Vance Extends Well Wishes to Ailing Pope Francis Amid Health Concerns

Vice President JD Vance recently shared a message of support for Pope Francis, who is currently battling pneumonia and an infection in both lungs. Despite past disagreements, Vance emphasized unity and prayer for the pontiff's well-being. Vance, speaking at the National Catholic Prayer Breakfast in Washington, D.C., acknowledged that he was initially "surprised" by Pope Francis's criticism of the Trump administration's immigration policies. However, he stated his belief that Francis is "fundamentally a person who cares about the flock of Christians." It's kinda mature of Vance to put aside disagreements for a moment like this, gotta give him that. While admitting to disagreements with Francis and some Catholic bishops on certain issues, Vance, a Catholic convert, mentioned that he and his children pray for the Pope daily. Francis, 88, is currently receiving treatment at Rome's Gemelli Hospital. Earlier in February, Pope Francis had issued a notable rebuke of the Trump administration's plans for mass deportations of migrants, asserting that forcibly removing individuals based solely on their immigration status deprives them of their inherent dignity. He even seemed to address Vance's religious defense of the deportation policies in a letter to U.S. bishops. Despite these differences, Vance stressed the importance of unity among Catholics and Christians, stating, "I don't think it's good for us as Christians to constantly fight with one another over every single controversy in the church." He suggested allowing issues to unfold and focusing on living one's faith, rather than holding religious leaders to the standards of social media influencers. "My goal is not to litigate when I'm right and when they're wrong or vice versa. My goal is to maybe articulate the way that I think about being a Christian in public life when you also have religious leaders in public life who have a spiritual duty to speak on the issues of the day," Vance explained. He even led those in attendance in a prayer for the Pope. Vance also recalled the Pope's message of courage and hope during the early days of the **COVID-19 Pandemic**, remembering Francis standing in an empty Saint Peter's Square, offering a sermon that resonated deeply with him. Concluding his remarks, Vance expressed hope that the Pope would know of the prayers of faithful Catholics in the U.S. during this challenging time. "If the Holy Father can hear us, I hope he knows that there are thousands of faithful Catholics in this room and millions of faithful Catholics in this country who are praying for him as he weathers his particular storm."