During his general audience at the Vatican Wednesday (September 30), Pope Francis reflected on last week’s busy visit to Cuba and the US, calling it “a sign of hope and building new bridges.” But by mid-week, a new controversy about the trip developed. The Vatican confirmed that while he was in Washington, Francis had a private meeting with Kim Davis, the Kentucky clerk who was jailed for several days after refusing to issue marriage licenses to gay couples because of her religious beliefs. Many advocates of same-sex marriage were upset by news of the meeting. On Friday, the Vatican acknowledged the controversy and emphasized that the meeting “should not be considered a form of support for her position in all of its particular and complex aspects.”

On the flight back to Rome Sunday night (September 27), Francis had been asked about government officials who object to gay marriage. He did not specifically mention Davis in his response, but said he believes conscientious objection is a human right. Throughout his visit, Francis had praised what he called “the beauty of God’s plan for the family,” which he defined as “the fruitful covenant between a man and a woman.” An important meeting about family issues gets underway at the Vatican this coming week.

Watch our discussion this week about the impact and messages of the pope’s US visit and also our recent conversation on religious freedom and rule of law.