Pope sends message to US when visiting immigrant landmark on 4th of July

Pope Leo

The treatment of migrants has been one of the main sources of tension between the first American pope and the Trump administration. This week, Vice President JD Vance, who is Catholic, described the Vatican's position on the issue as "concerning."

Two prominent leaders of the Catholic Church in the US told CNN that the pope's visit on the Fourth of July sends a message to the US about immigration, as Lampedusa is an important entry point into Europe for those crossing the Mediterranean. Many risk their lives in this process.

When he was bishop in Peru, Leo XIV offered humanitarian aid to migrants fleeing Venezuela and, as pope, criticized the US government's offensive against immigrants, describing the treatment they receive as "inhumane".

During his stay on the island of Lampedusa, which begins this Saturday (4), Pope Leo

The current pope must follow in the footsteps of his predecessor, Pope Francis, who visited the island shortly after his election to draw attention to the plight of those who die crossing the sea in precarious boats.

Pope Leo

Cupich added that the pontiff's visit highlights the contributions that newcomers bring to the countries that host them.

"This is sometimes forgotten at a time when we see immigrants simply violating a law or norm by arriving in a country without documents," the cardinal, who is the grandson of Croatian immigrants, told CNN.

"He's said this before: God doesn't look for passports; God looks at the dignity of every human being. I believe he will emphasize that and appeal to the best in us," Cupich said.

Meanwhile, Archbishop Ronald Hicks - chosen by Pope Leo in December to lead the Catholic Archdiocese of New York - said the five years he spent in El Salvador made him more sensitive to those arriving in the US, giving him "first-hand experience of what it's like to be on the other side."

"He (Leão) says that the United States has always been a country of immigrants. Everyone comes from somewhere, at different times", the archbishop tells CNN before the pope's visit.

He added that the pope raised questions that we should all consider: "How do we treat people when they arrive? How do we see each other as brothers and sisters? How do we see them as someone to be welcomed, rather than immediately seeing them as a problem? I think all of this is at the root of his visit and his message."

Since his election, the pope has appointed several bishops who arrived in the US as migrants, including one who was smuggled in from El Salvador at age 18 in the trunk of a car.

Immigrants await transfer to the mainland on the island of Lampedusa, in Italy - Yara Nardi/Reuters
Both Cupich and Hicks emphasized the importance of a robust legal system to manage immigration. The US bishops have been more outspoken on migration issues, releasing a rare joint statement late last year.

Tensions between the government and the Holy See were evident when President Donald Trump launched a series of attacks against the Pope, following the pontiff's opposition to the war in Iran.

"I felt sad, saddened, seeing that," Cupich said of the attacks. "I think it was unprecedented."

The cardinal added that this left him "with the feeling that the standards that we should demand" from U.S. leaders "were really lacking at that time, and we should have been able to expect something better."

Cupich also stated that the war in Iran could not be described as just, noting that "all measures that are part of the Just War theory were violated in that action."

In April, JD Vance, Trump's deputy, had said that the pope needed to be "careful" when discussing theology and should take the "Just War" theory into account when talking about the war in Iran.

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Cupich says an "ongoing dialogue" between the Catholic Church and Vance is needed to convey the message that "just war theory cannot be used in this case" and that it should not be seen as an "authorization" for conflict.

Developed over centuries, the Just War doctrine is often used by military analysts as an ethical and moral justification for armed conflicts.

One of its main formulators is Saint Augustine of Hippo, the spiritual father of the Catholic religious order to which Leo belongs.

In a recent encyclical, the pope declared that the theory was already "outdated", and the cardinal noted that the teaching needed to be "updated", given the nature of the weaponry used in modern conflicts.

Both Cupich and Hicks emphasized that the pope exercises moral leadership on the world stage.

"I believe he listens more than he speaks; however, when he speaks, he conveys a sense of steadfastness, strength, and courage that 'takes us somewhere,'" Hicks explained.

Cupich said the cardinals, who recently attended a meeting with the pope at the Vatican, are very pleased that he has quickly assumed a prominent role on the global stage and is speaking out on issues such as immigration, ecology and peace.

"He will not fear opposition. He will do what he was called to do in his ministry," Cupich said of Leo XIV. "He has the advantage of being able to think long term... He's still quite young."

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Source: CNN