The pope of inclusion

VIRTUAL REALITY

- TONY LOPEZ

Easter Sunday, the day before he died, Pope Francis, 88, had a blitzkrieg meeting with JD Vance, 40, at the reception room of the Vatican hotel where the pontiff lives. He offered the US vice president three big chocolate Easter eggs for Vance's three young children, who did not attend, as well as a Vatican tie and rosaries.

"I know you have not been feeling great, but it's good to see you in better health," Vance told the pope.

"Thank you for seeing me."

The pope and Vance have disagreed very publicly over the Trump administration's attitude to immigration and its migrant deportation plans. Trump wants to deport up to two million unwanted immigrants. In February, Francis warned that the MAGA administration's mass deportation and cracking down on immigration were driving a "major crisis" that "damages the dignity of men and women."

In particular, Francis targeted Vance, who had claimed Catholic doctrine justified such policies. The pope wrote US bishops to refute Vance's claim. Responding, Vance called himself a "baby Catholic" and acknowledged there were "things about the faith that I don't know."

Unspoken, the pope's message to Vance in their April 20 meeting was clear as a beautiful Easter Sunday: please go slow on migrants.

By 7:35 Easter Monday, Francis died, of a stroke followed by a coma and heart failure. "His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord of His Church. He taught us to live the values of the Gospel with fidelity, courage and universal love, especially in favor of the poorest and most marginalized," said the Vatican announcing his passing.