JD Vance Catholic Convert

Christian or Catholic? Because I think it's pretty clear that MAGA is anti-Catholic and JD is setting up his move to being a non-denom Christian, probably with membership at a evangelical mega church that preaches the whole prosperity thing.

The complicit Catholics left are Marco, RFK Jr, and a few Supreme Court justices?

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04/16/2026 12:48

Subject: JD Vance Catholic Convert

quote

Anonymous

There was a previous thread asking if anyone knew where the Vances go to mass locally, but no one has reported any sightings.

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04/16/2026 13:04

Subject: Re:JD Vance Catholic Convert

quote

Anonymous

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t know JD Vance personally, but I read his book.

He grew up outside of an organized church. His father was a fundamentalist Christian. I can see why he settled on becoming Catholic once he was old enough to set his own path.

It’s not a political choice. It’s personal. If it wasn’t, he wouldn’t have been Confirmed.

I find it odd people think he converted to Catholicism for political reasons. I can't think of one thing a politician would gain by being a Catholic convert.

Are you kidding? Several current and former SCOTUS members are Catholics. His mentor, Peter Thiel, is Catholic. There are powerful conservative Catholics behind the political scenes like in The Family organization. It's always seemed like a political move to me. They are gaining political power as much or more than Evangelicals and it's a savvy move on his part.

Agree with all of this. (The Family is a fascinating case). There also was a generation of Irish Catholics older than he who became influrntial right-wing pundits on Fox and elsewhere like Sean Hannity, Peggy Noonan, Bill O'Reilly and most notably, Steve Bannon--he really plays up his Catholicism. The Supreme Court had Scalia, Alito, Kavanugh, Coney Barrett. Is Thomas Catholic too?

Didn't his wife clerk for Kavanaugh? No Megachurch Evangelicals are at this level.

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04/16/2026 13:27

Subject: Re:JD Vance Catholic Convert

quote

Anonymous

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t know JD Vance personally, but I read his book.

He grew up outside of an organized church. His father was a fundamentalist Christian. I can see why he settled on becoming Catholic once he was old enough to set his own path.

It’s not a political choice. It’s personal. If it wasn’t, he wouldn’t have been Confirmed.

I find it odd people think he converted to Catholicism for political reasons. I can't think of one thing a politician would gain by being a Catholic convert.

Are you kidding? Several current and former SCOTUS members are Catholics. His mentor, Peter Thiel, is Catholic. There are powerful conservative Catholics behind the political scenes like in The Family organization. It's always seemed like a political move to me. They are gaining political power as much or more than Evangelicals and it's a savvy move on his part.

Agree with all of this. (The Family is a fascinating case). There also was a generation of Irish Catholics older than he who became influrntial right-wing pundits on Fox and elsewhere like Sean Hannity, Peggy Noonan, Bill O'Reilly and most notably, Steve Bannon--he really plays up his Catholicism. The Supreme Court had Scalia, Alito, Kavanugh, Coney Barrett. Is Thomas Catholic too?

Didn't his wife clerk for Kavanaugh? No Megachurch Evangelicals are at this level.

I agree with all this but in typical Vance fashion he has misread the room. The Catholic conservatives have a certain approach that he utterly lacks. Would Scalia ever lecture the Pope about theology? NFW. There was a really interesting article years ago about why there are so many Catholic conservative judges and so few evangelicals. The article basically said it’s because Catholics have for centuries specialized in reading and interpreting text and applying different philosophical approaches to cast light on complicated texts, with a whole history of things that are very much like persuasive or binding precedent, stare decisis, etc. Evangelicals take the text literally or just go for a vibe. Vance in his heart is much closer to an evangelical and he’s grandstanding like an evangelical. I don’t think he’s a comfortable fit in the Catholic community, even the far right Catholic community like the Thomas crowd— I think he chose poorly. Basically he’s always trying to wear someone else’s skin, and it never fits right.

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04/16/2026 13:32

Subject: JD Vance Catholic Convert

quote

Anonymous

Anonymous wrote:There was a previous thread asking if anyone knew where the Vances go to mass locally, but no one has reported any sightings.

Am very curious about this. I think the options are—
1) st Matt’s — big and easy to hide with a clear road for the motorcade. Traditional for the upper level Catholics in politics. Downside is that he and the archbishop clearly don’t like each other.
2) the very conservative church in VA where Thomas goes. A real haul for the kids and motorcade but they’ve got lists of maga there.
3) the bethesda church where kavanaugh goes. They are used to holding their noses and it has a share of rich conservatives, but a little awkward to bring a motorcade in there.
4) not sure where the boys go to school but would make sense to go to the church affiliated with that school. My guess is that’s where the son was baptized over Easter.

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04/16/2026 16:26

Subject: Re:JD Vance Catholic Convert

quote

Anonymous

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t know JD Vance personally, but I read his book.

He grew up outside of an organized church. His father was a fundamentalist Christian. I can see why he settled on becoming Catholic once he was old enough to set his own path.

It’s not a political choice. It’s personal. If it wasn’t, he wouldn’t have been Confirmed.

I find it odd people think he converted to Catholicism for political reasons. I can't think of one thing a politician would gain by being a Catholic convert.

Are you kidding? Several current and former SCOTUS members are Catholics. His mentor, Peter Thiel, is Catholic. There are powerful conservative Catholics behind the political scenes like in The Family organization. It's always seemed like a political move to me. They are gaining political power as much or more than Evangelicals and it's a savvy move on his part.

Agree with all of this. (The Family is a fascinating case). There also was a generation of Irish Catholics older than he who became influrntial right-wing pundits on Fox and elsewhere like Sean Hannity, Peggy Noonan, Bill O'Reilly and most notably, Steve Bannon--he really plays up his Catholicism. The Supreme Court had Scalia, Alito, Kavanugh, Coney Barrett. Is Thomas Catholic too?

Didn't his wife clerk for Kavanaugh? No Megachurch Evangelicals are at this level.

I agree with all this but in typical Vance fashion he has misread the room. The Catholic conservatives have a certain approach that he utterly lacks. Would Scalia ever lecture the Pope about theology? NFW. There was a really interesting article years ago about why there are so many Catholic conservative judges and so few evangelicals. The article basically said it’s because Catholics have for centuries specialized in reading and interpreting text and applying different philosophical approaches to cast light on complicated texts, with a whole history of things that are very much like persuasive or binding precedent, stare decisis, etc. Evangelicals take the text literally or just go for a vibe. Vance in his heart is much closer to an evangelical and he’s grandstanding like an evangelical. I don’t think he’s a comfortable fit in the Catholic community, even the far right Catholic community like the Thomas crowd— I think he chose poorly. Basically he’s always trying to wear someone else’s skin, and it never fits right.

Interesting and insightful. He definitely reads as evangelical.

report

04/17/2026 07:23

Subject: JD Vance Catholic Convert

quote

Anonymous

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There was a previous thread asking if anyone knew where the Vances go to mass locally, but no one has reported any sightings.

Am very curious about this. I think the options are—
1) st Matt’s — big and easy to hide with a clear road for the motorcade. Traditional for the upper level Catholics in politics. Downside is that he and the archbishop clearly don’t like each other.
2) the very conservative church in VA where Thomas goes. A real haul for the kids and motorcade but they’ve got lists of maga there.
3) the bethesda church where kavanaugh goes. They are used to holding their noses and it has a share of rich conservatives, but a little awkward to bring a motorcade in there.
4) not sure where the boys go to school but would make sense to go to the church affiliated with that school. My guess is that’s where the son was baptized over Easter.

Why wouldn't people around DC notice these things? The story doesn't make any sense. There are only so many catholic churches around. I bet he doesn't go to any of them.

report

04/17/2026 07:46

Subject: Re:JD Vance Catholic Convert

quote

Anonymous

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t know JD Vance personally, but I read his book.

He grew up outside of an organized church. His father was a fundamentalist Christian. I can see why he settled on becoming Catholic once he was old enough to set his own path.

It’s not a political choice. It’s personal. If it wasn’t, he wouldn’t have been Confirmed.

I find it odd people think he converted to Catholicism for political reasons. I can't think of one thing a politician would gain by being a Catholic convert.

Are you kidding? Several current and former SCOTUS members are Catholics. His mentor, Peter Thiel, is Catholic. There are powerful conservative Catholics behind the political scenes like in The Family organization. It's always seemed like a political move to me. They are gaining political power as much or more than Evangelicals and it's a savvy move on his part.