of love.” Vance, baptized Catholic in 2019, cited it to defend Trump’s “America-first” policies, arguing that love prioritizes family, neighbors, community, citizens, and then others. In a January 2025 Fox News interview, he said, “You love your family, and then you love your neighbor… and then you love your fellow citizens in your own country, and then, after that, you can focus and prioritize the rest of the world.” The Catholic League and conservative U.S. Catholics supported Vance’s interpretation.

Francis directly refuted this in his February 10 letter, writing, “Christian love is not a concentric expansion of interests that little by little extend to other persons and groups. The true ordo amoris… is that which we discover by meditating constantly on the parable of the Good Samaritan, that is, by meditating on the love that builds a fraternity open to all, without exception.” David Gibson of Fordham University praised the letter for dismantling Vance’s “absurd theological claim,” while New York Cardinal Timothy Dolan called Vance’s related accusation—that bishops resettled “illegal immigrants” for federal funds—“scurrilous.”

Vance acknowledged the rebuke, calling himself a “baby Catholic” at the February 28 National Catholic Prayer Breakfast in Washington, admitting, “There are things about the faith that I don’t know.” He prayed for Francis’s recovery but vowed to defend his views, creating a public rift that made their Easter meeting a focal point of intrigue.

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Pope Francis leaves after a private visit at the ‘Regina Coeli’ prison where he met around 70 inmates as part of the Holy Thursday celebrations in Rome

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JD Vance prays during the Good Friday Passion of the Lord service in Saint Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican, April 18

Public and Media Reactions

The meeting and Francis’s death hours later dominated global headlines. The Daily Mail described an “awkward moment,” noting Vance’s apparent snub by Francis on Saturday, when he met only Parolin and Gallagher. Rolling Stone framed Francis’s final homily as a call for mercy toward migrants, contrasting it with Vance’s policies. X posts reflected polarized sentiment: @geri_braue99623 urged Vance to “pray harder, hate less,” while @SassyCowgirl66 mocked the awkwardness, saying, “Can’t make this shit up.” Others, like @CSMUSArmy, shared MailOnline links, amplifying the story.

Vance’s tribute on X after Francis’s death was measured: “My heart goes out to the millions of Christians all over the world who loved him. I was happy to see him yesterday, though he was obviously very ill.” He linked to a 2020 homily Francis gave during the COVID-19 pandemic, calling it “quite beautiful.” Some saw this as conciliatory, but The Guardian noted Vance’s statement omitted personal loss, focusing on global mourning.

Broader Implications: Vatican-U.S. Relations

The meeting highlighted strained U.S.-Vatican relations under Trump. The Holy See, traditionally neutral, expressed alarm over Trump’s migrant crackdowns, aid cuts, and welfare reductions. Saturday’s talks with Parolin emphasized “serene collaboration” but underscored disagreements, with the Vatican praising the U.S. Catholic Church’s service to the vulnerable—a subtle jab at Vance’s claim that bishops profited from resettlement. Reuters quoted academic Massimo Faggioli, who called the visit a “delicate moment” for Vatican-U.S. ties.

Francis’s death has paused events like the canonization of Carlo Acutis, and the upcoming conclave, set for May 6–11, 2025, will elect a successor amid these tensions. Speculation about a non-European pope, possibly from Africa or Asia, aligns with Francis’s global outlook but may clash with conservative U.S. Catholics, including Vance’s “postliberal” faction, which critics view as authoritarian.

Critical Analysis: Symbolism and Legacy

The brevity of the Vance-Francis meeting belies its symbolic weight. For Francis, it was a final act of defiance, reinforcing his migrant advocacy despite physical frailty. His homily’s warning against “the logic of fear” that “leads to isolation” implicitly challenged Trump’s isolationist policies, as noted by Vatican analyst Robert Mickens. For Vance, the meeting was a personal and political goal, thawing relations strained by Francis’s critiques, though his deference suggested an attempt to bridge divides.

Critics argue the Vatican’s openness about the “exchange of opinions” signals unresolved friction, while Vance’s focus on Trump’s “commitment to world peace” in his statement sidestepped migration. The encounter underscores a broader clash: Francis’s universalist vision versus Vance’s hierarchical nationalism, rooted in differing interpretations of Catholic teaching. Whether this shapes the next papacy or U.S. policy remains uncertain.

Conclusion: A Pontiff’s Last Stand

Pope Francis’s final meeting with JD Vance was a microcosm of his papacy—marked by compassion for the marginalized, fearless critique of power, and a commitment to dialogue despite disagreement. The awkward exchange, set against the backdrop of Easter and Francis’s imminent death, encapsulated his role as a moral counterweight to policies he deemed unjust. For Vance, it was a moment of humility, tempered by his steadfast defense of Trump’s agenda. As the Catholic Church mourns and prepares for a new era, this encounter will be remembered as Francis’s last stand—a poignant reminder of his call to build bridges, not walls, in a world divided by fear and contempt.