Vatican Distances Pope from Kim Davis Visit

The Vatican is seeking to distance Pope Francis from Kentucky county clerk Kim Davis after his visit with her last week in the United States.

"The Pope did not enter into the details of the situation of Mrs. Davis and his meeting with her should not be considered a form of support of her position in all of its particular and complex aspects," Vatican Spokesman Rev. Federico Lombardi said.

The Vatican pointed out that Pope Francis met with dozens of people in the United States, and he did not specifically ask to meet Davis.

The Kentucky clerk has been villified in the media for not issuing same-sex marriage licenses, arguing that doing so would violate her Christian faith. A judge sent her to jail for taking that stand.

News of the Pope's private meeting with Davis led to a media firestorm, with some cable news outlets suggesting the meeting "tainted" the Pope's legacy. So it appears the Vatican is now looking to limit the controversy.

Davis met with the Pope just before his departure for Rome. She said the Pope told her to stay strong.

As he left the country, Francis told reporters who said he didn't know Davis' case in detail that he supports conscientious objection as a human right.

"It is a right. And if a person does not allow others to be a conscientious objector, he denies a right," Francis said.

From the start of his six-day tour, the Pope encouraged Americans to preserve religious freedom, which he called "one of America's most precious possessions."

But he listed it among many other issues, including immigration, climate change, and the death penalty.

While Pope Francis firmly upholds Church teaching that marriage is between a man and woman, he did not focus on the same-sex marriage debate during his visit. He told U.S. bishops at one point to avoid "harsh and divisive" language despite the challenges they face in society.