In his Palm Sunday Homily last month, Pope Leo XIV said in part:
Brothers and sisters, this is our God: Jesus, King of Peace, who rejects war, whom no one can use to justify war. He does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war, but rejects them, saying: “Even though you make many prayers, I will not listen: your hands are full of blood” (Is 1:15).
Earlier this week, Vice President JD Vance, speaking at a Turning Point USA Conference (video of the Vice President's remarks), criticized Pope Leo's statement, saying in part:
In the same way that it's important for the vice president of the United States to be careful when I talk about matters of public policy, I think it's very, very important for the pope to be careful when he talks about matters of theology.
The Vice President's statement led to a response (full text) posted yesterday by Bishop James Massa, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Doctrine. The Bishop's Statement said in part:
“When Pope Leo XIV speaks as supreme pastor of the universal Church, he is not merely offering opinions on theology, he is preaching the Gospel and exercising his ministry as the Vicar of Christ. The consistent teaching of the Church is insistent that all people of good will must pray and work toward lasting peace while avoiding the evils and injustices that accompany all wars.”
