Update: Pope Francis did indeed meet with Kim Davis, the Kentucky clerk who refuses to marry same-sex couples, but it wasn't an endorsement of her views. On Friday, Vatican officials told the New York Times that Pope Francis met Davis along with dozens of others.
“The pope did not enter into the details of the situation of Mrs. Davis, and his meeting with her should not be considered a form of support of her position in all of its particular and complex aspects,” said the Rev. Federico Lombardi, the Vatican spokesman, per the Times.
Earlier this week, the news was presented as a tacit endorsement by the Pontiff of Davis' decision to go to prison rather than do her job and marry gay people. The Vatican is now appears to be making a point of saying that's not the case — which is a bit of good news for all the Pope's more liberal fans disappointed by the Davis story.
This story was originally published on September 30, 2015.
Pope Francis' first-ever visit to the U.S. won him lots of liberal love. He spoke out about climate change, helping the poor, and the need for all nations and people to help with the recent refugee crisis. But between Pope Francis' speaking engagements, he also found time to meet with Kim Davis, a woman who has become a symbol of backwards thinking and bigotry for many Americans. Davis, a county clerk in Kentucky, has made headlines for refusing to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples, even after June's Supreme Court decision legalized gay marriage in all states. Davis cited her religious beliefs, and was sent to prison for six days. Today, Vatican spokesman Rev. Manuel Dorantes confirmed with The Washington Post, "I do not deny that the meeting took place, but I have no comments to add." According to Mat Staver, Davis' lawyer, she met with the Pope on Thursday in Washington, D.C., accompanied by her husband. The meeting is a good reminder that Pope Francis — as much as he's been lauded for his tolerance and open-minded comments — hasn't actually changed church dogma. The Catholic Church remains staunchly opposed to gay marriage, and the leader of that church holds a complex set of views that don't align with either political camp in the U.S.
Pope Francis' first-ever visit to the U.S. won him lots of liberal love. He spoke out about climate change, helping the poor, and the need for all nations and people to help with the recent refugee crisis. But between Pope Francis' speaking engagements, he also found time to meet with Kim Davis, a woman who has become a symbol of backwards thinking and bigotry for many Americans. Davis, a county clerk in Kentucky, has made headlines for refusing to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples, even after June's Supreme Court decision legalized gay marriage in all states. Davis cited her religious beliefs, and was sent to prison for six days. Today, Vatican spokesman Rev. Manuel Dorantes confirmed with The Washington Post, "I do not deny that the meeting took place, but I have no comments to add." According to Mat Staver, Davis' lawyer, she met with the Pope on Thursday in Washington, D.C., accompanied by her husband. The meeting is a good reminder that Pope Francis — as much as he's been lauded for his tolerance and open-minded comments — hasn't actually changed church dogma. The Catholic Church remains staunchly opposed to gay marriage, and the leader of that church holds a complex set of views that don't align with either political camp in the U.S.