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The Journal
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Journal
Madonna claimed Pope Leo 'cannot be denied entry' to Gaza. Is she right?
EARLIER THIS WEEK, pop icon Madonna called on Pope Leo XIV to visit Gaza 'before it's too late'. Madonna, who was raised Catholic, called on the Pope as a 'Man of God' to 'bring your light to the children'. She claimed that Leo is the 'only one of us who cannot be denied entry'. Politics Cannot affect Change. Only consciousness Can. Therefore I am Reaching out to a Man of God. Today is my Son Rocco's birthday. I feel the best gift I can give to him as a Mother - is to ask everyone to do what they can to help save the innocent children caught in the… — Madonna (@Madonna) August 11, 2025 'There is no more time,' said Madonna in her post to social media. 'Please say you will go.' 'Moral weight' Colleen Dulle is a Vatican correspondent with the Catholic media outlet America Magazine and author of 'Struck Down, Not Destroyed: Keeping the Faith as a Vatican Reporter.' She told The Journal that Madonna is 'sorely mistaken' in her claim that Pope Leo is the 'only one of us who cannot be denied entry'. 'Israel has complete control over the country's borders and would have to facilitate the pope's entry, which it is highly unlikely to do,' said Dulle. And while some religious leaders have occasionally been allowed in, such as after a recent Israeli strike on a Catholic church in Gaza , foreign heads of state have not. 'Nor have foreign journalists,' noted Dulle, 'whose travel with the pope is practically mandatory, as it is a key part of how the Vatican covers the cost of papal trips.' However, the new pope has yet to venture outside Italy since becoming pontiff and Dulle said it would 'certainly be a powerful gesture for the pope to enter Gaza, or even to publicly demand entry'. She also noted that there are precedents of popes not being able to enter conflict zones due to security concerns, such as when Pope John Paul II was prevened from visiting Iraq in 2000 due to an air exclusion zone over part of the country . However, Pope Francis did visit an active war zone in 2015 when he visited the Central African Republic. Pope Francis visits the Central African Republic in 2015 Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo In a show of solidarity, he visited a mosque that had been under siege from armed Christian militias in the capital Bangui and delivered a message of peace and reconciliation. 'Although some positive steps were made, including free and fair elections at the end of that year, the conflict has continued to this day,' said Dulle. Meanwhile, Dulle remarked that she is 'struck that at a time of crisis, when people feel powerless to stop the violence and starvation, they still see the pope as someone with the moral weight to make it stop'. While Pope Leo may not be able to stop the conflict, such a visit would cement the Vatican's increasing role as a diplomatic power. Ukraine In February, it seemed as though the relationship between the US and Ukraine was broken beyond repair after Donald Trump berated Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the White House. But around two months later, St Peter's Basilica became the location of an impromptu peace summit between Trump and Zelenskyy, minutes prior to the late Pope Francis's funeral. Trump and Zelenskyy meeting inside St Peter's Basilica. Ukrainian Presidential Press Office Ukrainian Presidential Press Office Trump would even go on to suggest the Vatican as a location for a meeting between Zelenskyy and Russian president Vladimir Putin, something Pope Leo said he was willing to facilitate. Relations between the Vatican and Israel However, a trip to Gaza would be sure to irk Israel, a state which has long been at odds with the Catholic Church. In 1987, Pope John Paul II met with Yasser Arafat, who was then the chair of the Palestine Liberation Organisation – he met with Arafat on 10 occasions in total. During a visit to Bethlehem in 1999, Pope John Paul II, in the presence of Arafat who was by now president of Palestine, reaffirmed what he said was the Palestinians' 'natural right to a homeland.' Advertisement Pope John Paul II, left, greets Yasser Arafat at his summer residence in Castel Gandolfo on 2 September 1995. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo Then during Pope Benedict's papacy, a 2010 gathering of Bishops called for the 'end to the occupation of different Arab territories'. Israel's then-Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon claimed that this gathering of Bishops had been 'hijacked by an anti-Israel majority'. Benedict went on to endorse a move by the Vatican to recognise the State of Palestine. It was Pope Francis who then formally recognised the State of Palestine and signed an accord between the Church and Palestine in 2015 , something which angered Israel. Pope Francis meets Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas during an audience three days before the Vatican announced that it was preparing to sign its first treaty with Palestine. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo Israel described it as a 'hasty step' that 'damages the prospects for advancing a peace agreement'. Israel also claimed the accord was 'one-sided' and 'ignored the historic rights of the Jewish people in the Land of Israel and to the places holy to Judaism in Jerusalem'. The Vatican accord supported a State of Palestine that included all of the West Bank and Gaza Strip, as well as East Jerusalem. Israel also warned that the accord could have 'implications for future cooperation between Israel and the Vatican'. Pope Francis's visit to the Holy Lands The year before the Church recognised Palestine, Francis visited Israel and the West Bank and angered Israel by making an unscheduled stop to pray before the Israeli separation wall in Bethlehem, surrounded by a group of young Palestinians. In his memoir, Hope, Francis said the unplanned stop 'caused a few security worries'. Pope Francis made a surprise stop at the Israeli separation wall on 25 May 25, 2014. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo The following day, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu requested that Francis make another unscheduled stop at a memorial to Israeli victims of terrorism. This was seen as an attempt by Netanyahu to appease people who were angered with Francis's stop at the separation wall. Netanyahu posted to social media after the visit: 'I explained to the pope that building the security fence prevented many more victims that Palestinian terror planned to harm.' Holy Family Church Meanwhile, Francis revealed in January of this year that he had been in daily contact with the only Catholic parish in Gaza since 9 October, 2023, two days after the bombings began in the region. He continued these calls to the Holy Family Church despite his lengthy hospitalisation prior to his death in April. Pope Francis calling the Holy Family Church in Gaza in January Vatican News Vatican News Last month, an Israeli strike on the church killed three people in the parish Francis called daily. Israel claimed that the strike on the complex, sheltering around 600 displaced persons of different faiths, the majority of whom are children and 54 of whom have additional needs, was a 'mistake'. However, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the top Catholic official in the Middle East, publicly disputed this and said that 'they hit the church directly'. He noted that Catholic churches had been struck at other points during the war and that the explanation 'every time' is that it was a 'mistake'. Image of the damaged Holy Family Catholic church in Gaza Pizzaballa, who was a front-runner to become pope, added that Israel's actions in Gaza are 'unacceptable and morally unjustifiable'. He made a four-day visit to Gaza following the attack on the Holy Family Church and arrived with 500 tonnes of aid. However, he later said 'not a gram' had been able to enter the region. Pope Leo spoke on the phone to Netanyahu following this strike and expressed concern about the 'tragic humanitarian situation for the population of Gaza, whose children, elderly and sick are paying an agonising price'. Meanwhile, Francis went so far as to label some of Israel's actions in Gaza as 'terrorism'. Related Reads Will more countries recognising Palestine make any real difference? Opinion: Defending the rights of Palestinians does not mean turning a blind eye to anti-Semitism In his memoir, Francis described the Hamas massacres of 7 October, 2023 as 'diabolical and brutal'. He then went on to recount the deaths of Nadha Khalil Anton and her daughter, Samar Kamal, who were killed by gunfire from an Israeli army sniper as they approached the convent of Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity. 'Others too were killed in cold blood in the parish precincts,' said Francis. 'This too is terrorism.' Elsewhere, some people felt that Francis expressed support for Palestine by praying before a nativity scene last December which included a wooden figurine of the baby Jesus swaddled in a keffiyeh. Pope Francis prays in front of Nativity Scene crafted in the West Bank city of Bethlehem in the Vatican's Paul VI Hall Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo The keffiyeh, a headdress worn in the Middle-East, is worn by many as a symbol of support for Palestine. Palestinian artisans created last year's 'Nativity of Bethlehem' which was displayed in the Vatican's Paul VI Hall. Representatives from the Embassy of the State of Palestine were present for its inauguration on 7 December, as were those who created the Nativity. As is customary, the figurine of Jesus was then removed from the Nativity scene until Christmas Eve. However, when the public was next able to view the Nativity scene in the Paul VI Hall on 4 January, the keffiyeh had been removed. 'Friend of Palestinian people' When Francis died in April, Israel was notable in its muted response. The Prime Minister of Palestine, Mohammad Mustafa, attended Francis's funeral and described the late pontiff as a 'friend of the Palestinian people'. 'Pope Francis shared in the sufferings of the Palestinian people and always supported their right to self-determination,' said Mustafa. Israel however sent a low-level ambassador to Francis's funeral and it took four days for Netanyahu's office to send a two-sentence message of condolence. It read: 'The State of Israel expresses its deepest condolences to the Catholic Church and the Catholic community worldwide at the passing of Pope Francis. May he rest in peace.' Prior to his death, Francis gave his blessing for the popemobile he used on his 2014 visit to the West Bank to be converted into a mobile health clinic for children in Gaza. Pope Francis waves to the crowd as he arrives to give Mass in the West Bank on 25 May, 2014 Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo 'Yes, it's a beautiful idea, go for it,' said Francis when the initiative was brought to him for approval. However, the vehicle has not yet been granted entry into Gaza. Security concerns A trip to Gaza for Pope Leo would likely come with a heightened security risk. However, this was not something that deterred his predecessor. Francis had said he was 'determined' to visit Iraq in 2021 and to 'meet those people who have suffered so much'. 'Almost everyone advised me against the journey,' said Francis. Pope Francis on 7 March, 2021 near the ruins of four churches damaged during Iraq's war against ISIS. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo The day before he flew to Iraq in 2021, British security services informed the Vatican of two assassination plots – one involved a female suicide bomber, the other a truck full of explosives. The journey went ahead regardless and Francis said he was informed later by Iraqi police that the two 'bomb attackers' had been 'intercepted and exploded'. 'This shocked me deeply,' wrote Francis. 'This too was the poisoned fruit of war.' Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. 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Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
MAGA world isn't happy that Pope Leo XIV seems to have criticized Trump on immigration
President Donald Trump congratulated Pope Leo XIV on his election Thursday, calling it 'an honor to realize that he is the first American Pope.' But some of the president's supporters are less thrilled by the choice. As soon as his election was announced, the new pope's past social media posts were quickly unearthed, some of which appeared to be critical of Trump's immigration policies and of Vice President JD Vance. As Cardinal Robert Prevost, Leo had posted an article from National Catholic Reporter in February that rebutted Vance's interpretation of a Catholic theological concept, 'ordo amoris,' as a hierarchy of Christian love. Days later, he shared on X an article from America Magazine that was critical of Trump's immigration policies and the rhetoric demonizing migrants. His last public activity on X was in April, when he reposted an essay from Bishop Evelio Menjivar, an auxiliary bishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington, who condemned the administration's legally questionable immigration enforcement tactics. As his social media posts made the rounds, several prominent MAGA influencers spoke out against the new papal leader. Far-right conspiracy theorist Laura Loomer, who has Trump's ear, wrote a series of posts trashing the pope, including one calling him 'anti-Trump, anti-MAGA, pro-open Borders, and a total Marxist like Pope Francis.' Jack Posobiec, another prominent far-right figure, said the pope's social media posts 'do not bode well for Trump supporters' and suggested that the head of the Catholic Church should not wade into political issues. Charlie Kirk, the founder and president of Turning Point USA, suggested the jury is still out on the pope, questioning whether he is a 'Registered Chicago Republican and pro-life warrior OR Open borders globalist installed to counter Trump?' Leo is believed to be sympathetic to the cause of migrants and refugees. It's an issue that had led his predecessor, Pope Francis, to clash with the Trump administration at times — and that sparked the ire of Trump's diehard supporters. Leo's brother John Prevost told The New York Times that the pope's views will likely be 'middle of the road,' but that he will use his platform to speak up on certain issues. 'I know he's not happy with what's going on with immigration,' Prevost said of his brother. 'I know that for a fact. How far he'll go with it is only one's guess, but he won't just sit back.' This article was originally published on
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
MAGA Melts Down Over First American Pope
As the white smoke cleared, Robert Prevost of Chicago became Pope Leo XIV, the first ever American pope. That revelation quickly gave way to an even more important one: Bob seems to have a Twitter account. Online sleuths quickly shared a February post from an account in his name sharing a National Catholic Reporter headline: 'J.D. Vance is wrong: Jesus doesn't ask us to rank our love of others.' The account also retweeted defenses of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), a call for prayers for George Floyd and his family and a 2017 post from Jim Martin (a well-known liberal Jesuit I briefly worked with during an internship at America Magazine) reading: 'We're banning all Syrian refugees? The men, women and children who most need help? What an immoral nation we're becoming. Jesus weeps.' At least one contingent of the right is happy; the executive director of the Pro-Life Action League sent around a statement highlighting a reported comment the pope made during a homily this year: 'God's mercy calls us to protect every life, especially those society overlooks — the child yet to be born and the elderly nearing their journey's end — because each bears Christ's face.' The political portrait that emerges is baffling to the American mind: liberal on immigration and the poor, conservative on abortion. It's also a fairly typical Catholic profile, in a church that both urges social justice and care for the marginalized and also opposes abortion, women in the priesthood and same-sex marriage. The MAGAverse, though, isn't waiting for confirmation that the Twitter account is Prevost's. It has seen enough — and it doesn't like the cut of the new pope's jib. 'MARXIST POPE!' bellowed Laura Loomer in response to the George Floyd retweet. 'The new pope seems to be anti-Trump and pro-open borders,' tweeted Sean Davis, CEO of The Federalist, reacting to Prevost's alleged retweet of a Washington Post article headlined: 'Cardinal Dolan: Why Donald Trump's anti-immigrant rhetoric is so problematic.' Dolan, for what it's worth, is a conservative who often cozies up to President Trump. 'Here is the new pope attacking Trump,' Jack Posobiec, a far-right activist, lamented in response to the same retweet. 'Is it too much to hope that some 20-year-old ran the new pope's X account and he never looked at it?' grasped Megyn Kelly. 'Nightmare,' Catturd tweeted gloomily. Many liberals loved Pope Francis not because he was 'progressive' by American political terms — he maintained throughout his life that abortion is 'murder,' and did not change doctrine forbidding same-sex couples from marrying in the church — but because he expressed warmth and acceptance towards LGBTQ people far beyond what his anti-gay predecessors had shown. He also championed the dignity of immigrants and refugees, advocated for environmental stewardship and appointed more women to senior Vatican roles than any other pope. For a worldview long boxed out of the highest ranks of Catholicism, Francis' posture was a sea change. But MAGAism brooks no dissent, tolerates no heterodoxy. Any departure from or criticism of Trump's worldview, even indirect, is grounds for excommunication. — Kate Riga Now that Trump has dropped Ed Martin as his nominee to permanently hold the position of D.C. U.S. Attorney — due to Republican heartburn about his Jan. 6-related antics (not his recent targeting of Trump's perceived political enemies, of course) — the President is reportedly mulling another trollish option to, at least temporarily, run the office. Per ABC News: President Donald Trump is strongly considering installing Fox News host and former prosecutor Jeanine Pirro as interim U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, sources familiar with the matter told ABC News. In what appears to be a bid to help House Republicans who are at a standstill over how to get away with hoodwinking Americans into thinking massive cuts to Medicaid are a good thing — while hardliners in the conference claim they won't support a bill that adds to the deficit — Donald Trump reportedly instructed congressional Republicans to … raise taxes on the wealthy. It's a surprising and somewhat contradictory directive from the President who also wants Republican lawmakers to extend his 2017 tax cuts, which primarily benefited the wealthy, as part of the same legislation. (It's also, obviously, a policy proposal historically supported by progressives, not Trump and his billionaire buddies and not the Republicans in Congress who are at an impasse.) Trump may see the maneuver as a remedy, a way to break the logjam that is currently holding House Republicans back from releasing the text of the targeted cuts they need to make to pay for the 2017 tax cut extension. In theory, it could address hardliners' demands that the deficit not increase or give House Republicans a bit of breathing room to slash less of Medicaid. Whether any faction of the House Republicans will be able to swallow such a tax hike, in practice, is another matter. From WaPo: Trump, in recent conversation with House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana), said Congress should raise taxes on some of the highest earners, according to two people familiar with the president's position, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to discuss the issue publicly. Administration officials have discussed several options for doing so, including allowing the top tax rate to revert back to Obama-era levels. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has also floated creating a new tax bracket for those earning more than $5 million per year. Trump's Justice Department has opened an investigation into New York Attorney General Letitia James, who brought a case that led to a $354 million fine for Trump after a New York judge found that he and the Trump Organization were liable for inflating his wealth and assets in order to secure loans, among other things. Attorney General Pam Bondi referred the investigation to New York's Northern District instead of SDNY. The statement from the U.S. Attorney's Office in the New York's North District to the Times Union was inappropriate … at best. 'This is being handled at this time by main (Department of) Justice and the Albany FBI field office,' said U.S. Attorney John A. Sarcone III, who oversees the U.S. Attorney's Office in New York's Northern District. 'We stand prepared to act in the capacity that we need to when and if we are informed there's a charge to be made. Unlike Letitia James, who unethically ran around the state campaigning on getting Donald Trump… my office conducts itself in a manner that is proper and professional.' Inside One Venezuelan's Last-Minute Escape From a Flight to CECOT New episode of the Josh Marshall Podcast: Ep. 372: Culture War Losses On Day Griffin Concedes, Another Republican Power Grab In North Carolina Becomes Official Why Do They Have It In For Biomedical Research? Venerable New York Firm That Struck a Deal With Trump Is Losing Lawyers NIH grant terminations under Trump have totaled at least $1.8 billion, analysis finds Will Trump Pretend to Fix What He Broke?
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Could an African cardinal become the next pope? Don't rule it out.
As the Catholic Church's College of Cardinals enters the conclave to select the next leader of the church Wednesday, one of the most pressing questions is what part of the world that leader will come from. While Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle from the Philippines is considered to be a front-runner, known for his affable style and karaoke skills, there has been buzz about the possibility of an African pope. The Catholic population has exploded on the continent, and an estimated 20% of the world's Catholics live there. Gelasius, who reigned from 492-496, was the last pope who hailed from Africa. And there are Africans in today's College of Cardinals who are papabile (pope potentials). The selection of a new pope is always dramatic, but tensions arose this time even before the conclave began. There were reported leaks of conversations held at General Congregation, a meeting of the cardinals held prior to the conclave. According to unnamed sources to America Magazine, some cardinals complained about Pope Francis' papacy, especially regarding his involvement of the laity in the church. Some cardinals believe that the administration of church affairs should be held only by the ordained. These complaints come from cardinals and conservatives hoping to claw back some of the power to the West — Francis was from Argentina — for which they compiled a profile of cardinals they consider acceptable. These cardinals may have a hard time electing the kind of pope they want, though, because Francis appointed 108 of the 133 cardinals who'll be involved in selecting the next pope. There may be a lot of chatter about a conservative or liberal pope, but Francis has stacked the deck with cardinals from all over the world. While an African pope would be a historically stunning development, one of the drawbacks is that no African cardinal holds a major office in the Vatican. That said, Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo Besengu of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cardinal Robert Sarah from Guinea and Cardinal Peter Turkson of Ghana are three candidates to watch. Besengu, the archbishop of Kinshasa, was appointed by Francis in 2019. At 65, he may be considered a bit too young to be pope. (Generally, electors don't like to pick someone that young as it can have a long-term effect on church polity and politics). As bishop in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Besengu stood up against President Joseph Kabila's attempts to push back elections, which bodes well for his willingness to push back against autocratic leaders. He is staunchly against homosexuality. When Francis issued a Fiducia Supplicans that allowed for same-sex blessings, Besengu followed with a statement that was explicitly opposed, stating along with some other cardinals who signed, that there'd be no same-sex blessings in Africa. Though Cardinal Robert Sarah from Guinea is papabile, his notoriety as a strict conservative make him something of a wedge candidate who'd potentially divide groups. Appointed at age 34 as the bishop of Conakry, the 79-year-old theological hard-liner became embroiled in scandal in January 2020 for a book, 'From the Depths of Our Hearts,' supposedly co-written by Sarah and Pope Benedict XVI. The problem was that the emeritus pope did not agree to co- author that book, and his name was dropped from the publication. Cardinal Peter Turkson, 76, archbishop of Cape Coast in Ghana, is also papabile. He was appointed as cardinal by Pope John Paul II in 2003, which may make him amenable to those who want a pope who was not appointed by Francis. Turkson is the chancellor of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences and the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences. He defended Francis' same-sex blessings decision and, unlike many clerics in Africa, is against the criminalization of homosexuality, putting him at odds with Ghana's bishops and Ghana's political establishment that has made it illegal to identify as an LGBTQ person. Turkson has also been at the forefront of speaking about climate change and the environment, which puts him in line with Francis on those issues. Anything is possible when considering who is papabile. But as the saying goes, you go into the conclave a pope, you come out a cardinal. In other words, don't assume anything. While it would bring great joy to not only the continent of Africa, but also to persons of African descent around the world, it may be difficult in this current conclave to elect a pope from Africa. While Francis shrewdly stacked the College of Cardinals, it may be hard to get consensus around candidates who are so divergent in opinions and skill sets. But for some among the African faithful, even having their cardinals considered is a win. This article was originally published on
Telegraph
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
‘The Catholics loved it': Trump responds to AI Pope backlash
Donald Trump has said the Catholics 'loved it' when he shared an AI image of himself dressed as the Pope. The US president on Friday posted the fake image of himself dressed in papal regalia to his Truth Social platform. The picture depicted the president draped in white robes while wearing a gold crucifix and mitre hat and pointing his right index finger to the sky. The post was branded insulting by some Catholics. Mr Trump defended his actions on Monday, blaming the 'fake news media' for whipping up a furore and saying the first lady, Melania Trump, thought it was 'cute'. He said at the White House: 'You mean they can't take a joke? You don't mean the Catholics, you mean the fake news media. Not the Catholics, they loved it.' In an attempt to distance himself from the image, he added: 'I had nothing to do with it. Somebody made up a picture of me dressed like the Pope, and they put it out on the internet. 'That's not me that did it. I have no idea where it came from. Maybe it was AI, but I know nothing about it. I just saw it last evening. Actually, my wife thought it was cute.' He went on to joke that could not be Pope because he is married. Mr Trump said: 'Actually, I would not be able to be married though. That would be a lot. To the best of my knowledge, Popes aren't big on getting married, are they.' FOX NEWS: Some Catholics were not so happy about the image of you looking like the Pope TRUMP: You mean they can't take a joke? You don't mean the Catholics, you mean the fake news media. The Catholics loved it. I had nothing to do with it. Maybe it was AI. — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) May 5, 2025 Asked whether sharing the post on social media diminishes the integrity of the White House account, Mr Trump said: 'Give me a break. It was just, somebody did it in fun. It's fine. Have a little fun, don't you?' The president's social media post comes ahead of the Conclave, where cardinals at the Vatican will elect the successor of Pope Francis, who died on April 21. When asked last week who he would like to succeed Pope Francis, he said: 'I'd like to be pope, that would be my number one choice.' Senior Catholics have hit back at the president's quip, including the New York State Catholic Conference, which represents bishops in the state. 'There is nothing clever or funny about this image, Mr President,' the group posted on X. 'We just buried our beloved Pope Francis and the cardinals are about to enter a solemn conclave to elect a new successor of St Peter.' The post continued: 'Do not mock us.' James Martin, a Jesuit priest and editor-at-large for the Jesuit publication America Magazine, said: 'Even though I find this deeply offensive, I will presume that Mr Trump meant this light-heartedly. 'But imagine the incandescent outrage, the swift condemnation, and the individual and joint protests from the US bishops if this had been done by Joe Biden or Barack Obama.' Timothy Doland, the New York Cardinal, said the image 'wasn't good', adding: 'I hope he didn't have anything to do with that.' JD Vance, the vice-president, who is himself Catholic, on Sunday backed Mr Trump claiming the post was a joke. 'As a general rule, I'm fine with people telling jokes and not fine with people starting stupid wars that kill thousands of my countrymen,' Mr Vance wrote on X. His comments came in response to a senior Bush administration staffer's question on whether he was 'fine with this disrespect and mocking of the Holy Father'.
