海角大神

Kim Davis鈥檚 five-day stay in a Kentucky jail after she refused to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples because of her Apostolic 海角大神 beliefs has won her admirers, and critics, in high places. Ms. Davis was memorably greeted by Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee鈥檚 at a rally to celebrate her release, a warm welcome that scored points with evangelical voters.

But Davis鈥檚 newest fan is both more powerful and, in this case, more low-key: Pope Francis, whose spokesman has seemingly confirmed that the pontiff invited Davis and her husband to a brief meeting during his trip to Washington last Thursday.

Davis鈥檚 lawyer, Mat Staver of the Liberty Counsel, told CBS Tuesday night that his client to avoid overshadowing Francis鈥� other activities during his first trip to the United States.聽

Robert Moynihan, longtime reporter for Inside the Vatican, 聽and recorded Davis鈥檚 account:

鈥淭hank you for your courage,鈥� Pope Francis said to me. I said, 'Thank you, Holy聽Father.' ... I hugged him, and he hugged me back. It was an extraordinary moment. 鈥淪tay strong,鈥� he said to me.

Davis, who said she was 鈥渄eeply moved,鈥� also told Mr. Moynihan that the Pope asked her to pray for him, and vice versa.

According to , Vatican spokesman Rev. Federico Lombardi said Wednesday, 鈥淚 do not deny that the meeting took place, but I have no other comments to add.鈥� had neither confirmed nor denied the Pope鈥檚 invitation.聽

Before news of the meeting, Francis鈥� comments during the trip back to Rome were . Conscientious objection is a 鈥渉uman right,鈥� he said, and must be respected by law: 鈥淥therwise we would end up in a situation where we select what is a right, saying: 'This right has merit, this one does not.鈥欌��

The response was in keeping with Francis鈥� general approach of stressing compassion and dignity, a 鈥榖ig picture鈥� Catholicism rather than the specifics of church doctrine 鈥� a challenge during his highly anticipated, and highly politicized, visit to Capitol Hill, where his views on environmental stewardship, abortion, death penalty, and capitalism .

The Catholic Church opposes same-sex marriage, but Francis is more welcoming toward gay parishioners than his predecessors. 鈥淚f someone is gay and he searches for the Lord and has good will, who am I to judge?鈥� he famously , helping to launch his worldwide popularity as a more approachable, less dogmatic pontiff.

Staunch opponents of same-sex marriage and abortion would be disappointed by Francis鈥� homily at the World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia on Saturday, according to Guardian contributor , where he again stressed God鈥檚 love for families more than what, exactly, a family should look like.

En route to the US last week, Francis told reporters it would be incorrect to call him 鈥淭his is the social doctrine of the Church. Nothing more, nothing less,鈥� he explained, trying to counter claims that he is more in line with Democratic values.聽

Will his quiet support for Davis change that reputation? It is too early to tell. But the Guardian may want to reconsider a recent 聽proclaiming 鈥淧ope Francis scorecard: liberals take away biggest wins from pontiff鈥檚 US visit.鈥澛�