JD Vance was among the last officials to meet with the late Pope Francis before he died on Monday. U.S. Vice President JD Vance said this week that he is refusing to politicize Pope Francis’ death, hailing the late pontiff as a “broad” figure and a “great” leader of the Catholic Church.

The first Catholic convert elected to the vice presidency has provoked an extraordinary string of conflicts within the church he joined six years ago.