The Vatican issued a statement after the US vice president, a Catholic convert, met the secretary of state, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, and the foreign minister, Archbishop Paul Gallagher.
There was no immediate word if Mr Vance stopped to meet Pope Francis, who has been resuming official duties during his recovery from pneumonia.
The Holy See has responded cautiously to the Trump administration, in keeping with its tradition of diplomatic neutrality.
JD Vance at St Peter’s Basilica (Kenny Holston/New York Times/AP)
It has expressed alarm over the US crackdown on migrants and cuts in international aid while insisting on peaceful resolutions to the wars in Ukraine and Gaza.
Francis has also changed church teaching to say capital punishment is immoral and made prison ministry a hallmark of his papacy.
Those concerns were reflected in the Vatican statement which said the talks were cordial and that the Vatican expressed satisfaction with the administration’s commitment to protecting freedom of religion and conscience.
“There was an exchange of opinions on the international situation, especially regarding countries affected by war, political tensions and difficult humanitarian situations, with particular attention to migrants, refugees and prisoners,” the statement said.
“Finally, hope was expressed for serene collaboration between the state and the Catholic Church in the United States, whose valuable service to the most vulnerable people was acknowledged.”
The reference to “serene collaboration” appeared to refer to Mr Vance’s accusation that the US Conference of Catholic Bishops was resettling “illegal immigrants” in order to get federal funding. Senior US cardinals have pushed back strongly against the claim.
“It is clear that the approach of the current US administration is v...
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