Catholic paper brands JD Vance a 'moral stain' following his comments on Renee Nicole Good

WASHINGTON, DC: A leading Catholic paper, the National Catholic Reporter, branded JD Vance a "moral stain" and accused the vice president of having a "twisted and wrongheaded view of Christianity" for his comments on Renee Nicole Good, who was shot and killed by an ICE agent on Wednesday, January 7.

The 37-year-old was shot three times in her car by a federal officer carrying out immigration raids. Vance has since joined the government’s push to brand Good a "domestic te**orist" who tried to run the officer over, and called her death "a tragedy of her own making."

National Catholic Reporter accuses JD Vance of 'justifying' shooting

In an op-ed column on Thursday, the National Catholic Reporter accused Vance of "justifying" Good’s killing, stating that his comments are "a moral stain on the collective witness of our Catholic faith."

"In times past, a politician might offer thoughts and prayers, encourage those reacting to wait for the full results of the investigation, and generally try to lower the temperature. A leader might take the opportunity provided by a fresh day to soothe the broken heart of a nation," the outlet’s digital editor, John Grosso, wrote.

However, Grosso added, "JD Vance went in a different direction." 

Good was shot when an ICE officer fired into her SUV on a residential street in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Several videos show agents shouting conflicting orders at her before an officer moved toward the driver’s door and another stood in front of the car and opened fire as it rolled forward.

Following the incident, the Trump administration called the killing an "act of domestic te**orism," as Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem alleged that Good had "weaponized her vehicle" and Trump claimed she "violently, willfully, and viciously ran over the ICE Officer."

Meanwhile, local officials who reviewed the footage, including Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, have called that version of events "garbage."

JD Vance says Renee Nicole Good's death was 'a tragedy of her own making'

In posts on X and in a White House briefing, Vance argued that Good’s death was "a tragedy of her own making" and that she was part of "a broader left-wing network to attack" ICE officers.

Responding to his comment, Grosso wrote, "As a Catholic, Vance knows better than to peddle this brand of gaslighting and agitation. Vance knows that only God can take life. Vance knows that protesting, fleeing or even interfering in an ICE investigation (which there is no evidence that Good did) does not carry a death sentence. Vance knows that lying and killing are sins."

"He doesn’t care. Vance’s twisted and wrongheaded view of Christianity has been repudiated by two popes," Grosso added.

He suggested that Vance’s Catholicism "seems to be little more than a political prop, a tool only for his career ambitions and desire for power," adding, "The vice president’s comments justifying the death of Renee Good are a moral stain on the collective witness of our Catholic faith. His repeated attempts to blame Good for her own death are fundamentally incompatible with the Gospel. Our only recourse is to pray for his conversion of heart."