Vice President J.D. Vance, a Catholic, presented the new pontiff with a letter from President Trump inviting him to the White House, and a Chicago Bears jersey bearing the pontiff's name.
VATICAN CITY (LifeSiteNews) — Pope Leo XIV held a private audience with U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance, who led an official American delegation to the Vatican for the pontiff's inauguration Mass.
Leo XIV held the Monday morning meeting with Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, both of whom are Catholic, just one day after the pontiff's opening Mass in St. Peter's Square. The officials discussed collaboration between Church and state, religious freedom, and ongoing international conflicts, per the Vatican.
Vance also presented the new pontiff with a letter from President Donald Trump inviting him to the White House, and a Chicago Bears jersey bearing the pontiff's name and the number "XIV."
"This morning, Monday, 19 May 2025, His Holiness Leo XIV received in audience the Vice President of the United States of America, the Honorable James David Vance, who subsequently met with His Excellency Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, Secretary for Relations with States and International Organizations," the Vatican said in a statement.
READ: Trump congratulates Pope Leo XIV on being named first American pontiff
The Vatican noted that the discussion was cordial and emphasized that various issues, such as collaboration between Church and state, religious freedom, as well as international and humanitarian issues, were discussed.
"During the cordial talks held at the Secretariat of State, satisfaction was once again expressed at the existing good bilateral relations, and the collaboration between Church and State was discussed, as well as some matters of special relevance to ecclesial life and religious freedom," the Vatican said.
"Finally, there was an exchange of views on some current international issues, during which hope was expressed that humanitarian law and international law be respected in areas of conflict and that there be a negotiated solution between the parties involved," they added.
"I was humbled and honored to meet Pope Leo XIV and lead the presidential delegation to Rome for his inaugural address. We had a great conversation, and I know he is a true servant of God. I hope all Americans will join me in praying for the new pope as he begins his ministry," Vance wrote in an X post following the audience.
Vance is the second Catholic to serve in his position as vice president of the U.S. – though the first convert – but even more notable is that Leo XIV is the first pope to come from North America. Leo XIV was raised in Chicago, though spent much of his missionary life as a priest and bishop in Peru.
Prior to being elected pope, Leo XIV appeared to share views opposed to those of Vance on the issue of immigration.
In one instance on X from February 3, then-Cardinal Robert Prevost reposted an article by NCROnline titled “JD Vance is wrong: Jesus doesn’t ask us to rank our love for others.”
READ: 5 worrying things you need to know about Pope Leo XIV
The article criticized the vice president for arguing that citizens owe more immediate responsibility to one’s own family members and country than to those overseas – a position taught by St. Thomas Aquinas and reiterated in the “social encyclicals” of the 19th- and 20th-century popes.
Rubio echoed Vance's sentiments about the honor of meeting with Pope Leo XIV in an X post.
"May the Lord and our Blessed Mother bless and guide, [Pope Leo XIV]," he wrote.
Last week, Rubio discussed the new pontiff's previous comments about the Trump administration's immigration policies with reporters, stressing that they are not incompatible with the pontiff's sentiments about showing compassion for migrants.
"We too are compassionate towards migrants; I would argue there's nothing compassionate about mass migration," the secretary of state said. "There's nothing compassionate about open borders, that allows people to be trafficked here. There's nothing compassionate ... to the American people about flooding our country with individuals that are criminals and prey on our communities."As an American, Leo XIV’s relationship with the Trump administration on a number of issues, such as immigration, pro-life topics, and “climate change” policies, will be key to observe in order to help determine his own policies as pope.
