In the latest twist for Kim Davis, the embattled Kentucky clerk had a surprise meeting with Pope Francis last week. A Vatican official has confirmed that Kim Davis was brought to the Vatican Embassy for an under the radar visit with the pontiff last Thursday:
On Tuesday night, her lawyer, Mathew D. Staver, said in a telephone interview that Ms. Davis and her husband, Joe, were sneaked into the Vatican Embassy by car on Thursday afternoon. Francis gave her rosaries and told her to “stay strong,” the lawyer said. The couple met for about 15 minutes with the pope, who was accompanied by security, aides and photographers. Mr. Staver said he expected to receive photographs of the meeting from the Vatican soon.
On Wednesday, the Vatican spokesman, the Rev. Federico Lombardi, confirmed the meeting, but he declined to elaborate. “I do not deny that the meeting took place, but I have no other comments to add,” he said.
Perhaps more interesting is the fact that the meeting was set up not by U.S. bishops, as one might expect, but by the Vatican itself:
Mr. Staver said that Vatican officials had been aware of Ms. Davis, and that the meeting had been arranged through them — not through bishops or the bishops’ conference in the United States. He would not identify the Vatican officials.
Kim Davis’ meeting with Pope Francis is just the latest in a series of underreported details of his historic U.S. trip. His visit to Little Sisters of the Poor and his extensive comments on religious liberty also undermine the argument that the Pope is some sort of left-wing ideologue.
Nick Arnold is a researcher for American Principles In Action.
