The Association of Catholic Priests in Ireland described US president Donald Trump as “disrespectful” after he shared an AI-generated image of himself as the pope days after the death of Pope Francis.
Mr Trump caused outrage across the world after he shared the image of himself dressed as the pope just days after Pope Francis’s death on Easter Monday.
Fr Tim Hazelwood, from the Association of Catholic Priests (ACP), told the Irish Independent: “I concur with what the American bishops said, that it was disrespectful. It wasn’t appropriate.
“We are still in mourning for Pope Francis. That mourning period ends on Sunday – ending nine days of official mourning. And I just think this was disrespectful.”
Fr Hazelwood said he was not sure it would be possible for the church to request the Government to communicate Irish Catholics’ displeasure with the image, due to political tensions currently impacting US-Irish relations.
“I don’t know much about the diplomacy side, as we are in such a predicament with all these tariffs,” Fr Hazelwood said.
“But I think we should make the point. The American bishops made the point. Is that going to change Donald Trump?
“I just wonder if there is another reason for doing it. I just feel at times he does things to deflect away from other things. You would wonder.”
The 2022 census underscored that 69pc of the population in Ireland identified as Catholics.
Fr Hazelwood, a priest based in Co Cork, said: “I had first holy communion today and we were packed out. We had a lovely day. We put great work in. They are lovely families.
“It’s an interesting time (for Catholics). We had great crowds in church at Easter time too.”
The New York State Catholic Conference, which represents the bishops of the state in working with government, accused Mr Trump of mockery.
“There is nothing clever or funny about this image, Mr President,” they wrote.
“We just buried our beloved Pope Francis and the cardinals are about to enter a solemn conclave to elect a new successor of St Peter. Do not mock us.”
Italy’s La Repubblica also featured the image on its homepage on Saturday with a commentary accusing Mr Trump of “pathological megalomania”.
Asked to respond to the criticism, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said: “President Trump flew to Italy to pay his respects for Pope Francis and attend his funeral, and he has been a staunch champion for Catholics and religious liberty.”
The latest controversy comes after Mr Trump joked last week about his interest in the papacy.
“I’d like to be pope. That would be my number one choice,” the three-times-married president, who is not Catholic, told reporters.
Vice-president JD Vance, who is Catholic and was one of the last foreign officials to meet with Pope Francis before he died, joked about secretary of state Marco Rubio becoming pope, suggesting Mr Rubio could add it to the long list of titles he holds, including national security adviser and acting archivist.
Over the weekend, Mr Vance was dragged into the controversy over Mr Trump’s image.
“Hey, @JDVance, you fine with this disrespect and mocking of the Holy Father?” conservative commentator Bill Kristol wrote on X.
Mr Vance replied: “As a general rule, I’m fine with people telling jokes and not fine with people starting stupid wars that kill thousands of my countrymen.”
The vice-president appeared to be referring to the 2003 US invasion of Iraq, for which Kristol was an advocate.
Mr Trump has also suggested Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the Archbishop of New York, was suitable for the role. “I have no preference. I must say, we have a cardinal that happens to be out a place called New York who’s very good. So we’ll see what happens,” he said.
Cardinal Dolan (75) is one of 10 American cardinals who will be voting in the conclave, but Mr Trump’s pitch might have cost the cardinal support.
The reason conclaves are held in secrecy, with cardinals sequestered for the duration, is to prevent outside secular powers from influencing their choice, as occurred in centuries past.
The image, shared on Friday night on Mr Trump’s Truth Social profile and Instagram account, was later reposted by the White House on its official X account.
Catholic cardinals have been celebrating daily masses in the Pope’s memory and are due to open the conclave to elect his successor on Wednesday.
The image, which features Mr Trump in a white cassock and pointed mitre, or bishop’s hat, was the topic of several questions during the Vatican’s daily conclave briefing on Saturday
Former Italian premier Matteo Renzi said the image was shameful.
“This is an image that offends believers, insults institutions and shows that the leader of the right-wing world enjoys clowning around,” Mr Renzi wrote on X.
“Meanwhile, the US economy risks recession and the dollar loses value. The sovereigntists are doing damage, everywhere.”
The Vatican spokesman, Matteo Bruni, declined to comment.