The oddest aspect of this "warning" to the Pope from a fellow-American and fellow-Catholic, is that the subject was not the fighting in the Middle East as one might expect, but theology!
James Vance's quoted words:
“I think one of the issues here is that if you’re going to opine on matters of theology, you’ve got to be careful.
So he admits he is not sure; but isn't opining on theology what the clergy are paid to do? (And of course, as vocation.)
Followed by :
You’ve got to make sure it’s anchored in the truth, and that’s one of the things that I try to do,
which at least admits he (Vance) might not always succeed in!
It does look like a veiled though ultimately empty threat, but judging purely by the published text, the word "warning" was that used by
The Hill, not by the politicians, making it hard to know Vance's real intent.
Though what makes Messrs. Vance and Homan think they understand international affairs better than the Chairman, Managing Director and Head Priest of the world's largest Church, I would not care to say!
It's always worth examining who actually said or wrote what - and ask oneself what they didn't.
