General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsOn Easter, Pope Denounces 'Contempt' for Migrants, after Brief Face-to-Face w/ Vance
https://www.commondreams.org/news/jd-vance-and-pope-francisAfter Brief Face-to-Face With Vance, Pope's Easter Address Denounces 'Contempt' for Migrants
"How much contempt is stirred up at times towards the vulnerable, the marginalized, and migrants," the pope's speech read.
APRIL 20, 2025
After a brief meeting with U.S. Vice President JD Vance on Sunday morning, Pope Francis' annual Easter speech included a condemnation of unnamed political leaders who use "fear" to oppress marginalized people including immigrants and refugees.
Pope Francis, who is recovering from a bout of pneumonia that kept him in a hospital for five weeks, met for a few minutes in the papal residence with the vice president, a Catholic convert who has drawn criticism from the Vatican for his claims that Catholic teachings support the Trump administration's mass deportation campaign.
The pope, who is 88, said little during the encounter, thanking Vance for his visit through a translator and overseeing a presentation of several Easter gifts to the vice president.
After the meeting, the pope was wheeled out to the Loggia of Blessings overlooking St. Peter's Square, where 35,000 congregants had just heard the Easter Mass delivered by Cardinal Angelo Comastri,the archpriest emeritus of St. Peter's Basilica, who filled in for Pope Francis due to his fragile health.
The pope gave a brief greeting to the crowd before another surrogate, Archbishop Diego Ravelli, read aloud Francis' Easter speech.
"How much contempt is stirred up at times towards the vulnerable, the marginalized, and migrants," the speech read. "I appeal to all those in positions of political responsibility in our world not to yield to the logic of fear which only leads to isolation from others, but rather to use the resources available to help the needy, to fight hunger, and to encourage initiatives that promote development. These are the 'weapons' of peace: weapons that build the future, instead of sowing seeds of death."
"May the principle of humanity never fail to be the hallmark of our daily actions," the pope's speech continued before condemning military attacks that violate international law: "In the face of the cruelty of conflicts that involve defenseless civilians and attack schools, hospitals, and humanitarian workers, we cannot allow ourselves to forget that it is not targets that are struck, but persons, each possessed of a soul and human dignity."
"I appeal to all those in positions of political responsibility in our world not to yield to the logic of fear which only leads to isolation from others, but rather to use the resources available to help the needy, to fight hunger and to encourage initiatives that promote development."
The Daily Beast reported that on Saturday, the pope did not attend the Vatican's official meeting with Vance, instead having Cardinal Pietro Parolin "deliver a lecture on compassion."
The Vatican released a statement saying that the meeting included "an exchange of opinions on the international situation, especially regarding countries affected by war, political tensions, and difficult humanitarian situations, with particular attention to migrants, refugees, and prisoners."
A statement from the vice president's office about the discussion omitted the topic of migration, saying Vance discussed "the plight of persecuted Christian communities around the world" and President Donald Trump's "commitment to restoring world peace" with the cardinal.
The pope has been open about his disapproval of Trump's anti-immigrant agenda and mass deportation operation, in which international students who have exercised their free speech rights as well as immigrants and asylum-seekers have been detained in recent weeks. The administration has accused hundreds of migrants of being gang memberswith little to no evidence in many cases and without providing due process as required by the U.S. Constitutionand has sent them to El Salvador's Terrorist Confinement Center under a $6 million deal with Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele.
More
NOTE
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.

BOSSHOG
(42,156 posts)A WWJD message greeted by deaf, dumb and blind.
GreenWave
(11,091 posts)chowder66
(10,443 posts)Captain Zero
(7,824 posts)If he doesn't do that, then he is no God Damn help at all.
Opus Dei is the main engine wrecking our entire system of government.
Fuck Opus Dei. Fuck the Pope.
Fuck JD Vance.
Opus Dei has done more damage to the United States than MS13 could in a thousand years.
Response to Captain Zero (Reply #5)
Hekate This message was self-deleted by its author.
cbabe
(4,906 posts)A statement from the vice president's office about the discussion omitted the topic of migration,
But all those Catholic supremes should take heed. Theyve throughly mixed religion and law and politics.
TexLaProgressive
(12,457 posts)rurallib
(63,650 posts)xuplate
(83 posts)Im guessing the next pope elected will be a hardline right winger. Got to keep the flock subservient.
underpants
(190,101 posts)TexLaProgressive
(12,457 posts)Tribetime
(6,510 posts)AllyCat
(17,842 posts)The Catholic church will pick someone the exact opposite of Pope Francis when he passes to go along with their hate. JD whatever his name on his birth certificate is will see to it.
Hekate
(97,345 posts)Last edited Mon Apr 21, 2025, 04:59 AM - Edit history (1)

AllyCat
(17,842 posts)Couchfucker is there likely to push what he can to make the next Pope the worst he can be.
Glad youre smacking your own head.
Im sick of fin religion and especially this Opus Dei bullshit.
And the only gift Shady should have received was a swift kick in the arse all the way to El Salvador.
B.See
(5,195 posts)K& RECOMMEND.
BoRaGard
(5,122 posts)