Reflections on Vulnerability and Marginalization
“How much contempt is stirred up at times towards the vulnerable, the marginalized, and migrants,” were the words highlighted in the pope’s address.
Pope Francis, in his annual Easter address following a brief encounter with U.S. Vice President JD Vance on a Sunday morning, sharply criticized unnamed political figures for exploiting “fear” to suppress marginalized groups, including immigrants and refugees.
Still recuperating from a five-week hospital stay due to pneumonia, Pope Francis met briefly with Vice President Vance, who has recently converted to Catholicism. Vance has faced scrutiny from the Vatican for his assertions that Catholic doctrines justify the Trump administration’s widespread deportation policies.
The 88-year-old pontiff spoke minimally during their meeting, expressing gratitude for Vance’s visit with the help of a translator and participated in the exchange of several Easter presents with the vice president.
Subsequently, Pope Francis was escorted in his wheelchair to the Loggia of Blessings that overlooks St. Peter’s Square. There, a crowd of 35,000 had just participated in the Easter Mass conducted by Cardinal Angelo Comastri, the archpriest emeritus of St. Peter’s Basilica, who stood in for the ailing pope.
The pope briefly addressed the assembly before his speech was read by Archbishop Diego Ravelli. In his speech, the pope lamented the frequent disdain shown towards “the vulnerable, the marginalized, and migrants.” He urged global political leaders to resist the “logic of fear” which fosters isolation and instead, to harness their resources to aid the needy, combat hunger, and support developmental initiatives, which he described as the true “weapons” of peace.
“May the essence of humanity always be reflected in our daily deeds,” he continued in his speech, before denouncing military actions that breach international laws. He stressed the human impact of such conflicts, emphasizing that the targets are real people with inherent dignity and souls, not mere objects.
“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 the preceding Saturday, the pope did not attend the official Vatican meeting with Vance but had Cardinal Pietro Parolin speak on the theme of compassion instead.
The Vatican’s statement after the meeting highlighted a discussion on the global situation, with a particular focus on regions affected by war, political strife, and challenging humanitarian conditions, especially concerning migrants, refugees, and prisoners.
A release from the vice president’s office omitted any mention of migration, noting instead that Vance discussed “the condition of persecuted Christian groups worldwide” and President Trump’s “dedication to reinstating global peace” with the cardinal.
Pope Francis has been vocally critical of President Trump’s anti-immigration policies and the extensive deportation strategy. This strategy has involved detaining international students and asylum-seekers, many of whom have been accused of gang affiliations without substantial evidence or due process, as mandated by the U.S. Constitution. These individuals have been sent to El Salvador’s Terrorist Confinement Center under a deal valued at $6 million with Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele.
In February, Pope Francis penned a letter to U.S. bishops denouncing Trump’s deportation strategy and referred specifically to the Catholic notion of “ordo amoris”—the order of love. Vance had previously invoked this concept in defense of the deportations, ranking the priorities of love from family to global community.
In his letter, Francis clarified that Christian love transcends a mere expansion of one’s circle of concern, urging that true Christian love, akin to the compassion shown in the parable of the ‘Good Samaritan,’ fosters a brotherhood open to all, without exceptions.
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