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| Kentucky clerk who refused to issue same-sex marriage licenses may have met Pope Francis in secret | |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| Kim Davis, the Kentucky county court clerk who spent five days in jail for refusing to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples, is reported to have had a private meeting with the pope during his historic US tour. | Kim Davis, the Kentucky county court clerk who spent five days in jail for refusing to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples, is reported to have had a private meeting with the pope during his historic US tour. |
| According to a statement posted on the website of Christian lobby group the Liberty Council, Pope Francis met Davis and her husband, Joe, at the Vatican’s Washington DC embassy on Thursday. The statement carries the stamp of the Liberty Council’s founder and chairman, Matt Staver, who is acting as Davis’s lawyer in her dispute with the court. | According to a statement posted on the website of Christian lobby group the Liberty Council, Pope Francis met Davis and her husband, Joe, at the Vatican’s Washington DC embassy on Thursday. The statement carries the stamp of the Liberty Council’s founder and chairman, Matt Staver, who is acting as Davis’s lawyer in her dispute with the court. |
| The statement, which is based on a report from Inside The Vatican, says that the pope thanked Davis for her “courage” and told her to “stay strong”. He then said he would pray for her and presented both her and her husband with a rosary, the Liberty Council claimed. | The statement, which is based on a report from Inside The Vatican, says that the pope thanked Davis for her “courage” and told her to “stay strong”. He then said he would pray for her and presented both her and her husband with a rosary, the Liberty Council claimed. |
| Davis is then quoted as saying that she was “humbled” by the experience: “I never thought I would meet the pope. Who am I to have this rare opportunity? I am just a county clerk who loves Jesus and desires with all my heart to serve him.” | Davis is then quoted as saying that she was “humbled” by the experience: “I never thought I would meet the pope. Who am I to have this rare opportunity? I am just a county clerk who loves Jesus and desires with all my heart to serve him.” |
| “Pope Francis was kind, genuinely caring, and very personable,” her statement continued. “He even asked me to pray for him. Pope Francis thanked me for my courage and told me to ‘stay strong’.” | “Pope Francis was kind, genuinely caring, and very personable,” her statement continued. “He even asked me to pray for him. Pope Francis thanked me for my courage and told me to ‘stay strong’.” |
| The Vatican has not responded to the reports. | The Vatican has not responded to the reports. |
| Staver, who founded the Liberty Council in 1989, linked the meeting to the pontiff’s comments about conscientious objection, which prompted a flurry of speculation about whether the pope was referring to Davis. | Staver, who founded the Liberty Council in 1989, linked the meeting to the pontiff’s comments about conscientious objection, which prompted a flurry of speculation about whether the pope was referring to Davis. |
| “Not only did Pope Francis know of Kim Davis, he personally met with her to express his support,” Staver said. | “Not only did Pope Francis know of Kim Davis, he personally met with her to express his support,” Staver said. |
| #KimDavis met with #PopeFrancis https://t.co/t2luhgxzxc | #KimDavis met with #PopeFrancis https://t.co/t2luhgxzxc |
| In a press conference held on his flight back to Rome after completing his US tour, the pope appeared to show support for Davis, saying that conscientious objection was a “human right”. | In a press conference held on his flight back to Rome after completing his US tour, the pope appeared to show support for Davis, saying that conscientious objection was a “human right”. |
| “I do not recall all specific cases of conscientious objection,” he said. “But what I can say, is that conscientious objection is a human right. And if a person does not allow others to be conscientious objectors, then they deny them a right.” | “I do not recall all specific cases of conscientious objection,” he said. “But what I can say, is that conscientious objection is a human right. And if a person does not allow others to be conscientious objectors, then they deny them a right.” |
| The reported meeting with Davis contrasts with the pope’s public appearances during the five day papal tour, where he was praised for his progressive views on immigration, criticism of sexual abuse by the clergy, and the need to “reinvigorate” the church by valuing the “immense contribution” of women. | The reported meeting with Davis contrasts with the pope’s public appearances during the five day papal tour, where he was praised for his progressive views on immigration, criticism of sexual abuse by the clergy, and the need to “reinvigorate” the church by valuing the “immense contribution” of women. |
| The pope did not make any public comments on marriage equality, to the frustration of more conservative Catholics. His closest reference was to say there were “unprecedented changes” occurring in the family. | The pope did not make any public comments on marriage equality, to the frustration of more conservative Catholics. His closest reference was to say there were “unprecedented changes” occurring in the family. |