Vatican confirms meeting between Kim Davis and Pope Francis

ABC News reported that Father Benedettini of the Vatican’s press department issued a statement that said “the Holy See is aware of the reports of Kim Davis meeting with the Holy Father”.

Timothy D. Easley/AP Davis refuses to issue marriage licenses in the Rowan County clerk’s office in Morehead, Ky., on September 1.

Davis’ lawyer, Mathew Staver of the Liberty Counsel, told the New York Times by phone that during the meeting, the pope gave Davis rosary beads and told the county clerk to “stay strong”.

“I can say the conscientious objection is a right that is a part of every human right“.

“It is a right”.

Liberty Counsel said in its release that Pope Francis spoke in English with no interpreter, they hugged, and they promised to pray for each other.

Davis says it was “very humbling” to meet Francis.

The Vatican today confirmed a claim by lawyers for Davis who revealed the private session with the antigay Kentucky clerk and her fourth husband, Joe Davis. He held out his hands and asked Kim to pray for him.

Previously, the Vatican said it would neither confirm nor deny the meeting happened; we’ve updated this post with the more direct response.

“It is a right”, Francis said.

“The pope recognized something that the chattering class in Washington and Wall Street will never understand – that Kim Davis followed her conscience and convictions”, Huckabee said in a statement.

Staver said the pope also gave Kim and her husband rosaries he had blessed.

The Supreme Court legalised same-sex marriage across the nation in June however while in the USA, the Pope did not overly discuss the issue of marriage equality.

Pope Francis did not focus on same-sex marriage during his visit last week, though he repeatedly called for strengthening family values.

“That was a great encouragement just knowing that the pope is on track, you know, with what we’re doing and agreeing, you know, kind of validates everything”. The Pope expressed support for conscientous objection as a right on his flight back to the Vatican when he was asked about Davis.