The Caller’s Question:

 

Tyler from Santa Barbara phoned into The Patrick Madrid Show with a simple but important question:


“Why didn’t Vice President JD Vance kiss Pope Leo’s ring?”

 

 

Patrick’s Take: Not a Sin, Just a Skip

 

Patrick handled it with his usual blend of insight, clarity, and wisdom. Here’s the gist:

 

There are diplomatic protocols at play when you're dealing with heads of state. JD Vance, while not a head of state himself, is pretty high up there, so formalities might have been planned in advance.

 

Kissing the pope’s ring isn’t required. It’s a beautiful tradition, yes, but not a divine commandment. It came about in the Middle Ages. So, Vance skipping it is not a sin. Not disrespectful. Just… not traditional.

 

 

Giving Grace

 

Patrick gently reminded us:

 

JD Vance is a new convert to Catholicism. He didn’t grow up in Catholic culture, so ring-kissing might be unfamiliar or even feel a bit odd to him.

 

He’s from a very humble, rural background, and some of his choices may still reflect that down-to-earth, “no-frills” sensibility. 

 

 

The American Factor

 

Patrick also pointed out a larger cultural angle:

 

The U.S. has a strong anti-aristocracy streak, going way back. That “no kings, no crowns” mindset could subtly influence even how Catholic leaders act, especially on the world stage.

 

There's still anti-Catholic sentiment in parts of the U.S., and Vance may have wanted to avoid fueling any fire or being seen as overly deferential to a “foreign prince.”

 

The Caller&rsquo;s Question:
&nbsp;
Tyler from Santa Barbara phoned into The Patrick Madrid Show with a simple but important question:
 &ldquo;Why didn&rsquo;t Vice President JD Vance kiss Pope Leo&rsquo;s ring?&rdquo;
&nbsp;
<hr data-start="369" data-end="372">
&nbsp;
Patrick&rsquo;s Take: Not a Sin, Just a Skip
&nbsp;
Patrick handled it with his usual blend of insight, clarity, and wisdom. Here&rsquo;s the gist:
&nbsp;
There are diplomatic protocols at play when you're dealing with heads of state. JD Vance, while not a head of state himself, is pretty high up there, so formalities might have been planned in advance.
&nbsp;
Kissing the pope&rsquo;s ring isn&rsquo;t required. It&rsquo;s a beautiful tradition, yes, but not a divine commandment. It came about in the Middle Ages. So, Vance skipping it is not a sin. Not disrespectful. Just&hellip; not traditional.
&nbsp;
<hr data-start="1003" data-end="1006">
&nbsp;
Giving Grace
&nbsp;
Patrick gently reminded us:
&nbsp;
JD Vance is a&nbsp;new convert to Catholicism. He didn&rsquo;t grow up in Catholic culture, so ring-kissing might be unfamiliar or even feel a bit odd to him.
&nbsp;
He&rsquo;s from a&nbsp;very humble, rural background, and some of his choices may still reflect that down-to-earth, &ldquo;no-frills&rdquo; sensibility.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
<hr data-start="1421" data-end="1424">
&nbsp;
The American Factor
&nbsp;
Patrick also pointed out a larger cultural angle:
&nbsp;
The U.S. has a strong anti-aristocracy streak, going way back. That &ldquo;no kings, no crowns&rdquo; mindset could&nbsp;subtly influence even how Catholic leaders act, especially on the world stage.
&nbsp;
There's still&nbsp;anti-Catholic sentiment in parts of the U.S., and Vance may have wanted to avoid fueling any fire or being seen as overly deferential to a &ldquo;foreign prince.&rdquo;
&nbsp;

The Patrick Madrid Show is your source for the latest in current events and contemporary issues. Join host Patrick Madrid for compelling insights, lively conversations, and encouragement for your day!

Bringing Christ to the world through the media

Advertisement