US Ambassador sees potential for 'Catholic Moment' with Leo

Ambassador Brian Burch believes prominent Catholic figures in the US administration could shape a 'common good conservatism' and a 'Catholic Moment'.

Published on Feb. 25, 2026

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United States Ambassador to the Holy See Brian Burch sees the potential for a 'Catholic Moment' in the US given the high-profile Catholics in the current administration, including Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Burch believes their 'common good conservatism' rooted in Catholic social teaching could help shape the future of the country.

Why it matters

The presence of prominent Catholic figures in the US administration, along with the election of the first US-born Pope, Leo XIV, presents an opportunity for stronger collaboration between the US and the Holy See on issues like religious freedom, artificial intelligence, and global peace and security.

The details

Ambassador Burch highlighted areas of common ground between the US and the Holy See, including a shared commitment to religious freedom, human dignity, and a moral order to govern human action. He also discussed the potential impact of AI technology and the need to incorporate Western civilization values like free speech, privacy, and intellectual property. Burch believes the 'common good conservatism' espoused by figures like Vance and Rubio is deeply rooted in Catholic social teaching.

  • Burch presented his credentials to Pope Leo XIV in September 2025.
  • The US is celebrating its 250th anniversary in 2026.

The players

Brian Burch

The United States Ambassador to the Holy See.

Pope Leo XIV

The first US-born Pope, who Burch says has expressed a desire to visit the US.

JD Vance

The US Vice President, who Burch says speaks frequently about a 'common good conservatism' rooted in Catholic principles.

Marco Rubio

The US Secretary of State, who Burch says has also spoken about 'common good conservatism' in a speech at the Catholic University of America.

Donald Trump

The former US President, whom Burch says 'deeply cares about and understands intuitively this Catholic view of the human person and of human communities.'

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What they’re saying

“There is a real moment, I think, and Pope Leo and I talked about this when I sat down with him to present my credentials, that for all of the political noise and the accusations that surround the president – in a very real sense, this is a president who deeply cares about and understands intuitively this Catholic view of the human person and of human communities.”

— Brian Burch, US Ambassador to the Holy See (Crux Now)

“We have this political camp that I came from that sees old Republican politics as inadequate, certainly progressive ideology as incompatible, and a kind of third way that's this common good conservatism that I think is deeply rooted in a lot of the principles found in Catholic social teaching and which I think will contribute to the possibilities of a 'Catholic Moment.'”

— Brian Burch, US Ambassador to the Holy See (Crux Now)

What’s next

Pope Leo XIV has expressed a desire to visit the US, and the two sides are engaged in conversations about the possibility of a trip, potentially as early as next year to coincide with the US's 250th anniversary celebrations.

The takeaway

The presence of prominent Catholic figures in the US administration, combined with the election of the first US-born Pope, presents an opportunity for stronger collaboration between the US and the Holy See on issues like religious freedom, human dignity, and the ethical development of transformative technologies like AI.