During Pope Francis‘ papal visit while in Washington, D.C., it has been confirmed that the Catholic Church leader met with controversial Kentucky county clerk, Kim Davis. While the details of the meeting have been kept largely mum, Davis has issued statements via her legal team and during an exclusive interview with ABC News.
This morning, Davis sat with the ABC News morning team to discuss her meeting with Pope Francis. According to NPR, Davis’ initial statement came via her legal representation.
From NPR:
Addressing reports that Pope Francis met privately with controversial Kentucky clerk Kim Davis during his U.S. visit, the Vatican acknowledges that the meeting took place. Davis, who has refused to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples, says she met the pope at the Vatican Embassy in Washington.
“I cannot not deny the meeting took place but I have no comments to add,” Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi said in Italian Wednesday.
Previously, the Vatican said it would neither confirm nor deny the meeting happened; we’ve updated this post with the more direct response.
“I never thought I would meet the Pope,” Davis said via her legal team. “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.”
The meeting is said to have occurred last Thursday, the same day Francis addressed Congress. Davis was in Washington for another purpose: She received a Cost of Discipleship award at the Family Research Council’s Values Voter Summit on Friday night.
Davis followed up those statements by speaking with ABC News, saying the meeting “validates” her strong stances against same-sex marriage and that the Pope supports her and her actions in Kentucky when she denied licences to same-sex couples looking to marry.
Watch ABC News’ exclusive discussion with Kim Davis below regarding her visit with Pope Francis.
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Photo: ABC News
